Lord Cochranesaid, that he held in his hand a petition from Mr. R. G. Butt, stating, that the fine of 1,000l. which he had paid under a sentence of the court of King's-bench, had not been applied to the use of government. He (Lord Cochrane), not being able to speak to this fact himself, had been that day to the Pipe-office, where he learned, that no fine had been paid there by the regular officer of the Crown-office for some time past. If, however, the idea of its not having been properly applied was a delusion on the mind of the petitioner, he hoped the House would not reject his petition without proper inquiry, as he had been deprived of his liberty for having published several hand-bills on the subject. It was highly necessary that some investigation should be made into the fact, in order that the public might know that no improper use had been made of the 1136 money. He should move to-morrow for an account of all fines paid under sentences of courts of law, with their subsequent application.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerwould not then say a word on the motion which the noble lord intended to make; but he desired to observe, that the facts mentioned in the petition had been before him, and he found, that the fine levied under the authority of the court of King's-bench had been duly applied. It was ridiculous to suppose, that any misapplication could have been made of a sum paid under the sentence of one of the supreme courts of justice. No doubt existed in his mind, but that this individual laboured, on this as he did on other points, under a considerable delusion of mind.
The petition was then read, setting forth, "That the petitioner was, on the 21st day of June, 1814, under an alleged conspiracy against the Stock-exchange, sentenced by his majesty's court of King's-bench to stand in the pillory, to the payment of a fine of 1,000l., and to imprisonment for one year, and until the fine should be paid; that the first part of the said sentence having been remitted under the plea that the petitioner had prayed to that effect, instead of his having protested against the injustice of the whole, the period of his confinement having elapsed, and the fine being paid, the petitioner begs leave humbly to state to the House that, having learnt during his confinement and subsequently, that misapplication of public money had frequently occurred, the petitioner made inquiry as to the application of the fine paid as aforesaid, and he begs leave to state that at a late period the said sum of 1,000l., had not been placed to the public account in the Pipe-office, to which it ought to have been transferred; under such circumstances, the petitioner, conceiving he might be called on for the repayment of the said fine so withheld from the Crown, more especially as the name affixed to the legal receipt obtained at the Crown-office has since appeared to be a forgery, the petitioner humbly prays that the House will cause an inquiry to be made into the above facts, and relieve him from the danger to which he conceives himself exposed from the fictitious signature to the receipt, and from the misapplication of his fine."
§ Ordered to lie upon the table.