ed of Lord Castlereagh, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Curwen, Mr Rose, Mr D. Gilbert, and others.

ARMY ESTIMATES.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, and the Army Estimates, and the Second Report of the Committee of Finance, were taken into consideration.

Lord PALMERSTON said, he had arranged the statement he was to submit to the Committee into four classes. The first referred to the amount of military establishments at home. The second included the army in France and the army in India. The third related to expenses incurred by past services, such as Chelsea pensions, widow and orphan allowances, and the Military Asylum. The fourth class regarded the services of military establishments that were now to be reduced. After detailing the items, his lordship stated the reduction in point of numbers at 55,000 men, and the saving at £1,800,000.

Some debate ensued upon the several resolutions, which were finally agreed to.

TOLL ON MANURE.

Tuesday, May 13.-Mr D. GILBERT obtained leave to bring in a bill to exempt the passage of manure from tolls. He meant it as a declaratory bill, to amend and explain the act of the 53d of the king, and to remove doubts, &c.

POOR EMPLOYMENT BILL.

Some important discussion took place on the measure proposed of loans to parishes upon security: in the conclusion the House resolved itself into a Committee upon the bill, when the names of the following gentlemen were read as appointed to the Committee for the object in view: Lord R. Seymour, Sir T. Acland, Mr W. Lamb, Sir C. Edmondstone, Sir James Shaw, Sir J. Perring, Mr Gooch, Mr Edward Littleton, Mr Luttrel, Mr C. Grant, sen., Mr Curwen, Mr Estcourt, Mr Casberd, Mr J. Smith, Mr H. Swann, Mr Benjamin Harrison, Mr Reid, Chairman of the E. I. C. (not a member of the House), Mr Thornton, Mr Phillips, Mr Angerstein, Mr C. Baring, Mr Joseph Tierney, and Mr Bosan,

quet.

The report was afterwards brought up, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer named Wednesday next for the further consideration, which was agreed to.

FURTHER SUSPENSION OF THE HABEAS CORPUS ACT.

Mr PONSONBY, after observing that the present act for the suspension of the Habeas Corpus would expire in July, and that the middle of May being now at hand, a period was approaching at which, according to all experience, a number of members would retire into the country, begged to ask the noble lord opposite (Lord Castlereagh) if it was the intention of his Majesty's Ministers to apply to Parliament for a further extension of that power of imprisonment which had already been given them? He did not enter

into the question, as the rules of the House forbad it; but he hoped the Noble Lord would give an answer one way or the other.

Lord CASTLEREAGH replied, that after the holidays, about the 1st of June, a com munication would be made to the House concerning the internal state of the country; after which, the same proceedings would be proposed as had taken place in the early part of the Session, and it would be referred to a Committee to enter into an inquiry as to the measures proper to be pursued.

Mr PHILLIPS moved, that the House should be called the 2d of June.

Mr J. P. GRANT, after reminding the House that the first law-officer of Scotland had stated that the conspiracies at Glasgow were not confined to the poorer classes of the community, said, that he (Mr J. P. Grant) knew that only one person above the rank of an operative weaver had been taken, and he had declared that he had no com munication whatever with political clubs; £3000 had been offered for bail, in order that he might continue his occupation, bu this was refused, and properly enough, as the man was charged with high treason: but he was now told, that without any farther information, the law-officers of the Crown, after having confined this man six weeks, discharged him without farther statement, and without bail: so that a respectable individual had been incarcerated six weeks without cause, discharged without inquiry, Chear, hear!) and left to seek redress for the loss of his trade, character, and health, in what manner he could. (Hear, hear!) He hoped the House would consider in what manner the powers of the Act had been applied, and what was to be expected from the law-officers of the Crown: he did not impute motives, but mentioned facts, and he trusted some explanation would be given.

The call of the House was then fixed for the 2d of June.

May 16.-Lord LASCELLES withdrew his original Bill for rendering the Proprie tors of Lead Mines rateable for the relief of the poor, in proportion to the profits, and substituted another, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Friday next.

On the motion of Mr Rose, the Saving Banks Bill was re-committed; and after some conversation, several of the clauses were read, and the blanks filled up report was ordered to be received on Mod day.

he

The Committees of Supply, and Way and Means, were postponed to Monday."

CLERGY RESIDENCE WILL In the debate upon the motion for going into a Committee upon the Clergy Residenée Bill, Mr MANNERS SUTTON moved a clause, that the Clergy should be allowed to farm land, which was carried by a majority of 38 to 35. After some farther conver sation, the quantity of land to be so farmed

no longer meet the countenance either of Parliament or the Courts of Justice.

Mr THOMSON hoped that the extents in aid would be confined to debtors in chief. Something ought also to be done to prevent the enormous amount of costs. He knew a county in which the Sheriffs had in one year received £10,000 as costs. In conclusion, leave was given to bring in the Bill.

The Justices in Eyre Bill, the Irish Offices Bill, the Exchequer Offices Bill, the Board of Trade Bill, and the Irish Exchequer Bill, were read a third time, and passed.

The House went into a Committee on the Clergy Residence Bill: several clauses were agreed to, and the blanks filled up.

On the motion of Mr SUTTON an exemption was introduced in favour of the Principal and Professors of the East India College.

Mr GORDON took occasion to mention, that he knew a clergyman who was a dignitary in no less than six cathedrals: he was prebendary in one, chancellor in another, dean in a third, and other offices, in addition to which he held two livings. He wished to know if such an individual ought to be exempted?

Mr M. SUTTON professed himself unable to give a precise answer; the case was assuredly singular.

After a few words from Mr Gordon and Sir J. NICHOLL, the chairman left the chair, and the House being resumed, he reported progress; and it was ordered that the Committee should sit again on Monday se'nnight.

A Bill for the abolition of certain offices in the Mint of England and Scotland was read a first time.

May 23.-On the third reading of the Saving Banks Bill, Mr WESTERN moved that the clause allowing relief from the Poor-rates be left out. The House, in consequence, divided on the passing of the Bill: Ayes 60; Noes 27; Majority 33.

The order for a call of the House on the 2d was discharged, and fixed for the 9th of

3

dry amendments agreed to. The Report was then brought up, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time on Friday.

RESIGNATION OF THE SPEAKER. Friday, May 30.-Mr DYSON, the clerk, said he had to inform the House, that he had received a letter from the Speaker, which, with the leave of the House, he would read :

"Palace-Yard, May 30. "SIR,It is with the sincerest concern and regret, that I feel myself obliged to request, that you will inform the House of Commons, at their meeting this day, of my inability, from continued illness, to attend any longer upon their service.

"After holding the high office to which I have been raised, by their favour, in five successive Parliaments, it is impossible that I should resign so honourable and distinguished a situation, without feeling the deepest gratitude for the constant kindness with which they have been pleased to accept and assist my humble endeavours to dis charge its various and arduous duties.

"It was my earnest wish and hope to have continued longer in the service of the House, if such were their pleasure; but the interruption of public business which has been already occasioned by my state of health, and the apprehension of the same cause recurring, which might again expose the House to the like inconvenience, have made me deem it necessary that I should retire at this time, and have left me now no farther duty to perform, than to return my heart-felt acknowledgments to the House for all the favours they have bestowed upon me, and to express my fervent wishes for the perpetual maintenance and preservation of its rights, its privileges, and its independ ence. I am, Sir, always most truly yours, "CHARLES ABBOT.

"To Jeremiah Dyson, Esq. Deputy Į Clerk of the House of Commons." }

Lord CASTLEREAGH made a few observations in a tone of voice scarcely audible. The noble Lord was understood to say, that from the communication now read, the House, as well as he, must have felt the great loss (Hear, hear!) which they sus tained by the resignation of their Speaker. On this subject he was sure there could be no difference of opinion (Hear, hear, hear & from the opposition); and he felt it to be quite unnecessary to dwell on the merits of the Speaker, which were so long and so well known. (Hear, hear, hear! He would merely propose that the House adjourn till Monday next, when it was probable he should have a communication from the Prince Regent, marking the estimation in which the Speaker was held by that illus trious person; and when the House could proceed to the election of a new Speaker Adjourned till Monday.

J

ple verdict, the foreman, without their knowledge, had given a general one of Guilty. A motion was this day made in arrest of judgment; and, after some pleading, a new trial was ordered. On the second information, a verdict of Not guilty was returned, which was loudly cheered by the spectators.

9.-National Monuments.-The committee appointed for receiving and deciding upon the merits of the several designs offered for the Waterloo and Trafalgar monuments, on Wednesday held their final meeting at Argyll-house, London, when Messrs Wilkins, Gandy, and Smirke, attended with their designs, exhibiting the various alterations suggested by the committee. The report to the Treasury was agreed upon, and the buildings will be immediately carried into execution. The monuments are each to be about 280 feet high; the additional cost of the Waterloo is occasioned principally by embellishments and sculptures. The design for Trafalgar is a plain octangular structure, 45 feet in diameter at the base, raised upon a magnificent flight of steps, and surmounted with a naval coronet. The Waterloo is an ornamental tower of three orders of columns, around the base of which is a circular colonnade.

12.-Thunder Storm.-On Tuesday forenoon, Edinburgh was visited by a most tremendous storm of thunder, hail, and rain. The lightning was remarkably vivid; and the peals of thunder, which succeeded each other in rapid succession, were awfully loud; while hail in large pieces, and rain, descended in torrents. Several chimney tops were thrown down, and houses unroofed; and two persons were struck by the lightning, one of whom was deprived for a time of every faculty, but happily no lives were lost. Immediately after the storm had subsided, the surrounding heights exhibited for a short time all the appearance of winter, being capped with snow or hailstones. About four o'clock another storm passed in the same direction, but it was neither so violent nor so long in duration. The storm was felt at Perth, Dundee, and Cupar, northward, and at Kelso, Newcastle, Hull, and York, southward, with various degrees of violence, but happily did no serious damage, except at Dundee and Cupar, where the hail destroyed a number of fruit trees and bushes; at the former place the stones were two inches in circumference.

14.--Burgh of Montrose.-On Saturday last, a question highly interesting to the burghs of Scotland was decided in the Court of Session. By this decision the burgh of Montrose has for the present lost its political rights and privileges. For some years past, the mode of electing the Magistrates and Council, as it had obtained by marking the votes by scores, was thought to be attended with any inconveniences and disadvantages; and at the annual election at Mi chaelmas 1815, it was resolved, that in place of the former practice, the election of

the Provost and new Councillors should be by ballot, each member being voted for seriatim: the same method was adopted at the election at Michaelmas last. Soon after the election, several constituent mem bers of the Council of the preceding year presented a petition and complaint to the Court, founding on the different acts of Parliament respecting elections, and pray. ing their Lordships to find the late election of Magistrates and Council of Montrose null and void, and contrary to law. The Magistrates in office defended their election on various grounds; in particular, that the complainers had no right or title to com plain; that they had acquiesced in the mode of election at the time; that they were themselves elected the preceding year by the same mode they now challenged; and at all events, the election could not be set aside, even supposing the use of the ballot to be found an illegal mode of election, there being a legal majority of Magistrates and Council continued ex officiis, independent of the numbers elected by ballot. Very able and ingenious arguments were used on both sides; but the Judges were of opinion that the use of the ballot was illegal, and therefore their Lordships unan mously reduced and set aside the election The Magistrates have acquiesced in the interlocutor of the Court, and their functions are therefore at an end. Very little incon venience, however, is likely to arise to the inhabitants from this decision, as an appli cation was immediately made to the Court, to appoint proper persons to give infeftiment within burgh, and to take charge of the revenue and patrimonial interests of the town; and a petition being presented to the Sheriff-depute, to grant a substitution of power to a fit person, in the mean time he has appointed Charles Barclay, Esq. his substitute within the burgh and its liberties; and prompt measures have also beer taken to prepare a petition to the Prince Regent, to issue a warrant for a new clettion of Magistrates and Council.

18. Trial for High Treason.-On Monday, in Westminster Hall, the trial of James Watson, senior, which had occupied the whole of last week, concluded by a verdie from the Jury of Not Guilty. Three others, namely Thistlewood, Hooper, and Preston, were indicted for High Treason along with Watson, but the Court proceeded only with the trial of the latter; and in consequence of the verdict in his case, the Attorney Ge neral declined calling evidence against his companions, who were therefore set at liberty on Tuesday. Watson's counsel (Mr Wetherall and Mr Serjeant Copley) grounded their successful defence on the want of proof of a treasonable conspiracy, excepting in the testimony of Castles, an accomplice, whom they stigmatised as too infamous to be believed; and whose cross examination disclosed such a course of villany as seldom meets the ears of a jury. He had been ap prehended for forgery, and turned king's