Some interesting Debates, in both Houses, during the period between the Restoration of the King and the banishment of the said Earl, in the year 1667, which Debates never yet found their way into any Collection; 5. The Proceedings of the House of Commons touching the Impeachment of the Earl of Clarendon, with the many Debates in that House upon the subject; 6. The Works of the celebrated Andrew Marvell, who, from 1660 to 1678, regularly transmitted to bis constituents of Hull, a faithful account of each day's proceedings; 7. The Debates of the House of Commons, from 1667 to 1694, collected by the Honourable Antichell Grey, who was thirty years a member for the town of Derby; 8. The Debates in the House of Commous on the Bill of Exclusion, in the year 1630, first published in 1681, in a small duodecimo volume, and afterwards republished in 1710, and again in 1807, with the addition of the Debates in the Short Parliament held at Oxford, in the month of March, 1680 1, the proceedings of which related chiefly to the same subject, that is to say, the Exclusion of the Duke of York from the succession to the crown; 9. Timberland's History and Proceedings of the House of Lords; and, 10. Chandler's History and Proceedings of the House of Commons.—It will, doubtless, have been observed by most persons who have much attended to the matter, that, for the period from the Restoration to the year 1743, the two last mentioned works, that is to say, those of Tinberland and Chandler, have hitherto been regarded as a regular and complete collection, and the only regular and complete collection, of the Proceedings in Parliament; and that. as such, they have been introduced into, and enjoyed a distinguished place in, almost every public and great private library in the kingdom. Therefore, in preparing the present volume for the press, it might naturally have been expected, that considerable assistance would have been afforded by these works. It is, however, remarkable fact, which may be verified by a reference to the proceedings of any single session, that very little assistance indeed has been received from them. To say the truth, a discovery of the extreme imperfectness of these works produced one of the motives which led to the present undertaking. On comparing their contents with those of the authentic works before enumerated, they were found to be so extremely defective and incorrect, that they could, in hardly any case, be relied upon with safety. In them, King's Speeches are, in numerous instances, ither wholly omitted, or very much curtailed.

a

The

Scarcely any of the Speeches of the different Lord Chancellors, delivered at the opening of the several Sessions, though those speeches generally contain an outline of the state of the national affairs, are preserved. Journals appear to have been rarely consulted. Scarcely a Motion or Resolution is given as it stands in those authentic records Explanatory notes there are none; and, in only one or two instances have the compilers deemed it necessary to favour the reader with informa tion as to the source whence they have drawn their materials; which would seem, indeed, to have been moulded into the form of volumes for the mere purpose of filling up a chasm in a book-case-Besides resorting to the above recited works, recourse has been had to the best historians, and contemporary writers. From Burnet, Echard, Kennet, Oidmixon, Rapin, North, Ralph, Marvell, Reresby, Temple, Walpole, and the Work of the late Mr. Fox, recently published, many Notes, historical and biographical, have been introduced; and, for the sake of connexion, a short account of the principal Occurrences, during each recess of Parliament, has, where necessary, been inserted.

By way of Appendix to this volume, is subjoined a collection of scarce and vaiuable Tracts, purely parliamentary, taken from the State Tracts, privately printed in the reign of Charles II. and James II; from the Harleian Miscellany; and from the noble Collections of Lord Somers. Through these, a more lively image of the times is conveyed, than could be received from any general description, from however eloquent a pen it might proceed. From their scarceness, it is impossible that they should, in their separate state, be generally known; and, as the utility of them, when accompanying the Parliamentary History of the times in which they were written, must be manifest to every one, the compiler does certainly consider them as not the least valuable part of his work.

***The success of this work, up to the time of publishing Vol. III, was before stated. Its success since that time has been still greater. No work of equal magnitude, had ever so great success, in so short a space of time. The fifth volume, barring accidents from illness, will be published in October, and the sixth in December; after which it is hoped, that a volume every three months will be regularly finished, until the work be concluded, or rather, brought down to the "Parliamentary Debates; which will form a sequel to it, and which will, of course, be continued in the same manner that they now are.

COBBETT'S

Parliamentary Debates.

The Tenth Volume of the above Work, comprising the period from the Opening

of the Session on the 21st of January to the Sth of April, is ready for delivery. The Eleventh Volume, which will close the Debates of the Session, is in considerable forwardness. The Appendix will contain the Annual Financial Accounts, together with other valuable Documents connected with the Proceedings in Parliament during the Session.

BLACK REGIMENTS.-Kingston, May 30 Some degree of agitation was excited in this city early on Friday morning last, from the report of a serious insubordination having arisen in the 2d West India regiment, under the command of major Darley, stationed at Fort Augusta. It appears that the regiment had paraded at the accustomed hour in the morning on the beach, about 300 yards from the glacis leading to port Henderson. In the fort 54 recruits were left to be drilled by a black serjeant. They were principally of the Chamba and Koromantyn nations, purchased a few months since to serve in his majesty's colonial corps; 40 of them were attached to the second, and eight to the fifth West India Regiments. The men on the beach had not been long under arms, ere a terrible war hoop was heard, and the

recruits were observed to rush out of the fort, and approach near the left of the regiment. Lieutenant and adjutant Ellis instantly rode towards them to learn the reason of the noise and what they desired; he had scarce reached the spot, before he was knocked off the horse with the butt end of some of their firelocks, and received several wounds about his head and body with their bayonets, of which he almost instantly died. Major Darley, anxious to know what occasioned the tumult, repaired directly thither; unhappily for him, he experienced a fate nearly similar, being knocked off his horse, and wounded about the body, &c. Appearances at this moment not being favourable, the officers dispatched a serjeant to the fort for ammunition, while some of them flew to major Darley's assistance; he was taken to his apartments and languished about an hour, when he expired. The ammunition having arrived, the men were directed to load, and fire ou the mutineers, which was promptly obeyed, when fourteen of them fell dead, five were wounded, and two taken prison ers; twenty-one who did not appear to be active in the mutiny, instantly surrendered

without the smallest resistance. The remainder being dismayed at the check the party had received, ran off to secrete themselves in the mangroves and brushwood, and there is little doubt ere this they are completely

subdued or shot.-No other reason was assigned for their improper conduct by those taken, than that they had been too repeatedly drilled, and that they wished to return to their country.-Every regret for the untimely fates of major Darley and adjutant Ellis have been evinced, the service having lost in them two valuable officers. Their remains were interred with military honours, amidst the lamentations of their brother soldiers.-On the first knowledge of an insubordinate spirit having manifested itself in some of the garrison at Fort Augusta, the drums beat to arms in Spanish Town, and the St. Catherine's miltia, with a degree of celerity highly commendable in them, were in a disposition for actual service. They proceeded some part of the road to the fort, but learning there was no necessity, were saved from a most harrassing and tedious march, and returned to their homes.-Brigadier-general Darby, with great promptitude also proceeded to the scene of action, with the 18th regiment, under command of lieut. col. Hoseyman, but there being no occasion for their services, all, with the excep tion of the flank companies, returned to their quarters. Two men of this regiment expired on the march, supposed from the excessive heat of the weather.-Information was transmitted to the general officers in this district; and on Friday noon, lieut. gen. Villettes, most of his staff, and several other officers, proceeded to Fort Augusta. All the boats at the wherry wharf in this city were impressed, and took down in the evening three companies of the 55th regi ment, under the command of major Halli gar, where they are to remain for the present. -The principal part of the 2d West India regiment have been sent on board some of the vessels of war in Port Royal harbour, to make room for the detachments of white troops sent to Fort Augusta.

From the Kingston Chronicle. Head-quarters, Gray's Pen, June 9, 1808. -Sir, The public mind having been much agitated by the unfortunate affair which lately took place at Fort Augusta, in a detachment of about fifty recruits, of the 2d West India regiment, at drill, near thirty of whom rushed out of the Fort with their arms during the time the regiment was at exercise, and, before any stop could be put to them, killed their major and adjutant; the circumstances of which have been most closely and minutely

The grand jury of the June grand court, having on Monday finished the business brought before them, were discharged. Previous to their being discharged, the grand jury drew up a memorial, in very tempe rate language, which has been left with J. F. Bonnett, Esq. to be presented to his grace the Duke of Manchester, who is at present in St. Mary's, praying him to communicate their wishes to his majesty's Government, that the 2d West India regiment be removed from this island.

LOTTERIES.

First Report from the Committee of the House of Commons, on the Laws relating to Lotte. ries.-Ordered to be printed April 13, 1808. The Committee appointed to inquire how far the evils attending lotteries have been remedied by the laws passed respecting the same; and to report their observations thereupon, and upon such farther measures as may be necessary for remedy thereof; and who were empowered to report their opinion thereupon, from time to time, to the house ;-having been employ. ed in collecting information, and examining witnesses on the matters referred to them; and having duly weighed and considered the same, have come to the following resolutions :-Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that (in case it shall be thought expedient to continue state lotteries) the number thereof in each year should be limited to two lotteries, of not more than 30,000 tickets each; that the number of days allowed for drawing, instead of ten, the present number, should be brought back to eight for each lottery, the number fixed in 1902: that the number of tickets to be drawn each day should be uncertain, and left to the discretion of the commissioners of stamp duties, and kept secret till the close of the drawing each day, care being taken, as the lottery proceeds, not to leave too great a number undrawn on the latter days of drawing, but that one moiety or upwards be drawn on the four first days thereof. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that no person should be allowed to deal in lottery tickets without a licence for that purpose from the commissioners of stamp duties, and that the provision to that effect, in the second section of 22 Geo. III. cap.

the late acts, should be re-enacted, with this addition, that every licensed lottery office keeper should be allowed to take out from the stamp office, in addition to his own licence, a limited number of licences for agents, with a stamp duty of about onetenth of that paid by himself, in the proportion of two such agents' licences, for every 150 tickets shared by him at the stamp office; and that all persons should be forbidden, under a heavy penalty, to act as agents for any lottery office keeper, or to deal in lottery tickets, except persons so licensed.-Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that in order to prevent persons setting up licensed lottery offices as a cloak for carrying on illegal insurances, the number of tickets required to be shared in each lottery, in order to entitle the parties to a licence, should be extended from thirty to one hundred and fifty; and that such licences should be renewed for every lottery, upon the parties continuing to share that number of tickets.-Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the limitation of hours during which lottery offices may be open for the transaction of business, viz. from 8 o'clock in the morn ing till 8 o'clock in the evening, enacted by 22 Geo. iii. cap. 47, and renewed in the lottery acts of 1802 and the three following years, but omitted in those of the two last years, ought in future to be re-enacted, without the exception therein made with respect to Saturday, when lottery offices ought to be shut at as early an hour as on other evenings.-Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that all persons concerned in hawking about lottery tickets and shares for sale, in distributing handbills respecting lotteries otherwise than in the offices of licensed persons, in illuminating lottery offices for outside show, in exhibiting lottery schemes and bills upon boards, carts, or carriages, in town or country, should be subjected, on conviction before a magistrate, to a considerable penal. ty, and in default of payment to imprisonment for a limited period.-Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the exemption of licensed lottery office keepers, from the jurisdiction of justices of the peace, and police magistrates, by insert ing in sec. 34 of the last lottery act, the words, "if not licensed to divide tickets into shares in the manner aforesaid," is inexpedient, and ought to be discontinued; and that such lottery office keepers ought in future to be subjected in common with other persons to such jurisdiction.-Your

committee are still engaged in collecting evidence on the subject of clandestine insurances and other illegal practices, which, notwithstanding the measures adopted at different times for their prevention, appear still to be carried on to a considerable extent; but not having finished their inquiries, they defer for the present making a final report on the matters referred to them.

Second Report on Lotteries.

The committee, &c. having made a Report to the house, in the month of April last, at the conclusion of which they informed the house, that they were still engaged in collecting evidence on the subject of clandestine insurances and other illegal practices; which, notwithstanding the measures adopted at different times for their prevention, appeared still to be carried on to a considerable extent; having collected all the evidence which they have deemed material for the formation of a judgment upon the different points submitted to their consideration, have agreed upon the following Report. Your Committee beg to call your attention to the evidence contained in the appendix, and more particularly to that of Mr. Wood, an officer appointed and paid by government, under the title of Inspector of Lotteries," from whom your Committee might have expected to derive the most material and satisfactory information upon all the matters referred to them; and more especially upon the steps he had lately taken in the execution of the duties of his office. It is manifest, however, that since the year 1802, when the scheme of the lottery was altered, the inspector of lot. teries has performed no duties; and he has declared to your Committee that there do not appear to him to be any duties incumbent upon him to perform, Your Commit. tee have been further informed by Mr. Wood, that he believes, by the regulations adopted since the year 1802, the evils arising from the lottery have been done away, and illegal insurances suppressed. But the exa mination of many other witnesses has proved to your Committee that the information so given, by what your Committee had a right to rely on as the most competent authority, is unfortunately altogether erroneous; and your Committee have collected the reasons why information more to be depended upon has not been obtained from the source in question; for the details of which they refer you to the evidence itself.-Your Committee are compelled to state, that the evils of clandestine insurance appear to them to prevail to a much greater extent than they had reason to suspect when they made their

first report in the month of April last; and it now appears fairly questionable whether the number of persons concerned in such practices has materially diminished, or the sums adventured have been at all decreased. The greater privacy with which the transactions are conducted of course makes every inquiry into their existence exceedingly difficult, whilst it produces combination, and renders the invention of any real remedy the more hopeless.-Your Committee have applied themselves with great assiduity to that part of their instructions by which they are directed to report upon such further measures as may be necessary for the remedy of the evils attending lotteries; and they submit to the house some account of the law, together with such observations and suggestions as have occurred to them thereupon.-An act was passed (22d Geo. iii. c. 47) and was intituled, "An act for licensing lottery office keepers, and regulating the sale of lottery tickets."-The breach of the law was punished by penalties, recoverable before two magistrates, " and the usual pow ers were given for the recovery of the same, in case of non-payment, by warrant of distress and sale, and for want of sufficient distress, the offender to be sent to the house of correction, for any time not exceeding six months nor less than three, unless the penalty should be sooner paid." A power of mitigation was given to the magistrates, and no penalty could be recovered, unless the offence had been committed within twelve months preceding the commencement of the prosecution.-No alteration in the law, with respect to illegal insurance in lotteries, was made until the year 1787, when an act (27th Geo. iii. c. 1.) was passed for rendering more effectual the laws now in being for suppressing unlawful Lotteries. In the preamble to the last-mentioned act, the 8th Geo. I. c. 2. the 12th Geo. II. c. 28. and the 22d. Geo. III. c. 47. are recited; and it is further recited, "that great difficulties have arisen upon the methods of conviction of offenders against the said recited acts before justices of the peace, and many evasions of the said recited acts are daily put in practice;" and it was by the 24 sect. enacted, "that from and after the passing of said act, no pecuniary penalties incurred by any person concerned in Lotteries should be recovered before any justice, but might be sued for by action in any of the Courts at Westminster, and one moiety of the penalties, when recovered, should be applied for the use of his majesty, and the other moiety to the person who should sue for the same; and power was given in every such action to