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W. SMITH took occasion to make an attack upon the author of a Poem called Wat Tyler, which he condemned as the most seditious book that ever was written; that government ought to repress this work, and punish its author, who was, he under stood, the writer of the 11th Article in the 31st Number of the Quarterly Review, which contained sentiments strangely in contradiction to the spirit with which the poem was written. Mr C. W. WYNN, in reply, said, he was surprised the Hon. Gentleman should amuse the House with criticisms upon two anonymous publications, and by personal reflections, in a place where the author could make no answer. Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY opposed the bill, observing, that to control doctrine by force, was as idle as to attempt to take a besieged town by syllogism. Mr CANNING supported the bill, because, he said, persons went amongst the poor, not that they felt their distresses, or were anxious to relieve them, but that their voices might be called forth, and that they might take advantage of the inflammability of the people, to goad them on to a subserviency to their own wicked purposes. Mr BROUGHAM entered his protest against the measure of putting the power into the hands of a single magistrate, of arresting any person for uttering any thing which, in his opinion, tended to bring the government into contempt. A division took place, when there appeared for the third reading,-ayes 179; noes 44; majority 135.

ORDNANCE ESTIMATES.

Mar. 17.-Mr WARD moved, that a sum not exceeding £258,000 be voted for the service of the Ordnance Department, from the 1st of January to the 30th of June 1817.-Agreed to.

COTTAGE WINDOW TAX.

Lord A. HAMILTON presented a petition from the landholders and freeholders of the

county of Lanark, praying for a repeal of

this tax.

LOTTERIES.

Mar. 18-Mr LYTTLETON moved, that the existence of state lotteries is preju dicial to the people, and must ultimately diminish the financial resources of the country. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER contended, that most of the evils formerly attending upon lotteries had been done away with by the present mode of drawing, and he did not see how such a sum could be raised in a less objectionable way. Mr WILBERFORCE, in feeling and eloquent terms, recapitulated the evils attending on lotteries. The House divided. For the resolution 26; against it 72; majority 46.

LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN SCOTLAND. Mar. 19.-Lord BINNING, in moving to bring in a bill for their better regulation, stated, that there were 1500 lunatics in confinement, and about 2000 at large in Scotland.-Leave given.

EXCHEQUER BILLS. Mar. 20. On the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the third reading of the Exchequer Bills' Bill, Lord COCHRANE insisted, that this system of Exchequer Bills was the real cause of the rise in the funds, in consequence of the bills being deposited in the hands of the bank, who issued their notes to ministers, to enable them to go on without a loan. But this would ultimately be the ruin of the public credit. The CHANCELLOR replied, that if the Noble Lord would take the trouble to inquire at the Stock Exchange, he would find his opinion was totally wrong. (Hear, hear, and much laughter.)

WEIR'S PETITION.

Mar. 21.-Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY presented a petition from John Weir of Glasly detained in prison, on charge of sedition, gow, complaining that he had been unjustfor two or three days, and then discharged. The Scots Lunatic Asylum Bill was read a first time.

ILLNESS OF THE SPEAKER.

Mar. 24. The Speaker being extremely ill, it was early in the evening understood, that all questions likely to excite discussion were to be put off.

POOR LAWS.

Mar. 25.-Several petitions were presented from different places, praying relief from the poor rates; one of which, from Sudbury, stated, that out of a population of 4000 souls 2000 received parochial aid; and that the town lands paid 30s. per acre to the poor rates.

SEDITIOUS MEETINGS' BILL. Mar. 26.-A message from the Lords stated, that they had added some amendments to the bill. It was ordered that the amendments be printed, and taken into consideration to-morrow.

ABOLITION OF SINECURES.

Mar. 27.-Mr DAVIES GILBERT ap

peared at the bar, and stated, that he held in his hand the First Report of the Committee of Finance. (Hear, hear, and a general cry of read, read.) As soon as order was restored, the clerk began to read, and the substance amounted to this, that such offices as might be considered in the nature of sinecures, ought to be abolished on the death of the persons who now enjoy them." They therefore recommend, that the following offices should be abolished, viz. Chief Justices of Eyre, north and south

Auditor of the Exchequer-Clerk of the Bills-Four Tellers of the Exchequer-the Warden of the Cinque Ports-the Governor of the Isle of Wight-and the CommissaryGeneral of Musters." Mr GILBERT said, it was unnecessary to go farther. Enough had been read to satisfy the House of the spirit of the report.

On the motion that the amendments to the Seditious Meetings' Bill be now read, they were postponed till to-morrow.

SEDITIOUS MEETINGS' BILL.

Mar. 28. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL moved, that the Lords' amendments to this bill should be taken into consideration. Lord COCHRANE considered it his duty to delay the progress of the bill by every means in his power; and under that impression, he should have taken the sense of the House on every one of the fifty-four amendments; but as he could not find a seconder, he must suppose the majority of the House were right, and that he was wrong. Several verbal amendments were read, and agreed to. Mr BROUGHAM contended, that all the amendments could not be properly considered at so short notice, and he should therefore move that the farther consideration of them be adjourned till Monday. The House divided. For the adjournment 31; against it 77; majority 46. The several other clauses were then gone through,

and a Committee of Conference to communicate with the Lords was appointed.

Mar. 29. Mr VANSITTART, Mr BROGDEN, and others, who had been appointed to manage a conference with the Lords, stated, that they had left the bill, and a сору of the amendments, for their Lordships' consideration. A message from the Lords informed the House, that their Lord ships had agreed to the amendments.

ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.

Mar. 31-The Speaker, attended by several Members, went up to the House of Lords, and heard the Royal Assent given to several bills. Mr VANSITTART moved, that the House, at its rising, should be adjourned till Monday fortnight. Mr PoxSONBY hoped, that ministers would, in the mean time, take some measures that would lead to a complete removal of the distresses of the people. Adjourned till Monday fortnight.

BRITISH CHRONICLE.

FEBRUARY.

1-Mecting of Merchants.-A meeting was held yesterday, at the London Tavern, of the principal merchants, bankers, and traders of the city of London, Sir Robert Wigram, Bart. in the chair; and a declaration to the following effect was unanimously adopted: After deploring the criminal excesses which had lately disgraced the metropolis, it stated, "that they were fully sensible of the distresses and privations of the lower classes of people, and were anxiously desirous of using every practicable means of relief, at the same time pledging themselves, individually and collectively, to support the government and constitution as by law established; and to resist every attempt, whether of craft or violence, that may be directed against civil liberty or social peace. The opinion of this most respectable body of men has always had great influence upon the public mind, and will doubtless have a good effect at the present crisis.

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6. The Levee.The Prince Regent's levee, at Carlton House, this day, was one of the most numerous that is recollected, as persons of rank and distinction, of all parties, were anxious to congratulate his Royal Highness on his escape from the late treasonable attempt on his person.

6-Edinburgh Address.—At an extraordinary meeting of the Town-council of Edinburgh, on Monday the 3d instant, the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Council, voted a dutiful and loyal address to the Prince Regent, expressing their detestation of the gross outrage offered to his Royal Highness on his return from opening the Parliament, on Tuesday the 28th ult. Similar addresses

have been voted by the Lord Provost and Magistrates of Glasgow, and by the Towncouncil of Paisley. Mectings for the same purpose have been called of the counties of Edinburgh, Haddington, Fife, Roxburgh, Renfrew, and in various other parts of Scotland.

Greenock.-First Ship from the East Indies.-Yesterday morning, the ship Anna Robertson, Macfarlané, from Calcutta, laden with sugar, cotton, indigo, &c. came into this port, being the first arrival in the Clyde, consequent on the breaking up of the East India Company's monopoly; and it is truly gratifying to find, that the most sanguine anticipations then entertained of the benefits to be derived from throwing this trade open, bid fair to be amply realized.

8.-Mildness of the Season.-As a proof of the extreme mildness of the season, the following plants were observed in blossom on the 30th ult., in a garden in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, viz. the wall-flower, stock primrose, cowslip, polyanthus, daisy, hepatica, crocus, Christmas rose, green hellebore, winter aconite, white coltsfoot, whitlow grass, scurvy grass, golden saxifrage, and early flowering heath; besides which, many gooseberry-bushes, currants, roses, honeysuckles, and even some plants of haw. thorn, had already unfolded their leaves.

10.-The Spafields Meeting.Every precaution was taken to prevent any riot or disturbance from the meeting at Spafields, which was announced to take place this day. About one o'clock several thousand persons had assembled, when Mr Hunt made his appearance; and, after stating that Lord Coch rane could not attend, and that Sir Francis Burdett would not, he delivered a long and

desultory speech, concluding with a string of resolutions, having for their object to obtain annual parliaments and universal suffrage. The resolutions were then embodied into the form of a petition, and carried by acclamation. It was taken, by the chairman of the mesting, down to the House of Commons, with the view of putting it into the hands of Lord Folkstone to be presented. The crowd gradually dispersed. Mr Hunt paraded through several of the principal streets, with an immense mob following his tandem, but, though rather turbulent, no mischief ensued.

Mural Monument.--Soon after the completion of the iron bridge at Bonar, in the county of Sutherland, George Demp. ster, Esq. of Dunnichen, expressed a wish to be allowed to have placed, at his expense, in a conspicuous place at Bonar Bridge, a mural monument, or tablet, of marble, with an inscription, expressive, and as a lasting memorial, of the patriotic exertions of the Commissioners for Highland roads and bridges.-The tablet, which is of white marble, about four feet in height, and three feet in breadth, with two pedestals of Portland stone, having been safely landed at Bonar, the heritors, &c. of the county of Sutherland, at their last Michaelmas Head Court, directed that it should be forthwith erected, agreeably to the wish of the patriotic donor, and voted thanks to Mr Dempster for the handsome gift, which were communicated to him by the convener. The inscription is as follows:TRAVELLER!

Stop and read with gratitude The names of the Parliamentary Commissioners appointed, in the year 1803, to direct the making of about five hundred miles of roads through the Highlands of Scotland, and of numerous bridges, particularly those at Beauly, Scuddel, Bonar, Fleet, and Helmsdale, connecting those roads ;-viz.

Right Honourable Charles Abbott.
Right Honourable Nicholas Vansittart.
Right Honourable William Dundas.
Sir William Pulteney, Bart.
Isaac Hawkins Brown, Esq.
Charles Grant, Esq.
William Smith, Esq.

To whom were afterwards added,
Archibald Colquhoun, Esq. Lord Ad-

vocate.

Charles Dundas, Esq.

Right Honourable Nathaniel Bond. This building was begun in September 1811, and finished in November 1812. Thomas Telford, architect. Simpson and Cargill, builders. This stone was placed here by GEORGE DEMPSTER of Dunnichen, in the year 1815.

Organ. A superb organ has just been built, at an expense of 4000 guineas, as a present from the Countess of Loudon and Moira to the church at Calcutta. This in

strument is to be shipped for India by the next outward-bound fleet.

13.-Union Canal.-On Saturday the 8th, the petition for leave to bring into Parliament the Bill for the Union Canal was despatched to London, signed and sealed by the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and having the subscriptions of a number of respectable individuals of both cities, wellwishers to that much wanted and most useful undertaking.

13.-New Coin. The exchange of the new for the old silver coin commenced this day at the several banks and banking houses in this city and Leith; and the issue is to be simultaneous throughout the kingdom.

The new coins are very handsome, consisting of crowns, half-crowns, shillings, and sixpences. On the crowns and halfcrowns is the head of his Majesty, with the words Georgius III. Dei Gratia, 1816; on the reverse, Rex. Fid. Def. Britanniarum, with the royal arms and motto encircled by the collar of the order of the Garter, surmounted with the crown. On the shillings and sixpences is his Majesty's head, with the words Geor. III. D. G. Britt. Rex. F. D. 1816. The arms on the reverse are encircled with the Garter, surmounted with the crown. The raised rim protects the impressions, and each coin has a milled edge.

14.-Commitment to the Tower.-Watson, Preston, Hooper, and Kean, alias Kearns, having been ordered to be committed to the Tower, four hackney coaches were procured, and one prisoner put into each, under the care of a king's messenger and a Bow Street officer. Sir Anthony Conant rode in the first coach. They left the Secretary of State's office about five o'clock, and proceeded to the Tower. As soon as the coaches had entered, the gates were closed, and the Deputy-Governor and Col. Sutton, the colonel of the guard on duty, took charge of the prisoners, and conducted them to second rate apartments which had been prepared for their reception; each is confined in a separate room. Two wardens (ycomen of the guard) are to be in each room constantly with them; and at the outside of each room door there are two centinels.

15.-Naval Monument.-A numerous meeting of the subscribers to the naval mo. nument to be erected to the memory of the late Lord Melville, was held at Oman's Hotel in Edinburgh, on Tuesday, when the state of the funds was laid before them; and it was unanimously resolved, that a committee be formed for carrying the said work into execution, and that they be instructed to fix upon a place for erecting the said monument, to procure plans, to decide upon the same, and proceed forthwith in the execution thereof.

15.-County Meeting.-Yesterday, a very numerous meeting of the county of Edinburgh was held in the Parliament House, when an address to the Prince Re

gent, on the late outrages, was proposed, and unanimously agreed to.

18.-Dreadful Fire.-The worsted mill, belonging to Messrs Edward and Joseph Pease of Darlington, has been entirely destroyed by fire. The damage is estimated at £35,000, and upwards of 500 people will be thrown out of employment for many months to come.

The Gazette of this day contains a proclamation, offering a reward of £500 for the apprehension of James Watson the younger; and likewise a reward of the same sum for the apprehension of Arthur Thistlewood; with a full description of their persons.

20.-The Queen's Birth-day.-This day being appointed to celebrate her Majesty's birth-day, her Majesty held a drawing-room, which displayed a most magnificent assemblage of rank and beauty. The Prince Regent had commanded notice to be given in the Gazette, that the celebration of the Queen's birth-day, and his own, should be considered as public court festivals, and that those who attended the court, should appear in dresses of British manufacture only; and he set a laudable example, in ordering all his state officers, and others of the royal establishment, to appear in new costly dresses, in which every article, not of British manufacture, was strictly prohibited; which, as a pattern to the higher or ders generally, will be a great benefit to numberless industrious families. Indeed, all the company present shewed they had been equally anxious to relieve their suffering countrymen, by affording them employ. ment, which is the only permanently useful mode of relief.

20.-A London Gazette was published this day. It consists of ten pages, and is entirely filled with addresses of congratulation to the Prince Regent, on his late happy escape.

24-Pilgrimage to Jerusalem.-Such is the infatuation of the believers in the doctrines of that ridiculous old woman, Johanna Southcote, that several persons in Leeds are actually quitting comfortable situations in life, to embark on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem! where, they are fully persuaded, they are to live without money, or labour, or sorrow, or pain, for at least 1000 years!

24-Friends of Public Order.A meeting of the friends of public order, retrenchment, and reform, dined together on Saturday last, at the Freemason's Tavern. At half-past five o'clock, Mr Lucas took the chair, with the Hon. Thomas Brand on his right, and Sir Francis Burdett on his left side. Amongst the company present were, the Hon. Douglas Kinnaird, J. Philpot Curran, Alderman Goodbchere, Mr Waithman, Mr Phillips, &c. A declaration was handed, by the chairman, to his friend Mr Peter of Cornwall, with a request that he would preface the reading of it with some observations of his own; when, after a

speech of considerable length, he read the declaration, which stated the determination of the society to promote constitutional reform in the Commons House of Parliament, and concluded in the following words:

Waving, therefore, the discussion of all particular tenets, and details of reform, resisting corruption on the one hand, and violence on the other, this meeting pledges itself to leave no legal and constitutional means unexerted, for inducing the legislature to take the grievances of the people into its early and serious consideration, and (by amending the state of representation) to render the House of Commons, in fact, as it is of right, a control upon the executive government, and an express image of the feelings of the nation." Several gentlemen, particularly Mr Curran, delivered their sentiments very freely, but all of them disclaimed the idea of annual parliaments and universal suffrage; and the meeting was conducted with that degree of moderation which should be an example to all the true friends and advocates of reform.

Striking the Fiars.-The act of sederunt of the Court of Session (December 21, 1723) constitutes the law with regard to the striking of the fiars; and as this is a subject of great and increasing importance, we insert the following short outline of its provisions:

1st, Fifteen persons, who have "knowledge and experience of the prices and trade of victual" (not fewer than eight of them heritors) shall be chosen as a jury, to sit between the 4th and 20th February.

2d, Witnesses shall be examined, concerning the price at which victual has been

bought and sold, especially since the 1st of November immediately preceding," and also " concerning all other good grounds and arguments" for establishing the just fiar prices.

3d, Any persons" present in court," may "offer information to the jury concerning the premises and the evidence adduced.”

4th, The Sheriff, if necessary, may adjourn to a subsequent day, but must pronounce sentence on or before the 1st of March.

5th, The Sheriff, if needful or customary, may strike the fiars more than once every year.

6th, The fiars must be recorded in the sheriff books, and extracts shall be given by the clerk, when demanded, on payment of seven shillings Scots for each, and no

more.

27.-Arrests at Glasgow.On Saturday night, the 22d instant, about eleven o'clock, eighteen men were taken up, under a Sheriff's warrant, in a small public house at the head of the Old Wynd, Glasgow, and lodged in jail for examination. It is un derstood that they are charged with having met for treasonable purposes. On being questioned as to the object of their meeting. they declared, it was solely with the view

of concerting measures for ascertaining the question how far they were entitled, by law, to parochial relief. A schoolmaster and a writer's clerk were in the company, the rest were apparently very poor people. Seven more men of the last description were taken up by warrants in the course of the night, and another on Sunday, making in all twenty-six.

27.-Attempt at Rescue.-On Tuesday, the 25th instant, two men were apprehend ed in Anderston, and committed to jail under similar charges with the above. On their way to prison, near the Broomielaw, a considerable crowd collected, who attempted a rescue. The soldiers were obliged to fire, but no person was hurt. Three of the ringleaders of this mob were apprehended, and also lodged in jail.

28.-Petition of the Livery.-A meeting of the Livery of London was held in the Common Hall, for the purpose of petitioning parliament against the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, when Mr Waithman, in a long speech, declared it as his opinion, that there were no grounds to warrant such an encroachment upon the liberty of the subject, and after ridiculing the contents of the green bag, and the alarm which they had excited, a petition, founded upon reso lutions which had been proposed by Mr Flavel, was unanimously agreed to. A similar petition was also unanimously agreed to be presented to the House of Lords.

MARCH.

1.-New Village. The Earl of Fife has generously offered to settle on his estates various families of the western islands, who were ready to emigrate to America; and we observe, with pleasure, that he is building a new village near Keith, where every encouragement is offered to the settlers. General Assembly.The Right Hon. Lord Napier having retired from the office of Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Right Hon. the Earl of Errol is appointed to that high station.

3.-Violent Gale.-This morning it blew a strong gale of wind from the W. N.W. It was high water at Leith 34 minutes past two in the morning, about which time the tide ran strong into the harbour; for which several vessels were obliged to make, owing to the violence of the gale; some attempting to go out at the same time, they ran foul of each other, and great confusion and damage ensued. Out of ten vessels thus circumstanced, no less than five sunk at the Ferry-boat Stairs, and it is feared will be totally wrecked. Several small boats were also dashed to pieces, but happily no lives were lost.

3.-Deaf and Dumb Institution.-The annual general meeting of the members of the Deaf and Dumb Institution, and public examination of its pupils, took place in the Assembly Rooms on Monday, 24th ult.

The proficiency of the pupils, forty-eight in number, in all the branches of education, was calculated to give universal satisfaction; and it is scarcely possible to imagine a more truly gratifying spectacle, than the exhibition of so many young persons, rescued from the most deplorable state of infirmity and privation, and introduced, by the exertions of enlightened benevolence, to all the use fulness and comforts of social life, and to the enjoyments, the hopes, and the consolations, of rational and immortal beings.

4-Hoarding of Silver.--Lately, an old man, apparently poor, with a very clownish gait, was observed walking to and fro before the British Linen Company's bank at Dumfries; after considerable hesitation he ventured in, and inquired for "the head o' the house."-" I am the head of the house," said Mr C.; "what was it you wanted ?"-" I want to ken gif ye hae power to tak the auld siller?" Oh yes, I take the old silver; how much have you? perhaps five pounds?"-" I hae mair than that I hae five hunner punds!"

4-Curious Fact in Ñatural History.Some time ago, at Lochmaben, two crows, which had been accustomed to build on the same tree, being considered troublesome by consuming the seed-corn, were ordered to be shot. Immediately after, a number of crows assembled, and made a considerable noise, apparently communicating with one another. Two of their number were then deputed to attend the young brood belong. ing to the crows which had been killed, and which duty they diligently performed, and brought the young ones to maturity.

5.-Robbery of the Mail.-On the 3d instant, the mail between Edinburgh and Stirling was robbed of a parcel containing bank notes amounting to £5000. The robbery must have been committed by three men, who had previously taken places. The parcel was safely lodged in the coach; and one of the men, having a great coat thrown over his arm, got into the coach, and was shortly after followed by the others, who did not appear to have any knowledge of cach other. Just before the mail started, the man who first entered said, that he had forgotten certain papers and documents, without which it would be fatal to his interest to proceed on his journey, and he quitted the coach with his coat across his arm in the same manner as he entered it, taking with him, however, (as it is supposed) the parcel concealed under his coat. The other persons quitted the coach before its arrival at Stirling, at which place the notes were made payable, and where the robbery was discovered. Notwithstanding the most diligent search, by officers from Bow Street and Edinburgh, no traces of the delinquents have yet been found.

6.-Melancholy Accident.-On Sunday afternoon, the 2d instant, as Mr Perry. manager at Messrs Todd & Shortridge's printfield, with two boys, his children, was

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