any new provision with reference to it. He did not boast of possessing any squeamish or morbid sensibility, but he could not see property of this kind in a different state with respect to its protection by the law from any other, and know that the owners of it as well as their families depended on its security, without being anxious to see that protection extended to them. He moved, therefore,

to amend the laws for the protection of Wild Animals reclaimed and retained as private property."

HOUSE OF LORDS.

mously agreed, that ferrets being animals feræ naturæ, no property could be held in them, and that the stealing of them was not punishable. Now, he contended that a ferret was not the useless creature which it was generally thought. It was a most powerful antagonist to that most noxious, odious, and destructive animal the rat (a laugh], and more effective against it than poison, traps, gins, and all that the hammer and the anvil could forge." That leave be given to bring in a bill One of our great poets had told us, that "all things were made for man's delight and use," and therefore he proposed that whenever any animal of whatever descrip. The Attorney General, after some tion, became of delight or use to its pause, seconded the motion, in order to master, his law should protect it. Some bring the subject fairly before the House. gentlemen seemed much to enjoy his allu- The gallery was cleared, but the mosion to rats, but if even these animals tion was negatived, without a division. could be reclaimed, he would have them Mr. Lawson said, he would consign deemed property, and so protected. If, the other motion of which he had given indeed, a rat could be so reclaimed as to notice, namely, with regard to the repeal run from one side of that House to the of the law respecting Trial by Battle, to other [a laugh], he would have such an the more able hands of the attorneyanimal protected from traps or gins. He general, and that learned gentleman acalso proposed to have menageries pro- cordingly gave notice of a motion upon tected; for what just reason could be the subject for Tuesday se'nnight. assigned for not protecting the property of Mr. Polito, or any other proprietor of wild beasts who resided in town, or who travelled through the country? Such animals ought, indeed, upon every just SECRET COMMITTEE ON THE STATE ground, to be protected by law; for their OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND APPOINTED.] general exhibition was known to be of The Earl of Liverpool said, he rose in great utility, especially to the youth of pursuance of notice, to move for a Secret both sexes, in presenting them with a Committee to inquire into the State of practical illustration of the natural history the Bank of England, with reference to of those animals. Why, for instance, the resumption of cash payments, at the should not property in a lion be pro- period prescribed by law, and into other tected? for he was not a base animal; matters connected with the subject. In certainly not so base as an ass; and yet doing this, he had no hesitation in stating the latter was protected by the law, while that it had been his most anxious wish the former was left without protection. that the resumption of cash payments Why should not badgers and monkies should take place with the least possible also be protected by law? Badgers and delay, that no time whatever should be monkies had their useful qualities, and if lost in returning to our ancient policy, as they themselves were not often stolen, it soon as circumstances would possibly could not be denied in this age of foppery, allow. It would be in the recollection of that many stole their faces, anticks, and their lordships that on the opening of the gestures. His object would be, to punish session he had stated his opinion that cirthe offence of stealing them by seven years cumstances would not permit the return transportation, or by whipping, at the dis- to cash payments at the period prescribed cretion of the sessions. The receivers of by law, but that if that should prove to be them, when stolen, should, he thought, the case, it was intended by his majesty s be subject to the same, not a greater government merely to propose the contipunishment, as was sometimes the prac nuance of the restriction till March next, tice in other cases. With regard to their and that if it should in the mean time be becoming nuisances, he considered the thought requisite still to continue the relaw to be quite effectual upon that sub-striction,a committee should be appointed in ject, and should not, therefore, introduce the next session to investigate the subject,

Tuesday, February 2.

The Earl of Liverpool said, he did not think it advisable, in the present stage of the question, that the committee should be authorized to deliver an opinion; nor did he mean that they should be confined to the mere reporting of evidence; he had, therefore, adopted the middle course of allowing them to report such observations as they might think necessary to explain any parts of the evidence, or that they might think of importance.

The Earl of Lauderdale was still of opinion that the words of the motion would preclude the committee from making observations upon any part of the evidence, except the information they actually reported.

The Earl of Harrowby observed, that the words of the motion were the same as those used in 1797, on the appointment of a secret committee, of a similar description, and they had not given rise to any difficulty.

previous to any determination being come the wording of the motion, that the comto. Subsequent to his making that de-mittee on reporting information to the claration, he was induced, as he before House, would be precluded from making stated, to change his intended course, and any observations, except upon the informto propose the committee in the presentation so communicated, although they session, instead of the next. Under these might have important observations to circumstances, it was his earnest wish make, arising from evidence which they that the inquiry should be as large and as might not think it expedient to communiextensive as possible. It was with this cate. view that he had inserted general words in the motion, which would embrace all the questions that related to the subjcet, with out in the least fettering the committee, but leaving them to take their own course in the way they thought best calculated to render the inquiry most effectual. The result of the investigation could alone be rendered satisfactory to the public, or justice done to the subject, by thoroughly examining every branch of the question. Having thus proposed an inquiry in the largest possible sense, he did not think it would be proper for him to enter now into any discussion of the subject. It was most desirable, with a view to a thorough and impartial inquiry. With a view to the whole of this subject being examined in every point of view, and completely sifted to the bottom, that noble lords should come to the investigation, forgetting as much as possible the opinions they might have declared, on whatever side, upon this question, and with a determination to The Earl of Liverpool was only anxious obtain every information upon it that that the committee should have the fullest could be procured, in order to arrive at powers to inquire, and full liberty to rethe best and most expedient result. It port their observations. He had no ob. was an unavoidable inconvenience attend-jection, therefore, to strike out the word ing the investigation, that they could not" thereupon," which would, at all events, have upon the committee noble lords who leave the committee completely at liberty had not on one side or the other declared to make such observations as they should an opinion upon the subject; but they deem meet. need not increase that inconvenience by now prematurely entering into the discussion, or delivering any opinion. It was his most anxious wish that a thorough and complete investigation should take place of every branch of the subject, and with this view he now moved, "That a Secret Committee be appointed by ballot, to consist of thirteen lords, to inquire into the state of the Bank of England, with a view to the resumption of cash payments at the period prescribed by law, and to take into consideration any other matters connected therewith, with power to report any information which they may think fit to be communicated without injury to the public interests, with their observations thereupon."

The Earl of Lauderdale thought, from

The Marquis of Lansdowne, in agreeing most fully in the propriety and expediency of the motion, also cordially agreed with the noble earl, that the members of the committee should come to the inquiry without any reference to their previous opinions, but with a determination to enter upon the fullest investigation of the subject, and only after a thorough inquiry to come to a conclusion upon the evidence. With regard to its being a secret committee, some communications from the Bank might require secrecy, but otherwise the whole subject, in all its branches, was so completely before the public, that he could see no necessity whatever for secrecy. The state of the Bank of England too, he considered a very subordinate part of the inquiry. He had no doubt

whatever of the solvency of the Bank, or | 6d. per chaldron; and the inland counties of its complete ability to make good all its paid nothing at all. In the metropolis, engagements; there could be no question a population of 1,200,000 paid 700,000l. upon that point; the main investigation duty; in the maritime counties, a populamust turn altogether upon other circum- tion of 4,500,000 paid 1,000,000l. duty; stances, which were in every respect amply and in the inland counties a population of before the public. He did not mean, 3,500,000 paid no duty at all. however, to take the sense of the house as to whether the committee should be secret or not, but merely to observe, that as to all the most material part of the investigation there was no necessity whatever for any secrecy.

as Mr. Smedley, the solicitor and legal
adviser of the said high bailiff has offi-
cially informed your petitioner, in the
presence of a third person, that it is not
the intention of the said high bailiff to put
himself to any expense in the erection of
hustings; but that the said high bailiff is
determined to execute the king's writ, in
the open air, and that the poll shall be
taken in eleven watch-boxes.-Your pe-
titioner therefore most humbly prays that
your hon. house will not pass any new
bill exclusively for the protection of the
said high bailiff to exonerate him and his
employers, the dean and chapter of West-
minster, from the payment of the neces-
sary expenses of executing the king's
writ; and your petitioner implores your
hon. house to permit him to prove all and
every of the allegations contained in this
and his former petition either at the bar
or before a committee of your hon. house,
all and every of which allegations your
petitioner is ready to prove, and prays
that he may have an opportunity of doing.
And, &c.
HENRY HUNT."

Mr. Bennet denied that he had used any language which could be termed dis respectful to Mr. Hunt. No word had ever dropped from him, which had the slightest allusion to the conduct of that gentleman.

facts which occurred during the late elec-1 tion; which were not only in direct violation of the privileges of your hon. house, but, if persisted in, will prove the total subversion of the freedom of election. Your petitioner cannot but lament that an hon. member, the mover of the present bill now pending in your hon. house, should have only answered the important facts in the said petition presented, by vague and groundless charges against your petitioner, totally unconnected with the merits of the present bill.-Your petitioner feels that it would be indecorous in him to make any other reply to these heavy charges, than to implore your hon. house to permit him to prove at your bar, before a committee thereof, that the very reverse is the fact.-Your petitioner most distinctly states, that the disgraceful and cowardly assaults that were daily committed upon the person of sir Murray Maxwell, were neither sanctioned by your petitioner, or any of his friends; but, that they were committed by a gang of hired drunken ruffians, instigated by those who were acting as the friends of an hon. baronet, the present member for Westminster; which infamous and cowardly assaults could never have been put in force or repeated, without the collusion of the said high bailiff, and the connivance of the constables under his control.Your petitioner most distinctly disclaims any intention either in this, or his former petition, to obtain the protection of your hon. house to stay the sharp proceedings of the high bailiff and his solicitor against your petitioner in the courts of law, as he is fully persuaded, that he shall have ample justice done him in the honourable court to which those proceedings are referred. Your petitioner is only anxious that your hon. house should investigate the conduct of the said high bailiff, before you pass any new law for his protec-induced to address your hon. house in tion; and that your hon. house will cause a committee to be appointed to examine into the very large amount of the income of the dean and chapter, which your petitioner believes to be upwards of 60,000l. a year; and who are bound, as your petitioner humbly submits, to indemnify the high bailiff, whose servant he is, for the fair expenses of executing the king's writ. -Your petitioner also submits to your hon. house that there is the less cause to hasten the present bill through your hon. house, to protect the said high bailiff from the expenses of the approaching contest,

Ordered to lie on the table.

WESTMINSTER HUSTINGS BILL-PETITION OF ELECTORS OF WESTMINSTER.] Sir Francis Burdett presented the following petition against this bill:

"To the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in parliament assembled:-The petition of the undersigned electors of Westminster,

"Sheweth; That your Petitioners are

consequence of a bill now in progress through your hon. House, to continue an act passed in the 51st year of his present majesty, intituled, An act to extend and amend an act of the 18th year of his late majesty Geo. 2nd, touching the Election of Knights of the Shire to serve in Parliament for England, respecting the Expenses of Hustings and Poll Clerks, so far as regards the City of Westminster.'-That your petitioners are few in number only, because time has not been allowed to call an open public meeting of the electors; but your petitioners