there appointed to examine into that grievance, but instead of turning their attention to the fubject for which they had been appointed, they treated the cafe of the lower claffes of the clergy, many of whom had not above 121. a year, with neglect, and only refolved, that the livings of the poorer Bithops ought in the first place to be augmented. He was fure that the right reverend bench oppofite to him would not have acted thus; and he again aflured them that he never had any intention to affirm, that fuch in a fimilar fituation would have been their conduct. This affurance he had been obliged to give on a former occafion, as he had in that refpect been mifreprefented by one of the public papers. There was another reafon why he withed to call their Lordships' attention to this fubject. He understood that a bill was about to be introduced into the other Houfe, by which the ftatute of Mortmain was in fome degree to be repealed. He ftrongly deprecated that meafure. The ftatute of Mort

main, he was convinced, was the beft that ever was made in this country. To abolish it would be attended with the moft pernicious confequences. He therefore took this opportunity of expreffing his ftrongest oppofition to the bill in quetion. If it was fach as he apprehended, it was the most objectionable measure which could well be brought forward

[Here the Bishop of St. Asaph called the noble Lord to order, faying that was an improper time to debate a bill, upon which the Houfe would very gladly hear the noble Lord's fentiments when it came before their Lordships.]

Lord Suffolk proceeded, and confelfed that he might be fomewhat out of order; but it was now late in the feffion. He wished to go down to the country to perform what he thought a molt important duty, viz. to excite his tenants and neighbours to an exertion of that fpirit, without which the attacks of our enemies could hardly be refifted, and the country would be in the greateft danger. He, confequently, would not, probably, be in town when the bill in queftion reached that House; and it was upon that account he withed to ftate his fentiments on the fubject. He would now, however, proceed to another point in the bill before them. He certainly was averfe to a clergyman degrading himself to the rank of a mere farmer. He did not wish to enter upon that point, particularly as, he confeffed, he was not fully mafter of the fubject. His Lordfhip then adverted at confiderable length to the fubject of tythes, and firongly reprobated the

practice

practice of paying tythes in kind. It was certainly not a thing required by the Chriftian religion. It was a Mofaic inftitution, and not, he apprehended, a Testament one. This might in the end turn out of the most pernicious confequence. What would the effect be of having fo much property totally in the power of the Crown? What had been the effects of it in Roman Catholic times? Thefe effects he might be told were not now likely to be produced. He did not know, however, and it was difficult to fay, what might happen. It was, befides, of a molt pernicious tendency to agriculture. His Lordthip then informed the Houfe of a fact, which he had from his own fteward. He himself being a confiderable Jay proprietor. had fent his fteward to let thofe lands which paid tythes in kind, and afked him what he had received for them? A guinea an acre" was the answer. "A guinea an acre?" "Yes! the lands are good and the crops abundant!" He asked no more questions, as this completely fatisfied him. A friend of his in Herefordshire, who was poffeffed of confiderable property there, upon inquiry, told him, that he let 300l. a year's worth of fuch lands at 11. per acre, and even of this, after the payment of his tythes, very little remained with him. This country ought to confider that France was now become an agricultural country; and under that military defpotifm, the farmers enjoyed a confiderable degree of protection. Some friends of his who had feen that country lately, had affured him, from obfervation, that the ftate of agriculture there was very refpectable. This country had been stated, and perhaps truly, the most improved in its agriculture of any ftate in Europe. Unless encouragement was given to this most important branch of economy, France might in that refpect acquire the fuperiority; and then not all our commerce could fave us. Commerce ought to have agriculture for its bafis. Whenever the conteft was between an agricultural and commercial country, the commercial would mot certainly he beaten. His Lordthip then adverted to the state of Ireland in this refpe&t. He recommended that infiant meafures ought to be taken to redrefs the grievances in that quarter. This was of the utmost importance in a period like the prefent. The country would other wife be in the utmost danger. He concluded by requesting that their Lordships would take thefe poin:s into their confideration; and repeated, that unless a proper attention were paid to them, the country would be in the utmost danger.

The

The Lord Chancellor rofe, and briefly adverted to what had fallen from the laft fpeaker with refpect to tythes. The other part was totally out of order. He did not with to enter into the fubject at any length. His Lordship (Suffolk) was a lay-proprietor. He would inform him, that upon the principles which he had stated, if put in practice, he could not long call his eftate his own.

Lord Suffolk explained.

Lord Limerick faid, that he did not mean to enter upon the difcuffion ftarted by the noble Lord. But as Ireland had been mentioned, he would put it to the noble Lord's good fense, whether it was proper at a time like the prefent, to fend abroad with the fanction of his authority, which juftly stood high, fentiments putting the Irith in mind, that they had grievances to complain of, when it was too late in the feffion, just now to have these grievances redreffed. His Lordship might do a good deal of injury by stirring up commotions among a people, certainly of rather a turbulent difpofition.

The Bishop of St. Asaph only rofe to fay, that the payment of tythes in kind could not be injurious to agriculture, as it would be the fame thing, as far as refpected the cultivation of land, whether the proprietor was a layman or a clergyman. This was proved by the flourishing ftate of thofe lands that paid tythes in kind. One half of thefe tythes was, befides, in all cafes, in the hands of a lay proprietor, and two-thirds of the other half, when lands were let out on leafe, belonged to the leffee.

The bill was then read a third time and paffed.-Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6.

Mr. Quarme, Deputy Ufher of the Black Rod, appeared at the bar, and fummoned the attendance of the Houfe in the House of Peers, to hear the Royal affent given by commiffion to certain bills (See the Lords). The Speaker, attended by the Members prefent, went, and on their return reported accordingly.

The Marchionefs of Downfhire's truft eftate bill was read a fecond time, and referred to a private Committee.

Foote's divorce bill was paffed, and ordered to the Lords. The bill for carrying into effect the purposes of Queen

Anne's

Anne's bounty act, was read a fecond time, and committed for next day.

The Attorney General moved, purfuant to notice, for leave to bring in a bill for the protection of black game in the New Foreft, in the county of Southampton, by poltponing the commencement of thooting from the 1st of August to the ift of September, and other regulations.

Mr. Shaw Lefevre withed it should ftand over until next feffion, in order that the Gentlemen in the neighbourhood should have an opportunity of confidering how it might effect their interefts.-Leave given.

Mr. Tierney prefented a petition from the debtors confined in the Fleet Prifon, praying relief.-Ordered to be laid upon

the table.

The Attorney General brought up the New Forest game bill-read a first time; ordered to be read a fecond time the next day.

Mr. Alexander reported the refolutions agreed to in the Committee of Supply, empowering the Lord Lieutenant to increase the bounty for railing the additional military force in Ireland; and alfo the refolution, that it be an inftruction to the Committee on the Irish army defence bill, to make provifion for faid refolutions in faid bill.

Sir William Pulteney obtained leave to bring in a bill for erecting a beacon upon the Bell Rock, upon the North-East coaft of Scotland.

A motion relative to the duties upon fugar, of which an hon Member gave notice the preceding day for Thursday, was deferred by Sir W. Pulteney, the hon. Member not being able to attend that day.

Col. Hutchinfon faid, he had lately made fome objections to the malt duties, with refpect to their operation upon the Irish manufacture. The anfwer he had received was, that though the advantage was now in favour of the English diftiller, the Irish diftiller would have a correfponding advantage at the end of the war. There were two Gentlemen in town who reprefent the Irifh diftilleries, and they were of opinion that the answer was not fatisfactory, as the advantage was contingent, whereas the lofs was prefent and certain. It was therefore his intention to move for a return of the stock here on hand, with a view to make it the foundation of some measure for the compenfation of the Irish distiller at a future day. In taking this courfe, his conduct was directed by his judgment. He neither canvaffed the approbation; nor deprecated

deprecated the cenfure of any man. The hon. Member concluded with moving, "That there be laid before the House an account of the quantity of the stock in hand of homemade fpirits of Englith grofs diftillers upon the 14th of June."

Mr. Fanfittart faid, the motion, if carried, would not anfwer the object, as there was a large quantity in the hands of

dealers as well as of diftillers.

Sir Lawrence Parfons was convinced that the prefent mode did not interfere with the articles of union. The Irith diftiller was only placed in the fituation of an English diftiller, who happens to have no ftock on hand. The only mode of carrying the act into effect would be letting the countervailing duty take effect upon the fame day as the internal duty. He did not think there was any foundation for the opinion entertained by the hon Member (Colonel Hutchinfon.)

Colonel Hutchinson then withdrew his motion, and proposed another to the fame effect, only fubftituting 5th July for 5th June.

Mr. Vanfittart faid, the fame objections applied to this as to the former motion.

Col. Hutchinfon withdrew it, and moved,-" That an account be laid before the Houfe of the probable amount of home-made fpirits permitted for home diftillers, from the 14th June to the 5th July." Agreed to.

A meffage from the Houfe of Lords announced their having agreed to the clergy refidence bill, the Scotch militia families, and one private bill.

Mr. Wickham obtained leave to bring in a bill, for extending to Ireland the provifions of a bill, paffed this feffion in England, for relieving Magiftrates from the effects of vexatious fuits and actions, in confequence of erroneous convictions.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer observed, that he underftood the neceffary papers could not be prepared before Satur day; he found himself under the neceffity of moving, that the further confideration of the report of the real and perfo al confolidated duties bill, which ftood for Monday next, fhould be deferred to Friday.-Ordered.

MILITIA SURGEONS.

On the report of the refolutions relating to the pay and cloathing of the militia being brought up,

Sir W. Elford faid, he had been in hopes, that fome provifion would have been made for the furgeons of the militia. VOL. IV. 1802-3.

3 L