Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27.

Mr. Martin, of Galway, gave notice of a motion for the 12th of July, for the appointment of a Committee to inquire whether the Roman Catholics laboured under any and what disabilities; and whether it would be expedient to repeal the whole or any part of the laws now in force against them; and also to inquire whether such repeal should be accompanied with any or what securities, for the farther protection of the Established Church. He said, this motion was not meant to interfere with Mr. Canning's previous motion on this subject, but would be brought forward in the event that the right honourable gentleman might be prevented by office, or otherwise, from pursuing his present intention.

On the motion of Mr. Hall, the House went into a Committere on the Nightly Watch Bill. The Report was received, and ordered to be taken into farther consideration on Monday week.

The Provision Bill for Mr. Perceval's Family was read second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow.

Mr. Stewart Wortley gave notice, that he should on Wednesday next move for leave to bring in a Bill to enable Justices of the Peace to afford parochial relief to persons confined for debt in county prisons.

The House then went into a Committee on the Orders in Council.-Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

THURSDAY, MAY 28.

The House met about two o'clock, and resolved itself into a Committee on the Orders in Council.

Mr. Sutherland presented an account of the emoluments of the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod, for the last ten years. Ordered to lie on the table.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS.

On the Order of the Day being read for taking into consideration the Report of the Insolvent Debtor's Bill,

The Earl of Moira moved to postpone it till Tuesday, he not being ready with the Amendments he wished to propose.

Lord Redesdale observed upon the anxiety that prevailed respecting this Bill, and that therefore it was highly desirable to come to the consideration of the Bill as soon as possible.

The Earl of Moira said, he trusted he should have credit when he stated that he would be the last individual to desire unnecessarily the postponement of the measure, after the anxious attention he had devoted to the subject for so many years. The fact was, however, that in consequence of recent circumstances he had not had (as might readily be imagined) sufficient time to consider his intended Amend

ments.

The Lord Chancellor was desirous of taking the blame upon himself, as in consequence of the manner in which he had been lately occupied, he had not had time to consider the Amendments which had been handed to him by the noble earl.

The further consideration of the Report was postponed till Tuesday.

GENTLEMAN USHER OF THE BLACK ROD.

Earl Grosvenor, adverting to the motion of which he had given notice yesterday, urged the propriety of adopting some such Resolution, in order that, in case of a vacancy in the office, it might not be filled up pending the inquiries in Parliament respecting its emoluments. His lordship took the opportunity of observing, that he understood the respectable gentleman who now held the office, had conceived that the motion for an inquiry into its emoluments, involved some reflection upon his conduct. He (Earl Grosvenor) had not the slightest intention of casting the least reflection upon that gentleman, whose conduct, from all that he had heard, had been constantly marked by probity and honour. His lordship observed, that he certainly objected to any part of the emoluments being derived from the sale of subordinate offices, but he was perfectly aware at the same time, that the gentleman who now held the office, in receiving these emoluments, had only derived what he was fairly and legally entitled to. His lordship concluded by moving a Resolution, declaring it inexpedient to fill up any vacancy that might arise in the office, until the inquiries pending in Parliament respecting its emoluments were terminated.

The Earl of Liverpool thought that no sufficient ground had been laid for the motion, and therefore he should move the previous question. He thought it right, however, to state, that he had consulted with the individual in whose patronage the appointment was, and that there was a full understanding with that individual, that in the event of a vacancy the office should be subject to every reasonable regulation respecting its emoluments, more particularly as applicable to the sale of subordinate offices.

Earl Grey thought, that after what had been stated by the noble earl (Liverpool) it might probably be deemed advisable by his noble friend to withdraw the motion. Certainly not the slightest reflection was intended upon the person who now held the office of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. That gentleman, he was satisfied, was a highly respectable man, whose conduct had been perfectly pure and proper, and than whom no one better deserved the consideration of that House. It would undoubtedly be highly desirable that upon a new appointment, emoluments should no longer be derived from the sale of subordinate offices, but in receiving these emoluments, Sir Francis Molyneux had only received the fair and legitimate perquisites of his office, such as they had been enjoyed by all his predecessors. -He thought it the more desirable that his noble friend should withdraw his motion, as the frequent agitation of the subject must tend to hurt the feelings of a person in an infirm state of health, whilst at the same time nothing would be lost by not now pressing the motion, as from the information he had received, there was no danger, from the state of health of Sir F. Molyneux, of a vacancy speedily occurring. Earl Grosvenor agreed to withdraw his motion.

About six, the House again resolved itself into a Committee on the Orders in Council, and examined Mr. Thornley, merchant, of Liverpool, and other witnesses.

Adjourned till Tuesday.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

THURSDAY, MAY 28.

MR. ST. JOHN MASON.

Lord Yarmouth appeared at the bar, and informed the House that his royal highness the Prince Regent had been

graciously pleased to order a Copy of the Lord Lieutenant's Report on the case of Mr. St. John Mason, to be laid before the House.

Mr. Perceval's Family Provision Bill was committed, and the Report ordered to be received on Saturday.

Mr. Brougham presented a Petition from Michael George Prendergast, Esq. M. P. for and on behalf of the widow and representatives of certain opulent persons in India, in the province of Oude. These persons had advanced, it appeared, no less a sum than 300,000l. to the East India Company, to pay off certain arrears of revenue due from the province of Oude to the British Government in India. The transaction took place as far back as before Lord Cornwallis's Government. The return of this money so advanced, had been in some way fraudulently intercepted by the British Resident in India, and it was to obtain some kind of redress that the present Petition was offered. Mr. Brougham concluded by observing, that when the Petition was ordered to lie on the table, he should make a motion for its being taken into consideration at some future day, when this country might be once more blessed with a Government.

The Petition was then brought up and read, and ordered to lie on the table; after which Mr. Brougham gave notice, that he should, on next Tuesday fortnight, submit a proposition to the House respecting it, the nature of which proposition he thought it right to state would be, that the Petition should be referred to a Select Committee.

The House then went into the Committee upon the Orders in Council, and examined several witnesses; after which it adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

FRIDAY, MAY 29.

Moore's Divorce Bill was read a third time and passed. On the motion of Mr. J. Smith, the Committee on the Frame-work Knitters Bill was ordered to be revived.

Mr. Martin, of Galway, gave notice, that on Wednesday next he should move a Resolution, that an humble and dutiful Address be presented to the Regent, beseeching him to carry into immediate effect his most gracious declaration in answer to the Resolution of the House of Commons, by immediately adopting such measures in the present disorganized state of the Government as would tend to the formation of a

strong and extended Administration, suited to the exigencies of the country.

Mr. Creevey postponed his motion respecting the recal of Sir G. Barlow from his Government of Madras, till Wednesday next.

LINCOLN GAOL.

Sir S. Romilly said, he held in his hand a Petition, on which he intended to found a motion on some future day. It was the Petition of one Thomas Holden, a debtor, who was confined in the gaol of Lincoln, complaining of oppression while in that prison. The Petition set forth, that he was obliged to have a room in the prison at the price which the gaoler pleased to demand. Not liking his bed, he had his own brought into the prison. In consequence of this he was removed into the paupers' room, which was only twenty feet long and sixteen broad, and in which were nine persons besides himself. This room had an iron-grated door, and an inner one of wood; and this being in the month of June, the wooden door used to be left open all night for air. However, on his removal there, the turnkey proceeded to shut it, on which the petitioner remonstrated, unless an order was produced from the gaoler. This order was brought, and the door was shut. Shortly after he was. brought before a magistrate, for making this remonstrance, who dismissed the charge. He was again brought before the same magistrate, and, after being much abused by the turnkey, he was ordered to be confined in one of the condemned cells under the prison. He was there kept in solitary confinement for eleven days, when, fortunately, there came down an account in the newspapers of a conversation in the House of Commons respecting the confinement of Mr. Finnerty in the same prison; in consequence of which (the petitioner had no doubt) he was removed from his solitary confinement. This Petition had been delayed in conse quence of its being sent to him (Sir S. Romilly) without being signed.-Ordered to lie on the table.

[ocr errors]

Mr. Brougham hoped that his honourable and learned friend, who was so well able, would probe this matter to the bottom; for he was certain that much oppression prevailed in our prisons. A case had reached him that very day, which he would state to the House. A person of the name of Godfrey had been confined in the same prison, and being troubled with a severe bowel complaint, he had recourse to spirits for relief. The use of them was at last de

« ZurückWeiter »