pressing more heavily on the public than the exi- CHA P. gencies of the service required; that the prerogative LXXXIX. of the crown had been restrained, and the estab- 1814. lishment of this species of force had been regulated by various acts of parliament. Of the four specific cases in which the militia might be called out, he contended that not one of them then existed, and that, therefore, the balloted men were legally entitled to return to their homes. Lord Sidmouth observed, that the acts of parliament which had been cited were not to be construed narrowly, and that while the country remained at war, the service of the militia might be continued so long as the crown should judge it to be of public advantage. The counties and towns upon which any hardship was imposed by such a measure, might be considered as having an equitable claim for reimbursement. This question was afterwards discussed in the house of commons, on a resolution moved by sir Samuel Romilly, that as peace had been concluded for more than six-months, and the country enjoyed internal tranquillity, the measure by which part of the militia force was still kept embodied, was contrary to the act of the 42d of the king, and at variance with the principles of the constitution. The solicitor-general admitted, that ministers would act illegally if they advised the king to call out the militia, except in one of the cases mentioned in the act; but as no specific period had been assigned at which it was to be disembodied, he would maintain, that having been once legally embodied, it might legally be so continued. Mr. Charles Grant observed, that the existing state of Europe, where our regular army was still required, sufficiently justified the policy of maintaining part of our domestic force. A division took place, and the resolution was negatived. On the eve of the recess, a bill introduced by Mr. Peel, to amend the act for GG 3 pre 1815. Committee on the corn laws. CHA P. preserving the peace in Ireland, was passed; and it LXXXIX. received the royal assent at the close of the session. PARLIAMENT re-assembled on the 9th of February, and resumed the consideration of various measures of domestic policy. On the 17th the house of commons resolved itself into a committee, to examine the state of the corn laws. The right hon. Frederic Robinson, vice-president of the board of trade, proposed a series of resolutions, of which the three first related to the free importation of grain to be warehoused, and afterwards exported, or to be taken for home consumption, when importation for that purpose was allowable. The fourth stated the average price of British grain, at which that of foreign growth might be admitted, and below which it must be prohibited: this maximum was fixed at 80s. per quarter for wheat, and proportionally for other corn. By an exception in favour of the British colonies, the wheat grown in them was admissible when that of home growth was at 67s. These resolutions having been agreed to, a bill framed on them was introduced by Mr. Robinson, on the 1st of March, and after encountering a strong opposition in its progress through both houses, was passed on the 20th by the lords. Numerous petitions against it were presented from the commercial and manufacturing districts; and in the metropolis the apprehension of dearth as the immediate consequence of this law produced alarming riots, which were not quelled without military Extension of trial by jury in civil causes to Scotland. aid. ONE of the most important acts passed during this session was that introduced by the lord chancellor, for extending the trial by jury in civil causes to Scotland. Its provisions differed in several particulars from those of the English law respecting juries. The Scottish jury-court is merely subsidiary to the court of session, and it takes cognizance only of questions of fact, which the judges of that court may LXXXIX. 1815. may refer to it at their own discretion. When a CHA P. question of fact has been tried before the jurycourt, the verdict is returned to the court of session, where the judges, in the further progress of the cause, proceed upon the fact so established, in the same manner as if it had been established in evidence before themselves. Thus the process of the jury-court is a substitute for the old method of taking proofs by commission. Another peculiarity in this new institution is, that if a jury cannot agree on their verdict within twelve hours, they are dismissed, and a new trial is granted. These modifications of the law of jury-trial, as established in England, were judged necessary, in the first instance, to render it acceptable in a country on whose forms of judicial procedure it made so great and sudden a change. strictions As the restrictions on payments in cash by the Bank rebank of England, were to expire on the 5th of continued. April, it became necessary to enquire whether or not those restrictions should be renewed. On the 2d of March, lord Archibald Hamilton moved for the appointment of a committee to examine and state the total amount of outstanding demands upon the bank of England, and of the funds for discharging them; also to enquire into the effect produced upon the currency and commercial relations of the United Kingdom, by the different acts passed since the year 1797, for continuing the restriction on cash payments; and lastly, to report their opinion how far, and under what limitations it might be expedient to continue them. This motion was negatived, and a bill, introduced by the chancellor of the exchequer, was soon afterward passed, to continue the act of the 44th of his majesty, restricting the cash payments of the bank of England until the 5th of July, 1816. On the 6th of April, a message from the prince Message regent was delivered to both houses, communicat GG 4 from the ing gent on the LXXXIX. 1815, return of Bonaparte CHAP. ing information, that the events which had recently occurred in France, in direct contravention of the engagement concluded with the allied powers at Paris in the course of the last year, and threatening to France. consequences highly dangerous to the tranquillity and independence of Europe, had induced his royal highness to give directions for the augmentation of his majesty's sea and land forces; and that he had deemed it incumbent upon him to lose no time in entering into communications with his majesty's allies, for the purpose of forming such a concert as might most effectually provide for the general and permanent security of Europe. The events alluded to in this message were the return of Bonaparte from Elba, and his resumption of imperial authority in France. The corresponding addresses were voted, and vigorous preparations were made for the renewal of hostilities. CHAP. XC. State of parties in France.-Conspiracy.- Landing of XC. parties in WHILE Louis XVIII. was endeavouring to CHAP. secure to his people the blessings of peace under a free constitution, he found it a hopeless 1815. task to reconcile the conflicting interests of the State of parties into which they were divided. The royal- France. ists, by their imprudent zeal and high pretensions, excited the jealousy of the constitutionalists, who felt little attachment to a dynasty so long estranged from them, and inclined, as many of them feared, to disturb the possessors of the national domains; while the republicans made common cause with the imperialists in fomenting a new revolution. The army, reinforced by 150,000 prisoners from England, Russia, and Prussia, entered willingly into their projects for recovering its former glories; and a conspiracy was formed in the capital, which, Conspiracy. through |