House of Commons Journal Volume 85: 16 March 1830

Martis, 16 die Martii; Anno 11 Georgii IV ti Regis, 1830.

PRAYERS.

Returns of ex officio Informations, presented.

THE House being informed that Mr. Abbott, from the Office of Marshal and Clerk at Nisi Prius, Clifford's Inn, attended at the door, he was called in; and at the bar presented to the House,-A Return to several Orders of the House, dated the 2d day of this instant March, for Copies of the several Informations filed ex officio by the Attorney General against Mr. Alexander, the Editor of a Paper called The Morning Journal:-Copies of the several Judgments entered against him upon the records of the above Informations, and how the same were entered:- An exact Minute of the words in which each Jury pronounced their Verdict against him upon each of the above Informations:-and, An exact Minute of the terms in which any of the Juries expressed a recommendation of him to mercy, so far as the same applies to his office of Clerk at Nisi Prius:-And then he withdrew.

Ordered, That the said Return do lie upon the Table.

Returns of Law Suits in Wales, presented.

The House being informed that Mr. Horn, Deputy Signer of the Writs in the Court of King's Bench, attended at the door, he was called in; and at the bar presented to the House,-A Return to an Order of the House, dated the 3d day of this instant March, for a Return of all Suits commenced in the Courts of King's Bench, Common Pleas and Exchequer at Westminster, during the years 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828 and 1829, wherein the venue was laid in any County in Wales, so far as the same relates to Suits commenced in the Court of King's Bench:-And then he withdrew.

Ordered, That the said Return do lie upon the Table.

The House being informed that Mr. Rose, Deputy Filacer of the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, attended at the door, he was called in; and at the bar presented to the House,-Return to an Order of the House, dated the 3d day of this instant March, for a Return of all Suits commenced in the Court of King's Bench, Common Pleas and Exchequer at Westminster, during the years 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828 and 1829, wherein the Venue was laid in any County in Wales, so far as the same relates to Suits commenced in the Court of Common Pleas:-And then he withdrew.

Ordered, That the said Return do lie upon the Table.

Leicester and Swannington Railway Bill, committed.

A Bill for making and maintaining a Railway or Tramroad from the River Soar, near the West Bridge, in or near the Borough of Leicester, to Swannington, in the County of Leicester, and four Branches therefrom, was read a second time; and committed to Mr. Legh Keck, &c.: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Wexford Town Return amended.

The Deputy Clerk of the Crown, attending according to Order, amended the Return for the Town or Borough of Wexford.

Order for Call of the House, discharged.

Ordered, That the Order of the day for the Call of the House, be now read; and the same being read;

Ordered, That the said Order be discharged.

Committee to inspect Lords Journals.

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to inspect the Journals of the House of Lords, with relation to any proceedings upon the Bill, intituled, An Act for more effectually repairing and improving the Road from Wendover to the Town of Buckingham, in the County of Buckingham; and to make Report thereof to the House:-And a Committee was appointed, of the Marquis of Chandos, Sir Thomas Fremantle, Mr. Robert Smith, Sir George Nugent, Mr. Samuel Smith, and Mr. George Smith: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Ordered, That Three be the Quorum of the Committee.

Dundee and Newtyle Railway Bill, committed.

A Bill to amend an Act for making a Railway from Dundee to Newtyle, was read a second time; and committed to Mr. Stuart Wortley, &c.: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Dundee Harbour Bill, committed.

A Bill for more effectually maintaining, improving and extending the Harbour of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, was read a second time; and committed to Mr. Hume, &c.: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Petitions in favour of Dundee Harbour Bill.

A Petition of Merchants, Manufacturers and Householders of the burgh of Forfar;-and, of Inhabitants, Householders of Dundee, and its suburbs,-were presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill for more effectually maintaining, improving and extending the Harbour of Dundee, in the County of Forfar; and praying, That the same may pass into a law.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table.

Petitions against Glasgow Royalty Extension Bill.

Three Petitions of Feuars and Inhabitants of those parts of the lands of Blythswood, lying within the barony parish of Glasgow, were presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill for extending the Royalty of the City of Glasgow over the Lands of Blythswood and adjacent Lands, and for amending the Acts relating to the Police of the said City; and praying, That they may be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents against certain parts thereof.

And the said Petitions were ordered to be referred to the Committee on the Bill; and that the Petitioners be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents upon their Petitions, if they think fit.

Ordered, That counsel be admitted to be heard in favour of the Bill, against the said Petitions.

Petition against Clyde Navigation Bill.

A Petition of Jacob Dixon, merchant in Dumbarton, and Jacob Dixon, junior, merchant there, was presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill to enable the Trustees for the Improvement of the Navigation of the River Clyde to purchase up certain Exemptions from the Rates payable on the said River and the Harbour at Glasgow; and praying, That they may be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents against certain parts thereof.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Committee on the Bill; and that the Petitioners be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents upon their Petition, if they think fit.

Ordered, That counsel be admitted to be heard in favour of the Bill, against the said Petition.

Petitions against Lambeth Bridge Bill.

A Petition of several Free Watermen of the River Thames, usually plying at Lambeth Palace Stairs, was presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill for building a Bridge across the River Thames, from or near the Horseferry Road, in the Parish of Saint John-the-Evangelist, in the County of Middlesex, to the opposite Shore, at or near to Church-street and Fore-street, in the Parish of Saint Mary Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, and for making convenient Roads thereto; and praying, That they may be heard by their counsel or agents against the same.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

A Petition of the Vauxhall Bridge Company was also presented, and read; taking notice of the said Bill, and praying, That they may be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents against certain parts thereof.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Committee on the Bill; and that the Petitioners be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents upon their Petition, if they think fit.

Ordered, That counsel be admitted to be heard in favour of the Bill, against the said Petition.

Dunham Bridge Bill, committed.

A Bill for building a Bridge over the River Trent, from Dunham, in the County of Nottingham, to the opposite Shore, in the County of Lincoln, was read a second time; and committed to Mr. Lumley, &c.: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Bolton and Blackburn Roads Bill, committed.

A Bill for more effectually repairing and improving the Road from Bolton-in-the-Moors to Blackburn, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, with two Branches of Road therefrom; and for making and maintaining a Branch of Road to or near the Village of Lower Darwen, was read a second time; and committed to Lord Stanley, &c.: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Edenfield and Little Bolton Roads Bill, committed.

A Bill for more effectually repairing and improving the Road from or near Edenfield Chapel to Little Bolton, and the Road leading from and out of the said Road at Booth Pitts, to or near Bury Bridge, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, and for making and maintaining three several Branches of Road communicating therewith, was read a second time; and committed to Lord Stanley, &c.: And they are to meet this Afternoon, in the Speaker's Chamber.

Kingston Inclosure Bill, passed.

An ingrossed Bill for inclosing Lands in the Parishes of Kingston near Lewes, and Iford, in the County of Sussex, was read the third time.

Resolved, That the Bill do pass.

Ordered, That Mr. Burrell do carry the Bill to the Lords, and desire their concurrence.

Petition against St. Giles Vestry Bill.

A Petition of Inhabitant Householders of the parishes of Saint Giles-in-the-Fields, and Saint George Bloomsbury, in the county of Middlesex, was presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill for the better Regulation of the Affairs of the joint Parishes of Saint Giules-in-the-Fields and Saint George Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex, and of the separate Parishes of Saint Giles-in-the-Fields and Saint George Bloomsbury, in the same County; and praying, That they may be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents against certain parts thereof.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Committee on the Bill; and that the Petitioners be heard by themselves, their counsel or agents upon their Petition, if they think fit.

Ordered, That counsel be admitted to be heard in favour of the Bill, against the said Petition.

Petitions in favour of Leeds and Selby Railway Bill.

A Petition of Owners of land, Farmers and other Inhabitants of South Milford, Sherburn, Newthorpe and Micklefield, contiguous to the proposed Railway from Leeds to Selby, in the west riding of the county of York; -of Merchants, Ship-owners, Traders and other Inhabitants of the town of Selby, in the west riding of the county of York;-and, of Owners of the principal part of the lands through which the proposed Railway between Leeds and Selby is intended to pass,-were presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill for making a Railway from the Town of Leeds to the River Ouse, within the Parish of Selby, in the West Riding of the County of York; and praying, That the same may pass into a law.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table.

Petitions against Gainsburgh and East Retford Road Bill.

A Petition of Inhabitants of the parishes of East Retford and Clarborough,-and, the townships of Hayton, Bollam and Tilne, in the county of Nottingham,-were presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill for more effectually repairing and improving the Road from the west end of Gainsburgh Bridge to East Retford, and to Gringleyon-the-Hill, in the County of Nottingham; and praying, That they may be heard by their agents against certain parts thereof.

And the said Petitions were ordered to be referred to the Committee on the Bill.

Petitions complaining of Distress.

A Petition of Inhabitants of Marrick, in the county of York;-of Owners and Occupiers of land in Spilsby, in the county of Lincoln;-of Inhabitants of Saint Faith;- of Fawley and Exbury;-of Dummer;-of Cliddesden;- of Farleigh Wallop;-of Quarley;-of Grately;-of Milbrook, in the county of Southampton;-of Lord Viscount Deerhurst, Foreman of the Grand Jury of the county of Worcester;-of Manufacturers, Tradesmen, Mechanics, Artisans and others of Leicester;-of Owners and Farmers of land, Tradesmen and others of Hedon, in Holderness, in the east riding of the county of York;-of Inhabitants of Swaledale, in the county of York;-of Owners and Occupiers of land in Boston, in the county of Lincoln;-of Inhabitants of the parish of Hearne, in Kent;- of John Roberts, churchwarden and chairman of a meeting of Inhabitants of the parish of Saint Mary Magdalen Bermondsey;-and, of Inhabitants of the parishes of Shiere, Abinger, Wotton and Ockley, in the county of Surrey, were presented, and read; praying, That the House will take the distresses of the Petitioners into their most serious consideration, and afford them such relief as the House may think meet.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table.

A Petition of William Edward Nightingale, sheriff, chairman of a meeting of Owners and Occupiers of land and others, in the county of Southampton;-of the Incorporated Trades, Burgesses and other Inhabitants of the royal burgh of Irvine;-of Inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Aylesbury;-of the Leeds Stuff Manufacturers, Operatives and others connected with their interests;-of Richard Pack, Esquire, sheriff, chairman of a meeting of Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the county of Northampton, convened in county meeting;-of the President, Vice-President and Members of the Holderness Agricultural Society;-of Freeholders and Inhabitant Householders of the town and parish of Dursley;-of Inhabitants of Dursley;-of Uley, in the county of Gloucester;-and, in the liberties of Longton and Land End, in the Staffordshire Potteries, and the neighbourhood thereof,-were presented, and read; praying the House to take the distressed state of the Petitioners into their most serious and immediate consideration, and by a timely and judicious reduction of Taxation, and also by an equalization of the parochial burthens, either by a general rate throughout the kingdom, or upon counties, hundreds, or other more extended districts than at present, or by such other legislative enactments as in the wisdom of the House shall be deemed expedient to alleviate their present distressed and ruinous condition.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and to be printed.

Petitions for repeal of Malt and Beer Duties.

A Petition of all the Married Labouring Men of Farleigh Wallop;-of Agricultural Inhabitants of the parish of Burghclere, in the county of Southampton;-of Owners and Occupiers of land, Persons in trade, and others within the county of Huntingdon interested in the prosperity of agriculture;- of Owners, Occupiers of land, and other Inhabitants of the hundred of Humbleyard, in the county of Norfolk ;-and, of the Freeholders, Commissioners of Supply, Justices of the Peace, and Inhabitants of the county of Ross,-were presented, and read; praying the House to repeal the whole of the Duties upon Malt and Beer.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and that the two last be printed.

Petitions against Renewal of East India Charter.

A Petition of Inhabitants of Beverley;-of the Provost, Magistrates and Town Council of the royal burgh of Montrose;-of Merchants, Manufacturers and Shipowners of the city of Aberdeen;-of Bankers, Merchants and Manufacturers of Huddersfield;-of Merchants, Manufacturers, and other Persons interested in the trade and commerce with China and the East Indies, of Halifax;- of Bankers, Merchants, Manufacturers and others of Bradford;-of Inhabitants of the clothing district of Churwell;-of the clothing district of Beeston, in the county of York;-of Merchants, Manufacturers and other Inhabitants of Rochdale;-and, of Inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Frome,-were presented, and read ; praying the House, That the trade to the East Indies and to China may be thrown open, that British subjects may be permitted to settle in any part of the interior of India, and have a full and free participation in the trade with all other Countries to the East of the Cape of Good Hope, upon the approaching termination of the East India Company's Charter.

And the said Petitions were ordered to be referred to the Select Committee on East India Company's Affairs.

A Petition of Merchants, Bankers, Ship-owners and others of Selby, in the county of York, was also presented, and read; praying, That the House will cause an impartial and efficient inquiry to be made into the trade of Great Britain with China and the East Indies, with a view to the termination of the monopoly of the East India Company, and the repeal of such existing restrictions as fetter and impede the commercial intercourse of the nation with those countries at the earliest possible period ; and that the House will be pleased to direct that the necessary notice be given for the termination of the Charter of the East India Company in the year 1834.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table ; and be printed.

Petitions for repeal of Duty on Coals.

A Petition of the Mayor, Bailiffs, Burgesses and Inhabitants of the borough of Clifton Dartmouth Hardness;-and, of Inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Camelford,-were presented, and read ; setting forth, That inasmuch as fuel is essential, not only to supply the necessaries of life, but also to the exercise of many trades, and is extensively used in agriculture as well as in manufactories, true policy dictates that it ought to be put as much within the reach of every man as its nature will admit, and therefore a subject most unfit for taxation ; and praying, That the Duties upon Coals carried coastwise may be repealed.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and that the last be printed.

Petition for Reform of Parliament, and complaining of Distress.

A Petition of Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, Freeholders and Inhabitants of the county of Hertford, was presented and read ; praying the House to make a general reduction in the rate of taxation, particularly to repeal the whole of the Duties on Malt, Hops and Beer, and to abolish all monopolies in the sale of the necessaries of life, which measures would essentially improve the condition of the industrious classes of the community ; and further praying the House to restore the communication between the House and the people, by an immediate repeal of the Septennial Bill, the exclusion of all placemen and pensioners from Parliament, and such other effectual reform in the representation of the people as shall obtain sympathy for their sufferings and privations, attention to their Petitions, anxiety to remove their grievances, and exertion to promote their interests.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Address for Account of Fee Fund of the Court of Session.

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, that he will be graciously pleased to give directions, that there be laid before this House, and Account of the Fee Fund of the Court of Session in Scotland, established by the 50th Geo. 3, c. 112 ; showing the receipts from the Fund, and the application thereof, from 21st June 1821.

Ordered, That the said Address be presented to His Majesty, by such Members of this House as are of His Majesty's most honourable Privy Council.

Petitions respecting Labourers Wages.

A Petition of Magistrates acting in and for the county of Worcester;-of Inhabitants of the parish of Newcastleunder-Lyme, Staffordshire;-of Dissenting and Wesleyan Ministers in Dudley, in the counties of Worcester and Stafford;-of Working Colliers, Miners, Forgemen, Millmen, Manufacturers, and other labourers employed in the extensive collieries, iron-works and manufactories in the township of Bilston, and the neighbourhood thereof ;- of Inhabitants of the town of Wolverhampton;-of Ironmasters of the county of Glamorgan;-of Master Manufacturers and Operatives in the Woollen Trade, in the parish of Uley and its vicinity, in the county of Gloucester;-and, of Inhabitants of Lower Cobridge, Hanley, Shelton, Etruria, Stoke, Fenton, Lane Delph and Lane End, in the parish of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the county of Stafford,-were presented, and read ; setting forth, That the system of paying wages in Truck is arbitrary, oppressive and unjust, reducing the labouring classes to a state of slavery and degradation, and the various traders depending on the circulation of the wages of labour to great privations and distress; and praying, That the House will take this evil into their most serious consideration, and adopt such means as the wisdom of Parliament shall deem efficient for preventing the payment of wages otherwise than in money.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and that the three last be printed.

Defaulters Names called over.

The Order of the day being read, for the attendance of the Members who did not appear at the Ballot upon Friday the 26th day of February last;

The names of the said Members were severally called over ; and Andrew Arcedeckne, Esquire, being abroad ill, and Lord Viscount Belgrave, Sir Charles Cockerell, Baronet, and Pryse Pryse, Esquire, being present, they were excused for not attending the said Ballot.

Petition against throwing open the Beer Trade.

A Petition of the Mayor, Magistrates, Clergy and Inhabitants of the city of Hereford, was presented, and read ; setting forth, That the Petitioners have heard with regret that it is in contemplation to allow a free trade in Beer and Cider ; that such a measure must prove ruinous to the Innholders of the city of Hereford; that the Petitioners have always found that body a highly respectable and honest class of men ; that the Petitioners think it would be detrimental to the interests of the city of Hereford to allow a free trade in Beer and Cider ; the Petitioners have for some time had an opportunity of observing the effect of a free trade in Cider, and they are firmly convinced it has proved highly injurious to the morals of the people, leading to scenes of drunkenness and debauchery; its ill effects are more clearly visible in the profanation of the Sabbath during the hours of Divine Service, when the respectable publican has closed his house ; that the Petitioners therefore entreat the House not to inflict on the city of Hereford the nuisance of a free trade in Beer and Cider.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

The Lords have agreed to

A Message from the Lords, by Mr. Cox and Mr. Stephen:

Mr. Speaker,

The Lords have agreed to the several Bills following, without any Amendment; viz.

Exchequer Bills (£.12,000,000.) Bill.

A Bill, intituled, An Act for raising the Sum of Twelve Millions by Exchequer Bills, for the Service of the year One thousand eight hundred and thirty:

Transfer of Aids Bill.

A Bill, intituled, An Act for appropriating certain Sums to the Service of the year One thousand eight hundred and thirty:

Paupers Removal Bill.

A Bill, intituled, An Act to repeal the Provisions of certain Acts relating to the Removal of Vagrant and Poor Persons born in the Isles of Jersey and Guernsey, and chargeable to Parishes in England, and to make other Provisions in lieu thereof:

Bridport Roads Bill.

A Bill, intituled, An Act for better repairing the Second District of Turnpike Roads leading to and from the Town of Bridport, in the County of Dorset, and for making and maintaining several Branch Roads to communicate with the same:-And then the Messengers withdrew.

Petition for investigating the Licensing System.

A Petition of George Goodwin, of Saint Ives, in the county of Huntingdon, Wine and Liquor Merchant, was presented, and read; complaining of the refusal of a license to sell exciseable liquors by retail, to be drunk or consumed on his premises; and praying the House to investigate the licensing system, and rectify the many abuses now existing from the present monopoly of Common Brewers, to the great injury of the Petitioner, the poor, and the public in general.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition respecting Emigration.

A Petition of several Persons being Members of the Lanarkshire Emigration Society, was presented, and read; praying the House to grant them a conveyance to and establishment in Canada, under such rules as were prepared by the Committee of the House in 1827; the expense incurred, the Petitioners will become bound to refund at such periods as they can afford, subject to such rules and regulations as may be prescribed.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petition for regulating the Trade of Retail Brewers.

A Petition of the Licensed Victuallers of Newcastleunder-Lyme, and its neighbourhood, was presented, and read; praying, That all persons applying hereafter to take out a license to establish a Retail Brewery, shall be restricted from opening one at no less a distance than 200 yards of any Licensed Victualler, or such other distance as to the House shall seem meet; and further, that all Retail Brewers shall henceforth be subject, like the Petitioners, to magisterial control and the inspection of the officers of the police.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Select Committee on the Sale of Beer.

Petitions against Poor Law Amendment Bill.

A Petition of Landlords of property situated in the town and county of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and let in tenements;-and, of the Governor and Guardians of the Poor of the town of Kingston-upon-Hull,-were presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill to prevent Abuses of the Poor Laws, by declaring and amending the Law relating to the Employment and Payment of Able-bodied Labourers from the Poor Rates, and for the better rating Tenements under a certain Annual Value; and praying, That the same may not pass into a law as it now stands.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and to be printed.

Petition respecting Poor Rates.

A Petition of Inhabitant Householders assessed to the Poor Rates of and within the parish of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the borough of Devizes, was presented, and read; praying the House to pass a law to empower the churchwardens and overseers in any parish to assess to the poor rate the landlords or owners of all houses let at rents not exceeding 15l. per annum, whether the same be let by the year, or for any shorter term, under such regulations and restrictions as the House shall deem expedient.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petitions respecting Forgery.

A Petition of the Mayor and Corporation of the town of Falmouth;-and, of Inhabitants of the borough of Cirencester,-were presented, and read; praying the House to enact that forgery shall no longer be considered a capital offence; and that they will moreover adopt such other measures as they in their wisdom may think fit, to render our penal code more in unison with the feelings and interests of the people.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and to be printed.

Petition for alteration of Corn Laws.

A Petition of John Wright, of Lenton House, in the county of Nottingham, Coal and Iron Master, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioner feels it his incumbent duty to press upon the attention of the House the full consideration of the Corn Laws, with a view to the establishment of such a protection as may secure to the agriculturist a fair remuneration for his capital and labour, restore to the manufacturer a market for his productions, furnish to the artisan and labourer a source of employment, return to trade its former customers, and give to the community at large that prosperity it once possessed, but has now lost, almost all of which the Petitioner firmly believes would be accomplished by fixing the import price of foreign wheat at 72s. per quarter by a tax of 24s. per quarter on foreign wheat imported into this country, and on other grain in proportion; and lastly, by permitting such foreign corn only to enter the market as shall then be actually warehoused in this country; such permission to be renewable every six weeks, when the price of wheat reaches 72s. per quarter; and that the protection he humbly solicits would give such a stimulus and security to our own farmers as would enable them to supply our own consumption.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petitions against Haymarket Removal Bill.

A Petition of Landowners, Farmers, Hay Salesmen, Livery Stablekeepers, Cowkeepers, and others, residing in and near to the Metropolis, was presented, and read; taking notice of the Bill for removing the Market at present held for the Sale of Hay and Straw from the Haymarket, and for establishing Markets for the sale of Hay, Straw, and other Articles, in York Square, Clarence Gardens, and Cumberland Market, in the Parish of Saint Pancras, in the County of Middlesex; and praying, That the same may not pass into a law.

A Petition of Licensed Victuallers in the Haymarket, in the parishes of Saint James Westminster, and Saint Martin-in-the-Fields, within the city and liberty of Westminster, was also presented, and read; taking notice of the said Bill; and praying, That they may be heard by counsel against the same.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table.

Petitions against burning Hindoo Widows.

A Petition of Christian Females belonging to the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters assembling at the Old Gravel Pit Meeting in Hackney;-of the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters assembling for divine worship at the Old Gravel Pit Meeting House at Hackney;-and, of Females of the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters' Meeting in Eagle-street, London,-were presented, and read; praying the House to adopt such further measures as may effectually secure the abolition of the practice in India of burning widows on the funeral piles of their husbands.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table.

Petition for establishing Poor Laws in Ireland.

A Petition of the Weavers of the King's County, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners are in a state of extreme distress, being scarcely able to procure sufficient potatoes to support life, from having been for months nearly unemployed, although they have offered to work at as low a price as any weavers in His Majesty's dominions; the Petitioners justly attribute this scarcity of work to the influx into Ireland of English goods similar to what the Petitioners weave, one-third of the expense of producing which is paid by the English poor rates, and in consequence they are sold there at a lower price than the unassisted Irish can produce them; the aid which the English manufacturers receive from the Poor Laws having enabled them to overstock the Irish market with English goods, to the prejudice of the Petitioners' native manufacture, the Petitioners humbly request of the House either to impose a Protecting Duty equivalent to the aid English manufacturers receive from the Poor Laws, or else to abrogate the English Poor Laws; the Petitioners beg leave to represent to the House, that the only means of placing English and Irish manufacturers on the equality which the Union of these countries should bestow, is to completely annul the English Poor Laws, unless the House should conceive it more eligible to extend them to Ireland, and trusting that the House will see the justice of the policy which would dictate either of these measures.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Select Committee on the state of the Poor in Ireland.

Petitions for repeal of Leather Tax.

A Petition of Tanners of the city of Kilkenny;-and, of the town and vicinity of Wexford,-were presented, and read; praying the House to repeal the Duty on Leather.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table.

Petition respecting Excise Laws.

A Petition of Richard Monks of Winetavern-street, in the city of Dublin, Tanner and Currier, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Tanners of Ireland have from time immemorial uninterruptedly used, exercised and carried on all trades connected with the manufacture and sale of leather; that an Act was passed in the third year of His present Majesty's reign, which purports to have brought into operation in Ireland all Acts relating to the Tanning Trade, and which were then in force in England, and prohibited Tanners from being Curriers or Leathercutters; that by a subsequent Act passed in the fourth of the said reign, it was enacted, that all persons who were previously duly licensed to carry on the trades of Tanning and Currying, might still continue to carry on the trade of Tanner, Currier and Leather-cutter; that the Petitioner was, at the time of the passing of said lastmentioned Act, and had been for long previous thereto, a Tanner, Currier and Leather-cutter, and had no idea that he would incur any penalty if he continued to carry on those trades, particularly as the legislature by said Act wished to avoid the hardship of preventing any person in Ireland from exercising trades which he had heretofore done, in which his capital was invested, and for which his premises were fitted up, during his life; that notwithstanding, a prosecution at the suit of His Majesty's Attorney General for Ireland was commenced against the Petitioner in the latter end of the year 1828, for recovery of various penalties, alleged to have been forfeited by him for not complying with certain provisions of the Excise Laws relating to leather, which had been in force and operation in England, and which were then but shortly previous put in force in Ireland, and claiming no less a sum than 2,590l. for such penalties principally for using the joint trades of Tanner, Currier and Leathercutter; that the Petitioner not being at all aware of having committed any fraud whatever, or violation of the laws in that respect, and relying on his being entitled under and by virtue of the foregoing Act of 4 Geo. 4 to carry on such joint trades, and being conscious that the trade of Leather-cutter appertained and belonged to that of Currier, was advised by counsel to defend that prosecution; that such prosecution came on to be tried before the Honourable Baron Smith and a special jury, in His Majesty's Court of Exchequer in Ireland, on the 12th day of June 1829, and the Solicitor General, in stating the case for the Crown, thereupon told the court and jury, and as the fact and truth is, that the Petitioner was not guilty of any fraud whatever, nor was there such imputable to him, but that the object of such trial was to prevent the Curriers of this kingdom, who were also Tanners, from having the privilege of cutting leather, and abandoned all the other charges in the information; that such trial having fully been gone into, witnesses examined, and the arguments of counsel heard on both sides, and, principally from the evidence of three of the officers produced by or on behalf of the Crown, who admitted on oath that a Currier could not exercise his trade without being a Leathercutter, the learned Judge directed the jury to find a verdict for the Petitioner, which they accordingly did; that an application was afterwards made to the same Court, on the part of the Crown, to set aside that verdict, and the same having been argued by counsel, and the Court having maturely and deliberately considered the same, were unanimously of opinion, that the Petitioner had not in any manner acted contrary to the law, and they therefore refused the application, and dwelt at some length on the great hardship which had occurred to the Petitioner by being put to such unjustifiable expense; that by reason of such proceedings as aforesaid, the Petitioner has been put to and obliged to pay the sum of 101l. 16s. 6d. in defending the same; that the Petitioner being much limited in means to carry on his business and trade, and having a large family to maintain, was unable to bear up against so great a loss, and with a view to his being repaid that sum, he forwarded two several Petitions to the Lords of the Treasury, one on the 10th day of July and the other on the 14th of August last, but to neither of which has he ever received an answer, and is now forced to seek for redress through the intervention of His Majesty's Ministers, as the only chance of having the like sum of money granted to him, to enable him to continue in his said trade, which otherwise, and from the great depression of that trade at present in Dublin, the Petitioner greatly fears he may be ultimately ruined; and praying the House to take his case into their humane consideration, and to grant to him the relief which he humbly solicits.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petition for continuance of Fishery Bounties.

A Petition of those engaged in the Fisheries of Ireland, residing in the district of Belfast, was presented, and read; praying, That the Fisheries of Ireland may remain an object of solicitude with the House, and that the Bounties and Fishery Establishment of that country, with the existence of which the well-being of more than 100,000 individuals is at present inseparably identified, may be continued until the year 1835; by which time the Petitioners hope that other sources of employment will be opened to them, if it should then seem meet to withdraw from them that support which the House has hitherto so judiciously and graciously bestowed.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition for repeal of Subletting and Parish Vestries Acts (Ireland.)

A Petition of Inhabitants of Saint John's Parish, in the city of Limerick, was presented, and read; reciting the Act 7 Geo. 4, c. 29, to amend the Law of Ireland respecting the Assignment and Sub-letting of Lands and Tenements in Ireland; also, the Act 7 Geo. 4, c. 72, for the regulation of Parish Vestries in Ireland; and praying the House to repeal the same.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petitions for repeal of Parish Vestries Act (Ireland.)

A Petition of Roman Catholic Inhabitants of the parish of Carrick on Suir, in the county of Tipperary;-of Inhabitants of the parish of Muckalee, in the county of Kilkenny;-and, of Roman Catholic Inhabitants of the parish of Saint Mary, Dublin, were presented, and read; reciting the Act 7 Geo. 4, c. 72, for the regulation of Parish Vestries in Ireland; and praying, That the same may be repealed.

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the Table; and that the last be printed.

Petition respecting Tithes and Vestry Rates (Ireland.)

A Petition of the Catholic Owners and Occupiers of land in the united parishes of Duncormack, Killag, Kilcoan, Kilmannan and Ballyconnick, in the county of Wexford, was presented, and read; praying the House to closely investigate the manner in which the assessment and collecting of Tithes and Vestry Rates leviable on Catholics for Protestant purposes, operates on their limited means and outraged feelings, and to relieve them from the further payment thereof.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Petition for repeal of Subletting Act (Ireland.)

A Petition of the there Undersigned, resident in the town and vicinity of Gort, in Ireland, was presented, and read; reciting the Act 7 Geo. 4, c. 29, to amend the Law in Ireland respecting the Assignment and Sub-letting of Lands in Ireland; and praying the House to repeal the same.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition for reduction of Taxation.

A Petition of the there Undersigned, resident in the populous town and vicinage of Gort, in Ireland, was presented, and read; praying the House, in this universal state of helpless poverty and languishing industry, to interpose in time, and save the nation from complete ruin, to recruit the exhausted resources of the United Kingdom, by an immediate reduction of excessive taxation, the abolition of sinecure pensions and exorbitant salaries contracted in paper money currency, and now paid doubly in gold, to give, in fine, safety to the Throne, and substantial relief to a widely suffering and long enduring nation.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Papers to be printed. Nos. 149 & 150.

Ordered, That the Papers relative to Wide Streets, (Dublin), and Copy of Memorial respecting the Sub sheriff of Fermanagh, which were yesterday presented to the House, be printed.

Petition for more easy recovery of Small Debts.

A Petition of Bankers, Merchants and Tradesmen of the town of Kingston-upon-Hull, was presented, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, in common with thousands of their fellow-subjects, are still grievously suffering under the present very tedious and expensive modes of recovering, or attempting to recover, Small Debts; that they have long indulged in the hope that the Legislature would apply an efficient remedy to the evils attending the present practice in the Courts of Law, and they feel convinced that if those evils were fully understood, the relief which the Petitioners seek would be speedily granted; the Petitioners therefore humbly pray the House to take the subject into early consideration, with a view to a less expensive and more expeditious mode of recovering Small Debts.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Petition for repeal of House Tax.

A Petition of Shopkeepers and Retail Dealers, and others interested therein, at Kingston-upon-Hull, was presented, and read; praying, That the House would proceed to repeal the Inhabited House Duty altogether; but if His Majesty's Government cannot altogether dispense with so obnoxious a tax, that then the House would so far modify the said Inhabited House Duty as to cause the rental of buildings used both as a dwelling-house and as a place of business to be apportioned, and the said Inhabited House Duty to be paid in respect of that part only of the whole rental which may be adjudged to be due in respect of that part of the premises used as a dwelling-house, and that no duty whatever shall be paid in respect of the rental of that part used as a shop, warehouse or place of business.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Members added to a Committee.

Ordered, That Sir Horace Saint Paul, Sir Matthew Ridley, Mr. Michael Angelo Taylor, and Lord John Hay be added to the Select Committee on Northern Roads.

Petition respecting Wexford Corporation.

A Petition of Merchants, Traders and Inhabitants of the town and borough of Wexford, in Ireland, was presented, and read; setting forth, That there has long existed an unjust, illegal and unconstitutional compact against the freedom of election of that town, which in its consequences has become seriously injurious to the merchants and traders in it; that the parties to this contract were the late and the present Marquis of Ely and the late Richard Neville; that, although the existence of such a compact was well known, it was not until very lately that sufficient proof was had to justify the Petitioners in bringing their complaints before the House; that the Marquis of Ely; and the representative of the late Mr. Neville, having quarrelled about the share of property each possessed in the corporation, have printed and circulated a statement of their respective claims to the corporation, of which they have styled themselves the owners; that in one of these publications, viz. a Letter written by Lord Ely to Mr. Neville, his Lordship uses these words: "every one views the corporation of Wexford as our joint property;" that a copy of these extraordinary statements, published by authority of the parties, is annexed to this Petition; and the Petitioners have reason to believe that all the documents there recited are still in existence; that, although the different charters, particularly that of King James the First, were granted for the express purpose of encouraging the trade and commerce of the town, as that charter conferred not only upon the native traders, but also upon foreigners coming to reside there, a freedom of trade in Liverpool, Bristol, Bridgewater, and the different ports on the opposite Welsh coast, which, from the increasing intercourse between the two countries, would now be of the greatest benefit to such merchants or traders of Wexford as could procure their freedom, nevertheless, the merchants and traders have been the special objects of exclusion from the corporation; that there are but three merchants free, made by the special favour of the Marquis of Ely, and those from among a body of men the owners of upwards of 100 sail of shipping; that there are only 16 freemen residing in Wexford, the rights of the charter having been for many years conferred only on the special friends and dependents of those who style themselves owners of the Borough and that a considerable portion of the freemen of Wexford consists of the tenantry of the Marquis of Ely and the late Mr. Neville, many of them residing in other counties, and none of them having any interest in the town; that, while the most respectable merchants of Wexford are denied the freedom of the corporation, which would be of such value to them, it has lately been conferred upon a number of the Staff of the Wexford Militia, of which the Marquis of Ely is the Colonel, in order to strengthen and perpetuate that undue and unconstitutional influence he has obtained in the corporation; that the Petitioners have to complain that very valuable estates granted by the Crown to the Corporation have been entirely given away and divided among the friends of those persons interested in defrauding the Petitioners of their rights; and that the Petitioners have many other just causes of complaint, but they humbly hope they have already stated sufficient to induce the House to interfere in their behalf; and they humbly submit to the House, that, as they are now circumstanced, the charter, instead of being a benefit to the merchants, traders and inhabitants, is used as the means of insulting and injuring them, and giving a power to a Peer of the realm, not only of nominating to all corporate offices, but of dictating who shall be returned to the House as their Representative in Parliament; the Petitioners humbly beg the interference of the House, to whom the redress of such grievances most particularly belongs.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Returns of Excise Duties, presented. No. 151.

Mr. Dawson presented to the House, pursuant to their Orders,-A Return of the amount of the Duties of Excise paid into the Exchequer in the eight weeks, commencing from 5th January 1830:-also, a similar Return of such Duties so paid into the Exchequer, in the eight weeks commencing 5th January 1829.

Ordered, That the said Returns do lie upon the Table; and be printed.

Orders for Accounts, discharged.

The House was moved, That the Orders made upon the 8th day of this instant March, that there be laid before this House, Accounts of the number of Persons declared Bankrupts during every month, from January 1825 up to February 1830 (both inclusive) classed according to their trades:-Of the number of Persons declaring themselves Insolvent, during the same period, and classed in the same manner, might be read; and the same being read;

Ordered, That the said Orders be discharged.

Addresses for Accounts of Bankrupts and Insolvents.

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, that He will be graciously pleased to give directions, that there be laid before this House, an Account of the number of Persons declared Bankrupts during every month, from January 1825 up to February 1830 (both inclusive) classed according to their Trades.

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, that He will be graciously pleased to give directions, that there be laid before this House, an Account of the number of Persons declaring themselves Insolvent, during the same period, and classed in the same manner.

Ordered, That the said Addresses be presented to His Majesty, by such Members of this House as are of His Majesty's most honourable Privy Council.

Motion respecting Distress of the Country.

A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That the Petitions, complaining of Distress of various classes of the Community, be referred to a Committee of the whole House, with a view to inquire into and report on the causes of their grievances, and the remedy thereof;

And the House having continued to sit till after twelve of the clock on Wednesday morning;