Star. — London, England, 1830-12-16 00:00:00

fore, he denounced as a positive crime every attempt to lead the roan. try into a war. It had been said that the party to which he alluded, were urging France into war, and would render it inevitable, by their publications in the journals, and their speeches iu the Chamber.— But the hon. deputy, reasoning by comparison, thought that this .1.4 not the case. Supposing that the journals printed at Vienna orj St. Petersburgh were to say unpleasant things, and allow them selves to attack the Government of the King whom France had chosen tie herself, they could not on that account be accused of wishing to ex. cite hostilities. It had been said that speeches of hon. deputies, uttered in that Chamber, bad resounded throughout Europe, and caused sove reigns to tremble on their thrones. lie would answer this also by an hypothesis: Suppose that the Grand Seignor, or the Czar, addressing their subjects—the first by a fi rman and the second by an ukase,—it was quite certain that their language would convey the principles of ' divine right and absolute power. Would It follow that their words were equivalent to a declaration of war ? It would be the same in France w hen, conformably to the principles of the existing government,it might, be declared in that Chamber, under a tyrannical Government, :nsurrection was the most sacred of duties, and under a government that was truly Constitutional obedience to the laws was the most sacred of riutiec. Sutely, said 111. Salverte, a manifestation of these principles, which form the very basis of the constitution, is far from being a menace to any throne. In the present state of Europe, let the sentiments of a learned jurisconsult and profound politician be loudly repeated—' Let every man be master within his own domains.' If the doctrines quoted Amnia be made a pretext by any power to attack France, she would hare a well-organised army to meet the attack ; she would have the whole of her sons in arms by virtue of the law now under discussion, in farour of which he (the hon, member) would vote. 31.131 in de Bourdon strongly opposed the law, and more particu. larly that part of it which related to the moveable Guards. M. de Tracy said, it had been suggested that the arming of the population would create alarm in certain parts of France, but from whence this apprehension could have arisen, he had been unable to dis cover. On the contrary, lie conceived the difilcully was in restraining the ardour of the people. Should foreigners, gentlemen,' added the hon. member, dare to attack us, in an instant millions of Frenchmen would fly to the frontiers, and teach them to repent bitterly of their miscon ception of the patriotism that animates the bosoms of every one of our tellow-countrymen. (Cheers.) The last speaker considered the system of the Moveable Guards as an oppression, but I on the contrary reply that, in cue of invasion, it would instead of a burden be an honour.— Never, under any circumstances, was a law proposed mote satisfactory to the whole nation than that now under discussion.' 31. Gillon pointed out various objectionable points in the law. Ile particularly noticed the councils for taking the census which were ap pointed to settle the rolls of the several companies, and arrange the expenses of the service, and conceived they were inadequate to duties so varied and extensive. The composition of these councils, which were to consist of 30 citizens, would also be an obstacle. After a very de. tailed examination of the articles of the project, and of the amendments made by the committee, which he found to be nearly as imperfect as the original articles, be declared that he could not vote in favour of the law until all the different amendments proposed in the Chamber had been adopted. "M. blarschall then proposed that the numerous amendments brought forward (they were upwards of 120) should be referred to the committee, which atter a short and desultory debate, was adopted. SECOND EDITION. _.__. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS—Tun DA:. The Duke of WELLINGTON prevented a petition from the Staf. fordsiiire Potteries against any renewal of the East India Company's tharta. Lord DARNLEY presented various petitions against the duty on , ra.borne coals. On the motion of Lord ELLENBOROUGH, all papers presented to the house last Session on Finance was ordered to be printed. Sir A. GIANT, and others, from the Commons, brought up the Administration of Justice Bill, with the agreement of the Commons to the Lords' amendment thereto. Earl SH AFTESBURY gave notice, that in consequence of the Noble Lord's (Teynham) indisposition, who had moved for certain papers re latit•c to the Swan River Settlement, that motion was, fur the present postponed. Lord KING, in presenting some petitions for a repeal of the Union„ said he was satisfied that much mischief would undoubtedly arise if such a step was carried into effect; it would make those poor who were now rich, without making Lich those who :were now poor. One of the present measures that would be adopted after a repeal of :the Union, would be to exclude Irish agricultural]produce from the English market, and, in abort, led to a total separation of the two countries. The noble lord concluded by saying, as he did not eon. cur In the prayer of the petitions, he wished they had been committed to the care of some other noble lord. The petitions which were presented from the paper stainers and carpet weavers of Dublin were then laid on the table..—Left sitting. HOUSE OF CVV 1 V1537.-Tills DA T. ZLICTIONS. Mr. M. FITZGERALD reported from the St. Mawes' Committee, that the sitting Members were duly returned. Sir R. INGLIS presented a petition from the agent of the 31ember foe Carrickfergus, stating that the petition complaining of an undue re. guru, had 18 names to h forged. SELECT VESTRIES. Mr. HOBHOL'SE presented a petition from St.. James's, Westmin. stet, against the Select Vestries. He was confident that if they were not allowed some:controul in the parish taxation and expenditure, they would very soon refuse to pay the rates. Mr. DENISON, Mr. HUSE, and Sir F. By !MUTT, supportt • d the petilion, as select vestries were a violation of every constitutional Mr. HOBHOUSE gave notice that, on the first day after the boll. days, he should ntovelfor leave to bring in a bill to regulate the Ves. :ries in the several parishes in England. Mr. EWART presented a petition from the Jews of Liverpool for Loan( ipation. Air. IV7SI; presented a petition from lialway, for extension of the electiv tianchise. Mr. TREVOR complained of the bad effect which might arise in LflrMe times of riot and disturbance, from an article in a certain widely cuculated periodical ; the publication animadverted on these disturb ances In a tone calculated to do great harm. The SPEAKER called to order. There was no distinct motion bes tort the House. The Hon. MEMBER rckimed. He complained of an article In Cabal's R'giste►—(a laugh). —but he should not at present follow up hi. remarks. He, however, gave notice, that to-morrow he should direct the attention of the House to the subject. Mr. WYSE presented a petition from Ireland, praying for a reform is Parliament. Mr. O'CONNOR DON presented a petition from the Catholics et fiosconsmon, praying for a more equitable adjustment of the funds ap. pikd to charitable purposes in Ireland. Mr. HUME presented a petition from Northampton, praying for •iieabulition o f tyt h es . The Hon. Member tookrhis occasion to cons. plain of on e o f t h e clergymen of that town, who was the :brother of a ea . of . the ncnmrealm, in receipt of a great year l y allowance, isepodest Church, and yet did not reside in his push at amongst the clergymen, and the poems tyrbe eof discontent. those were not the sentiments of the people • disdained such remarks. ' said the hon. member for Middlesex bad boastd t he first supported it and then opposed it in the become a candidate for Middlesex. Nt said the change of opinion bad taken plate be. thought of becoming such candidate. He pw nivant to apply hiN remarks to the member for illy. ;said he bad been instrumertal in induct to change hi s o pi n i on on t h e Beer Bil l—thatit before the hon. member thought of becoming a and that it was a most unfair thing et to lin. spoke to the like effect. e printed. WRIT roe Lynwood. lANDOB rose foe the purpose of diet respecting the writ for ivelbettl in t illsid he iibery and corruption to take piece withers bring , House. He regretted that the evidence before the House. the smut. He came forward lacy en pubile 1 his income frmn the CI 411. Non-residence um system was eat caus Mr. MAY gr thought eof du t Southampton. SIT. HU NI It disdained Mr. GOULBURN sal Much of principle, but I •:.eantime, he having bee • 31r IVARBURTON e ••re the hon. member the %...)nally knew that fact. Mr. HAY had not me Multilesex, but generally MA BEit Y:sa member for Middlesex to ',A long taken place befa 'andidate for Middle ?on: motives. Sir J. NEWPORT si Petition ordered to be The Marquis of CHA pipe rsedsos be issued .uoid not allow web bril Nuked into by the Hot :uo mittee was not bef ore • V"undi...Left sittin g . • • • DOVER. Deczmazß 15. Arrived.--The Crusader, Post Office Packet, Captain Sit almoca, from Calais; having on board the duchess of DINO (Prince TALLITSAND'S neice), Count Alave, the general who distinguished himself so vnlouroualy in the late war in Spain, in co-operation with the British army, Sir Haw and Lady HAMILTON, and about twenty other pas sengers. Great excitement has shewn itself these last few days, among the populace of Paris, on the approaching meet ing of the Peers for the trial of the ex-Ministers, which was to commence this day. PETITION. MOVED YESTERDAY AT THE ►IIDDLESEX MEETING AT HACKNEY. " Showeth,—That your petitioners are deeply and anxiously im. pressed with alarm at the present unparalleled disttessed condition of the people of this once happy, prosperous, and flourishing country. " That they have seen that commerce has long been carried on upon an insecure basis ; that distrust has for many years pervaded all ranks of tradesmen ; and that the productive classes have been, year after year, sinking into deep misery and misfortune; and that, at last, unable any longer to bear up under their numberless oppressions and privations, and stimulated by hunger and resentment, the poor have become the reckless destroyers of that food and property which they heretofore industriously laboured to produce and protect. That, in the opinion of your humble petitioners, these evils, and many others which have afflicted the country, have been produced by wasteful expenditure of nioney,which has been extracted, under the 1 1 sanction of oppressive laws, from the labours of an industrious people, by the enormous expenses incurred for wars,carried on against the rights and liberties of mankind—by the ruinous transition in the nominalvalue of property,consequent upon unreasonable changes in the currency—by the transition from a restrictive system of commerce to one of compa. rative freedom, unaccompanied by a reservation for cheap bread—by the cruelly oppressive character of the corn laws, through which the landlord was enabled to extract high rents from the farmer, and hence, the farmer was -compelled to reduce the wages of the labourers almost to starvation—by the pernicious tithe sys. tem, under the operation of which the cultivators of the land have been induced to look upon those who should be their , best friends, as their bitterest enemies—by a system which has in many instances prevented the cultivation of land, and thereby lessened the quantity of the labourer's food—by the cruel and sangui. nary game laws, from the effects of which the labourers have been con. venod into poachers, and the poachers into nocturnal thieves—by the mal-administration of the just and humane poor laws, which, in thou sands of instances, have caused the labourer to be deprived of his wages, and his half-starved family to be deprived of that relief to which they were justly entitled by law—by the expense of supporting unnecessarily a large standing army during l 3 years of undisturbed peace—by the extravagant and unmerited salaries, sinecures, and pensions p a id to public men, their wives, and their daughters. "That these and many other abuses, which your petitioners will not occupy your time by describing, because your humble petitioners have already repeatedly laid them before your honourable house. "Your humble petitioners, therefore, earnestly pray that they may be spared the further misery of such abuses, and protected against similar inflictions for the future, by such reform In your honourable house as shall give to the people their due influence in framing every measure of parliament, which reform, in the opinion of your petitioners, can neither be useful nor satisfactory to the people, if it do not secure to them short parliaments, the right of voting to every man aho contra. butes to the taxes and parochial rates ; and that only security for pure and incorruptible elections, vote by ballot; and it is the firm opinion of your humble petitioners that, if reform to this extent he not speedily adopted, the people of this country will become the victims of all the calamities and honors of a civil war." The petitions to both houses were adopted unanimously, as weU as a similar one to be presented to the king. The Sheriffs were appointed to convey the petition to his Majesty. A press of matter puts it out of our power to give the speeches de. livered upon this occasion ; and we can only find room to observe, that Sir Fitaxcis BuiDETT, at some length, stated that great reliance might be pieced on the present Ministry. Mr. Hosnonsa was in favour of shortening the duration of Parliaments, and vote by ballot. Mr. BT)fs would never vote for election by ballot ; upon the expression of which there were tremendous noise and hisses, and cries of " 11,4 off," which lasted so long, that Mr. BYWO was compelled to retire. Mr. Hums then addressed the meeting, on reform and retrenchment, anifd the cheers of the assemblage; and after a vote of thanks had been Ells to the Chairman, and Mr. Hume, the meeting closed at about -past five o'clock. SPIRI I' OF TH, r4L& Tiwis.—The hill introduced by Mr. Littleton on Tuesday, which we are happy to find supported by a large majority of the House of Com. mons, will, in our opinion, produce great advantage and unspeakable comfort to the toiling and oppressed manufacturing population of this country. The object of this measure is to abolish a mode of payment (or non-payment) by the Master Manufacturers to their workmen, which is usually called the " Truck.system." Many of our readers, probably, do not understand the meaning of the word, and we may briefly describe it by stating, that after the master has agreed to pay the workman his wages, at the rate (e. g.) of Is. per day, the mode he adopts for executing his contrast is, to open a kind of slop-shop, where the workman is, through sundry contrivances, placed under the necessity of resorting, to procure the several articles of daily consumption for hie family, an account of which is kept, and shown him at the end of the week, and stated as a set-off against his wages, of which it generally eats up the whole,or within Rod& of the whole,amount. If it be wise and just for the supreme power of a state to legislate at any time against artificial and usurped authority, it is eminently required in the case of the truck system, which does in fact, and beyond all question, put the poor man at tile merey of the rich. It it be right to maintain the equal obligation of contracts—which has always been a rule of civi lised government—there is surely no occasion for the exercise of such • duty more urgent than one which enable. A to elude his engage ment with B, and to rob him in substance while he adds to the sting of successful fraud, by pretending that the suf. firer is, and ought to be, left a " free agent." The truth is, that the laws of the last 40 years have, in their general scope and character, encroached greatly on the free agency of the industrious classes—a working manufacturer is, in many points, a practical slave. This truck manoeuvre has manifestly for its consequence to make him an inextricable pauper. He does not get frum his employer that for which he hired himself to work. He does not obtain from him a fixed portion of the standard coin of the realm, about the value of which there can be no dispute, should his master be disposed to plunder him. No, but he gets payment in pieces of bread, or cheese, or lard, which have no certain or determinate value, because the weekly value affixed ro them is that which the muter or his foreman pleases. And what a temptation is this for the honesty of the master, supposing him to be honest Conoirtat.x.—The Meeting of the County of Middlesex yesterday, at Hackney, was numerously and respectably attended. At this Meet ing there were diferences of opinion as to the causes of the distress in which the country is now involved. The extent to which the franchise should be communicated also lcd to diversity of opinion. But there was one point respecting which there was the same unanimity at Mid dlesex that there is everywhere else throughout the Island, namely, that no reform can be of any avail without the protection of the Ballot. We say unanimity, because, though Mr. Byng was opposed to the Ballot, the strong manifestation of feeling to which the expression of his opinion led, must have convinced him that there was no sytn. patty between him and the meeting on this point, Indeed, after the motion requesting Mr. Warburton to support the petition instead of Mr. Byng,whicb was serried unanimously, all doubt on the subject must be removed in the mind of the Hon. (Jentleman. There may be various opinions as to qualifications of voters for representatives. We ourselves are inclined to think that in the present state of the country, degraded and ignorant as a great part of the yet unquanknably is, ft would be safer, in the at In. stance, at least, to take swiss property qualification, as, while it secured independent voting, would also secure an intelligent es. excise of the franchise. But whoever obtains the franchise shosld ob tain it in reality. But such is the distribution of property is iitgbred, that the independent exercise of the franchise, even under the boot qrs. Maiden, would often lead to the punishment of the voter in his puree, without the protection of the ballot. The rich would have,ender the bid; lot, that influence which they ought to have, and no mare. It trould Mee 1 them to rely on the more noble titles to respect ; and we need sot say, that with equal qsalificatioos in other respects, the risk is this country would seldom fail in obtaining a preference. The wsnidp of weshb in Ragland requires to be moderated rather than asemiinpt. M a time when the tide seems to have set in strongly opium the Church of Lit Ragland, we may call suasion to the decimation m ade lik. Muse, that be never would be a party loth* sespoilin t he Clergy et their benedces ; and thee aniar t rassgetwast fog a cbamge in the mode of rewarding the y, I so bi the slosolicos sWerstion, and not an sot of troy vlaltna. The Tightest intlitlds. Os 'sok always to he respected. THE RIGHT HON. WILMOT HORTOIrS LECTURE, LONDON MKCHAMCS' INSTITULIOA: Yesterday evening Mr. Wilmot Horton c ommence d d e livering eJ Course of Lectures in the Theatre of the Mechanic' Institution, on the subject of the most efficient remedies for the present distress among the labouring classes in the United Kingdom. The Theatre was crowded, and amongst the auditors were many distinguished visitors. Mr. W. HORTON, as soon as the applause with which his entrance wait hailed had subsided, commenced by stating the object of the present lecture to be the general theory of labour, and impossibility of establishing a minimum of wages. It was not necessary in this inquiry to recur to the system on which t h e r i g h t of property was founded in this country—he should take it as he found it established by the law of England. The three first of the propositions agreed to by the class of the members of the Institntion, who had investipated the subject, and which were evi dent truths, contained the principle of what he should now address to them. These propositions were :—First, that commodities in excess, as compared with the demand fot them, are inevitably depreciated in value if they are brought int* the market for sale ; and that labour when brought into the m ar k et , so f ar parta k er o f t h e nature of commodities, that it is inevitably depreciated in value whenever it is in excess, as com pared with the demand. Second, that there is an extras of the supply of labour, compared with the demand for it amongst many of the ope rative and labouring classes in the United Kingdom; and that pauper ism, degradation, and suffering, are the consequences of that state of things.—Third, that to remedy such evils, either more labour must be demanded, or less labour supplied ; and that, unless one or other of these conditions can be satisfied, the evil is without remedy. The re medies proposed were an increased demand for labour, a diminished' supply, or a combination of both. There was this difference between labour and other commodities, that when commodities were in excess, the price of all commodi t i es o f the same kind fell in the market; but when labour was in excess, wages did not fall in the same degree. This accounted for the phenomenon, that the wags of labour continued greater than the support given to paupers; and though the standard of comfort enjoyed by the labourer may become deteriorated, yet vo luntary labour cannot be obtained less than the existing standard. He should on this point quotes pottage from the article Taxation, in the " Encyclopodia Britannica," which he believed was written by .Ir. Ricardo, and which was as follows : " If the supply of labour could be suddenly increased when wages rise, that rise would be of no advantage whatever to existing labourers ; it would increase their numbers, but it would not enable them to mount in the scale of society, or to obtain a greater command of the necessaries and conveniences of life; and, on the other hand, if the supply of la. bour could be suddenly diminished when wages fall, that fall would merely lesson the numbers of labourers, without having any tendency to degrade the habits or to lower the condition of those who survived. But in the actual state of things, no rise of wages can ever be counteracted by an increased supply of workmen coming into the market, until 18 or 20 yeats after it has taken place; for there are few or no branches of industry in which an active and skilful labourer can be bred in a shorter period. During all this interval, therefore, the labourer is placed in a greatly improved situation. Ile has a greater supply of wholesome and nutritious food, he has better clothes and better habita- tions ; he is rendered more attentive to personal cleanliness; and, as he rises higher in the scale of society, he naturally uses more providence and circumspection in the forming of matrimonial connection. In short, his opinions respecting what is necessary for his decent and comfortable subsistence are raised, and the natural rate of wages is, in consequence, proportionally augmented. " But it is squally impossible suddenly to diminish the number of the labourers when waLtes fall. Such a diminution cannot, as we have al ready stated, be effected otherwise than by the operation of increased mortality, or by a decrease in the number of births. But unless the fall were very sudden and extensive, it would require a considerable nuns. bee of years to render the effects of increased mortality very apparent ; and it is so difficult to change the habits of a people, that though the demand for labour were to decline, it would, notwithstanding, continue to flow into the market with nearly the same rapidity as before. Nor would the ratio of the increase of population be sufficiently diminished until the misery occasioned by the restricted demand, on the one hand, and the undiminished supply, on the other, had been very generally and widely felt." He thought it could be proved that it was possible to prevent this wide and general misery, by enabling the la bourer voluntarily to remove to another country, by which he may ex change a precarious subsistence for a fee simple property in a colony. He could not conceive the frame of mind of the man who would say it was cruelty and insult to propose to the labourer to exchange misery for Independence, merely because he was to cross the sea to gain ft.—(Applauee.)--In the United States of America a natural emigration was constantly taking place from the east to the west, which kept the population in a healthful state as to supply and demand. It was observed by an eminent writer, that in, Greece the excess of population was visible to the most vulgar eye ; in Europe it was only perceived by the philosophic eye. Their rulers would, in general, say their countries were not too popu. bus, and accordingly the increase of population had been encouraged. At their last meeting two great men had been quoted—Lord Chancellor Bacon, and Lord Chancellor Brougham. He could not tell whether Lord Brougham would agree in the recommendatiun of emigration as a means of improving the condition of the labourer. Lord Bacon, the most extraordinary man whose name has floated on the tie.e of time, bad done so in the most emphatic manner. In the reign of James L there was great suffering in England, arising from an excest of labour beyond employment. Ireland then held the same relation to England in ppulation that the American Colonies do now—population there was deficient. He need not tell them that the population of England was not then half what it is at present ' • but there was not capital to give em. ployment to the people. Lor d Bacon was asked how to remedy this evil and recommended emig ration to Ireland. " For this i s l an d ( says Lord Bacon to King James la endued with so many advantages of na. lure, considering the fruitfu ness of the soil, the ports, the rivers, the fisheries, the quarries, the woods, and other materials, and especially the race and generation of men, valiant, hardy, and active, as it is not so easy —no, not on the Continent, to find such confluence of commodities, if the hand of man (lid join with the hand of nature. An efftct of place in fruitful kingdoms, when the stock of people, receiving no consump tion nor diminution by war, doth continually increase a n d multiply, ' I most be a surcharge, or overflow of people, more than the t err i tor i es can maintain,which many times insinuating &general necessity and want of means in all estates doth turn external peace into internal troubles and sedition.. Now (he continues), allot an excellent diversion of this inconvenience is ministered by Otero Providence to your Majesty in this plantation of Ireland, a herein so many families may rceaive sustentation and fortune ; and the discharge of t h e m cut of England and Scotland may prevent many seeds of future perturbations, so that it is as it a man were troubled for the avoidance of water from places where he bath built his house, at d afterwards should advise with him. self to cast those waters, and to turn them into floods, pools, or streams, for pleasure. provision, or use. So stall your Majesty on this work have a double commodity in the avoidance of people here, and in making use of them there." The 'tame argument now applies to the United Kingdom and the American colonies. It had been said that the effect of emigration was to get some out of the way, to divide what they would consume amongst others. He accepted that pro. position, and thought it a beneficial effect. He would illustrate it by the ease of the town of Frome, in Somerset, from which he had pre. tented a petition for liberty to raise money to enable their paupers to emigrate. During the war, Frome, had an extensive manufacture of blue cloth, used in allots' jackets, which after the Peace entirely failed, and a large portion of those unemployed in it became paupers. 1 here are in the town 550 paupers of ages and health capable of he mming emigrants, under the regulation of the Emigration Cotnniittee. They prope,ed to send away 250 families averaging five members each. They had, from a painful necessity, brought down the expense of their paupers to 31. a bead, nuking the annual charge for these Fa milies 3,7501. for which they made no return. He had calculated that the expense of taking a family of five persons to Canada, and settling then there, with all the means necessary for providing for their comfort, would b;801. the interest of which, at 4 pee cent. would be 91. 44. If a sum were raised sufficient to enable dl these paupers to emigrate, the town would get rid of a permanent charge of 151. a-year for each family, for a charge of 31. 4s, and by turning it into an annuity of 71. Ins. the capital would be repaid in ten )ears.— He meant to pub lish the particulars of this statement, when all might judge of its cos. mince. But although the town of Franc had front necessity brought down the east of their paupers to 151. a family, it was proved before the Committee that the general expenses in Scotland f o r a f am ily of five persons w as 201. and in England 211. In Keut and , Sussex a pauper family of five persons cast 401. annually. The case of Frome proved the impossibility of establishing • minimum of wages. If the Frome pauper could put as high • price OD his labour as the Kent and Sussex paupers received, other labourers would have an equal right to raise the price of their labour—the shoe maker would demand • higher price for shoes lle might any to the farmer's labourer, if you burn the farmer's stacks because he does not give you a higher price for your labour, I will burn your cottage if you do not give me a higher price for my sfts. He might also say, I have seen you walk on the turf instead of the gravel—your wife also wears pattens ; in this way I am deprived of employment—the awes are not worn out; and if you destroy the thrashing machines that deprive you of your labour, beware of what I may do , if yru do not walk ore the gravel, and destroy your wife's urns. Labour must be bought and sold in the marketlike other commodities. Gore forbid he should say the pauperise*, should continue, he wished to give the poor man an opportunity of ob taining the value of his labour abroad, or by reducing the supply at home, to raise the condition of the labourer, and then the recurrence of those evils, which were probably the result of bad legislation in former times. The Hight Hon. Gentleman proceeded to show that any pee. sable reduction of taxation could not be a sufficient remedy for the dis tress produced by a superabundance of labour; at the same time stating his opinion, that whatever was anoccesarily taken from the people in tazatbn was robbery. The Lecture was beard throughoat with !helmet respectful attention, and at the coodusiss, and several times during the delivery, greatly artillitinoci announced a &mud Lathan ea Wednesday next. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. Dec. REGENCY RILL. Sir A. GRANT, Sir M. W. Rtnt.tv, and other Members from the Commons, brought up the ttegtney Bill (with amendments.)—. Agreed to. THE TREICK strtrtst. Lord SUFFIELD, In the absence of a Noble Baron, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, presented a petition from the workmen and labourers of Nottingham against the Truck System. It was signed by 8,000 persons. REDRZU Or GIIIIIVANCES. The Noble Lord presented a petition from Nottingham and its vied. nity, praying for Redress of Grievances. FARLIRMERTARV REFORM. The Duke of H ADI I LTON prescnted petitions for Reform in Par. liament. from Linlithgow, Hamilton, and Lanark. The Noble Duke concurred in the sentiments of the petitioners. The anxious desire for a change In the constitution of the House of Commons, was spreading rapidly everywhere. He was happy to present these three petitions, and he could assure their Lordships that many more would come from Scotland, there being in that country a general anxiety upon the subject. Th e N o bl e D u k e o b served that he should nct have said so much but from what had fallen from as Honourable Illember in the other House of Parliament. It had been said in that House, that Edinburgh had no desire for change or Reform in Parliament ; but, en the contrary, all were satisfied. It appeared from meetings held in Edinburgh and other places, that the public entertained a very different opinion. THE SWAN RIVER. Lord TEYNHA M gave notice that he should to-morrow take the op. pottunity of putting certain questions to hie 31ajesty's Ministers rela tive to the Swan Rircr Settlement. LAW REFORM. Lord WVNFORD raid. he should more the second reading of his bill for altering and improving the practice of the common law, on Monday. SLAVERY. Pvitiors for the abolition of slavery were presented by Lord SUF FIELD from Perth, Donley, and Liverpool ; by Lord WHARN CLIFIE from Wolverhampton ; and by Lord 00SFORD from se veral parts of Suffolk. Adjourned. HOUSE OF Co3l3loNtl, Dar. I. Mr. PL.INI'.I moved for a new writ for Plympton Earl, in the room of Lord Valletort, who has accepted the Chiltern Hundreds. NEGIMO starEatr. 111 r. EWART presented a petition from Liverpool, for the aboli on of Ne4ro Slavery, making compensation to the slave owners. (len. GASCOY NE said he trusted that ere !cog the question would be Pet at rest. Keeping it suspended over the heads of the West India proprietor, very seriously injured their property. He felt assured they would nut oppose the abolition, if there were proper compentation.—. Ordered to be printed. 3lr. LEE LEE presented a petition from Wells, fur the repeal of the house and window tax. Sir J. BOURK F. presented a p. tits. n from Ualway, for the ratters. Lion of the Elective k ranchia to the Catholics of that town. THIS SCWS. Mr. R. GRANT presented a petition from the Jews. He gave ro. lice that he should introduce a bill on the subject on the 17th Feb. A MEMBER observed that it had been said that Jews were alw s strangles in the land in which they were born. Al'as that the fact ? Mr. R. GRANT said he would at.steer that, when the questimi was brought forward. Sir R. INGLIS gave notice that they should oppose the hill. General GASCOYNE said, that the should oppose the Bill. Sir G. ROBINSON presented a petition from Northampton fur a reduction of taxation and salaries, Mr. ADEAN presented a petition from the Isle of Ely, praying that the Local Courts' Bill might be extended to that Island. Sir A. CHICHESTER presented a petition from Belfast for the abolition of slavery, and compensation to slave-owners. Mr. R. KING presented six petitions from Cork for the abolition of slavery. &r W. ING LE BY presented a petition from the owners and occu. piers of land in Lincolnshire, for the repeal of the duty on fire insur ances ; and a petition from a parish in Lincoln against slavery ; and one from Spalding against the duty on coals. LABOURING POOll. Mr. SADLER gave notice, that on the 24th of February, Its should move for leave to bring in a bill for bettering the state of the labouring poor in England. MACAULET presented, tied up in a bundle, upwards of '203 petitions, for the abolition of negro slavery. DUNDAS . II SIVECE•E‘. Mr. DUNDAS availed himself of this opportunity to mired a state- meat respecting him, that his two offices produced 7,0001. a year. This was by no means the fact—his receipts were 4.5001; and his offi ce ren. dered him liable to any clerical errors made by his clerks. Fo r oat of his clerks he paid 3001. and tor another 4001. 31r. KENNEDY observed that he was glad to hear this explanation. He did not wish to make any accusation against the right hon. gentle., man; but he had felt juatified iu making observations respecting his Majesty's late ministry. He had done no more. He was glad to hear that the right hon. gentleman had but 4,5001. instead of 7,00111.; but, at the same time, he could not avoid saying, that he knew of so services that entitled the right !UM. gentleman to such pay out of the publ rvice. Sir GEORGE WARRENDER observed that the returi.s had many inaccuracies in them. The Marlborough family received 34001. instead of 0,0001. lie did not grudge rewards for services to the pub. Fe. hut he would press the abolition of sinecures. lie said, it the minima% did nothing on the subject, he should move that there be it reduction of 27i per cent. from all sinecures ' where these Olin Were given fur peculiar services to ancestors. He should like thew to imitate the example of the late Lord :hair, who, immediately eta coming to his paternal estate, resigned his 1,6001. a-year—others had not pursued that course. Mr. LENNARD trusted that all sinecure% would be abolished. DR. TIAILLPOTTP. Mr. PHII.I.POTTS asked whether the Ministers had made up hair mind as to what course they would pursue respecting the living pro. mired the Bishop of Exeter, to be held hr hint art eownstendassil Lord A LTIIOft P observed, that the Government had detcrrerriel that it was a gross piece of abuse of patronage to confer a living shit a Bishoprick where the distance between the tao pluses ass so great, It was on that principle alone that the Government had come to the rerutu t tiun respecting the ewe, not front any personal molve., nut wi any reference to the party in %limn the Bishopric and living were to be conferred ; at the smne time the Guvenim.nt colfd rot hut think that the case of the Right Reveretd Prelate was rather hard, for with the bishopric ti e living had ben promised, ani they therefore had cone to the detertnirat . on ,of offering the first piece of patronage not e nnected with the cue of souls, to the acceptance of this Right Rev. personage. Feelirg that the two appointments were incompatible, the government had tot confirmed the grautn.g of the living, and feeling that such promotions ser:ously affected the irnerrsts of the church, the government had deter. mined in no way to countenance them.—(Cheers.) DIIILDIXIII ACT. Mr. HUGHES HUGHfr.;ii moved for leave to bring in a bill for the fur her and better regulation of the building of party walls, for the • mote . ffeetual prevention of fires. Le.tve given. THE MADIATMACY Or IRELAND. Mr. WOORMON MAHON moved for returns tespectlog the Mas giatracy of Ireland. He considered the motion accessary to prevent the deterioration of the Magistracy in the estin:ation of the people. He however regretted to say that there were Irish klagistnaes in the lowest grades of life, and some who had been guilty of the moat fraueMenr practices. That were some who had participated in the offences tom they ought to have punished, and sozne who had received bribes ter thus perversion of justice. He then concluded with triovir.g fur ntt.res of the rames of all the Nlagistrates of all the Counties of 'retard. dirties guivhing chore who were Clergymen, civil or military Wherry, anti the amount of their pay ; the professions or trades of t h e others; ale* :bra opihost pay had been suspended, taken the benefit of the Invelvent bt in's Act, or against whom conuubmions of bankruptcy had been i-sutd, and how many times. 1 r Col. (AMA DY observed that the Magistracy of Inland sere a very active body of men, and that they bad fit quently exposed the it brill in the service of the country. At the same unit he V.ought the iv vision should be left with the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Lord STOPPOItD also thought the recision ought to Le 'eft a itb the Lord Chancellor. Mr. Maxwell espretuad a similar opinion. Sir F. T said, it would be throwing too onerous a mai on the Lord Chancellor. It was urged that there were p. rams Who were Irish magistrates who ought not to be such. lie considered due the return would be most usefuL Mr. CA LCILAY'r said, he world not oppose the motion, if Apr parliamentary proceedings were to be founded on it—htet ittatubm where was the use of calling fa the returns Mr. RUTHVIIN said, the returns week, be most useful; and as to parliamentary proceedings, till the returns were made, bow maid the hon. manner determine whether he world found say amino yes spitting them P value of the return he could not question t he knew 'bat tbe description of same of thaw by the bon. mower was 7t career. bk. CAM PBBLL said, the mem called fee quite esiengirt it asked whether nu& ram had ever mtepesdal pompom t end If sp. . bow often P They might sa well ask if say of thee had sea * slued wlsiteryvond if so, bow Aso P.—( MIA botogbewb) • .;••• air C. WitHih ELL oppwal the suction, as being ireiteross end enbettrd of. and priToefas as sennorrosieltle bt t. 4.