Sayfadaki görseller
PDF
ePub

the restriction on payments in cash by the Bank of England, beyond the time to which it is at present limited by law.

2. "That it is expedient that a definite period should be fixed for the termination of the restriction on cash payments; and that preparatory measures should be taken, with a view to facilitate and ensure, on the arrival of that period, the payment of the promissory notes of the Bank of England, in the legal coin of the realm.

3. "That in order to give to the Bank a greater control over the issues of their notes than they at present possess, provision ought to be made, for the gradual repayment to the Bank of the sum of ten millions; being part of the sum due to the Bank, on account of advances made by them for the public service, and on account of the purchase of exchequer bills under the authority of acts ofthelegislature. 4. "That it is expedient to provide, by law, that from the 1st February 1820, the Bank shall be liable to deliver, on demand, gold of standard fineness, having been assayed and stamped at his Majesty's mint, a quantity of not less than sixty ounces being required in exchange for such an amount of notes of the Bank as shall be equal to the value of the gold so required, at the rate of 4l. 1s. per ounce.

5. "That from the 1st October, 1820, the Bank shall be liable to deliver, on demand, gold of standard fineness, assayed and stamped as before mentioned, a quantity of not less than sixty ounces being required in exchange for such an amount of notes as shall be equal to the value of the gold so required, at the rate of 31. 19s. 6d. per ounce.

6. "That from the 1st May 1821, the Bank shall be liable to deliver, on demand, gold of standard fineness, assayed and stamped as before mentioned, a quantity of not less than sixty ounces being required in exchange for such an amount of notes as shall be equal in value to the gold so required, at the rate of 3l. 178. 10 d. per ounce.

7. "That the Bank may, at any period between the 1st February 1820, and the 1st October 1820, undertake to deliver gold of standard fineness, assayed and stamped as before mentioned, at any rate between the sums of 4l. 1s. per ounce and 37. 19s. 6d. per ounce; and at any period between the 1st October 1820, and the 1st of May 1821, at any rate between the sums of 37. 19s. 6d. and 3l. 17s. 10 d. per ounce; but that such intermediate rate

having been once fixed by the Bank, that rate shall not be subsequently increased.

8. "That from the 1st May 1823, the Bank shall pay its notes, on demand, in the legal coin of the realm.

9. "That it is expedient to repeal the laws, prohibiting the melting and the exportation of the coin of the realm."

The resolutions were agreed to; and a bill or bills were ordered to be brought in by Mr. Peel and the chancellor of the exchequer.

GRAND JURY PRESENTMENTS IN IRELAND.] Mr. Chichester stated, that from the great hardship felt by the unequal pressure of the county rates in Ireland, in consequence of their being levied according to surveys taken in some instances a century and a half ago, and in others according to customs peculiar to those counties in which no survey existed: he conceived it of the utmost importance that a revision of the system by which so large a sum as 900,000l. was annually levied, should without delay take place, and that an uniform practice should be adopted, which would relieve those who felt themselves unequally burthened, without doing justice to those who had hitherto been exempt from their share in this contribution. Among many instances of the undue operation of the practice now in existence, he stated, that in the northern part of the county of Antrim, one portion of the barony of Glenarm was rated at 18s. per acre, while another, in an equal state of cultivation, was entirely exempt. In some of the southern counties of Ireland, this tax was laid on denominations of land called plough lands, which, although varying in extent from sixty to five hundred acres, were obliged severally to contribute an equal sum towards the purposes of the county. instanced the disproportion which existed in the county of Limerick, between the survey by which the county was rated, and that which it actually contained, of many thousand acres, by which it might be in the power of collectors to commit frauds of an extensive nature, by levying an acreable rate from those who, under the present survey of the county, were not subject to the charge of it. He concluded by moving " for leave to bring in a bill for a more equal assessment of monies levied by presentments in Ireland."

He

Mr. C. Grant briefly expressed his assent to the measure.

Sir J. Newport said, that no tax was more unequally levied at present than the county rates in Ireland. It was of the utmost importance that of a tax of 900,000l. annually, the inhabitants of the country should contribute in just and fair proportions. He therefore believed the measure contemplated would prove of immense advantage to the great body of the tenantry of Ireland.

Mr. Leslie Foster wished the House, at this early stage of the measure, to be aware of its magnitude and difficulty. A survey of Ireland of 12 millions of acres, at 6d. per acre, would cost no less than 300,000l. The smallest sum that it could be estimated at was 100,000l. and though he thought that sum would be well bestowed in making such a survey, yet it was the duty of parliament to be careful that means were employed to obtain a good one. As to what had been said of the pressure upon tenants by the unequal assessment, it should be remembered, that they had made their bargains with their landlords, knowing what proportion of the assessment they were liable to bear.

transferred to Ireland. In addition to a maritime and geographical survey, a statistical one might be completed at a small expense, if all the works proceeded together. He thought, therefore, that a Resolution of the House ought to be passed, the execution of which might be safely left to the executive government. He had no objection to the bringing in and printing of the bill.

Mr. Chichester said, he had no objection to any means by which the object he had in view, might be attained at less expense.

Mr. V. Fitzgerald was of opinion that unless government took the management of the business into their hands, it would not be found practicable. The hon. mover could not expect members to agree to a measure of so important a nature without being made acquainted with its machinery. He therefore trusted that he would have no objection to adopt the suggestion of his hon. friend, and let the bill lie over till the next session.

Leave was given to bring in the bill.

OCCUPATION OF PARGA.] Sir C. Mr. Croker said, that on the return of Monck, in rising to make the motion of peace the admiralty had lost no time in which he had given notice, relative to the considering how they might obtain charts cession of Parga, said, that except the of the coasts of the empire, such as they duty which a care for the safety of his never have yet had, namely, accurate ones. own country imposed on him, there was The west coast of Scotland and the coast none which he more willingly undertook, of Ireland were perhaps those parts of than that which he had to discharge that Europe, of which the existing charts were evening. He had to call on the House in most defective. In considering how they behalf of a people who were to be demight remedy this disgrace, the admiralty prived of all that made civil society vahad found that in taking a maritime sur-luable, protection for person and property, vey of a coast so indented as that of Ire. land, a country, of which no part was more than 50 miles from the sea, much of that expense would be incurred, which would suffice for an internal survey also. Knowing, too, that the ordnance survey of England was in great progress, and that it would probably be extended to Ireland, they thought it would be a profligate waste of the public money, if they did not endeavour to have both the maritime and the ordnance survey prosecuted at once. They had communicated on the subject with the member for Oxford (Mr. Peel), then secretary of the lord lieute nant, who had received it with that attention, which he paid to every subject connected with the welfare of Ireland. The persons and instruments employed in the ordnance survey were now in Scotland, whence, when they had completed the survey of that country, they would be

and the free exercise of religion. The people of Parga were now in possession of these privileges-he could not say in the enjoyment of them, for by the imprudence of the noble lord opposite at the Congress, they were soon in danger of being slaughtered ignominiously by their cruel enemies the Turks, or leaving their country, receiving a compulsory and inadequate compensation for the goods they left behind; leaving their land to be shared among their foes, and their Christian churches to be polluted with Mahometan ceremonies. If he had not strength of mind to impress on the House all the circumstances which weighed in favour of the inhabitants of Parga, he hoped he should be able to state enough to persuade the House, that they were called upon in an especial manner, by the generosity and justice which should actuate them towards other states, and especially towards small

[ocr errors]

"The compliance which you require of "us it is not easy for you to obtain; be

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

66

states, which at their hazard had been our occupied by Turks, and their Christian friends in war, to interfere to protect them churches converted into mosques. Was from the errors of our ministers. That not such a proposition peculiarly revolting, House could never, he thought, refuse its he would ask, to every British, to every sympathy or compassion to a people Christian, to every generous mind? [Hear, struggling for freedom, and therefore he hear]. The people of Parga revolted at was encouraged to calculate that the ob- it, and the terms of the letter in which ject of his motion would be graciously they rejected the proposition of the pacha, received, especially as military possession evinced at once the justice of their apprewas taken of Parga in the year 1814, by hension from such a connection, and the a British force sent by general Campbell, manliness of their resolution to withstand upon a specific engagement with the it. The hon. baronet then read the letter, people of that town that it was to follow which was in the following words:-" To the fate of the Ionian islands, whatever "Ali Pasha-We have received your two that fate might be. The people of Parga" letters, and we rejoice that you are well. thus confidently committed themselves to the protection of England, and was it possible that it was intended, as he under- cause your conduct, exhibited to us in stood it was, to abandon this interesting "the fate of our neighbours, determines people to the dominion of the Turks? He us all to a glorious and free death, and assured the House, that in bringing for- "not ever to a base and tyrannical subward this motion, he was not actuated by jugation. You write to us to fall upon any party motives, or by any desire to "and slay the French. This is not only inculpate the noble secretary for foreign" not in our power to do, but if it were, affairs, who was not, he sincerely be- we would decline to do it; for our lieved, by any means aware of the mis- country has boasted her good faith for chiefs likely to result from the transaction" four centuries past, and in that time to which he had given his assent. On the " often vindicated it with her blood. How, contrary, indeed, he thought the noble" then, shall we now sully that glory?— lord, when apprized of the consequences "Never. To threaten us again unjustly of the course upon which he had entered, "is in your power; but threats are not would be ready to retrace his steps. He "characteristic of great men: and, begave the noble lord full credit for a dispo-" sides, we have never confessed to fear, sition to shrink from any treaty that threatened to produce such misery as must result from the surrender of the people of Parga to the dominion of the Porte. Such a course would indeed be so abominable, that he could not suppose any British minister would give it his sanction [Hear, hear!]. Here the hon. baronet entered into a history of the Ionian Islands, and their continental dependencies, including Parga, from the fifteenth century to the year 1797, when they fell under the dominion of France, in consequence of the conquest of Venice by that power. He next adverted to the transfer of those islands to the joint protection of Russia and the Porte, and the ineffectual endeavours of the pasha of Albania to obtain military possession of the town of Parga. The arbitrary character of this pacha could not be unknown to the House; and his promise to the people of Parga was, that if they surren dered to him, they should be what he called compensated for their present possessions, by being transferred to other places, while, truly, their town was to be

"having accustomed ourselves to glorious "battle for the rights of our country.— "God is just-we are ready: the moment "comes when he who conquers shall be "glorified. So fare you well. Parga, "Oct. 16, 1798."-In the year 1800, the Russians and the Turks entered into a treaty, by which the independence of the Grecian islands was recognized, under the name of the Septinsular Republic. By an unfortunate clause in that treaty, which provided that the Porte should have power to take military occupation of Parga and three other towns, the Parguinotes fell into his hands. The pacha took the inhabitants out of their own country, and placed them in distant parts of the pachawick; he deprived them of their own possessions; and on the pretext of allowing them a compensation in terms of the treaty, he assigned them others in distant parts: and to complete their degradation, he converted their churches into mosques. By the treaty of Tilsit, in 1807, the Grecian islands were given up by the Russians to the French; and it was worthy of being remarked, that afterwards a

their country, who themselves were ready to bleed for their country, who had been respected by Russia and by France, when they saw this example of British generosity, when they saw the islands reduced by British valour, and restored to freedom by British generosity, could it be supposed that they did not unanimously throw themselves under British protection? On the one side, they saw their friends slaughtered by the Turks; on the other, they saw the Septinsular government restored in the most magnanimous manner. Could they hesitate as to the course to be adopted? This was in 1809-10. We were after

right hon. gentleman (Mr. Canning), in an official note to the Russian court, had charged them with a breach of faith in thus sacrificing to France the independence of the Septinsular republic. The Russians, having recommended to the Parguinotes to secure a good understanding with the French, completely abandoned them. The pasha, seeing that France had obtained possession of the Ionian islands, entered into a negotiation with the French general for getting Parga ceded to him. The Parguinotes seeing these negotiations between the French general and the pacha, prepared for their own defence, and at the same time made strong application towards too much engaged by the war in the French general for assistance. The other places to carry our successes farther French general, whose character did not in this quarter, and it was vain to atstand high for generosity, refused to give tempt the establishment of an independent them up, and promised to report to the government without Corfu. In 1814, the emperor that they were a free people, and Pasha made an attack on Parga. The every way worthy of favour. He at the Parguinotes applied for aid to the French same time sent them a French flag, and general, who replied that he could afford troops to defend them. This was in 1807, them no assistance; that he had no troops and the cession was finally refused by the for the purpose; and, if he had, that he emperor. In 1809 and 1810, admiral could not, without instructions from his Collingwood commanded in the Mediter- government, send them to their assistance. ranean, and took measures to resist the They determined, notwithstanding, to farther progress of the French. Sir John make no cession: they made all the resistStewart furnished land forces, and lord ance possible in the neighbourhood of Collingwood ships, for an expedition to Parga, and at its wall. The Pasha's army reduce the Ionian islands. Here he must of 20,000 men was repelled, and his ne read extracts from lord Collingwood's in- phew, who commanded it, slain. Was structions to the captain who commanded this, he asked, a contemptible people? this expedition: he read from a printed Should we, who were the freest nation in paper which had been laid upon the table the world, treat lightly a people capable two years ago, in consequence of a motion of such struggles in the cause of freedom? of his for that purpose. Lord Colling- Could we, without fellow-feeling, regard wood instructed the captain, that on their the efforts of a people, worthy of the freelanding on any of those islands, the Sept- dom which we enjoyed? Was there a insular, and not the British flag, should heart in the House that did not compassionbe hoisted; the inhabitants should be nate the brave Parguinotes? [Loud cheers]. required to take arms, and the fortresses The Pasha retreated; he was repelled, not should not be garrisoned by British troops, routed. They had not numbers enough their own troops being sufficient for that to pursue him. He built a mausoleum to purpose. Five of the islands were reduc- his nephew, an altar on which the blood ed. Corfu, the head of them all, was not of the Parguinotes must flow. Seeing reduced, there being not troops sufficient that they could get no assistance from to effect its reduction. The commander the French, they sent a deputation to of the expedition, in his dispatches, said, general Campbell, with an offer to withthat he had great satisfaction in informing draw their fortunes from France, and to that their efforts were attended with com- place themselves under British protection, plete success. The government of the to follow the destinies of the Ionian isIonian republic, it was now determined, lands. He granted their request and sent should be restored; but the British flag Mr. Foresti's (the English ambassador's) was set up together with the Septinsular son and sir Charles Gordon, with a strong flag, and British troops were stationed to detachment, to assist in forcing the French defend the several posts till the various out of Paxu, which was opposite to Parga, offices were properly filled up. When the on the terms that an English garrison Parguinotes, whose ancestors had bled for should be received, and that Parga should

follow the destinies of the Ionian islands. Captain Hoste arrived there at the same time with two frigates. They sent a deputation to him, who received them well, but replied that he could do nothing for them, that he could not attack the fortress; but that if they could get the British flag hoisted on Paxu, he would draw up his frigates under it at all hazards. They got the British flag conveyed into the fortress by an old woman under her clothes! the inhabitants, who had formerly fought against the Pasha, at the same time attacked the sentinels. The British flag was hoisted, the frigates were drawn up under the fortress, and the garrison were made prisoners. The place was in tranquillity in two or three hours after the first movement.-This brought him to the point. The Parguinotes were now under British protection. The object of his motion was to obtain the paper which contained the conditions on which the commanders, by sea and land, gave assistance to the Parguinotes. This document must have been sent home to ministers. He also wished to obtain the answer of our government, if there was any, authorizing what political government was to be placed over Parga by the governor of the Ionian islands. Of the first paper he had a copy, but a motion could not be regularly founded upon it. He would read, how ever, from this copy the instructions from general Campbell to lieutenant Bretton, respecting Parga. The date was May 1815. Parga was to be considered an appendage to the Ionian islands, and more particularly as an outwork of the garrison of Corfu; it was wisdom to retain it; lieutenant Bretton would attend to the wishes and feelings of a free people who hated the Turks; they were a spirited and independent people, yet docile and mild when treated with civility; the great mass of the people might be depended on, they never would submit to the Ottoman government [Loud cheering]. Such were the instructions then given respecting Parga; such was the character of the people as described by general Campbell. These spirited, free, independent patriots now saw themselves made a sacrifice of to their implacable enemy. They found themselves now driven to the alternative of making the seat of liberty their grave, or of going into exile-an evil scarcely less cruel. He could not, however, suppose that the noble lord opposite would proceed in his

[ocr errors]

purpose. He could not suppose that a people, free, and resolved to preserve their freedom, should in vain rely upon the freest people in the world. He could not suppose that a people, whose independence had been respected by despotic governments, should be deprived of their liberty, or driven from their country by a nation on whom they had placed the greatest reliance, and had placed that reliance because they were themselves free-by a nation who had actually received them under their protection, and promised to retain them in the embraces of freedom. He trusted that, if the House would show a proper feeling on the subject, the noble lord must retrace his steps. The steps taken were not irrevocable. Could it be endured, that the last spot of Greece which retained freedom, which retained Christianity, should be surrendered to despotism and cruelty? Could it be endured, that the Cross should be surmounted by the crescent? Could we neglect the opportunity of uniting so free and brave a people in bonds of fraternity with us? Could we fail to attach their hearts to us by gratitude for the preservation of their liberty? [Loud cheers] He had now given the narration of the case. He was sorry that he had occupied so much time. He would proceed to debate the case with the noble lord. In answer to a question which he had asked, the noble lord was understood to say that he considered himself obliged by the treaty of Paris, Nov. 1815, to make a cession of Parga to the pasha. He was not sure that he had understood the noble lord; if not, he should be happy to be now corrected. Since 1815, there had been no further treaty on the subject. There had been a convention since between a commissioner from our government and a commissioner from the pasha, respecting the terms of the cession of Parga. He would, therefore, meet the noble lord on the treaty of Paris, 1815. There were several treaties then between the several powers; he selected the treaty with Russia, but what effect it could have on the destinies of Parga he could not conceive. Article first sat forth, that the several islands (enumerating them), with their dependencies, should form a free and independent state. If Parga was considered as included in the dependencies, then it must follow the Ionian islands, and be free and independent. Reference was made in this treaty to a treaty in 1800,

« ÖncekiDevam »