Sitting of 7 February 1826

STAMPING OF SMALL COUNTRY NOTES.
Mr. Calcraftbegged to ask a question of the gentlemen on the Treasury bench, upon a subject of considerable public interest. He understood that, of its own authority, government had taken upon itself to refuse the issue of any stamps for one and two pound country notes. If this was the fact, he thought it a great stretch of power.
Mr. Herriessaid, it was perfectly true that the government had taken upon itself to refuse stamps for one and two pound country notes. He imagined, that the understanding was general; that, if necessary, a short bill might be brought in to provide for exigencies, until the plan of the chancellor of the Exchequer was regularly stated. As the matter, however, was to come on so soon as Fri-

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day next, government had deemed it expedient to take upon itself the responsibility of refusing any further stamps for the country small notes; in order to prevent the issue of very large quantities, which would no doubt have been called for in the interim.
Mr. Calcraftsaid, it was the first time he had known government take upon itself such a responsibility, under such circumstances; and this, too, without even taking the opinion of the law officers of the Crown as to its legality. If the exigency was so pressing, a short bill ought to have been brought in; and the forms of the House might have been dispensed with. For himself, he thought the course most unjustifiable; and that it exposed the parties to actions of damages.

ELECTION LAWS IN IRELAND.
Mr. R. Martin, in moving for leave to bring in his bill, called upon every gentleman who had complained of the state of the 40 s. freeholders in Ireland, to assist in passing a measure which was intended to place those voters upon a more respectable footing. By showing the receipt for all rent due up to the time of the election, the 40 s. freeholders would be rendered really independent. At present it was well known that their property was in danger of being swept away, if they voted contrary to the inclination and bidding of their landlords. The tenants would prove themselves before the world to be much better qualified for exercising the rights of electors, could they show a full discharge for their rent. If they were in arrears, and the landlords wished them to vote independently, they could give them the receipt. No member who wished well to Ireland would deny them the boon which he now proposed. There was one evil more which it was desirable to correct. Any one having a majority of the magistracy on his side, might succeed in preventing the adversary from registering a sufficiency of votes to secure his return. In his own county he had been prevented for twelve months from registering a number of freeholders, and to the mean time the election went by. Such a power ought not to be left for any man to abuse. He would propose, that the clerk of the peace should have due notice of the application of the freeholders to be registered, and in failure of his attendance, a person should be sworn in
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who should be bound to take names, and hand them over to the clerk for him to register. He had as yet had no opportunity of conferring with Irish members on the subject. He then moved for leave to bring in a bill "to alter and amend the Election Laws in Ireland."
Mr. Hutchinsonsaid, that any measure to alter the law of election must, at the eve of a general election, be looked at with peculiar jealousy.
Sir H. Parnellsaid, that the plan of compelling people to show receipts for the discharge of rent, would be very objectionable.
Leave was given to bring in the bill.

Mr. COWPER—CLERK ASSISTANT.
The Earl of Liverpoolrose to call their lordships' attention to a motion founded on the letter of Mr. Cowper, which he had read yesterday. He had the satisfaction of feeling that the motion with which he should conclude was one which would meet with no opposition. Their lordships knew how that gentleman had discharged the important duties of his office for a period of forty-one years. There was no instance of an individual having discharged his duty with more diligence, assiduity, and integrity, than Mr. Cowper had done. The situation was important in various respects. It was necessary that the person who filled it should be well acquainted with the course and forms of judicial proceedings. The office was also important from its connexion with the forms and regulations of the House. This was a kind of knowledge which could only be acquired by experience; and it was no disgrace to any one who sat on the woolsack to say, that he might be assisted by Mr. Cowper. No one better knew than the individual of whom he was speaking, what was due to the dignity of the House and to the maintenance of its orders. Besides, his duty had been always discharged with so much propriety and urbanity, that during the long period of forty-one years, no one had ever had occasion to complain of his conduct. For his own part, he could speak to a period
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of twenty years, and he did not recollect any instance in which he had given offence. The late earl of Rosslyn, when chancellor, had recommended that a pension of 1,000 l. per annum should be granted to the clerk on retiring from office. Mr. Cowper had then stated, that if nothing further should be granted to him, he would be perfectly satisfied. Their lordships, however, would not avail themselves of this readiness to wave any future claim, when they took a view of the circumstances of the case. They had some years ago turned their attention to what was due to the gentlemen sitting at the table of the House. They had now to take into their consideration a case of retirement, and he was convinced that they would willingly concur in doing what was not an act of liberality but of justice. He would conclude by moving, that "That this House receives with sincere concern, the resignation of Henry Cowper, esq., and think it right to record the sense they entertain of the zeal, ability, diligence, and integrity with which he executed the important duties of his office during a period of more than forty years. Also, that an humble address be presented to the king, laying before his majesty a copy of the letter of the said Henry Cowper, esq., and likewise the resolution of the House respecting that gentleman, and recommending him to his majesty's royal grace and bounty."
The resolution was agreed to.