60] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1817. 



Chester some further signal mark 

 of his favour ; but as the same 

 cannot be effectually granted and 

 secured without the concurrence 

 of Parliament, his Royal Highness 

 recommends to the House of Com- 

 mons the adoption of such mea- 

 sures as may be necessary for the 

 accomplishment of this purpose." 



On the 9th of June, the House 

 having resolved itself into a com- 

 mittee to take into consideration 

 the Prince Regent's answer to 

 their address, the Chancellor of 

 the Exchequer entered upon the 

 subject of the provision which it 

 ■was desirable to allow Lord Col- 

 chester. His proposal was, that 

 Mr. Speaker Onslow Inning at 

 the beginning of tliis reign retired 

 from the chair with an allowance 

 of 3000Z. a year, the depreciation 

 of the value of money since that 

 time, and the extraordinary aug- 

 mentation of duty which tiie 

 Speaker had to perform, would 

 render ihe addition of one thousand 

 pounds not too liberal a vote. He 

 accoidingly moved a resolution to 

 that effect. 



This was regarded as an over- 

 payment by several members ; and 

 Mr. Tierney humorously said, that 

 "as to the anxiety that had been 

 talked of, the Speaker felt less 

 than any man in the House, or 

 perliaps was the only man entirely 

 without anxiety : he existed in a 

 sort of middle atmosphere, to bend 

 liis head to one side or the other, 

 and enjoy the fray." 



Mr. Lamhton moved that the 

 words 3000/. a year be substituted 

 for -4000/. ; upon which the com- 

 mittee divided: For the amend- 

 ment, 42 J against it, 126. The 

 original motion was tlien agreed to. 



Mr. Sumntr then mov^(l for aq 



extension of the reversionary grant 

 to the late Speaker, to two lives } 

 which was negatived. 



LOKD SIDMOUTH's LETTER. 



Lord Sidmouth, on March 27 > 

 1817, sent the following circular 

 letter to his Majesty's lieutenants 

 of counties throughout England 

 and Wales. 



My Lord, — As it is of the great- 

 est importance to prevent, as far 

 as possible, the circuhition of 

 blasphemous and seditious pam- 

 phlets and writings, of whicli for 

 a considerable time past great 

 numbers have been sold and tiis- 

 tributed throughout the country ; 

 1 have thought it my duty to con- 

 sult the law servants of the crown, 

 whether an individual ftmnd sell- 

 ing, or in any way publishing such 

 pamphlets or writings, might be 

 brought immediately before a jus- 

 tice of the peace, tmder a warrant 

 issued for tiie purpo'^e, to answer 

 for his conduct. The law officers 

 having accoidingly taken this mat- 

 ter into theii" consideration, have 

 notified to me their opinion, that 

 a justice of the peace may issue a 

 warrant to apprehend a person, 

 charged before him upon oath with 

 the publication of libels of the na- 

 ture in question, and compel him 

 to give bail to answer the chaige. 



Under these circumstances, I 

 beg leave to call your lordship's 

 attention very jiarticularly to this 

 subject ; and 1 have to retjuest, 

 that if your lordship should not 

 propose to attend in person at the 

 next general quarter sessions of 

 the peace, to be hoMen in and for 

 the county under yo\ir lordship's 

 charge, you would make known 

 to the chairman of such sessions 

 the substance of this communica- 



tioa 



