1796.) 
preliminaries for a treaty of peace ’be- 
tween France and the Empire. ‘Though 
the fuppofed conditions were extremely 
favourable to the Republic, fo little was 
the’ object of the war regarded on the 
Stock Exchange, in comparifon with a 
profpect of general peace, that the funds 
experienced a very confiderable rife, and 
large fums were made by the iellers 
while the delufion lafted. 
The circumftances of the late loan 
have been the fubje@ of much difcuffion, 
as wellin parliament, where an enquiry 
is now pending, as in the political circles 
and among the monied men; and fevere 
attacks have been made on the miniiter’s 
financial operations, the iffue of which, 
we fhall not atrempt to predict. But 
the want of money for the fpeculations 
‘of commerce, which now begins to be 
fericufly felt, and which has produced 
unufual chécks upon the practice LOE 
difcounting bills at the Bank,.1s likely to 
add a powertul motive for diffatisfaétion 
‘with the continuance of a war, now 
without an object. 
The humane oppofers of the Slave- 
trade have been flattered, and perhaps 
furprifea, with the fuccefs of Mr. Wil- 
berforce’s motion in the Houfe of Com- 
mons, for bringing in a bill for its im- 
mediate and total abolition ; to which, 
however, that Houfe was pledged by a 
previous refolution. But how far the 
Houfe of Lords will fecond their benevo- 
Jent purpofe, 1s yet to be tried. 
The poor laws, now unfortunately 
a matter cf capital importance, have 
lately undergone much inveftigation ; 
and there is reafon to expeét fome con- 
fiderable alteration of the whole fyitem, 
from the attention now paid to the fub- 
ject in rae 

BRITISH PARLIAMENT. 
AY, TER an unufual adjournment, 
uring the whole of the month of 
Teese the Houfe of Commons again 
afflembled on the 2d of February, when 
a oe from ‘a committee, relative to 
the wafte lands, was brought up by Sir 
Joba Sait No very ‘material bati- 
nefs occurred in the houfe for feveral 
Gays aber: wat, on the 8th of, the 
month, a very fingular petition, but 
which contained curious and important 
obfervations refpecting the national taxes, 
was prefented, on the 8th of February, 
from Sir Francis Blake, Bart. the pur- 
port of which was to fhow, that, as all 
the taxes and impcfls laid upon trade, 
f 
ritifp Parliament. 
fides depreffing it. 
61 
fall ultimately on the landed proprietors, 
the «hole national revenue nught be raifed 
directly by a tand-tax. "That as the in- 
creafed value of land has always been 
in proportion to the flourithing fate of 
commerce, the way to advance “the price 
of land, is to give every pofiible encou- 
ragement to trade ; ; and that burthening 
trade, is in effeét to burthen land, be-. 
In confequence of 
thefe ideas, he requefted that he might 
be permitted to charge his eftates with 
30,000 as his fhare sof the public debt, 
and to pay intereft for that fum, in liew 
of all jie taxes. 
The fame day, Mr. Manning prefent- 
ed a petition from a number of mer- 
chants, refident in the cities of London 
and Weftminfter.-and the borough of 
Southwark, for leave to bring in a bill, 
to enable Vids to efiablifh new wet 
docks, and legal quays and wharfs, upon 
the river Thames, according to fone 
plans prefented with the petition, as the 
increafed commerce of the country re- 
Quired juch aceommodation. ‘The ‘lord- 
mayor of London then rofe, and ob- 
ferved, that he agreed with the petition- 
ers, that the increafed commerce of the 
country, required additional accommoda~ 
as but that the propofed a& would 
greatly trench on the franchifes and im- 
munities of the city, would ‘throw out 
of employ many hundred perfons, who 
were {ubfifted by the wharfage bufinefs ; 
and farther, that the corporation of 
London had already agreed upon certain 
plans of improvement, and had allotted 
{even or eight hundred thoufand pounds 
to carry them into execution. 
The petition was referred to the con- 
fideration of a committee. . 
Feb. 9. Mr. W. Smith brought up the 
report of a committee, appointed to in- 
quire into the negociation of the late 
loan; which was ordered to lie on the 
table,‘and to be printed. It confilts of 
no fewer than forty articles. 
Feb. a1. Mr. M. Robinfon ae a 
motion, for leave to bring in a bill, 
Prevent ‘any member of) ’the Gul ‘of 
commons from taking a fhare im any 
loans, which might hee aieer be voted to 
a foreign prince. Foreign loans, he ob- 
ee were the moft “dangerous mode 
of parliamentary corruption. He had 
been informed, that, in the laft imperial 
loan, it was in the power of every mem- 
ber of parliament to pat 12,000]. into 
his pocket. “Lhe motion was feconded 
by Mr. Grey, but oppofed by the chan- 
cellor of the exchequer. Mr. Pitt af- 
é ferted, 
/ 
