of discussion was the Bill for empowering the crown to give pensions to those who were to be deprived of their offices in pursuance of the report of the Finance of the Committee.

WEDNESDAY, June 11.-The Lord Mavor was introduced by Mr. Ponsonby and Mr. C. Calvert, and took the oaths and bis seat for the City of London.

THE DISAFFECTED.

But he

Lord Folkstone rose to move for the production of a list of the prisoners confined in the different goals, under the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, on charges of dis affection to the Government. &c. with their names, &c.Mr. II Addington had no objection to make return of the number of persons and their ages, with the places in which they are now confined. would put it to the noble lord, whether it might not be inconvenient to the individuals to have their names made public. wished to observe, that his noble friend, the Secretary for the Home Department, would not have issued his warrant for their apprehension, but upon the strongest grounds of necessity.--Mr. Ponsonby supported the motion. Mr. B. Bathurst opposed it. The house then divided-For the Motion 53-For the Amendment 104-Majority 51.

He

THURSDAY, June 12.-A conversation took place on the disposal of the funds of the Trinity-house. The Elder Brethren of that respectable Body, who were Members of the house, conscious that there was no misdirection of the funds, readily acceded to the motion for the production of all necessary accounts.

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FRIDAY, June 13.-The house was occupied nearly the whole of the evening with a discussion on the Insurrection Act, which was at length read a second time, committed, and the report ordered to be received this day (Saturday).

MONDAY, June 23.-Lord Castlereagh, on moving the first reading of the Habeas Corpus Suspension Bill, entered into some explanation respecting Oliver, the government spy and informer. This man it appears was the associate of Pendrill, a shoe maker in Newgate-street, who concealed the younger Watson, until he escaped; and of Clarke, who presided as chairman of the Spa-fields meeting. After the departure of these persons to America, Oliver was strongly recommended by one Mitchell to the violent reformers in the country. His offer of communicating with government being accepted, he left town and occasionally using Sir Francis Burdett's and Lord Cochrane's names, he stated to the country people that the metropolis was favourable to a change of government-that measures were organised for a general rising, when the constituted authorities would be seized, ánd a partial revolution effected. By exaggerations like these, be appears to have worked on some half-dozen individuals to

consent to meet him, when they were immediately apprehended in consequence of previous information furnished by himself. Of this description were the eleven people apprehended at Thornhill Lees. Some of the men he induced to attend by offering to pay their expenses, and another he persuaded to accompany him as his guide. His usual language respecting the metropolis was that if the country would make head for three days, they would be joined by 70,000 disaffected people from the eastern end of the town.—Mr. Ponsonby rémarked that when Oliver was questioned by the Secret Committee, he acknowledged he knew of no society or association of disaffected in London for the purpose of communicating with the disaffected in the country.- -Mr. Canning contended that all free states had employed spies. Lord Milton said that the facts respecting the conduct of Oliver, had been ratified upon oath in Yorkshire. The first reading of the bill was then carried by 276 to 111.

On Tuesday, the second reading was car ried by 80 to 30.

MONDAY, June 30.-Whilst the house was occupied in the consideration of the Irish Grand Jury Presentment Bill, a message was received from the Lords that they had agreed to the amendment on the Habeas Corpus Suspension Bill, and immediately after another, summoning the house to hear the Royal Assent thereto. On the return of the Speaker, the discussion on the Jury Bill was resumed, and it was ordered for recommittal on Wednesday.-The house then went into a Committee of Supply, in which various sums were voted for the army. At the close of a discussion, in which Mr. Ponsonby had spoken, finding himself unwell, he retired behind the Speaker's chair, where he fell down in a fit. The Speaker immediately put the question of adjournment, and quitted the chair, to pay attention to Mr. Ponsonby, who was conducted to the room of the Speaker's Secretary, and medical assistance was immediately sent for. Mr. White and Mr. Lynn, of Parliament-street, attended, and Mr. Ponsonby was bled; after which be recovered considerably, and was conveyed home in the Speaker's carriage. Several members shewed great anxiety and attention to the Right Hon. Gentleman, and sent messages to Mr. Tegart, and other professional gentlemen, to go to him at his own residence. Lord Grey, and other friends of Mr. Ponsonby, were sent for.

TUESDAY, July 1.-Mr. Bennet having inquired whether the Under Secretary of State was prepared to give any answer as to the petition of Mr. Evans, Mr. H. Addington replied to the different allegations in the petition. As to the charge of a former petition having been detained by the Secretary of State, it was totally unfounded.

On the motion of Sir E. Brydges, a retura was ordered from the Universities, as to the way in which the books claimed under the Copy-right Act were disposed of.

WEDNESDAY, July 2.-Mr. Hammersley wished to know whether Government had made any application for repayment of the Austrian loan of 19,300,000l.Lord Castlereagh said a proper time for making such a demand had not yet arrived.

THURSDAY, July 3.-The Report of a Committee on the Newfoundland trade having been read, Mr. M. A. Taylor impressed upon the house the necessity of taking immediate measures for the relief of that settlement, which was threatened with all the horrors of famine, and for the permanent support of the fishery as connected with both our naval and mercantile interests. Out of a population of 80,000, not less than 10,000 or 12,000 were without the means of subsistence. The best fishing parts of Newfoundland had been conceded to France by treaty: the French traders were very active, and the French government exerted itself by means of bounties, equal to half the cost and cure of the fish. Duties against our own merchants amounted almost to a prohibition. Spain, whom we had protected with our treasure and blood, gave her proofs of gratitude by her duties on our trade. Murat, when he resigned at Naples, levied a duty, which was to go to the ransoming of slaves at Algiers; which the present King, much as he was indebted to us, not only had kept up, but had increased. Our merchants had thus to cope with a host of difficulties. They wished that 5000 at least, of the starving population should be removed to other settlements, and that an attempt should be made to keep up the fishery, our best nursery of seamen, by a bounty, for one year, of 2s. per quintal, The hon. Member then moved that the report should be taken into consideration by a committee of the whole house. Mr. Robinson disapproved of the proposed bounty, as proceeding on false maxims of political economy; and looking to the distress which prevailed in this country and in Ireland, and to the unproductive state of the last harvest in Canada and Nova Scotia, he could not see that Government could administer relief to a greater extent than they had offered, which was to provide settlements for 1000 persons in Nova Scotia, if the merchants would defray the expense of removing them. This offer had been rejected. Mr. Holdsworth, Mr. W. Douglas, Mr. Canning, and Mr. Protheroe, urged the necessity of doing something to avert the threatened calamity. Mr. F. Lewis did not see how Government, with all the difficulties which pressed on it, could do any

thing effectual, and suggested that recourse should be had to a subscription. Mr. Van sittart objected to the proposed bounty, but assured the house that Government would exert all the means in its power for the relief of the present sufferers, as they had done with regard to the sufferers by the fire at St. John's. After some further discussion, the motion was negatived by 50 to 29.

FRIDAY, July 4.-On the question for the third reading of the Election Poll Bill, the motion was negatived by 60 to 2. An amendment by Mr. Calcraft for excepting persons in the army, navy, or militia, was negatived by 55 to 23. The question for the passing of the bill was then carried in the affirmative by 52 to 19.-Mr. S. Bourne brought up the report of the committee on the Poor Laws, which was ordered to be printed, with a view to its circulation in all parts of the country, preparatory to a more mature consideration of the subject next session. Mr. Bennet, with respect to the Alehouse Bill, said, from the sort of oppo sition, and the emphatic tone used against it, he had little or no hope of success if he pressed it this session. While he was therefore, obliged to delay a remedy, he protested, in the name of the morals of the people of England, against a system that contributed more than any other measure whatever to destroy them. He then moved the farther consideration this day three months, which was ordered.--The third reading of the Irish Grand Jury Bill was carried by 46 to 8, and the bill passed.-The Extents in Aid Bill was also read a third time and passed.

The Speaker entered the house at half-past one, attired for the first time in his state robe. He was attended by the Chaplain and the other officers of the house. The Right Hon. Gentleman did not take the chair till shortly before three o'clock, when his attention was attracted by the customary knock of the Usher of the Black Rod at the door. The door being opened, Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt advanced, bowing as he approached to the table, and thus addressed the Speaker:

"Mr. Speaker, the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on behalf of his Majesty, hath commanded me to summon this house immediately to the House of Peers."

Sir T. Tyrwhitt then retired, and the Speaker, accompanied by the members present, proceeded forthwith to the House of Peers. Lord Castlereagh, who was dressed in the Windsor uniform, walked immediately behind the Speaker. In half an hour the Speaker returned to the house, and at the table read a copy of the Prince Regent's Speech, with which he had been furnished. After which the members separated,

ABSTRACT OF THE SECOND REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE FOR LICENSING PUBLIC HOU

SFS.

YOU

OUR committee make no comment on these cases. They have examined the parties, who both appeared to be most respectable and intelligent men; and they content themselves with observing, that these and other cases, as detailed before them in evidence, are proofs of a vexatious interference and meddling with property; and it is impossible not to contrast them with all their suspicious circumstances, as connected with certain established and favoured breweries, with the impunity that is afforded houses of the most disorderly nature. Your committee are of opinion, that the power of thus stripping an individual of his próperty without a trial, at the mere arbitrary discretion varying, caprices, or interested bias, of any set of men whatever, is inconsistent with the spirit of the English constitution, and as such ought not to continue.

In reviewing the whole of the evidence that has been examined before your comImittee, they feel that the evils to be remedied in the present system of licensing

are:

1st. The facility and partiality with which, in some districts, new licenses are granted.

2d. The difficulty that is found in putting the present laws in force to punish the misconduct of the publican, and the impunity which in consequence he enjoys.

3d. The insecurity of property, which is the consequence of the arbitrary power claimed and exercised by the magistrates to deprive old established victuallers of their licenses.

In the remedies which they propose to the consideration of the house, your committee bave principally in view to lessen the temptations which are held out to the poor and ignorant to destroy their property and character by licentious living and intercourse; and while they place a bar to the further progress of a system, the fatal effects of which are but too visible, they have no less in view the securing to the honest and sober tradesmen the undisturbed enjoyment of his property, so long as he does not offend against the laws of his country.

With these views, and under these circumstances, your committee recommend that the certificate which, on the obtaining of a new license, each victualler is required by law to produce prior to obtaining such license, should be signed by the minister, or the major part of the parish officers, and a certain number of respectable householders, not only of the parish in which he lived for the last six months, but also from the parish in which he is about to open the

ses,

public house. That in all transfers of licenthe in-coming victualler should be obliged to produce a similar certificate; and that notice of such proposed transfer should be given fourteen days at least by the parties to the clerk of the justices' meeting.

That the recognizances should be 30, for each alehouse keeper, and 20. for one security, or 301. for two, and that no vic, tualler or brewer should be security for another. That in case of disorderly conduct, the magistrates in petty session should be empowered, upon proof being given or set before them, to fine for the first offence 30s, and not less than 20s.; for the second offence 31. and not less than 30s, and for the third offence to suspend the license till the next general quarter sessions, when they are required to prosecute the parties on the recognizances, to send the case to a jury, and if conviction be obtained, the court to have the power of either estreating the re cognizances, or taking away the licenses, or both of them; in all events where the license is estreated, it is not to be renewed till the next licensing day, when the house is to be taken and considered as a new house.

That in the case of a petition for a license to open a new public-house, notice be given three months prior to the licensing day to the clerk of the licensing meeting, when the propriety of such license shall be examined in open court; and that all the parties have power to tender evidence on oath, and to be heard by themselves or counsel.

That no magistrate shall license publichouses that are his own property, or for which he is a manager or agent, or sit on the bench while they are licensed.

That the magistrates of the different counties and divisions do send a return to the licensing magistrate, of the different convictions had against the public houses in the respective districts, and that a book be kept by the clerk of the justice meetings to enter the same. That the expense of the proceedings, as well as that of the trial by jury, be paid out of the county or city rates; and that the clerk of the justice meetings carry on such proceedings. That no established victualler be deprived of his license under any pretence whatever, without a trial by jury, in the manner above stated; or except he be convicted of felony, or misprision of felony, or keeping a disorderly house; when the license shall be forfeited, and no new license granted till the next general licensing day. That the chairman of the committee be directed to bring in a bill for the better regulation of alehouses.

May 2, 1817.

Europ, Mag. Vol. LXXII. Aug. 1817.

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