£.25,140,186

Total............£.27,279,186

five years......

Bank Advance on Bills...... Lottery.

6,000,000 ..200,000

Total

The Chancellor then moved "That the proposal of the Bank for an advance of three millions be approved."

Surplus Grants, 1815,....... Bank Advance on account of Increased Capital

.£5,663,755

3,000,000

Mr. Vesey Fitzgerald observed that it was not his intention to go at length over the same statements which he had recently had the honour of submitting to the consideration of the House. The quota of Contribution estimated to be due from Ireland for the service of the present year Irish 3.407.7941. currency, 3,145,656 British. The charge of interest and sinking fund on the present debt was 6.826.7301. forming a total supply of 10,234,5247. To meet this charge the following were the

was

WAYS AND MEANS.

or

Surplus of Consolidated Fund £. 991,570 Revenue, estimated at.

Profit on Lotteries....

Seamen's Wages...

..6,000,000

.100 000 ...111,960

1,841,666

Loan on Treasury Bills
England 1,700,000l. British S
Ditto, ditto, in Ireland ............1,200,000

Total Ways and Means £.10,245,196 He had estimated the produce of the Revenue in Ireland at six millions; and he thought that, under all the circumstances, he was justified in taking this estimate. After a very short discussion, the Resolutions were agreed to, and the House resumed.

.......

May 28.

Mr. Rose brought in a Bill respecting the regulation of Mad-houses. It provid ed for eight commissioners to inspect madhouses throughout England, as it had been found that the intrusting this business to the physicians merely was totally ineffi cient: two justices in each district were also to have the right of visiting, and all He believed no the county members. better arrangement could be made: but the House would be ready to attend to all suggestions. The Bill was read a first time,

Lord Binning said he should early next session move for establishing places in Scotland for the care of criminal and pauper lunatics.

Mr. W. Pole brought down a message from the Prince Regent, which stated, that, considering the present defective state and amount of Silver Coin, his Royal Highness had directed a new and extensive issue; and relied on the assistance of the House of Commons to carry into effect the necessary measures on this important subject.

Sir J. C. Hippisley moved for the ap pointment of a Select Committee to report on the Laws existing in foreign states respecting the force of Papal rescripts, and the appointment of Catholic Bishops. He had also a minor object in view-namely, the repeal of the statute of the 13th Eliza

beth,

beth, which made it high treason for any one to receive a Bull from Rome. The motion was agreed to.

Mr. Curwen reviewed, in an elaborate speech, the various plans which had been suggested by various gentlemen, to render the Poor Laws less burthensome to the country. Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Estcourt had devoted a great portion of their lives to this subject, but their plans had failed. Mr Pitt, with all his splendid abilities, possessed no experience, and had no opportunity of becoming acquainted with his subject. His Bill never got into a Committee. The next individual was certainly one whose great knowledge of the subject eminently fitted him to undertake the task of reformation; he meant the late Mr. Whitbread. That eminent senator had two plans; the first a general Education, of which he certainly approv ed; the other that of a National Bank. It was utterly impossible however that the work of 200 years could be instantaneously destroyed-it might even require centuries before the whole was done away. The remedy which he proposed to apply was not altogether founded on theory. In the course of 30 years having had occasion to employ many men, 6d. a week had been laid aside from the wages of each man, which in the 30 years had amount. ed to 20,000l. (Hear!) He should propose in like manner that all classes in the country should be called on to contribute to a National Bank. The contribution would fall lightly on all classes, as it would not amount in any case to more than 1-30th of the earnings of any labourer. The labourers employed in agriculture would contribute 4d. per week, which would amount, on 3,000,000 of labourers, to 2,200,0001. The same contribution from the same number of manufacturing labourers was 2,200,0001. A weekly contribution should be required from all employers of labourers to the amount of 1d. on each labourer employed, which would amount to 1,200,000/.; and the same contribution should be levied on land. A contribution of 6d. per week should be raised on the higher classes, which would produce probably 2,000,000%, which would make a total of 8,800,000. This sum should be applied to give all comforts to the poor in their old age, without dragging them into those dreadful receptacles in which they were now placed. The management of the fund, he proposed, should be placed in the hands of persons elected-1. From the labourers.-2. From their employers.-3. From persons of consequence in the parishes. This would tend to give the poor consequence and consideration, and to raise them from the degraded state in which they now were. This would form a pleasing contrast with the present system of management by

overseers, who had no sympathy with the" class to whom charity was extended, and who were too apt to confound the unfortunate with the vicious. When the fund accumulated to a certain amount in particular parishes, the contribution should be reduced one half, and fina ly cease. The money should be paid to the Receiver General of the Counties, and vested in Government securities. He should recommend a similar establishment for the Army and Navy. As to those illegitimate children, who were deserted by their parents, he should propose that the Government should extend care to their education. He should propose that mealtime parochial relief, under the act of Eliza beth, should be extended to persons only above 50 years of age. He should also propose to simplify the settlement laws, and to enable parishes who were overstocked with hands to send, ou consider ation of the payment of a certain sum, labourers to parishes where they might find employment. The Hon. Meuber concluded by moving, That a Seleci Committee be appointed to take into consideration the state of the Poor Laws, and to report thereon to the House. Agreed to.

May 30.

The Prince Regen's Message on the subject of a new Silver Coinage having been referred to a Committee of the whole House; the Earl of Liverpool said, it was intended by Government to make gold the standard of value in the kingdom; there would be therefore no alteration in the value of gold coin. Silver, he cousidered, stood on the same principle as copper; it was not the standard or measure of value, and it was only requisite that there should be enough of it for the purposes of change, and it should not be melted down. In 1773, a pound of silver was coined into 62 shillings; and at the rate of 62s. for the pound, the price would be 5s. 2d. so that silver was at present below the mint price, and might be coined even on the old principle. It was not till the market price of silver was above the mint price that a profit was afforded for converting it into bullion. Such an inducement would be taken away by fixing upon the coin a small seignorage, which, while it defrayed the expence of coinage, would also raise its value above bullion. Upon an average of the fluctuations in the price of silver since 1733, it had borne the value of 5s. 4d. an ounce. It was at present at 5s. 1d. being an halfpenny below the mint price. He therefore thought that a rise to 5s. 9d. the ounce would afford a sufficient security to all the coin that might be thrown in'o circulation, and would admit of fluctuation within considerable extensive limits. The difference between 62 shillings for the

pound

pound troyes weight of silver, which was the mint price, or the present proportion that it bore to gold, and 68 or 70 shillings which it would be fixed at, would pay the expences of a re-coinage. He should now mention the arrangements proper to be adopted in recalling the deteriorated silver coin, and substituting the new. The Bank tokens in circulation amounted to 3,700,000l. These would be allowed to circulate till the new coin was ready to be issued, which would be in about seven months, The amount of the deteriorated coin, consisting of shillings and sixpences, he did not know, The calling in of the base money, and the issue of the substitute, would be simultaneous; and to issue such a quantity of coin at first as would be sufficient for public convenience. He thought 2,500,0007. of new coinage would be sufficient to supply the place of the shillings and sixpences called in or driven out of circulation, which was depreciated full 30 per cent. In regard to indemnity, he should propose, that all the old silver which could be considered as legal tender, by having the proper marks, should be received at its current value, when called in; mere counterfeits could not be received for more than their value as determined by weight and fineness. Agreed to.

HOUSE OF LORDS, June 6.

The Civil List Bill occasioned some discussion. It appeared that the sum proposed for the Civil List, including the Windsor Establishment, was 1,339,000l.; and the Marquis of Lansdown and Lord Holland contended, that as the fluctuating expences of the Civil List was taken away, so ought the fluctuating revenue, such as the Droits of the Admiralty, &c. The Bill was read a second time.

the Committee on Coin, to consider whe ther it would not be expedient to make a gold coin of the value of 20s. provided it could be proved that there were not more than half a million, or a million of guineas in the country.

In a Committee of Supply, it was agreed, by 82 to 30, that 35.0007. should be given for the Elgin Marbles.

June 10.

The Attorney General moved for leave to bring in a Bill, the object of which was the protection of the lives and limbs of his Majesty's subjects, by correcting the enormous abuses of Stage coach drivers. Within these few days it would be hardly credible what a number of applications he had received on this subject, Some accounts were enough to freeze one with horror. A gentleman of veracity, whose name he should not mention, lest he should let loose on him a hornet's nest of stage-coach drivers. had informed him that on Tuesday, June 4, at half past five, the Trafalgar and Regulation coaches set off from Manchester, and got to Liverpool 20 minutes after eight, performing this journey in two hours and fifty minutes, at the rate of 12 miles an hour. The coachmen flogged their borses all the way down a hill of a mile at the entrance to Liverpool, and in g tt ng into the town one of them ran for a considerable time on two of its wheels: luckily no accident happened At present the magistrates could impose a fine of 10%. ; but the proprietors generally attended, paid the money, and told the coachman that, as he had beaten the opposition, he might do so again. Cases of desperate driving had occurred, when a passenger refused to be driven at such a dangerous rate, and insisted on getting out, and being accommodated with a post-chaise; but the answer was, you can have no chaise, as the contract is to carry you to such a place within a certain time. The weight placed on the tops of coaches was an important consideration, and it was useless to trust this to the driver's discretion. He should not now include that subject in his Bill; but was ready to assist in any measures for the purpose of correcting evils of this kind. He wished to give the magistrate the power of imprisoning for three, and not less than one. month, in atrocious cases, leaving to his discretion the imprisoning or fining.

Mr. Grenfell observed, that the regu lation of the number of outsides was evaded daily.

The Attorney-General admitted the propriety of some further strictness on this subject. Perhaps the turnpike-keeper ought to be fined for letting such overloaded coaches pass.-After a few words

from

from Sir C. Monck and Mr. Bennet, leave was given to bring in the Bill.

June 12.

Mr. Calcraft said, that the seat held by Sir T. B. Thompson, who had been appointed Treasurer of Greenwich Hospital, was contrary to Act of Parliament; he moved, therefore, a resolution that the appointment of Treasurer of Greenwich Hospital was not a military or naval commission. If that was carried, he should move for a new writ.

Mr. Bragge Bathurst said, he should move the previous question.

On a division, the numbers were, for the original motion 69; against it 68; majority, 1. The writ was then ordered.

The Hon. Mr. Lyttelton proposed three resolutions condemning the mode of raising money by Lotteries, as destructive of the morals of the people.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer defended it. The resolutions were negatived, by 47 to 21.

June 14.

The Bill for securing the Liberty of the Press was, on the motion of Mr. Brougham, postponed till next Session.

After two divisions against the Husbandry Horse Bill, it was read a third time.

The House having gone into a Committee on the Exchequer Consolidation Bill, Sir J. Newport objected to the creation of a Vice-treasurer, who should be allowed to execute his office by deputy, and whose situation would thus be a sinecure of 3,500 a year. An amendment was proposed against the amount, which was rejected, by 108 to 66.

It was then proposed by Mr. Ponsonby, that the clause rendering the Vice-treasurer eligible to sit in Parliament, be omitted; which was also negatived,by 107 to 57.

June 17.

Mr. Ponsonby called the attention of the House to the salary of the Vice-Treasurer of Ireland; and said he would detain the House a very short time, as the reasons against the uncalled-for and large salary of 3,500. a year appeared so strong. He had already proposed to fill the blank with 20007. a year; and he was convinced that out of that House there were none in England, who, understood the matter, and nobody in Ireland, who would not be of opinion that, taking 2,0001. a year, he proposed rather too large than 'too small a salary. He then moved that the blank be filled up with 2,0007.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer observed, that some Members were present who did not attend on the former discussion. He should therefore say a very few words. It was to be recolleeted that the Treasury

of Ireland was formerly under three Vicetreasurers, till the Irish Parliament in 1795 instituted a Board of Treasury. It was now proposed to have only one Vicetreasurer to do all the duties incumbent on the office.

The House then divided on Mr. Ponsonby's Amendment - Ayes, 100; Noes 98; majority in favour of the Amendment, 2.-When the result was announced, it was received with loud cheering.

In a Committee of the whole House, the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed Resolutions for granting various sums:among these were 10,2531. for the charges of the British Museum; 8001. for defraying the expence of removing the Elgin Marbles from the place where they then were, and 1,7001. for erecting a tempo rary building to receive them. The sums of 50,0001. for foreign or secret service money; 75,000l. for the Caledonian canal; and 20,0007. for making bridges and roads in the Highlands of Scotland,excited from their continuance and magnitude great opposition; which occasioned Ministers to withdraw one Reso. lution, granting 20,0467. to the Royal Naval Asylum.

June 18.

Mr. Brand presented Petitions from Aberdeen and other places praying for a Reform in the Representation of Parliament. The Hon. Member expressed himself in favour of the object of the Petitions, as did the Marquis of Tavistock, and Mr. Bennet.-Mr. Curwen thought Parliamentary Reform still more necessary now, as the people might soon be called upon for fresh and great sacrifices.

Mr. Brougham said, the Petition had his good wishes. The cause of Parliamentary Reform was opposed by some, was deserted by others, and betrayed by a third party, whose folly and violence were disgusting; but he could not believe them to be a large party.

Mr. Smith said, he had belonged to all the societies which professed to have in view the promotion of this object; and he hoped yet to live to give a successful vote on the question.

Mr. Brougham, in moving for the production of papers respecting certain Negotiations that had been eutered into with the Dey of Algiers, reprobated the conduct of Lord Exmouth, who with a fleet under his orders had negotiated a treaty highly disgraceful to this Country, as it sanctioned the ransom of captives, and stipulated the payment of an annual sum, on the part of the Neapolitan and Sardinian governments, on the promise that no more captures should be made. All states, not parties to this treaty, were now to be plundered without re

dress;