§ Mr. Manningregretted, that he had not been present yesterday, when an hon. member had moved for a return of the amount of Bank notes and Bank post bills in circulation. He had not the slightest wish to conceal any thing on the subject of the motion of the hon. member; but, after the Bank Restriction act had expired, he was not aware that the House had any right to call upon that establishment for any such returns. It had been provided by the bill of 1797, that certain ac- 124 counts should be laid before parliament, quarterly, and should also be inserted in the Gazette; but, since the circulating medium had been changed to gold, of course those documents were no longer needed. The Directors were perfectly ready to give the hon. gentleman any information he desired, for his private satisfaction; but they were clearly of opinion, that he had no more right to demand the account he had moved for, than he had to call for copies of the books of any private merchant or banking-house. He hoped this practice would not be drawn into precedent; but he had no reluctance in stating that the amount of Bank notes, and Bank post bills now in circulation somewhat exceeded twenty millions.
Mr. Grenfellsaid, he differed at all points from the hon. gentleman as to the duty of the Bank of England. It seemed to him, that in the present state of the country, it was the imperious duty of the House of Commons, for the sake of the public interest, from time to time to ascertain the amount of Bank notes in circulation. In moving for the paper now alluded to, he had been influenced by no feeling of hostility towards the Bank, but by a strong sense of public duty. It seemed as if the hon. gentleman had totally forgotten the millions of money with which the public entrusted the Bank of England, and for the satisfaction and security of the public, it was absolutely necessary to know how the Bank conducted its business, and whether it was or was not in a state of solvency. If, before 1797, the House had been better informed upon the subject to which the motion referred, the catastrophe which had then happened, would never have occurred. It was very important that this point should be brought to issue, and for this purpose he would move on Tuesday next, for the accounts he had annually applied for, respecting the issue of notes by the Bank of England.
§ Mr. Manningrepeated, that, as a matter of courtesy, the directors had no objection to furnish hon. gentlemen with such information as they might need for any parliamentary purpose.