1820.] The Select Poetry. OXFORD WATCHMAN'S ADDRESS, For CHRISTMAS, 1819. The following very ingenious ADDRESS has been sent us for insertion by an old Correspondent and Friend. It is supposed, as he tells us, to proceed from the pen of a Member of the University, greatly esteemed for his learning, wit, and amiable qualities. EDIT. 'TIS mornaloft the vapours curl'd Melt into light, and wake the world; The cock crows loud in Oxford streets, The chattering sparrow morning greets— The dummel ass his trumpet blows, For well Aurora's air he knows; The heifer breaks her fast on clover, And the light twit-lark, on Shotover, Uprises quick with quivering wing And lyric notes, high towering! Before the Sun, whose glories spread, Each rushlight hides its 'minished head, And other sounds are heard than those Which echo through the watchman's nose, Whilst he himself, (his trusty stick, And feebly glimmering lanthorn's wick, Now thrown aside,) goes forth to share The perfumes of the morning air, With quidnunc gossips prone to mix, And pluck a sprig of politics. Abroad War's blood-red banner furled, Lo! where careering through the North, The craft that lurks within his eye, To Virtue, Truth, and Honour, aliens, 65 All scampering to the full-thronged spot Well pleased and satisfied with it, when seen Her object not to kill, but curè; Her ammunition never mauls, She only shoots with forced meat balls. Lo! as she deals around her chops, Not blood, but unctuous gravy drops! Her aim to put not me or you, But something better-in a stew ; On her no thronging rebels wait, No mob save that upon her pate. No poisoned tracts are published there, No hand bills, save the bill of fare; Her flag, a table-cloth well lain, Her moito-" Cut and come again!" Then oh! my kind and generous Masters, With pity scan the poor's disasters; Turn not an ear too proud and nice On this your Watchinan's meek advice ; Let not our kitchen-queen appear To hold a sinecure this year; Of numerous subjects let her boast, As often as she rules the roast; Let her spit solve the hidden notion, And shew what is perpetual motion ! And while the Crown and Anchor sinners Batten on Revolution dinners, [pots on, And cooks pluck geese, and clap their To crain the gangs of Hunt and Watson; Gorging Gorging these sharp, envenomed hives, Let dumplings into puddings rise, To those, whose breasts have learnt to glow And flee, like clouds that rack the sky, TREEN'S TREE. AT last-and is it doom'd to thee, The rapture can I e'er rehearse -- Each rude-grav'd seat must mourn for thee, WINTER SCENES. Written by JOHN MAYNE. HOW keen and howling is the storm! Stern Winter in its bitt'rest form! Long, cheerless nights, and murky days! No sun-beam gladdens Mis'ry's ways! The frost has stopp'd yon village-mill, And Labour, every where, stands still! Ev'n birds, from leafless groves withdrawn, Lie torpid on the frozen lawnLorn, weary trav'lers, as they go, Are wilder'd in the trackless snow, And dread, at every step, that sleet And snow may be their winding-sheet! To town or city if we turn, What numbers weep, what numbers mourn, Unshelter'd sons of Toil and Care, Cold, shiv'ring, comfortless, and bare! Poor seamen, erst in battle brave, Half-famish'd, sinking to the grave! Sad groupes, who ne'er begg'd before, Imploring aid from door to door! While helpless Age, too frail to roam, Is perishing, for want, at home! 1 Hard fate! when poverty and years O! ye, whom Providence hath blest, HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Dec. 20. The Bill for regulating the labour of children in cotton manufactories, went through a Committee; the Bp. of Chester speaking in its support; and Lords Grosvenor, Lauderdale, and Holland, against it. The Seditious Meetings Prevention Bill likewise went through a Committee. Several amendments, after short discussions on each, were negatived, without a division. In the Commons the same day, Mr. J. Smith presented a petition from a great number of the London booksellers and publishers against the Newspaper Stamp Duties Bill. The petitioners stated themselves to be engaged in publishing in numbers standard works, on history, astronomy, divinity, and all other subjects, with the exception of politics and the occurrences of the day, against the sale of which last mentioned books they took bonds from their agents. They had upwards of 1,000,000%. of capital embarked in this branch of trade, and it afforded the only means of support to several thousand persons. A petition was also presented against the same Bill from Henry Fisher, printer. The petitioner stated that he had upwards of 70,000l. embarked in various establishments at Birmingham, Liverpool, London, and other places, and that he ap. prehended total ruin to himself and the numerous persons in his employment, from the Bill in question, should it pass into a law. Mr. Birch presented a petition against the same Bill from the Liverpool printers and booksellers. Mr. Dugdale presented a petition from the Birmingham booksellers; Mr. W. Smith one from the Bristol booksellers and printers; and Mr. Bernal one from those of London, against the Libel Bill. The House in a Committee of Supply, voted 250,000l. on account of the ordnance estimates. Mr. Grenfell wished to know what reduction was to be made at the Royal Military College. Lord Palmerston expected that a reduction might be made in the junior branches to the amount of 27,000 a year. Mr. Hume observed that the institution gave the army 25 officers a year, educated at the enormous expence of 10331. each. The Report was then gone through, and agreed to. Lord Castlereagh moved the order of the day for the House going into a Committe on the Newspaper Stamp Duty Bill. On the question for the Speaker leaving the chair, the Bill was opposed by Mr. Mac donald, Mr. J. R. S. Graham, Mr. Marryat, Mr. Denman, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. G. Bennet, and Alderman Waithman ; and supported by Mr. Dickenson, Mr. Serjeant Onslow, Mr. Bankes, Mr. Wilmot, and Dr. Phillimore, on grounds urged pro and con. in the course of the previous discussions. 1 Mr. J. Wharton inquired, when there happened to be five or six booksellers in one firm, if, upon a second conviction for libel, banishment should be the punishment, was the whole firm to be banished (a laugh), or was the eldest partner, or the first man in the firm, to be banished, the rest being allowed to carry on the bus siness? To this question no answer was returned. The House having gone into the Committee, Mr. Marryat objected to the res cognizance provision, as tending to the utter ruin of publishers in a small way of business, and moved an amendment to leave out the words "together with two or three sufficient sureties." Several Mem bers observed, that the clause, as now worded, would apply to papers for cha ritable purposes, play-bills, shipping-lists; stock-lists, &c. The Attorney General, Lord Castlereagh, and Solicitor General, opposed Mr. Marryat's amendment, which was supported by Mr. Alderman Waithman, Mr. Macdo nald, Sir W. De Crespigny, and others. The amendment was then negatived, on a division, by 202 to 82. An amendment to the clause, enabling justices to bind persons charged with libels to "good behaviour," was negatived, on a division, by 129 to 9. Several other amendments, proposed from the Opposition side of the House, were negatived without a division. On the motion of the Attorney General, a clause was agreed to, giving to indivi duals who became bound as securities, for publishers, a power of withdrawing, their liability, on sending 20 days notice to a commissioner of stamps or to the stampoffice. Clauses were also agreed to, ex. empting from the operation of this Bill proclamations, acts of state, votes printed for either House of Parliament, Acts of Parliament', books commonly used in the schools of Great Britain, books of devotion, piety, or charity; daily accounts of goods imported or exported within the bills of mortality, provided they contained no other 1 other matter; price currents, the state of the markets, and circumstances respecting the arrival and sailing of merchant vessels. HOUSE OF LORDS, Dec. 21. On the third reading of the Seditious Meetings Bill, the Earl of Liverpool moved an amendment, fixing the time of meeting to twelve at noon; and another, qualifying the obstruction justifying a dispersion of the meeting by the word "forcible." Both these amendments were agreed to. One by Lord Ellenborough, compelling magistrates, in case of dispersion from casual obstructions, to re-assemble the meeting in forty-eight hours, was negatived.-Lord Liverpool then moved that the Bill do pass. Lords Erskine and Darnley repeated their objections both to the principles and the details of the measure.-Lord Ellenborough approved of the measure as a whole, though he had been anxious to soften some of its provisions.-Lord Grosvenor said he presented a petition from the city of Westminster against the Bill; but after some discussion, contented himself with generally expressing his hostility to the Bill. Lord Blessinton condemned the extension of the measure to Ireland, and predicted that, if put in force there, it would produce tumult and bloodshed. He accused the late Mr. Pitt of having violated his promise of Catholic emancipation, given at the time of the Union; and concluded with giving notice, that after the recess he should move for a Committee to inquire into the state of Ireland.-Lord Liverpool reminded the Noble Lord that Mr. Pitt had distinctly disavowed having ever given any such pledge to the Catho lics. The Noble Lord should recollect that this country had taken on itself the burden of the Irish debt, and that the people of Ireland had paid nothing towards the property tax. In the Commons the same day, Mr. Vansillart, with the leave of the House, brought in a Bill for the better securing of the money of suitors in the Court of Chancery. It provides for the appointment of an accountant-general and two masters, to be paid out of the fund called the dead money. The Bill was read a first time. Mr. R. Wilbraham said much mischief had resulted in Lancashire and the neighbouring counties from a rumour that Government intended to apply the funds of saving and friendly societies to the payment of the national debt. He mentioned it, only for the purpose of its being contradicted from official authority. Mr. Vansittart most willingly gave the contradiction required. The Government could not in any way touch the funds alluded to. Mr. Brougham said a similar mischievous rumour had been spread as to the Committee on Education and Public Schools intending to appropriate charitable funds to the same purpose. Mr. Calcraft was of opinion that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would find there was no fund whatever applicable to the redemption of the national debt; for as to the 5,000,0001. sinking fund of the last session, it had burst like an air blown bubble. Mr. Vansittart said he saw no reason for thinking there would be any necessity for varying in any material point from the financial plan of the last session. Mr. Calcraft and Sir W. De Crespigny feared the expectation of the right hon. gentleman would prove fallacious. number of persons liable to be struck off Lord Nugent moved for a return of the from the list of Chelsea out-pensioners by reason of the proclamation of the 28th of October last.Lord Palmerston opposed the motion-Lord Althorp, Mr. J. P. Grant, and Mr. Catcraft supported the motion, which was opposed by Mr. C. Long, and negatived without a division. Ou the question for agreeing to the Report of the Newspaper Stamp Duty Bill, Mr. Primrose opposed the measure, and Mr. Martin (of Galway) supported it. It was then agreed to, and a new clause was adopted for the deposit of copies of works affected by the Bill with the commissioners of stamps. Lord Castlereagh moved the second reading of the Libel Bill. moved that, instead of "now" it should be Lord Ebrington opposed the Bill; and read a second time on "the 15th of February next." The amendment was supported by Colonel Davies, Mr. W. Smith, intosh, Lord Althorp, the Marquis of TaMr. J.P. Grant, Mr. Tierney, Sir J. Mackvistock, and Mr. Scarlett; and opposed by Mr. Money, Lord Castlereagh, the Attorney and Solicitor General, and Colonel Wood. On a division the amendment was negatived by 190 to 79, and the Bill was read a second time. HOUSE OF COMMONS, December 22. Dr. Phillimore brought in a Bill to amend the Marriage Act. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in answer to questions from Mr. Grenfell and Mr. Brougham, repeated what he had the preceding evening said as to his expectations that the financial arrangements of last year would prove efficient. Mr. W. Parnell postponed, until after the holidays, his motion for leave to bring in a Bill to enable Catholic dissenters in Ireland to provide residences for their Clergy. Mr. C. Grant bore testimony to the 1820.] Proceedings in the present Session of Parliament. the excellent character and conduct of the Catholic clergy, to which was owing, in a very great degree, the good order and tranquillity which generally prevailed in Ireland. Mr. Maberley moved for several financial accounts, all of which, with some qualifications by Mr. Vansittart, were ordered, but three; the first being an account, showing how the sum of five millions, voted for the purpose of paying off the debt due to the Bank of England on the 5th of July, 1819, had been applied, distinguishing the dates of the different payments; the second, an account of all Exchequer bills received in payment of duties between the 1st of July and the 21st of December, 1819; the third, an account of all monies now in the Exchequer, appropriated or unappropriated, and distinguishing the one from the other. In resisting these motions, the Chancellor of the Exchequer urged the inconvenience which would arise from an inquiry into pecuuiary transactions in progress, and the encouragement to stock-jobbing by partial and premature disclosures. With regard to the debt due to the Bank, a large part had been already paid, and funds were provided for the discharge of the whole within the stipulated period. He then stated the principal items in the revenue accounts to the 10th Oct. last, and maintained that, though there had been a falling off in the Customs, owing to the diminution in the exports and imports, the increased consumption of all articles under the Excise, whatever local distress existed, afforded a very favourable picture as to the general prosperity of the country. It appeared that the produce for the current quarter would be nearly equal to, or as large as that of any year he remembered, though there was the sum of 150,000l. short on the general account up to Saturday last. Looking to the state of the exchange, he was convinced that the sums of money sent to France for investment in the funds of that country, had been very inconsiderable; and the law of France, which made all property divisible in equal shares among children, notwithstanding any testamentary disposition to the contrary, would operate against any permanent investment of British capital in those funds. Mr. Ellice contended, that there had been a considerable falling off of in the duties on teas. It had been rumoured, that the sum paid to the Bank in the last month had been 1,200,0001. and many singular stories had been circulated as to the way in which that sum had been raised. It had been asserted that the money had been raised abroad, and that securities had been pledged for it which the British Government had in the French funds. The 69 whole sum raised by the new taxes was 250,0001. After some further conversation, in which Mr. Lushington, Mr. Grenfell, Mr. Ricardo, Mr. Tierney, and others, took part, the motion relative to the repayments to the Bank was negatived without a division. On the motion respecting Exchequer Bills, a suggestion by Mr. Vansittart tò limit the account to the 10th of October not being acceded to, a division took place, when it was negatived by 90 to 30. The motion respecting the monies in the Exchequer was withdrawn. Lord Castlereagh moved the third reading of the Newspaper Stamp Duty Bill. Mr. Bernal and Mr. G. Lamb argued generally against the measure, and especially against the provision that publishers should enter into recognizances. The latter intimated that he should propose a rider, limiting the duration of the Bill. Mr. Pryce, Mr. J. Smith, and Mr. Calcraft also opposed the Bill, and Mr. Cooper supported it. The motion was then carried, without a division, and the Bill having been read the third time, Mr. Bernal, in the absence of Mr. G. Lamb, proposed a clause, by way of rider, limiting the duration of the Bill to one year. The motion was opposed by Lord Castlereagh, Mr. Canning, Mr. Plunket, and the Attorney General; and supported by Sir J. Mackintosh, Mr. Brougham, Mr. Denman, Mr. Tierney, and Lord A. Hamilton. On a division it was negatived by 182 to 47. On a motion of the Attorney General, a clause was adopted, providing "that any thing in the present Bill should not extend, or be construed to extend, in the publication of any work in parts or numbers, provided that more than two years had elapsed since the original publication of the work, and provided also that such work had not originally been published in parts or numbers." This clause was carried without opposition. The Bill was then passed. Dec. 23. Mr. Lyttleton brought in a Bill to prevent improper persons practising as conveyancers. Lord Castlereagh moved the order of the day for the House going into a Committee on the Libel Bill. The mo On the question for the Speaker's leaving the chair, Mr. Bernal, Mr. Denman, Mr. J. P. Grant, and Mr. Birch, opposed the measure, both in its principle and details. It was supported by Mr. R. Martin, Mr. Bankes, and Lord Binning. tion was then carried without a division; and the House having gone into a Committee, Sir J. Mackintosh proposed that the part of the first clause which set forth, "That from and after the passing of this Act, |