to, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time to-morrow, and then engrossed.

The proceedings on the Peace Preservation Bill were then resumed, when

Mr. Tierney brought up his clause (already mentioned), which was agreed to, and added by way of rider to the Bill, which was then read a third time, passed, and ordered to the Lords.

LATE OVERTURES FOR PEACE.

Mr. Tierney wished to know if it was the intention of his right honourable friend (Mr. Sheridan) to bring forward then his motion respecting the late Overtures for Peace?

Mr. Sheridan had understood that his notice stood for this day, but hearing that his honourable friend (Mr. Whitbrend) was hastening up to town to attend in his place upon it, he (Mr. S.) had agreed to defer it till to-morrow; though as his honourable friend had arrived a day sooner, and was then present, he could have wished to have brought it forward on that evening. He hoped, however, that as the discussion would necessarily be short, the noble lord opposite would give him precedence. The notice was then fixed for

to-morrow.

TOLERATION AMENDMENT BILL.

Mr. W. Smith, on the question that the Toleration Amendment Bill be read a third time, rose for the purpose of making one or two observations. And, first, he could not help congratulating the House and the country on the singular progress of the present Bill through that House, to this its last stage, without having provoked the expression of one sentiment of hostility against it. This he could not help looking upon as a most auspicious symptom of the rapid advance of liberal and enlightened opinion~(Hear!) The honourable gentleman then went into a history of the origin, rise, and progress of the present Bill. He censured the measure proposed in a former session, by another noble lord (Sidmouth), which he thought might have created the evils it was designed to prevent, though he had no hesitation in acquitting the noble lord of any intolerant intent. He declared it as his opinion, that this Act would be generally acknowledged by the Dissenters as a great benefit. He then brought up a clauseallowing to the Dissenters the same exemptions under this Act as they enjoyed under that of the 19th of his present Majesty.

Mr. Whitbread said, he had examined the Bill, and be found it was the same he had himself intended to have brought in. He drew the same happy inferences from the silent progress of this Bill as were drawn by his honourable friend, and he hoped it would continue till the great work of religious freedom received its tinal consummation, because he thought that the strength of the Established Church rested in the freedom of religious opinions. The clause was then brought up and agreed to, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time, passed, and ordered to the Lords.-Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

TUESDAY, JULY 21.

The Peace Preservation Bill, the Toleration Bill, the Prisoners of War Escape Bill, the Assessed Taxes Allowances Bill, the Medicine Bill, the New Forest Bill, and the Privy Purse Bill, were brought up from the Commons, by Mr. Lushington and other Members, and read a first time. The Peace Preservation Bill was ordered to be printed; as were also the Toleration Bill, and most of the others; and Lord Sidmouth gave notice of his intention to move the second reading of the Peace Preservation Bill on Thursday.

LOCAL TOKENS.

On the order of the day being read for going into a Committee on the Local Tokens Bill,

The Earl of Lauderdale contended that this was a most dangerous measure, as it would operate to create confusion and distress in the country, by destroying the means of carrying on retail trade, it being only through the medium of the small change afforded by these Local Metallic Tokens, that the retail trade in the country could at present be carried on. He had a considerable collection of these tokens, and in general he found that they were worth about three-fourths of their nominal value, which might be considered a fair proportion; and therefore he saw no reason, on any ground of their value, for putting them out of circulation, whilst from the absolute want of small change, the Bill, if passed, would operate as a proclamation for the manufacturer of base coin, which would get

into circulation, instead of tol:ens issued by persons of credit, and for which they were responsible. The Bill besides, in its present shape, would operate in a way that was not intended by the framers of it; for although the cir culation of Local Tokens was not to be stopped till the 25th of March next, yet from the word "issue" in the first clause of the, Bill, no person could, in fact, after the passing of the Act, tender a Local Token in payment (although not the original issuer of it) without being liable to a penalty of five pounds. He thought the Bill ought to be deferred till next session, in order to give an opportunity for discussing the whole question of the circulation of the country, upon which the circulation of these tokens depended; but at any rate he trusted there would be no objection to insert an Amendment to prevent the Bill from at once putting an end to the circulation of these tokens, which must unavoidably create the greatest confusion.

The Earl of Liverpool said, that the noble lord and bis friends had so often raised the cry of dangerous measures, that it was like the fable of the Boy and the Wolf; they had cried wolf so often that the cry was little attended to. With respect to the Bill, it had met with very little objec tion in another place, where the best opportunities of infor mation on the subject were accessible; and the fact was, that the evil resulting from the circulation of these tokens loudly demanded a remedy. Those who were interested in circulating these tokens bought up the Bank Tokens and withdrew them from circulation, in order that they might make a larger profit by the issue of their Local Tokens. The question of a silver circulation was, he contended, independent of the question as to paper and gold, the fact being, that some years ago, when gold was abundantly plentiful, great difficulties were experienced for want of a sufficient circulation of silver. The object of the Bill was to prevent the originally issuing any more Local Tokens after the passing of this Act; but it was wished to give time till the 25th of March for withdrawing those already in circulation. He had no objection, therefore, to insert an Amendment, as proposed by the noble lord.

The Earl of Lauderdale observed as to the cry of wolf, that he and his friends had taught the noble lord to join chorus very loudly in that cry; and he had no doubt that, long previous to the 25th of March, the noble lord on this

subject also would cry wolf, and be very anxious to repeal 663 the present Bill.

The House then went into a Committee, and Amendments were adopted on the motion of the Earl of Liverpool, applying the enactments of the Bill from the passing of it, more expressly to the original issuers of Local Tokens, the circulation of those already in use not being prohibited till the 25th of March.-Report to-morrow.

STONE BOTTLES-AMERICAN DECLARATION of war.

On the third reading of the Stone Bottle Duty Bill, moved by the Earl of Liverpool,

Lord Holland objected that this tax would materially injure the manufacture of Stone Bottles, the materials used in which already paid a considerable duty to Government, and that therefore the operation of the tax would in fact tend to diminish instead of increase the revenue, whilst a number of persons now engaged in the manufacture would be thrown out of employ.

The Earl of Liverpool stated, that Stone Bottles had been lately used for purposes for which glass bottles were formerly used, and that a heavy duty having been laid upon glass, it had been thought but just to impose a proportionate duty upon Stone Bottles, in order to protect the glass manufacture.

The Earl of Rosslyn denied, so far as his own experience went, that Stone Bottles had been substituted where the glass had been used, and thought that at least some proof ought to have been given of the fact. He contended that this tax would greatly injure the export trade, amounting to about four-fifths of this manufacture, and that the revenue would at the same time be diminished by it.

Lord Holland concurred in opinion with his noble friend, he not being at all aware, from his observation, that there was that substitution of Stone Bottles for glass which had been stated.

The Earl of Lauderdale also concurred in the same opinion, and lamented that this bonus should have been promised to the glass manufacturers, to keep them quict under the tax lately imposed.

The Duke of Norfolk said, he did not rise to enter into the details of the Bill, but to ask a question, before his Majesty's Ministers left the House, respecting the reports which had recently been in circulation, of a declaration of

war on the part of the United States of America against this country. He wished to know whether those reports were truc, and if true, whether his Majesty's Ministers had any consolation to offer, under this unfortunate situation of affairs?

The Earl of Liverpool stated, that his Majesty's Ministers had received information, through an indirect channel, that the Senate of the United States had come to a vote concurring in the Bill proposed by the House of Representatives, for declaring war against this country; but what measures the President had adopted in consequence of this vote of the Senate, his Majesty's Ministers were at present uninformed. He could not, therefore, at the present moment, enter into any further explanation upon the subject.

The Duke of Norfolk trusted that Parliament would not be allowed to separate without having an opportunity of receiving further explanation upon this important subject. The Bill was read a third time and passed.-Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

TUESDAY, JULY 21.

Sir S. Romilly presented a Petition from the Debtors to the Crown, confined in the Fleet Prison, praying that their case might be included in the Insolvent Bill now before the House, since, by the present law, they could not be released without the consent of three of the Lords of the Treasury. The Petition having been read, the honourable baronet took the opportunity of expressing his opinion decidedly against the Insolveat Bills, two of which had been introduced during the present session.

Mr. I harton assured the House, that the application to the Treasury for the assent of the Lords was attended with no expence; and after a few words from Mr. Kenrick, the Insolvent Debtors Bill went through the Committee, and the Report ordered for to-morrow.

LIBELS IN IRELAND.

Mr. Sheridan rose, in pursuance of his notice, to call the attention of the House to the summons sent by Mr. Saurin, Attorney-General in Icland, to Mr. Fitzpatrick, calling