Mr. C. Long spoke in favour of the ap- could not give them bread we ought not pointment of a committee. It would be to to indulge ourselves in the purchase of be regretted, if the public lost this opportu- stones. On these grounds he felt it his nity of obtaining a collection more useful duty to object to the present motion, and than any other that could be found for should therefore conclude by moving the the improvement of the arts. If the previous question. House refused to purchase this collection Sir John Newport had not been able to of lord Elgin, it would be hard on his satisfy his mind that these marbles had lordship to be prevented from disposing been acquired in that way that could of it otherwise.

authorize the nation to purchase them. Mr. Preston opposed the motion, on He therefore should support the amendthe ground of the influence of example, ment. and the distressed state of the country. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, Lord Elgio ought to have come boldly the committee to be appointed would of forward, and have made them a present course consider the question of the exto the country. He thought, that if am- penses of the noble lord carefully, and see bassadors were encouraged to make these also whether they had been properly apspeculations, many might return home in plied or not. He saw no good ground før the character of merchants. He could taking up the subject at some other time. not consent to pay for the collection ac. If the business could be adjourned, with a cording to what might be called its value, fair and full security for our retaining but only as far as it was a compensation possession of this most valuable collection, to an ambassador for his expenses in pro- it would certainly be preferable; but it curing it. He did not see that lord Elgin would be very burthensome to lord Elgin was bound by what the committee thought to be debarred from selling it to any body right.

else, while parliament thought fit to refuse Mr. Brougham was sorry that in the to purchase it. discharge of his duty he must object to Mr. Babington thought the mode in the appointment of a committee. He which the collection had been acquired participated, at the same time, in feeling partook of the nature of spoliation. It with other hon, members that it was ex- was of the greatest importance to ascertain tremely desirable such a collection should whether this collection had been procured be in the possession of this country, It by such means as were honourable to this was very rational that we should wish to country. We were at present looked at indulge ourselves in this sort of gratifica with much attention, and perhaps jealousy, tion, but he was under the necessity of by other nations; and many in a neighlooking to the other side of the question. bouring country might rejoice to find us This country had not the money to spend. tripping. He hoped the committee would As a nation we found ourselves precisely be careful in seeing that the whole transin the situation of an individual who might action was consonant with national hosee many things he would like to purchase, nour. If these remains of antiquity were and which he might purchase too at a cheap not honourably acquired, he hoped we price, but he could not indulge himself with should have nothing to do with them. the article, for upon asking himself the Mr. Croker said, it was extremely dequestion he found that he had no money sirable for the committee to inquire into in his pocket. Perhaps this collection the points mentioned by the hon. member. might cost about forty or fifty thousand He would not vote for the committee, if pounds, but even if it would cost only ten or he did not think it essential to ascertain iwelve thousand this was not the time to that what had been done was compatible press expenses upon the public. This with the noble lord's and with the country's

. cut down expenses of every description. The previous question was put and neIf it could be afforded, consideration was gatived; after which the main question due to the present state of midshipmen, was agreed to, and a committee appointed,

, and also of half.pay officers, retiring upon what was not equal to their support, but he believed the only answer which could

HOUSE OF LORDS. be returned was, that in the present state

Monday, February 26. of the country, we were not able to afford PUNISHMENT OF THE PILLORY.] Earl them any further assistance; still if we Stanhope took an opportunity to address the House upon this subject. He ob- | additional trouble upon the judges, who served, their lordships would recollect that were already borne down, by the immense in the last session of parliament, a bill had weight of business allotted to them, he been brought up to them from the Com- had to observe, that he had more than mons respecting the abolition of the pu- once urged their lordships to have as. nishment of the pillory. It was then sessors of their own, for the transaction of suggested by a noble and learned lord, such important business as that referred and approved by the noble earl on the to. For instance, if one of the judges, a ministerial bench, that it would be very master in chancery, and a sound commonproper to submit the subject to the learned law lawyer, were to attend the House as judges, in order that they might draw up its assessors, and to submit to them various a bill upon it. The case was generally important statutes, erroneously drawn up, stated to be a proper one, and that the for correction, or for reducing various judges should be directed to form into laws into one act, upon a given subject, one bill all the laws relative to the punish- much more good would be done, in those ment of the pillory, as on a former parti- respects, than had of late been even ata cular occasion all the laws that related to tempted. the penalty of death, were proposed to be included in one act. In the subject re- Ceylon.] Lord Holland, asked wheferred to, he thought it peculiarly proper ther it was intended to lay any further to have called upon the judges to draw up papers on the table respecting the war in an act of parliament for the House, so that Ceylon with the emperor of Candy? He all the laws upon the subject should be observed, there was an account of the consolidated into one. Under that im- termination of the war, but nothing as to pression he had moved a resolution, that the motives which led to it; and when the the learned judges should prepare and lay result was looked at, which was nothing before the House a bill, to reduce into less than the subversion of a most ancient one act all the laws then in force, which empire, and the exclusion of a most anprescribed the penalty of the pillory, or cient dynasty, he thought some further authorized the infiction thereof. He had information upon the subject ought to be inquired, and had not found that any such laid before the House. bill bad been delivered. He was sure he The Earl of Liverpool said, it was not should never speak of the learned judges the intention of his Majesty's servants to of the land, save with the greatest respect. communicate any further information upon But when their lordships made an order, the subject; but it was open to the noble and when, as he learned from the votes of lord to move for whatever further papers the Commons, the subject was now agi- he thought necessary. tating there, he must be allowed to express his opinion, that it were better such

HOUSE OF COMMONS. a bill had been prepared by the judges, and submitted to that House, previous to

Monday, February 26. a bill coming up again from the Commons LIVERPOOL CANAL BILL.) Lord Lason the same subject. He merely sug- celles moved the second reading of the gested the propriety of such a bill, with above Bil). His lordship observed, that out making any formal motion now upon many objections were made to the meathe subject. It might, however, be proper sure, and, he believed, petitions were preto know, what had been done on the oc- paring against it; but, as those objections casion, or whether such a bill had been related principally to the raising of tolls, framed. No doubt a sufficient reason and some other matters of regulation, he would be assigned; but as the learned conceived they could be removed in the judges were then present, he thought it committee. He should, therefore, move right to say this much, in order that their the second reading of the Bill, which, if lordships might be informed if any mis- delayed, would occasion much'inconvenitake had occurred in the delivery of the ence to a number of persons who were notice, that it might be clearly known now attending in town. such an order was made, and that some

Sir Robert Peel did not mean to oppose hint might be given when it would be at the motion, as the noble lord seemed to tended to. With respect to an opinion suppose that the objections would be diswhich had been given last year, that no- posed of in the committee. He wished, thing could be more cruel than to heap however, to observe, that petitions would

§

shortly be presented against it from Liver. Account of MONEY RAISED BY POORSpool, and from several other places. RATEs.) Mr. Addington presented to

The bill was then read a second time, the House, pursuant to their order, and ordered to be committed.

An Account of all Money raised by Poors Rates, or other Rate or Rates, in the

several Counties in England and Wales, in the year ending the 25th of March 1815 ;-showing, the Number of Parishes which have not made Returns, and also the Number of Parishes which have made Returns, under the Aet 55 Geo. 3, c. 47, relative to the Expense and Maintenance of the Poor and Highways.

Dorset .........

........

TOTAL OF WALES......£.270,055 6 104

£. d. 6 Bedford

134 69,464 6 31 31 Berkshire..... 192

125,710 0 44 223 Buckingham...... No Returns received. 44 Cambridge

131 63,354 13 11 57 Chestor

434 125,630 064 5 Cornwall

210 104,769 2 74 Cumberland ..... 221 60,732 19 03 7 Derby

310 109,423 12 74 -34 Devon

440

241,793 15 1

286 95,812 12 54 54 Durham

235 88,467 671 3 Essex

412 280,623 14 5 35 Gloucester

364 165,768 1 11% Hampshire 330 211,257 513 16 Hereford

243 81,182 1 55 Hertford

145

98,380 1995 Huntingdon 104

40,625 13 2 46 Kent

363 345,621 0 91 2 3 Lancaster..

449

383,217 3 104 2 Leicester

321 140,150 50 Lincoln

756 226,997 18 24 Middlesex

213

642,468 i 24 5 Monmouth

144 37,730 17 65 58 Norfolk

633

219,238 10 1 10 Northampton 323 152,161 11 53 35 Northumberland

493

91,983 9 43 8 Nottingham.. 261 113,178 611 13 Oxford ...........

266 126,543 13 104 Rutland

55 18,653 2 24 2 Shropshire

245

113,221 13 34 Stafford

281 171,768 17 01 19 Sarrey ............ 132 187,561 16 34 Somerset

494 233,084 17 10% Suffolk

510 208,840 5 3 6 Sussex

304 870,328 8 2 Warwick

189,787 1 03 5 Wilts ....

331 171,571 503 2 Westmoreland...

23,809 18 11 13 Worcester

212

99,075 7 7 46 Yorkshire.co 1,552 · 623,046 16 0

249

106

773

George P. Brietzcke, Appointed by Lord Viscount Sidmouth, his Mas jesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Deparlizent, to form an Abstract from the Returns relative to tlre Expense and Maintenance of the Poorin England, wwder the Act 55 Geo, 3, cap. 47. a

PETITIONS AGAINST THE PROPERTY | labouring under the same mistake, imaTax.] Petitions against the property gining that this was a new tax, and that tax were presented from Selkirk, New, the standing orders would prevent the port in Cornwall

, St. Mary Stratford reception of any petitions on the subject Bow, St. Leonard Shoreditch, Uxbridge, of the income tax after to day. He was Northampton, Bristol, Ward of Cornhill

, convinced this was a manœuvre to prevent Ward of Farringdon Without, St. Bride's the voice of the country being heard. Fleet-street, Warwick, Southwark, Ward Lord Compton also stated that such an of Walbrook, Bread-street Ward, Castle opinion existed in his county. Baynard Ward, Ipswich, Launceston, The Chancellor of the Exchequer took Saint Saviour's Southwark, King's Lynn, this opportunity of giving notice, that he Coleman-street Ward, Cromer, Nor- meant to propose the income tax in the folk, Haddington, Hampshire, Kimbol- committee of ways and means on Wedton, Aberdour Farming Society, Arundel, nesday, and hoped those members who had Lewes, Liverpool, Berwick upon Tweed, notices on the book would give way to Sandwich, Annan, Westminster, Broad him. street Ward, Norwich, St.Anne, Limehouse, - Mr. Baring said, that so far from that Swansea, Cambridge, Ely, Doncaster, he would rather add another notice than Northallerton, Cottingham, Devonshire, remove the one now existing, in order to Ward of Farringdon Within, and Taunton. prevent the right hon. gentleman from In consequence of the House being called running a race with the country. Such over, the gallery was not opened till precipitation was most indecent. He denearly seven o'clock. In the course of clared he would oppose the measure in the evening,

every stage, and keep it as long before the Lord Althorp on presenting a petition House as he could. 'He knew the anxiety from the county of Northampton against of the country on this account to be very the property tax and the peace establish- great. He wished hon. gentlemen would ment, said, that although not passed unani- attend more to their constituents than to mously, it was carried by a very large ma- private meetings at the minister's house, jority.

thereby endeavouring to stifle their voice. Mr. Cartwright stated that the minority Sir Charles Mordaunt said a meeting was respectable, and that he could not had been called in his county; his consupport that part of the petition which stituents were anxious to have an opporrelated to the property tax.

tunity of expressing their sentiments, and Mr. Hart Davis presented a petition he therefore required delay. from Bristol, signed by above 4,000 in- Mr. Wharton said, that it was the inhabitants, but felt it his painful duty to tention of Beverly to petition if they were declare that the sentiments contained in given time. the petition did not accord with his own. Mr. Lyttelton said, he had received in

Mr. Protheroe presented a petition from telligence from his constituents stating the corporation of Bristol against the pro- that they had delayed a requisition until perty

tax, and declared that in his opinion the motion of the hon. member of Essex the continuance of the property tax was a had been disposed of. If the income tax, most judicious measure for the purpose was thus hurried on, their object must nee of winding up the expenses of the war. cessarily be defeated. : General Gascoyne presented a petition Sir Gilbert Heathcote stated that a sifrom Liverpool against the property tax. milar occurrence would take place in RutHe said that no difference of opinion landshire. existed in the town with regard to the Mr. Wynn stated the same fact with prayer of the petition. He fully coin regard to the counties of Denbigh and cided in those sentiments ; the House was Montgomery. pledged to the discontinuance of the tax Mr. Charles Dundas observed, that, during peace, and he should oppose it as Berkshire was very desirous of meeting, long as he had a seat in that House. and that a requisition had been sent for

Mr. Brougham wished to state a fact the purpose. He trusted the chancellor which came within his own knowledge of the exchequer would abandon his inAll the signatures were procured in a few tention of being so precipitate. hours, on the supposition that the petition The Chancellor of the Exchequer decould not be presented after to day. clared he had so long ago announced his Many parts of the country, he said, were intention respecting the property tax, that (VOL. XXXII.)

(3 H)

a

a fall opportunity had been given of pe- of the great body of the inhabitants of all titioning against it; and that he was per- ranks. suaded the sense of the country at large Lord Francis Osborne presented four was not adverse to its being continued petitions from the land-owners and occu. for the period and under the modifications piers in the Isle of Ely and from other which he had proposed; he should there parts of Cambridgeshire setting forth the fore bring forward the discussion on Fri- distresses under which they laboured, and day next.

praying against the continuance of the Mr. Tierney said, that the right bon. war taxes generally, and particularly ģentleman seemed to take it for granted against a standing army in the time of that the estimates he intended to propose peace. would be agreed to by the House; but he Lord Milton presented several petitions trusted gentlemen would remember, that against the income tax from Doncaster, if they were not carried, the property tax North Allerton, North and South Cave, would not be wanted.

and the parish of Cottingham, all in the The Chancellor of the Exchequer ob- county of York. served, that he should proceed in the Sir Thomas Acland said, he held in his asual course of beginning with the esti- hand not less than twenty-six petitions, mates first, and proceeding to the ways the object of which he should endeavour and means afterwards.

to state generally. The first he should - Mr. Babington was in favour of delay. notice was one signed by 700 occupiers His constituents intended to petition, but and owners of land in North Devon, comhad bitherto been prevented by the indis-plaining of the distresses under which their position of the mayor, who was incapable agriculture laboured, of the beavy burof attending public business.

thens imposed upon the farmer by county Mr. Ponsonby expressed his surprise rates, poor-rates, and tithes, and parthat the right hon. gentleman would not ticularly by the property-tax, which they accommodate himself to the wishes of the estimated at seventeen and a half per cent. country. Did he conceive that the oppo- on the land. They stated, that many of sition to this tax was artificial or fictitious, them, in order to meet these payments or that it was excited by a party spirit ? had been under the necessity of selling

Mr. Gore Langton said, his majesty's their young cattle to great disadvantage, ministers wished to prevent the voice of and some of them were now in confinement the people from being heard, which he con- | for debt, from inability to pay. This pesidered most unfair.

tition also complained of the severity of Sir Francis Burdett said, he held in his the salt tax. Another petition which he hand a petition which was unanimously held in his hand was from the yeomanry agreed to at a very numerous meeting of of the district of Tiverton, once an oputhe inhabitants of Westminster, and signed lent body of men, complaining of the pro

, by a certain number of them. The peti- perty tax, and setting forth the great intioners complained, that it was the decla- crease of poor-rates, in consequence of red intention of ministers to propose the the distresses of the agricultural labourers. continuance of the income tax, in violation The petitioners stated their wish, that if of their most solemn pledges to the con- the income tax was still deemed necessary, trary. Against this tax they protested as it should undergo some modification, and an intolerable grievance, and also against that, if possible, the same should be the the maintenance of a large military esta- case with the assessed taxes. The hon. blishment, which in their judgment, as baronet proceeded to observe, that from well as his own, was utterly incompatible the best attention he had been able to give with the liberties of the country.

the petitions, some of them were for the Şir James Sharu presented a petition unqualified removal of the income tax : against the income tax from the inhabi- others for some modification of it should tants of the ward of Broad Street, who, it still be deemed necessary. he said, had supported his Majesty's go- The first petition presented by the hon. vernment for the last twenty-five years, baronet was then brought up and read by but were now unanimous in their opposi- the clerk, who was proceeding merely to tion to this proposed tax.

read the titles of others, when Mr. W. Smith presented a petition from Mr. Tierney interposed, observing, that the city of Norwich to the same effect, he thought all of them should be read. which, he said, expressed the sentiments All they knew at preseut from them was,