§ GERARD CALLAGHAN, Esq. took the Oath and his Seat for Cork City.—Sir J. MACDONALD moved for a new writ for Calne in the room of the Right Hon. James Abercrombie, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, Scotland; Sir C. COOTE moved for a new writ for Clonmell, in the room of James Hewitt Massey Dawson, Esq. Chiltern Hundreds; and Mr. G. LAMB moved for a now writ for Knaresborough in the room of the Right Hon. Geo. Tierney deceased.
Lord F. Osbornepresented a petition from Cambridge for the repeal of the Malt and Beer duties, and several other petitions from places in Cambridgeshire with like prayer, and praying for measures to alleviate the distressed state of agriculture.
Sir J. Grahampresented a petition from the County of Cumberland, complaining of the distress of the Agricultural and Mining population, praying the House to inquire whether those distresses were not brought on by the return to small payments in gold and silver, without a corresponding decrease at the same time in taxation. He did not intend to go into the whole of the important questions which the petition embraced until they came to be singly discussed. With regard, however, to the question whether the additional increase of the value of the currency is not an additional increase of taxation, he should take an early opportunity of moving that the amount of salary of all persons employed in the civil and military service of the country should be reduced to the scale of 1797, as far as was consistent with a strict regard to engagement and the effici- 210 ency of the public service. His hon. friend, the member for Aberdeen, had, however, given notice of a motion on the same night which he intended moving (Friday). He should therefore beg of his hon. friend to allow his motion to take precedence: it would perhaps be a good preliminary to that of his hon. friend.
§ Mr. Humeobserved, in reply, that the motion the hon. member had given notice of would probably occupy some time; and, as he (Mr. Hume) did not wish to bring his own on late in the evening, he would postpone his own motion till Monday next; besides, it would take natural precedence of his motion: if there were to be reduction of expenditure the House would be more strongly justified in demanding diminution of taxation.
Mr. Alderman Woodmoved for accounts of the total number of Barrels of Beer exported from England and Scotland to Ireland, and from Ireland to England and Scotland; distinguishing the number of barrels so exported to each kingdom, as likewise the number of barrels exported from each kingdom to foreign countries, with the amount of drawback paid thereon from 5th January 1829 to 5th January 1830: of the quantity of all the different sorts of beer, stated by barrels, made in each year, from 5th January 1825 to 5th January 1830; the rates of duty per barrel in each year, and total amount thereof in each year in each kingdom; showing, 211 so far as can be done, the number of quarters of malt used in each kingdom in each year in making that beer: of the number of barrels of strong beer exported in each year: of the number of barrels of strong, table, and intermediate beer, chargeable to the duties of Excise, brewed in England, Scotland, and Wales, from 5th January 1829 to 5th January 1830; distinguishing the number of barrels brewed within the limits of the chief Office of Excise, and within each of the several collections, particularizing the quantity brewed by public brewers, licensed victuallers, retail brewers, and intermediate brewers. Of the number of brewers, retail brewers, licensed victuallers, and intermediate brewers, in England, Scotland, and Wales; distinguishing the number of them within the limits of the chief Office of Excise, and each of the several collections, and setting forth the number of licensed victuallers who brew their own beer, during the above period. Of the total number of acres of land in Great Britain under the cultivation of hops, in the year 1829; distinguishing the number of acres in each parish. Of the duty on hops of the growth of the year 1829; distinguishing the districts, and the old from the new duty; of the quantity of hops exported from, and imported into, Great Britain; distinguishing the places, for the year ending 5th January 1830. Of the number of bushels of malt charged with duty in the United Kingdom, and the amount of duty thereon, separating each country, in each year from 5th January 1825 to 5th January 1830; distinguishing the quantity in each year used by brewers and victuallers, and the quantity used in the distillery, so far as the same can be ascertained. Of the number of bushels of malt made, and the amount of duties paid in each collection of Excise, upon the same, in the United Kingdom, from 5th January 1829 to 5th January 1830. Of the wine gallons of proof spirits that paid duty, in each kingdom, for the home consumption of that kingdom, in each year, from 10th October 1823 to 10th October 1825, and from 10th October 1825, to 5th January 1826, and imperial gallons of proof spirits, in each year, from 5th January 1826 to 5th January 1830, and showing for each kingdom, in each of these seven periods, the difference of gallons betwixt the whole that so paid duty, and what gallons malt drawback was paid on under 4 Geo. 4th, c. 94, and 6 212 Geo. 4th, c. 58, as also the total difference of gallons, for each kingdom, during the whole period from 10th October 1823 to 5th January 1830. Of the imperial gallons of proof spirits distilled in each kingdom, exported from Scotland to England, from Ireland to England, and from Scotland to Ireland, and that paid duty in each kingdom for home consumption, the full rate of duty per imperial gallon applying to these spirits for home consumption in each kingdom, and amount thereof at that rate, in each quarter, from 5th January 1829 to 5th January 1830, and showing the totals of all these for each kingdom, and for the United Kingdom, for the year: of the amount of money paid distillers, in each kingdom, as drawback on malt, under 1 and 2 Geo. 4th, c. 82, from 5th January 1829 to 5th January 1830: and of the total number of gallons of proof spirits, of the manufacture of the United Kingdom, that paid duty, and the amount thereof for horse consumption, in each kingdom; also the total number of gallons of proof rum, brandy, geneva, and all other foreign spirits, that paid duty in each kingdom; the number of gallons of each kind, and the duty thereon for each kingdom; also, the total number of gallons of spirits of all kinds that paid duty, and total amount thereof, in each kingdom and total number of gallons, and total duty thereon, in the whole United Kingdom, in each year, from 5th January 1825 to 5th January 1830.
§ Mr. O'Connellpresented a petition on the subject of Negro Slavery. He said that by right of law, no man could be a slave; that if the law were to extend to the colonies, the case would be as it was here, the moment alleged slaves came within the reach of the remedy, of the lord chief justice's power, they were free. He should in the course of the session move a bill on this subject. The petition was from Cork.