To The Right Hon. George ...
1- - . " lr,-_our very liberal proposition for We appointinent of a Committee eflnquiryas to til-h1od1ofconducting:busines up stairs, inlduces me to direct your attention to a bill recently reported to your honourable House, entitled the " Equitable Loan BilL." It passed the second reading witlhout comluient4which would not have been-the case, had it been known when that was. to have taken place, as it involved- numerous interests, anid. of no snail importance to the revenc. Repeated itnquiries were:made at thePrivate Bill- of ioe, but no information eiould'be obtained, although those inquiries were made-up to heverymomentofits.being read. Upon the prin- ciple of the bill I Yill not comnment I knowr there has been a public feeling (which is now 8ubsiding). that its professed object wug for- -charitable purposes, but if there should 'brrunately' be any :notice, of the, third reading, if the house should have an opportunity to discuss its menitsj it will appear that equi- ty or charity has litule concern in it-it will be foubd to partake more of usury! and I much doubt whether it is aot an infringcment npon tke Bank Charter. Its enactmentsare to establish a bank with a capital of2,000,0001., for the purpose of advancing loans-at the-interest.of=10 per cent., witht no limitation in amount of the sums to be advanced. Surely, Sir, if itbe necessary to have a committee of-inquiry for thepurposes yon have appointed, this is one of those bills that ought firt-to pass that ordeal. There is a great evil in passing private bills without some public- notice. With many it may -not be an object, but in one like the present, where so many interests are concerned, and especially upoh a biU that pro- fesses to be equitable, it is but common justice that the parties in- terested should bythteir representatives have an opportunttv of a full tuid free discussion. The bill was-engrossed on Fridav, and in dlue course was expecced to be read a third time that e'veniiing nany ho- nourable memberswereinattendance in expectation of itstaking place ; but, for soue. purposes-unexplaineR, it was' not brought down to the house . and as the orders-of the house for private bills do fiot require a notice, the promoters-of this bill out of the house may watch a happy opportunity to bring it down when it better suits Iheir purpose.. Such a systenm reqtires revision. aint I am con- vinced your knowledge of its necessity will soon-cause it to be ef- fected. With every aamiratiOn ef your high talent, and ready dis- position to dispense unive3rsal justice, I a'm, Sir,' yours most re- pectf'ullv, LYCURt;US. MIIay 31, 1824. _ - TO 7HIJE RIGHIT HU, G(ERl-E CNINVG.