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Article HOUSE OF COMMONS. ← Page 3 of 5 →
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House Of Commons.
remedy . That there existed a skulking gang of incendiaries , endeavouring ta seduce the strength of the state to turn their arms against its bowels , there was very ample proof in the attempts made upon the army , and the strongest presumption ofthe same having been done in the navy . But it was by no means certain that the present penalty of six years imprisonment , and standing twice in the pillory , would not be full as effectual to prevent such ' offences , as that of transportation ; the severity of which might make Magistrates and Juries unwilling to convict , and thus increase the ' number of offenders .
Mr . Put said , that since the discussion of yesterday , he had bestowed every possible consideration on this subject , assisted by some learned gentlemen ; the result of which was , that they thought it most adviseable , after defining the nature ofthe crime , to make it felony . As the mutiny act and articles of warslood at present , mutiny was punished with death in those persons who were guilty ; and there was no reason that he could see why . the same penalty should not be ex-. tended to those , who , in cold blood , excited others to commit a capital offence , particularly of a nature so pregnant with danger to the country . His intention , therefore , was , omitting the former clauses , to bring up one , the object of which
was to enact , that those ' who snoulcl maliciously and advisedly attempt to seduce his Majesty's forces , by sea or land , to mutiny or disobedience to the articles of war , should be guilty of a felony without benefit of clergy . ' As a permanent measure he entertained no doubt of the propriety of such an act ; but to prevent the supposition ofthe House being hastily led into the measures under * impressions warmed by the existing circumstances , be should , in order to its speedy revision , propose to limit the duration to one month after the commencement of tfie next Session of Parliament .
Monday , $ . The Order ofthe Day being read ,, for a Committee ofthe whole House on the Bill to prevent any communication with the mutinous seamen attlie Norc , - Sir John Sinclair said , that passing the present Bill was passing the Rubicon '; and that he wished to sec conciliatory measures united with those of terror . Sir F . Burdei , Mr . ' Sunt , and Mr . J e fiery s , were ofthe same opinion . The clause proposed on Saturday , niaking it felony of death , was then put and carried . After which the Bill was passed . Friday , id . Ill the Committee of Ways and Means , Mr . Pitt proposed , that a duty of 61 . tos . per gallon be imposed on every still for distilling Wash , or Low Wines , in the Highlands of Scotland .
RCSTEUCTION'S ON THE RANK . The Chancellor of the Exchequer brought in a Bill for continuing Restrictions upon Payments at the Bank , which was read a first and second time . Monday , 19 . The House resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill for continuing the restriction imposed by the Order of Council of the 61 I 1 of February last , by which the Bank Directors were prohibited from making payments in specie . Mr . Pitt brought up a clause by which this prohibition is extended ' to
the end of one month after the commencement ofthe next Session of Parliament . ' He produced a second clause , by which the Directors are empowered to pay at their discretion any particular description of debts , on notice heing given " five days before to the Speaker , who is to notify the same through the London Gazette . The Bill then passed the Committee , and was ordered to be reported . INCREASE OF I'AY .
Mr . Windham said that he had a measure of uiiiL-h importance that had been repeatedly mentioned in the House . This was an addition of one shilling per diem to Lieutenants , Etisigiis , guar'er-Masters , and Adjutants of the Line , Militia and 'Fcneibles . "This addition was not meant to be extended to Subalterns of Cavalry , whose condition generally rendered it unnecessary , nor had it any reference tcoilicerson half pay ; it had been suggested to increase the pay of officers of higher rank , but on that head no resolution ' had yet been taken . He had another proposition to make , including Cavalry also . That was to extinguish ( he abatements retained under , the head qf arrears , and to allow Subalterns the whole of rlieir pay at once . The aboiiiiou of those arrears would make a difference to an Jinsigii of 4 I . to a Lieutenant of 5 ! , to a Cornet of SI . to a Lieutenant of Cavalr
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
House Of Commons.
remedy . That there existed a skulking gang of incendiaries , endeavouring ta seduce the strength of the state to turn their arms against its bowels , there was very ample proof in the attempts made upon the army , and the strongest presumption ofthe same having been done in the navy . But it was by no means certain that the present penalty of six years imprisonment , and standing twice in the pillory , would not be full as effectual to prevent such ' offences , as that of transportation ; the severity of which might make Magistrates and Juries unwilling to convict , and thus increase the ' number of offenders .
Mr . Put said , that since the discussion of yesterday , he had bestowed every possible consideration on this subject , assisted by some learned gentlemen ; the result of which was , that they thought it most adviseable , after defining the nature ofthe crime , to make it felony . As the mutiny act and articles of warslood at present , mutiny was punished with death in those persons who were guilty ; and there was no reason that he could see why . the same penalty should not be ex-. tended to those , who , in cold blood , excited others to commit a capital offence , particularly of a nature so pregnant with danger to the country . His intention , therefore , was , omitting the former clauses , to bring up one , the object of which
was to enact , that those ' who snoulcl maliciously and advisedly attempt to seduce his Majesty's forces , by sea or land , to mutiny or disobedience to the articles of war , should be guilty of a felony without benefit of clergy . ' As a permanent measure he entertained no doubt of the propriety of such an act ; but to prevent the supposition ofthe House being hastily led into the measures under * impressions warmed by the existing circumstances , be should , in order to its speedy revision , propose to limit the duration to one month after the commencement of tfie next Session of Parliament .
Monday , $ . The Order ofthe Day being read ,, for a Committee ofthe whole House on the Bill to prevent any communication with the mutinous seamen attlie Norc , - Sir John Sinclair said , that passing the present Bill was passing the Rubicon '; and that he wished to sec conciliatory measures united with those of terror . Sir F . Burdei , Mr . ' Sunt , and Mr . J e fiery s , were ofthe same opinion . The clause proposed on Saturday , niaking it felony of death , was then put and carried . After which the Bill was passed . Friday , id . Ill the Committee of Ways and Means , Mr . Pitt proposed , that a duty of 61 . tos . per gallon be imposed on every still for distilling Wash , or Low Wines , in the Highlands of Scotland .
RCSTEUCTION'S ON THE RANK . The Chancellor of the Exchequer brought in a Bill for continuing Restrictions upon Payments at the Bank , which was read a first and second time . Monday , 19 . The House resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill for continuing the restriction imposed by the Order of Council of the 61 I 1 of February last , by which the Bank Directors were prohibited from making payments in specie . Mr . Pitt brought up a clause by which this prohibition is extended ' to
the end of one month after the commencement ofthe next Session of Parliament . ' He produced a second clause , by which the Directors are empowered to pay at their discretion any particular description of debts , on notice heing given " five days before to the Speaker , who is to notify the same through the London Gazette . The Bill then passed the Committee , and was ordered to be reported . INCREASE OF I'AY .
Mr . Windham said that he had a measure of uiiiL-h importance that had been repeatedly mentioned in the House . This was an addition of one shilling per diem to Lieutenants , Etisigiis , guar'er-Masters , and Adjutants of the Line , Militia and 'Fcneibles . "This addition was not meant to be extended to Subalterns of Cavalry , whose condition generally rendered it unnecessary , nor had it any reference tcoilicerson half pay ; it had been suggested to increase the pay of officers of higher rank , but on that head no resolution ' had yet been taken . He had another proposition to make , including Cavalry also . That was to extinguish ( he abatements retained under , the head qf arrears , and to allow Subalterns the whole of rlieir pay at once . The aboiiiiou of those arrears would make a difference to an Jinsigii of 4 I . to a Lieutenant of 5 ! , to a Cornet of SI . to a Lieutenant of Cavalr