can be, any high or low in the in less than two years, or therematter) are, by law, compelled to abouts. This was a pretty sort of pay their notes in gold, if they "currency," thought Mr. JONEes. amount to more than one pound, This was a very pretty gold curand if to one pound, in silver of rency; a very pretty execution of due weight and fineness, being Peel's Bill; a very pretty return the coin of this kingdom. This I to the currency of our forefathers. have in all sorts of ways within Now, what Mr. JONES wanted my power, endeavoured to make was some means of getting his known to the people; but, until notes turned into gold without a now, the fact has not been generally known; and, in numerous instances, bankers have refused to give gold for their notes.

lawsuit. He did not like to wait two years for the gold. He did not know where the bankers might be in two years. Mr. JONES was

In this state of things, Mr. FRE-informed, that, before the passing DERICK JONES, of Stapleton-road, of the Small-Note Bill, in 1822, near Bristol, went to one of the there was a summary remedy in banking shops at Bristol with six such a case; that you might go pounds in their notes. It appears before a magistrate, and get a by his petition to the Parliament, distress-warrant, and, at the end that the clerk told him first that of three days, seize the banker's. the gold was locked up, and that goods and chattels, and sell them he had not the key; that he next for gold to the amount of the notes told him, that they were not obliged tendered. The Small-Note Bill to pay in gold. The next day had provided no such remedy; Mr. JONES went to the same bank and, therefore, Mr. JONES petiwith forty-five pounds in their tioned the law-makers, that they notes. He was tendered Bank of England notes, which he refused to take. The bankers refused to give him gold, and so he went away. Upon applying for legal advice, he found that he had no remedy but an action at law; that" adopt such other remedy, in he must bring his action of debt" order to put an end to this great, against the bankers, and that he" growing and disgraceful evil, might possibly not get his money" as to the wisdom and justice and

would be pleased graciously to condescend to pass a law (since they pass so many) to enable him in future to get his notes paid in this summary way; or, says he, at the end of his petition, "to

"good faith of your Honourable (ance; and one of the notes, upon "House shall seem most meet." which the action was brought, was put into his possession, that he might show it to the House if he chose. He received also a reference to the attorney, who had received Mr. JONES's direction to commence the action, and

I have not a copy of Mr. JONES's Petition in my possession; and, therefore, I cannot insert it here. It has been ordered to be printed; it will be inserted in the votes of the House of Commons, in the votes of that most honourable who had actually sent to Mr. House; and, when I have it in JONES the affidavit of debt, in that shape, I will publish it at order that the writs might be full length, in order to do justice taken out for the arrest of the to Mr. JONES. Such, however, bankers.

was the statement in his petition, On Thursday, therefore, Mr. and such his prayer at the end of HUME was about to present the the petition. He sent his petition petition again, but was induced, to Mr. HUME, who first presented in order to give time for explait on Wednesday the 22d instant. nations from Bristol, to put off the It excited great interest. It was presenting of it in good earnest, a tough morsel. It brought out until Monday last. So, that the some pretty good acknowledg- parties complained of had all the ments. But, it having been sug- time in the world for preparing a gested by Sir JOHN WROTTESLEY defence, if they had had any dethat the petition might be false, fence to offer. As, however, exthat it might be merely the inven-planations were wanted from Bristion of some mischievous person, tol, Mr. JONES appears to have and that the Member who pre- thought that he, amongst others, sented it ought to be well assured was a likely person to assist in of the facts before he caused it to giving explanations, a work so be printed this having been sug-necessary upon such an occasion. gested, Mr. HUME (seeing that Up, therefore, came Mr. JONES, the bankers were named in the and, finding Mr. HUME gone into petition) very properly consented the country, down he went to the to withdraw it until he should ob- House of Commons to meet him tain a full assurance of the facts there, where he thought he was stated in it. Before noon the next sure to find him at his post. There day, he received this full assur- he found him, with a great deal of

intelligence from Bristol; and, arrest. Whether the parties have amongst the rest of it, a statement applied to him and paid him the that payment had been tendered money and the costs, I know not; him in gold, and that he had re-but I know that if they have not fused to receive the gold; and Mr. HART DAVIS was brought out to attest the fact to Mr. JONES's face. "Yes," said Mr. JONES, "the

46

done this, they have been, in all probability arrested before to-day. This is the way to deal with such people. Mr. JONES went the right money has been tendered me in way to work; and, if only a few “gold;""but when," said Mr. others would do the same in difHUME? "On Thursday after-ferent parts of the kingdom, we noon," said Mr. JONES. "Oh!" should soon have a real circulation said Mr. HUME; "that then was of money, and not of rags, and we "after the bankers had received should have wheat again at four "the account of my presenting shillings a bushel, the present your petition early on Wednes-high price being entirely owing day evening." Round he turned, to the Small-note Bill, and the and went into the House to per- success of that Bill being wholly form his duty, leaving Mr. JONES attributable to the ignorance of in conversation with Mr. HART the law in the greater part of the DAVIS. people, and to the dastardliness of the rest of them.

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The truth is this: the bankers at Bristol who had refused to pay I now come to what took place their notes in gold, received, about in Parliament. We have here no Thursday noon, by post, the news swaggering pistol-like speeches; of the petition. Upon receiving nasty rubbishy nonsense about that news, they sent an attorney liberty, in general terms; but we at Bristol to Mr. JONES's house, have opinions and statements to offer him payment in gold; but about important matters; about Mr. JONES had not the notes in that matter on which depends the his possession: he had sent them existence of the whole system, to his attorney in London, with from head to foot; and we have instructions for him to proceed to here a repeated acknowledgment the arrest of the parties. Mr. that Peel's Bill has not into JONES, therefore, referred them full effect, and that my prophecy to his attorney, who, on Friday has been fulfilled. Not to the exissued the writs preparatory to the tent to which it will be fulfilled,

gone

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however. I might now, if I would, But Mr. SMITH called this a most keep the Feast of the Gridiron; singular petition, and that he but I will stop till something be never knew one less called for. Mr. done which shall make even the BROUGHAM, a lawyer and an eubrazen brothers of the broad sheet logist of the "best possible public hang their heads with shame. Mr. instructer," said, that "he was JONES has given the system a" equally astonished at the petiblow; but it will receive other" tioner's complaint, for he knew blows, and of different sorts; "that the country banks were and by-and-by its own supporters," liable to pay in gold as well as by their attempts to save it, will" the Bank of England, since the give it its death blow. passing of the last Act. What There was a little sort of talk" necessity was there, therefore, on Wednesday, the 22d, when" for a new law? The petitioner Mr. HUME first presented the pe- "complained, that in default of tition, and it is necessary to take" payment he had no remedy now some notice of that. During that" but an action at law. Why, what talk, Mr. JOHN SMITH (CARRING-" other remedy would he have if TON), who so taunted the Men of "a new law were passed? Indeed, Kent their sensible petition upon 66 a new law would be an evil, for of 1822, said that, "at present, "it would raise a doubt upon that "every country banker, who is-" which was, he thought, perfectly ❝sued notes, was bound, by law," clear at present; for, beyond all "to pay in gold. Undoubtedly it" doubt, a country banker was "could not be expected that they "bound to pay in specie, on de"should keep by them as much" mand, without a moment's de

gold as would be sufficient for "lay." Mr. JOHN SMITH repeated, "the immediate payment of all" that no country banker did or "the notes they might have in" could keep by him gold suffi"circulation; and time ought to "cient to satisfy all the notes he "be given them to get specie from" might have in circulation"! "London, in the event of a run Aye, Mr. SMITH (CARRINGTON), 66 upon their house. He believed who is a banker, knows this "that there was not a single re- pretty well. He knows, I believe, "spectable country banker, who that the fellows at Bristol are by "would refuse to pay his notes in no means singular in their relationships as to gold and paper.

gold." This was very pretty.

But now came Sir JOHN WROT-And this is gold payment, is it? TESLEY; this knight or baronet This is returning to the currency (I do not know which he is) dis- of our ancestors, as the Speaker

covered most laudable feeling, most anxious tenderness for the character and credit of these re

boasted to the Prince Regent that they had done in 1819. We are to have the terrors of the law shaken over our heads. Mr. T. WILSON (City man) said, "that "there should be great caution "used in a case of this nature, "which was likely to affect the

credit of a respectable house." And he said that, “he did not see "what redress the country bank"ers would have against the pe

fusers of gold. "He hoped that "the Honourable Member for "Aberdeen had inquired well into "the character of the petitioner "from whom he received the pe"tition-otherwise, as the con'tents of the petition had a ten"dency to affect the credit of a "mercantile establishment in a very important point, by a re-"titioner, should his statement. "cent decision in a court of law," turn out to be false." Sir JOHN "the parties injured would have WROTTESLEY asked Mr. HUME, "a claim for damages upon all" if he were acquainted with the "who assisted in circulating the " persons who had induced the "obnoxious matter. So that the " petitioner to bring forward hist "Honourable Member might not "petition?" So that Mr. JONES "be aware of the risk which he was to be represented as a tool, "caused others to run, supposing, just as they represented the Re"for the sake of this argument, formers in 1817. A plain and hc"that he was not sufficiently war- nest man demanding his right, "ranted of the facts and of the and pursuing it with spirit, is to "character of his informant." be represented as a tool in the God save us all! Why, we may hands of designing and disaffected all get laid by the heels, merely persons. Mr. BROUGHAM is rebecause some paper-men at Bris-presented in one of the papers, to tol did not pay their notes in have said that the petitioner's specie! It is in this sort of way complaint and prayer were of an that the people have been terri- extraordinary nature. He knew fied. When refused the gold, they that he had the remedy of an achave been afraid to speak of it, tion at law," and what," said Mr. such are the terrors of the system. BROUGHAM," Would he have