it was an important duty, and a most binding obligation on every British statesman, to support the commercial interests of the empire, but he believed this to be not inconsistent with an anxious solicitude for the preservation of its maritime and political rights. The right hon. gentleman then contended at some length, that the document issued by the French Government, containing a principle subversive of all national law, that the new principles proclaimed by the enemy were altogether new, and that whatever concessions had been made at different times as to the unlimited rights of neutrals, these concessions had been made between particular states, who could not have the power of extending their application to other countries. He had some objection to the word suspension, and wished that the Orders might be considered at once as revoked, in order that if hereafter renewed, they might begin de novo, and establish them merely as a belligerent measure.

Mr. Brougham shortly replied, and congratulated the House on the expiration of the Orders in Council. He was sorry that his hon. and learned friend (Mr. Stephen) was not present to mourn at the death of his favourite system. He was happy that a painful inquiry had not been in vain, and trusted that their constituents would not receive them the less favourable for the work they had accomplished(Hear, hear!)

After some conversation between Lord Castlereagh, Mr. Brougham, and Mr. Canning, respecting the best mode of disposing of the question, the gallery was cleared for a division, which did not, however, take place, upon an understanding that the Orders in Council should be annulled. Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17.

Earl Moira briefly gave notice, that he should on Friday call the attention of the House to the late negociations.

SCOTS LOCAL MILITIA BILL.

On the question for the third reading of this Bill, The Marquis of Douglas rose, and at some length adduced a variety of detailed objections to the measure. lordship seemed to lay his principal stress upon the con

His

trouling power vested in the Barons of the Exchequer in Scotland (in whom, in effect, the execution of the Bill was ultimately vested), but particularly with respect to the Lieutenantcies of Counties; and in the situation in which the latter were placed by such controuling power, he wished particularly to direct the attention of their lordships: of this he cited some instances which he conceived to be some unjust and oppressive charges and assessments upon certain parishes; and in the detail of its execution, he contended, the way in which the schoolmasters and parish constables were called upon to act, was highly detrimental to the service and the due organization and perfection of the Scots Militia. The noble marquis concluded by moving an Amendment by way of rider, the principal effect of which seemed to be, taking away the present controuling power of the Barons of the Exchequer on the county Lieutenantcies, with respect to the remuneration, allowances to be given, &c.

Lord Melville argued briefly, but ably, in defence of the measure. He did not feel it necessary to follow the noble marquis as to the minute details into which he had entered. It was and should be a principle, he observed, to assimi late, as far as practicable, the structure and organization of the Scotch Militia to that of England. The controuling power vested in the Barons of the Exchequer was highly proper and constitutional, as they were the superintendants of the public expenditure in that part of the United King dom. The Militia of Scotland was comparatively of recent institution, yet the degree of discipline and perfection to which it was brought was such as to deserve applause, instead of being impugned. He was confident the Barons of the Exchequer discharged that part of their duty in question with as much propriety, and as much to their own credit, as any other part of their functions; and he repeated the expediency of conducting the Militia service, in both parts of the island, as far as possible, on the same plan.

The Marquis of Douglas shortly explained; and referring to what he conceived greater facilities, said, the Militia service might and ought to be conducted in a superior style. in Scotland.--A division then took place:

For the Amendment

Against it

Majority

The Bill was then read a third time and passed.

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INSOLVENT DEBTORS' BILL.

On the motion of the Earl of Lauderdale, the House resolved itself into a Committee on this Bill.

Earl Moira moved to fill up the corresponding blank, by the words "24th day of May," or " on or before the 24th of May," as the period of the operation of the Bill, which was forthwith agreed to by the Committee. The noble earl then brought forward his promised clause relative to an extension of the amount of the sum at which the Bill was to attach. It would be recollected that the amount of the sum, as fixed in the Bill of last year, was not to exceed 20001. The object of the clause he should now propose was to give the power of exceeding that sum, where the cases appeared to require it. The provision was to the following effect: "That it shall be lawful for the Chief Justice of his Majesty's Court of King's Bench, the Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, or the Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer respectively, to nominate and appoint a Barrister, who is hereby required so to do, to consider of applications made for the benefit of this Act, in cases where the amount of debt shall exceed the sum of 2000l. under the authority of rules to be made for such proceedings, and that such relief under this Act shall be administered therein as the case shall appear to require."-Agreed to.

The Earl of Lauderdale then adverted to the propriety and justice of extending the benefit of the Act to the British possessions in India, the only quarter, his lordship observed, where his Majesty's subjects may be committed for debt without at any time enjoying the benefit of these Acts. He' intended, therefore, to move such a provision as an amendment to the Bill, and to this, he was convinced, their lordships would feel no objection, when they learned there were people confined in gaols in India for 17 and 18 years together, without ever having an opportunity of this species of relief. His lordship then proposed the clause, which provided as above, and that copies of the Act, within a given time, should be transmitted to India by the Court of Directors.-Agreed to.

The House then resumed, and the Bill with the Amendments ordered to be printed.-Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17.

The Report of the Glass Duty Bill was brought up, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.

BREACH OF PRIVILEGE.

Mr. Marryatt rose to complain of a passage in the report of an hon. and learned gentleman's speech, last night, on the subject of the Orders in Council, in one of the papers, in which he was named as having been the person who, in his evidence before the Committee of the House, denied the existence of any distress of the people of the manufacturing districts, and stated that oatmeal and water were sufficient for them. Before he said one word about himself, he would say a few words about that statement, which, in his opinion, could not but with great grains of allowance be given to any witness. It had been said of an ancient writer -Nihil tetigit quod non ornavit. In the same way it might be said of the honourable gentleman (Mr. Brougham), that he was very apt to heighten and to colour whatever he touched; and that which he had already heightened, it ap peared was again further heightened by the reporters and composers of the paper in question. So much in justice to the witnesses. As to himself the House would bear witness, that not one syllable had ever been asked him on the subject in question, from the very best reason in the world, because from his residence and pursuits he was totally incompetent to speak of the state of the manufacturing districts. He had never ridiculed their distresses-on the contrary, he wished most sincerely that every means should be taken calculated to alleviate their distresses; and the tenor of his evidence was to guard the House against the danger of allowing our manufactures to be superseded abroad by the manufactures of France. Manufactures were the source of our opulence, and as they rise and fall our commerce must rise and fall also. Now had he resided in the neighbourhood of Spitalfields, what, he would ask, might have been the consequences to his family? It was too much that a man should not only suffer in his character by such a mistake, but that the safety of his family should also be endangered by it. In justice to himself, and every Member of the House, he thought this trespass ought not to pass without notice.

He was shortly to go down to a manufacturing district, where a part of his family at present resided. What, he would ask, was the reception he had every reason to anticipate? He therefore moved that the printer of the paper complained of should be ordered to attend at the Bar of the House.

Mr. Brougham said, if he could have anticipated that ́the observations which, in the discharge of his duty, he had thought it his duty to make, and that his narrative of what the House had not witnessed, namely, the conduct of the witnesses in the Committee, could have led to such an unpleasant mistake, he knew not but he should have overcome his scruples, and at once named the person. It was not his honourable friend, if he would give him leave to call him so, but a perfectly different person he had alluded to, who was not, and never had been a Member of the House. Even yet however he would not reveal his name, in tender. ness to the person himself. With respect to the report of what he had said, it was by no means correct. In some respects it fell short, and in others it heightened it; but with respect to himself he would maintain, that what he did say was not a coloured or painted statement, but was as accurate a statement as his memory furnished him with at the time of what passed during the giving of the evidence. -When the bonourable gentleman talked of a painted statement, he thought he heard something like a chear from the benches behind him, which struck him the more, as none of those gentlemen, he believed, were present while the evidence was given; nay, he doubted whether they were even present yesterday-(hear!)- He doubted even if an honourable baronet (Sir Charles Price), who seemed to wear a smile on his face on the occasion, was present yesterday→→→ This was one of the cases where, in his opinion, the privi Jeges of the House were best maintained by mingling with justice a large portion of mercy. The disadvantageous circumstances under which these reports were given, if they did not vindicate, at least greatly extenuated the offence; and, therefore, he hoped, when the individual should be brought to the bar, he would be most mercifully dealt with. If any individual had a right to complain, it was perhaps himself. There were two several cases in which words had been put into his mouth in that very paper, which he had never uttered, and which tended to prejudice him in the opinion of the country.