peror, could certainly have issued my commands, and have changed the time of the audience, in order to correspond with their intentions in coming ten thousand miles to my court."-The edict then censures severely the conduct of the minister, and also several other officers of the court, who knew of the imposition, but did not undeceive the Emperor. The latest accounts from Canton state, that much discontent prevails among the people of Cochin-China, occasioned by the King nominating for his successor a son of one of his concubines. The Emperor of China, who pretends to have a right to interfere in the appointment of the kings of that country, has expressed his displeasure at the nomination. PROCEEDINGS OF PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. ' ACADEMICAL SOCIETY. Thursday, May 1.-Lord SPENCER pre sented a petition from this society, similar to that presented to the House of Commons by Mr Wilberforce on the 28th April. LORD SIDMOUTH'S CIRCULAR. May 2.The LORD CHANCELLOR stated the result of his inquiries respecting the cases of Spence and Hogg, mentioned in the opinions of the law officers referred to in Lord Sidmouth's circular letter. With respect to the case of Spence, it appeared, that on the 13th of April 1801, an information upon oath was sworn before Mr Ford, then at Bow Street, by a person of the name of Seale, that he had printed for Thomas Spence a work entitled, "Society restored to its original Principles;" and for that work Mr Ford held Spence to bail, to appear in the Court of King's Bench on the first day of the ensuing term. On the first day of the term, the then Attorney-General filed an information against Spence, who was called on his recognisance, and appeared. He was subsequently tried and convicted. With regard to the case of Hogg, it appeared that an information was sworn before the then Lord Mayor (1801), by a person who had purchased at Hogg's shop the trials for adultery. The Lord Mayor held Alexander Hogg to bail, to appear in the Court of King's Bench on the first day of the ensuing term, and the recognisance was drawn up by the then Attorney-General. On the first day of the ensuing term, the late Mr Perceval having, in the mean time, become Attorney-General, that gentleman filed an information against Hogg, who was called upon his recognisance, and appeared. Subsequently, upon Hogg's delivering up all the books charged against, the prosecution was dropped. There was no opinion given with respect to these cases, in any other way than by the proceedings he had stated. Earl GREY expressed his acknowledgments for the candid statement of the Noble and Learned Lord, but observed, that it did not appear that in either of the cases the point had been disputed, or that there had been any question raised as to the legality of the proceeding. There were only the opinions of Attorney-Generals, but no decision of any court of law that could be recognised as an authority. He still considered, therefore, the circular of the Noble Viscount as unconstitutional, in attempting to interfere with the administration of justice; and he feared it would lead to a practice productive of the greatest mischief to individuals. In this view, after taking considerable pains to inform himself upon the subject, and having been able to find no competent authority to sanction such a measure, he felt it his duty to bring it under the consideration of the House, and on Monday se'nnight he should move for the case referred to the law officers of the Crown, upon which their opinion had been given, and which was of great importance, with a view to form a proper estimate of that opinion. The Lords were ordered to be summoned for Monday se'nnight. Monday, May 5.-On the motion of the Earl of EGREMONT, the Landlord and Tenant's Bill (the object of which, we believe, is to give power and authority to landlords to resume possession of farms belonging to them at the end of six months after the abandonment of the same by the tenants, instead of waiting a year), was read a second time, and committed for to-morrow week. TREATY WITH NAPLES. May 8.-The Earl of LIVERPOOL laid on the table a copy of a treaty of commerce and navigation, between the King of the Two Sicilies and the Government of this country. EXTENTS IN AID. May 9.-The Earl of ROSSLYN presented a petition from certain persons, complaining of the abuse of extents in aid, a remarkable example of which had lately occurred in Bristol, in the case of a banker in that city; and praying the Lords to adopt such measures as might appear best calcu lated to remedy the evil. Laid on the table. POOR LAWS. AND da vu The Earl of LIVERPOOL 'moved the appointment of a committee to consider the present state of the poor laws, and whether any and what remedy could and bought to be applied to the evils of the system.isarmed After a short conversation, the motion was agreed to, and the committee was directed to meet on Monday, at twelve o'clock. LORD SIDMOUTH'S CIRCULAR LETTER. Monday, May 12.-The order of the day being read, Earl GREY moved for a copy of the case laid before the Attorney and Solicitor General. The debate was long and interesting; and the motion was lost by a majority of 75 to 19. May 13.-Lord MANVERS took the oaths and his seat. A bill for the regulation of certain customs' duties, and several private bills, were brought from the Commons, and read a first time. LIBEL LAW. Lord ERSKINE, adverting to the discussion of the night before on the subject of the powers of Justices of the Peace, with respect to commitments for libel, observed, that it was impossible that so large a ques tion, and one of such magnitude and importance, should have been fully considered and discussed in the course of one night. A great deal more must be done in order to understand what the law really was on this subject, and it was on that account that he thought proper now to mention, that it was his intention to move for a return of the precedents on this subject. After a number of observations as to the uncertainty of the law, and the oppression which must ensue from the powers of Lord Sidmouth's circular, he repeated, that if it should turn out that Magistrates had the power to institute search, and hold to bail for libel, he would never rest until the law should be altered. In the mean time, he wished to have it clearly ascertained what the law really was on this subject; and with that view he gave notice, that he would in a few days move for a return of precedents of the description which he had mentioned. May 14-The Landlord and Tenant's Bill was read a third time and passed. A bill for incorporating another Gas-light Company in London, after some discussion in regard to the responsibility required, was read a third time and passed. May 16.-The Catholic question called forth a long and very interesting debate. The Earl of DONOUGH MORE, after a long and very able speech, moved, "That this House do resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider the petition of his Majesty's Roman Catholic Subjects." The motion was supported by the Earl of Harrowby, the Bishop of Norwich, the Earl of Darnley, Lord Grenville, and Earl Grey; and opposed by the Bishop of Landaff, the Earl of Liverpool, and Earl Bathurst. The motion was finally lost by a majority of 52. The numbers were,-contents 90; non-contents 142.-Adjourned at one o'clock till Monday. TITHES IN CANADA. May 22.-Earl BATHURST laid on the table a bill of the Canadian Parliament or Assembly, pursuant to an act of the 31st of the King, by which it was directed, that when any change was made in the state of the Established Church in Canada, the cir cumstance should be communicated to the British Parliament It had been directed, that when grants of land were made, a 7th should be reserved for the clergyman of the parish; and a doubt had arisen whether this was in lieu of, or in addition to, tithes. By this bill it was declared, that the reserved 7th was in lieu of tithes. The bishop of the diocese had been consulted, and was s tisfied. The Stone Bottles Duty Bill, the Metropolis Paving Bill, and others, were brought from the Commons, and read a first time; and the Lottery Bill was read a third time and passed. May 23.-The Royal assent was given by commission to a number of bills. The Justices in Eyre and Exchequer Of fices' Abolition and Regulation Bills, were brought up from the Commons by Mr Gilbert and others, and read a first time. LORD SIDMOUTH'S CIRCULAR. Lord ERSKINE moved for an account of all cases in which persons were committed or held to bail for libel, by magistrates, since the year 1648.—Ordered. ADJOURNMENT. HABEAS CORPUS SUS- The Earl of LIVERPOOL rose to move, that the House should adjourn till this day se'nnight. He took that opportunity giving notice, that on that day he should probably have to bring down a message or communication from his Royal Highness the Prince Regent to the House on the state of the country; and that he intended, on the same day, to move the re-appointment of the Committee which had examined and reported on the communications before made on the same subject. Friday, May 30.-The Earl of LIVER POOL stated, that certain circumstances had occurred which rendered it inconvenient to bring down the message relative to the state of the country this day, as had been intend ed. He had now, therefore, only to give notice, that it was proposed to bring dow the message, and to move the proceedings upon it on Tuesday next. The House was ordered to be summoned for Tuesday. HOUSE OF COMMONS. PETITION OF WOOL-GROWERS. Thursday, May 1.Mr BURRELL presented a petition from the wool-growers in the vicinity of Brighton and Shoreham, complaining of the diminution of the price of wool, in consequence of the large import ation of foreign wool. He stated, that wool, within the last eight years, had fallen 50 per cent. The petition was ordered to lie on the table, as was one on the same subject from Essex, presented by Mr Wes tern. Mr GRATTAN presented a petition from the Corporation of the City of Dublin, against the claims of the Roman Catholics. He must at the same time say, that he dif fered from them totally and entirely in respect to the prayer of the petition; and though he did not agree with his worthy constituents, and though he would not can vass their motives, still he hoped he might be allowed to lament, in their conduct on this occasion, what he could not presume to blame. The petition was laid on the table. USURY LAWS. Mr Serjeant ONSLOW, in moving for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal the laws relating to the rate of legal interest, observed, that he had the pleasure to find, last year, that he was only opposed by one gentleman, although several thought it not then the time for such a measure. He was hap. py that he had postponed his motion, because now he was sure every one would agree that it was necessary, as a measure of political economy. He thought it extremely strange, that persons should not be considered as capable of borrowing without directions expressly laid down by the Legislature. It might as well be said, that no man should be allowed to sell except by the direction of Parliament. The most beneficial projects had often failed by limiting the rate of interest by law, so that a capital could not be raised to carry them on. Ire land had suffered particularly from the deficiency of capital, owing to the existing laws relating to the rate of interest. He then moved for leave to bring in a bill to repeal the laws which regulate or restrain the rate of interest. Mr VANSITTART would not oppose the bill at present, because he perfectly coincided in the principle of the Learned Serjeant; but he questioned whether the public mind was prepared for so sudden a change in that which had been so long established by law. Leave was then given to bring in the bill, and the House adjourned. May 2-Mr BENNETT brought up the Report of the Police Committee; and he stated, that in a short time he would call the attention of the House to the mode of licensing public-houses.-The report was ordered to lie on the table.. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. Mr BENNETT said, he had received a copy of a book, vindicating the character of the Tower-division Magistrates, containing some passages reflecting on the Police Committee in consequence of which he had summoned the author before the Committee, when he avowed himself the author. The book is written by the Rev. T. Thirlwall, Rector of Bowden, in Essex. The book was handed to the Clerk, and he read the passages complained of. One accused the Chairman, Captain Bennett, of hearing evidence alone, and protested against his being tried by Committees, Inquisition, or Star Chamber, Mr BENNETT said, the author had been called on to explain the inuendoes contained in the last passage, and he had denied that he had accused the Committee of want of candour or impartiality, and said that he meant nothing disrespectful to the Committee. Being again pressed to explain that part, he objected to answering that which might criminate himself. It was the desire of the Committee to have accepted any reasonable apology; but none was offered them by the gentleman until this morning, when he expressed his contrition for the passage complained of, it being merely a rhetorical figure of speech, and that he had directed his publisher to stop the sale of his book. The Committee had, however, thought it right to bring the subject before the House. He then moved, that the Rev. Mr Thirlwall should attend the House on Wednesday next. The motion was agreed to; and on the motion of Mr BENNETT, the explanations given by Mr Thirlwall were laid before the House, and ordered to be printed.—Adjourned till Monday. Monday, May 5.-The Scots Madhouse Bill was read a second time, and committed for the 23d May. FIRST REPORT OF THE FINANCE COM- In a Committee of the whole House, Mr DAVIES GILBERT stated the views and objects of the Finance Committee. There were several bills to be brought in; and the first he now moved for, was one to abolish the Chief Justiceships in Eyre. A debate of considerable length followed, as to the utility of the proposed measure, in the course of which Lord CASTLEREAGH said he would vote for it, to do away the false opinions which prevailed on the subject of sinecures. It would not be a great saving; but sinecures being bad in principle, it would operate as a cure to the impression and delusion that had gone abroad. On the question being put and carried, it was ordered that bills should be brought in for the abolition of the offices of the two Chief Justiceships in Eyre, north and south of the Trent-the office of Auditor, and four Tellers of the Exchequer the Wardenship of the Cinque Ports, and the Governorship of the Isle of Wight; also two other bills, to abolish the office of Commissary General of Musters, and to regulate offices in Ireland. The other orders of the day were then disposed of. May 6.-Mr HEATHCOTE presented a petition from the Wool-growers of Hampshire, praying for a revision of the laws on Wool. Mr F. LEWIS thought that all parties interested would do well to let the matter rest; but in the next Sessions he hoped the House would investigate the matter seriously. Sir CHARLES BURRELL was of opinion, that some alteration should be made in these laws, which were extremely oppressive in their present operation. Mr CURWEN said, he was a Member of the Committee of last Session, and the general opinion was, that there existed no reason for complaint. There had been no petition from the wool-growers last year; but certainly it was a matter of very considerable importance, involving a great number of interests; and though he was happy to find that it was not intended to press it this year, yet whenever the question came he should not oppose going into it. The misfortune was, that we had always been legislating on particular interests; but in future it would be wiser to take a review of all our commercial and manufacturing interests, and not to encourage monopolies. The woollen manufactures were now looking up: considerable orders, he understood, had been received from Russia; and therefore he deprecated all discussion on this subject at the present moment. The petition was brought up, and ordered to lie on the table. MR CANNING'S MISSION TO LISBON. Mr LAMBTON rose to make his promised motion. He begged that the question might be considered, not as an attack upon an individual, but as an inquiry into a measure highly censurable, as being very expensive, and utterly unnecessary. The Hon. Gentleman argued at considerable length on the subject, and concluded by moving the following resolution :-That on the 18th July 1814, a despatch was forwarded from Lord Castlereagh to Mr Sydenham, ordering him to confine his personal expenses within the usual allowances, as no public grounds existed for continuing the expenditure of his Majesty's servants at Lisbon on the same scale as during the war. That it appears, that shortly after the date of this despatch, the Right Hon. George Canning, under pretence of congratulating the Royal Family of Portugal on their return from the Brazils, was appointed ambassador to Lisbon, at an expense amounting in the whole to £18,880. That such an appointment is inconsistent with the previous despatch to Mr Sydenham, uncalled for by the circumstances of the time, and a most unjustifiable abuse of the public money. Lord CASTLEREAGH justified the transaction on the ground of the then affairs of Europe, and contended that the expense was as small as was consistent with the occasion. Sir FRANCIS BURDETT said, there never was in his knowledge a more complete failure in an attempt at defence than had been exhibited by the Noble Lord. The Hon. Baronet went through the question at large, and ridiculed and censured the transaction as a palpable job. Upon the question being again put, Admiral BERESFORD testified to the fact,.. that the Prince Regent of Portugal had sig nified to him his intention of returning; and had detained him (Admiral Beresfordy at Rio Janeiro a considerable time upon this expectation. No other Member offering to speak, Mr CANNING rose, and said, that in a question like the present, however disguised in forms, he believed he felt in common with the Hon. Mover, and with the Hon. Baronet also, who had spoken out more plainly, that it was individually and personally directed against himself. The Right Hon Gentleman then entered into a general defence of his conduct, and of this transaction in particular. The motion implied, that Government pretended to entertain a belief in the return of the Royal Family of Por tugal to Lisbon; and had availed themselves of this pretence, corruptly to appoint him to a mission which he had as corrupty accepted; but he declared before God, that he had most firmly believed that the Prince fully intended to return to Portugal: but the existence and the reasonableness of such belief did not rest upon his veracity Lord Strangford had intimated it to have been his conviction that the Prince would return, and that he waited only for a squad ron to convey him. Could he imagine that all this was a dexterous artifice? He then recapitulated all the facts; and asserted, that he had made arrangements to go to Lisbon as a private person before he heard any thing of his appointment. After ar guing at great length on the principle of the case, the Hon. Member concluded by observing, that if he had not succeeded in removing the charges that were brought a gainst him, this would be the last time he would claim their indulgence. At the con clusion of his speech he was greeted with loud and general cheering. The debate was then taken up by Mr BROUGHAM, who went over the principal grounds, and re-stated the main objections; and insisted that the transaction was preci. pitate, and that the whole expense might have been saved. It was this point, he said, upon which the judgment of the coun try would finally be formed-whether any real necessity had existed for the embassy, or whether it was not a mere pretence to suit the interest of individuals? Lord MILTON desired to say, that he should not vote for the motion, though he could not acquit the Right Hon, Gentleman of all blame; and he thought the negotia tion between him and the Noble Lord, which led to his subsequent appointment to the Lisbon mission, not very creditable to either. Several other Members spoke, when the question being frequently called for, the House divided:-For Mr Lambton's mo tion 96; against it 270. Majority 1ik The other orders of the day were disposed of, and the House adjourned BREACH OF PRIVILEGE May 7.-The order of the day was read, for the attendance of the Rev. Thomas Thirlwall at the bar of the House; and, the question being put, a long conversation arose respecting the principle and extent of the proceedings in the present instance, at the close of which the Reverend Gentleman was called in, when the SPEAKER informed him that a complaint had been preferred against him for a publication which contained reflections on one of the Committees of that House. The offensive passages having been read, the Reverend Gentleman apologized to the House, and implored its mercy; in consequence of which he was allowed to withdraw, and the business was dismissed. A new writ was issued for Eye, in the room of Sir William Garrow; and one for Dorchester, in the place of Sir S. Shepherd, who had accepted the situation of Attorney-General. On the motion of Mr C. W. W. WYNNE, a committee was appointed to consider of the best means for shortening the duration of polls, and other regulations with regard to elections. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, leave was given to bring in a bill to lower the rate of interest upon Navy Bills, and shorten their date to two instead of three months. FINANCE REPORT. Mr D. GILBERT brought in a bill for abolishing the offices of wardens and chief justices in Eyre, north and south of Trent; and a bill for abolishing offices of auditors of the Exchequer; which were read a first time The other orders of the day were disposed of, and the House adjourned at twelve o'clock. USURY LAWS. May 8. Mr Serjeant ONSLOW brought in his bill to repeal the laws regulating the rate of interest, which was read a first time. STEAM-BOATS. On the motion of Mr HARVEY, a Select Committee was appointed to inquire into the causes which led to the explosion of the engine belonging to the Norwich and Yarmouth Steam-boat, to ascertain the best means of preventing similar accidents for the future, and to report the result of their investigations to the House. MR HERRIES' APPOINTMENT. Mr BENNET made his promised motion in regard to the retiring salary of Mr Herries, late Commissary in Chief, and at the close of his speech, moved a resolution to the following effect:Resolved, "That the allowing of the late Commissary in Chief, on the abolition of his office, to retain £1,350 a-year, was an excessive remuneration of public service, &c." After a considérable debate, the motion was negativedah Ayes 42; noés 93. Mr D. GILBERT brought in the bill for the abolition of certain offices and sale of public buildings in Scotland, which was read a first and ordered to be read a second time on Tuesday next. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned. STATE PRISONERS. May 9.-Mr GORDON, seeing the Under Secretary of State in his place, begged leave to inquire whether any communications had been received at his office from the Magistrates at Reading, respecting the treatment of the state prisoners in the goal subject to their inspection? Mr H. ADDINGTON replied, that he was not aware of the circumstance alluded to by the Honourable Gentleman, but if he thought proper to move for papers, no objection would be made to their production. Mr GORDON hoped the Right Honourable Gentleman would be able to give the required information on Monday. Sir W. SCOTT presented a petition from the University of Oxford, against the Roman Catholic claims. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, after a few words from Mr J. P. GRANT, there was ordered to be laid before the House an abstract of the net produce of the revenue of Great Britain, for the years and quarters ending the 5th of April 1815, 1816, and 1817. CATHOLIC CLAIMS. Mr GRATTAN made his motion on the Roman Catholic Claims this day, which produced an animated and interesting debate. The motion for going into a Committee was finally lost by the small majority of only 24, the numbers being on the division; ayes 221; noes 245. BIRMINGHAM POOR'S RATE. Monday, May 12.-Sir C. MORDAUNT, in moving the second reading of the Birmingham Poor's Rate Bill, insisted on the very unequal pressure of the rate at that place. Of 18,000 ground-renters, 14,000 paid no rate; a great part of the town con- . sisting of small houses let from week to week, and tenanted by occupiers so poor that it would be useless cruelty to distrain on them: it was therefore thought advisable to apply to Parliament to make the proprie tor pay. After some conversation, in which there was much difference of opinion, the motion was negatived. FLAX DRESSING. Mr CURWEN presented a petition from Samuel Hill and William Bundy, of Camden-town, praying that an invention of theirs might be examined by a Committee of the House. Their machine would be a great saving in cultivation, and in the dressing of flax. It was not liable to the general objections against machinery, as the use of it would give employment to 40 or 60,000 people, with many other advantages; and would create a saving of £20,000,000. Many prisoners might also be employed by it. The petition was brought up and read, and referred to a select Committee, compos |