n English guineas, or in equivalent weight of
Portuguese gold coin, or in bank notes amounting to a sum sufficient to
purchase such an equivalent weight of gold. In his reply to Lord King's
objections, made in the lords, the chancellor, Eldon, insisted that
the claim set forth in this circular to his tenants was oppressive
and unjust, and that the bill was necessary to prevent such a grievous
oppression. He remarked:--"The restriction act of 1797 interfered so
far with individual contracts as to say that a debtor should not be
arrested, if he tendered his debt in bank-notes: the justice of that
enactment has never been, disputed; and is it now to be said, that a
tenant shall have his goods or stock seized, because he cannot pay in
gold, which is not to be procured? Let us suppose a young professional
man, struggling with the world, who has a rent to pay of L90 per annum,
and who has L3,000 in the bank, in the three per cents. His lordship
demands his rent in gold, but the bank refuses to pay the tenant his
dividend in gold. Would not the tenant have a right to say--' As a
public creditor, I am refused any other payment than in bank-notes; but
here is a legislator--one of those by whose act of parliament I am thus
refused to be paid except in bank-notes, insisting up on my paying him
his rent in gold, which I cannot procure; and because I cannot procure
it, my goods are to be distrained?' Would not this be a grievous
oppression? Surely, so long as it should be expedient to continue the
cash-suspension act of 1797, this present bill must become a part of it;
for otherwise there would be no equality in the situation of different
contracting parties, nor would equal justice be dealt out to those who
had an equal claim to it; as there could be no justice in leaving the
tenant who had tendered bank-notes exposed to be distrained upon by his
landlord, whilst the debtor, in other cases, who had tendered bank-notes
was exempted from arrest."

SUBJECT OF MILITARY DISCIPLINE.

During this session, the subject of military punishment was discussed
in the commons. On this subject Sir Francis Burdett particularly
distinguished himself. He moved an address on the subject to the prince
regent, in doing which he remarked:--"There are but few persons who
know what is the dreadful manner in which this torture is inflicted. The
instrument, formed of pieces of whipcord, each as thick as a quill, and
knotted, is applied by the main str