The National Register. — London, England, 1818-03-01 00:00:00

.~- ~~ ~' Z 4.• I'~ 66 imrna.u. PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. :%lonnair. Lard Hot. t. A mnpre,entell a Petitition from theitioril Mayor, Aldermen. and Coalmen Conned of :ttir City of Lewin.), praying, that previous to the passing a 8111 of lode •ty, a fall and !inlet investigation shoillii be made into the condole of Ministers daring the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus AFL—Orilereil to lie on the table. • Lordea ERN presented n Petition from certain per. sons inhabitants of Manchester mud its neighbour, 1, corn • plaining of the base aspersions which hail been cast en their chtiraelers by Spies and Inforinets, and praying the House avoid(' institute in q uiry into •the troth of these allegations. Ordered Wile ass the futile. The Noble Lordthen presentedPe titiens (rum 02den. Sellers. Akers, and Bray, complaining of being arrested and imprisoned tinder the Suspension Act ; after has ism been treated with great severity, being dis .ehargeil without trial, anti praying redress of the House. -Ordered to lie on the table. REPORT OP THE SECRET COMMITTEE. The Duke of Morscaose brought up the Report of the Se. -eret Committee, which, on the Motion of the 'Noble Mike, • was read by the Clerk. The Report nommeneed by stating the p'ts contained in the Reports of the Secret Coo'l'ly[ beasioarrite xo the insurrections at Derbyglhfm, !soot Huddersfield, and in the West orissleire. It•then proceeded to detail the •transactions during the trials at Derby ; and the Committee • declared that the ciresinistanees which appeared upon those tri kis, the fact of 19 of thepersons indicted there having with drawn their plea of Nat Guilty, and pleaded Guilty, fully es. tablished in the minds of the Committee the credit of those reports. The Committee, however, were happy to find, that not wittistandioc the attempts made try tlw ill-disposed and misgtiiiled, the great mass of the people had temaiued peace able and well disposed. The Committee still however consi. tiered it was necessary Goiernment should remain active. The Committee had also examined papers connected with the arrests of persons coin 'lilted under the powers of the Sus. pet Sinn Act, and found that not a single individual had been •cominittted under the powers of the Suspension Act, ex •cept upon information on oath, and under circumstances which fully justified their commitment. Thirty.seven of !these persons thus arrested upon warrants for high treason had been discharged without trial. The Government it appeared bad from time to time expected to bring some of those per sons to trial, but vire stances occui red, which induced them, en grounds well warrauted, to give up those eapecta lions. The Duke of Marcreoss, the Report having been tread, moved that it should lie•on the table. Lord ftirsosesmon said, it was not his intention now to oppose the Report being laid on the table, or to enter into Any dismission open*. He could not but observe, however, :that the Report just read.contained.no information whatever which was new. It was a mere transcript of what had ap speared on the trials at Verhy. Upon that evidence the Learned Judges who presided scouted the idea of a plan .of general insurrection. The present Report went no further than the evidence at Derby did in establishing 'that fact, Lord Launean.s.de said, the present Report alluded par 'Similarly to the facts mentioned in the two former Reports. He, thought, therelbre, those Reports should be ,re-printed for the use of their Lordships. The Report was then read undlaid on the table. BILL OF INDEMNITY. lA. Liege POOL said, a Noble Friend of his, would °Wednes day, introduce a Bill founded on the Report which had been just read to their Lordships. .It would be proposed to read the Bill a first time on that night, and to fix the second reading for Friday next.—Adjourned. WUNADAY. Lord HOLLAND presented to Petition from iseveral house holders of the city of Bath in favour of the Bill for regula ting chimney .sweepers, and praying that the same might be .passed into a law.—Adjourned. WZDNESDAV. Earl AITIWILLIAN presented a Petitionfrom certain inha. bitants of Loodon and Westminster against the chimney sweepers' RegnlationHill. 'Earl GROSVENOR said, hej had a Petition to present from ' Thomas Evans, late a prisoner.in Horsemonger-lane.gaol, one •of r the persons who had very .properly - resisted tbc measures taken to induce them to enter into recognizance.. The.Pe- ' stitioo, Which was read by the clerk, and laid en thetable,was similiar to that presented •to the Common+ aroma the mote :BILL 'OF INDEMNITY. The'Duke of Mowroon: said it was hie ditty to present a 'Bill for indemnifying his Majesty's Ministers and persons em ployed in apprehending prisoners under the late Act of Par liateent. It was not necessary for him to say any thing in its, support in this stage. He should merely propose,:that the Bill be now read a first time. The •Earl of •LAUDERDALE observed that from the title of the Biil,ashe heard it stated by the Noble Duke, it appeared. to bee Batiste indenuaifying his Majesty's Ministers for every .act they had done •ender the tuspension of the Habeas Cor- T ens Am. frhe BW however, for aught their Lordships knew., might extend still further. tow what wee the •situation in which their Lordships were placed ? They knew by the.' jonruahr of the Moose of 'Parliament that papers had been also scent* that House, and referred to a Committee : that Committee . liad not yet reported, and their Report might tee such as to tender en, proteciling of the kind now proposed, -reery improper to be adopted by their Lordships. The . Earl. of Livcorood saw no possible ground for delay 'ln the objectiou-stated by the Noble Lord. Were itgood for .any thew, it would he eqtsidly.good against a measure-which , their Lordships had already aneetioned, namely, the appoint •lllest of a committee to inquire into the conduct of Ministers' •as tie papers which had been -submitted to ',Weir , Consider., .Lord Hosuaton expected that thelloble Duke would hate stated more at length what ',was the nature of•the.Bill he had! .presented. The Duke of Moierctose said the Bill was Of the same mature as the Bills of Indeinuity proprosed in similar' cases, and he bay, no reason fur delaying its progress on the psNsipiltty of Wale otber, proceeding biding instituted in the Lord list.t:ANnprcposeb to reeve, ussnwinnenktine at; that +the Bill he road a lust tune ten days hoe tit ; but a Mutsu() was' finally made for tins day•n~iu fight. The Earl of Liverpool automated a willinytcss to postpone the second reading till Moodily. `rut NATIONALt AILSTFR. Lord Holland and Lord Lauderdale wished that Tuesday should he the day. After a few words from the Flail of Rosslyn and the Mar gals of Lansdowne,'who wished to delay the second reading to Tuesday. the Amendment was negatived, and the DM read a first time.—Adjourned to Friday. FRIDAY. CITY PF.TITION. Lord HOLLAND prf!senled a Petition from the Lord Mayor, two : ldenucn, and ten other persons, praying the House not to pass the: Indemnity Bill. The Lord CHANCELLon intimated that it could only be received as -the Petition of the individuals whose names were attached. The Petition was then w: tiered to lie on the table. Earl GROSVENOR presented a Petition from Samuel Bagtie ley, at' Manchester, complaining or hardships endured under the Habeas Cocpus Suspension Aft, and .praying the Houle not to pass a Bill of Imlenvnity. Earl GROSVENoR also presented a Petition from F.lijah Dkon, of Manchester, praying for Parliamentary Reform. Both Petitions were ordered to lie on the table. THE KIL OF INDEMNITY. The Duke of Mos Time rose. on the Order of the Day, and said—'• In rising to move that this Bill be read a second time, it appears to me to be proper that I should offer to your Lordships some Observetions respecting the circumstances which led in the introduction of the Bill. I must trouble your Lordships to recollect in what situation the country was at the beginninistit of last Session of Parliament. Your Lordships will remember that in the counties of Nottinel 4111, Derbyshire, and Leirecrorshire, much destriretion of names and many murdereteok place, to the astonishment and terror • of the country. By the confeesion of unfortunate men, who stiffer, d with their lives outtlie oceasi 111 l ,it was acknowledged that the breaking of these (frames, and the murder of indi_ viditals, was the effect of a , concerted system, and that it was so settled that the destruction of human life, as %villas the destruction of frames and homes, swat a fisted arrangement. It was acknowledged that it was their intention to murder the Judge on his seat of Justice, and that money was received to tire upon him during .his removal from one place to ano ther." The Noble bilke thenadvirtedste the establishment of seditious clubs and ineetinngs, the Spa. fields meetings, the at tempt own' e Prince Regent, and the application to Parlia• meet in consequence of which the Habeas Corpus Suspension Bill passed. The Executive Government had enforced it with moderation, and they might almost feel themselves entitled to a Bill of Indemnity, but after the Report laid on their table, it would be corollary to the Suspension Bill. lint the fact was, the Government did not seek indemnity fer them_ selves. The Magistrates, to whom the country owed very much, ought to . be protected. It would be most unwise and unjust to makethein come forward to eontunicate the aonrces .of that inforunatiou by which his Majesty's Government had been able to do so much for public safety. Under these cir cumstances, the Noble Duke moved the Bill be read a second time. The Marquis of LANDODOWNE rose, not for the purpose of code:lc/oaring to induce the House to refuse the Bill, bat to call on their Lordships to give their cool attention to the character-of the proceeding 'then before them—the effect it would have on the rights and property of British subjects.— The measure before them could not be separated from the Bill of last year, called the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act. But he could never admit the extraordinary proposition of the Noble l)aise, namely, that it was to pass as a matter of tonrse, and areorollary to.the Suspension Act. He examined the ground on .which the Suspension .Bill passed, and con tended that insinstance of insurrection hadoecurred tooatroug for the law. In the Metropolis, which had been desovibed to be in a dangerous state, the Noble Viscount had-outy been able to arrest two persons. dt might be true that there still were persons who remained disposed to carry into effect their projects of overturning the State, but lie thought the confinement attach persons in Bedlam would have been in. finitely better than •martiniug them is Coldbath.fields Prison. The Noble Marquis would not allow that a Bill of Indemnity would of necessity follow the Suspension of the Habeas Cor pus. He concluded by moving that the word in the Noble Duke's motion, " now," be left oat, and the words " this day fortnight" be .introduced. The object of the amendment was to postpone the second-reading of the Bill for, a tortaight.. The Earl of Liveneont.-said, the question the House had to consider -this night was, whether on the principle of the BM it was a •13111 of Indemnity of the nature proposed.— His Noble Friend only meant to say, that, looking at the Re- port laid on the table, a Bill of Indemnity did appear as a corollary. The power placed .by Parliament iu the hands of the Esecutive Government had been not abused and on that ground alone they were prepared to ask for.indemnity. Lord BRUME supported the amendment. Vbe Lord Ctiegext.Lua Apposed it. iscount Slummy(' supported the Bill Lord Hota.amD, at great length opposed the Bill as did Lords Grosvenor andtCaernarvon The question was then fondly called for, and the House divided open the question that the Bill be read a second, time. The number were :—Contents I.oo—Non Contents 33 —Majority 87. • Adjourned at half past ten. MOUSE OF COMMONS. 1 MONDAY. Mr. R. Roulette protected a Petition from the City of Lath, against the Bill for Lighting that City with Gas. One wax also presented from the :Pt oprietors of Collieries in that neighbourhood, is favour of the Bill.—They were both re. feroed to the Committee on the.ttill. The Sheriffs of London presented is. Petition. from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, against theindem aity.Bill passing iiito a Law.—Laid ou the table and to be printed. silr. 'Unpin .gave notice that he Aback! on Wednesday' reoveitior leave to bring in a Bill to repeal those Acts which isslase to the apprehension and conviction of offenders, and whech entitle the officers apprehending to rewards on their wolivnction, commonly called Blood Money. Mr. BELOILT presented a Petunia from G. Bradbury, who. was ariested under the Habeas Corpus Act, tin/tying that no lindemicity Bill should lie passed ; and also sine truism certain iiistiviitimis at Nottitighou, iptaying for lteform, ; and Soo If. Bin:den a siniilarone, float Wesuiluister.and Warwick. All ordered to lie on the table. •Oil the tecointreading of the Bath GasiLight-Bill, 001. PA LE kit opposed it, on the partyl the alisyoollllllkl C.V.( poi atiosiof 'tharCity. They 4W mot object to the principal' of the Bill, hat.as CluArthau6 of the foods of that Coiporativu, ...... _ they did think that they were justified in wailing a little longer to are how the experiment would turn out. It was true that numbers of the Inhabitants desired the Bill, brit when it might be deemed expedient to introduce Gas into the City, a Elaine might he introdneed into the Gas Bill, to extend its provisions. With respect to the beauty and uscild ness of it. he was disposed to admire it ; but at the same time, it was injurious to the health of the inhabitants. He mowed that the URI be read a second time this day three months. Mr. Gomm,/ thought, as the Corporation of Bath had no objection to the principle of the Bill, it might be as well to allow it to go to a Committee ; but ill truth he Inhered that the Corporation only set forward an objection because they wished to light their own City, and, not to suffer any intruders to take the business out of their hands. ' Mr. CurtwEN said, he wa% itivo*ed to have made every concession to the Corporation, knit an Officer of that respect able bb:ly refused to listen to any terms, and declared that they would depend fur rejeckng it on the strength of their novel—(a laugh.) After some further observations 'from Lord J. Thynne, Mr. Prothuror, Mr. P. Moore, Mr. Barnett, Mr. Benson, and Sir 1%. liobliouse,the House divided—For the second reading now. 79—Against it, 36—Majority, 41. The Bill was then read a second time. Mr. HAM:ES prestlitrd a Petition from the Trustees of the British Aluiseum, praying for Parliamentary aid. He was aware of the invidtiousness of calling on the House at this me•neot for pecuniary aid; nor would the Trustees have ah plied, but in consequence of a desire, on their.part, to be en abled to purcitase the library of the late Dr. Barney, whose collectior was the must valuable or tiny extant. Mr. VANstrranT was disposed to consent to the purchase of the Library, because steels an •oppnrtatnily would rarely occur of bavingAo valuable a Library is the blusetun for the use of tits Public. On the Motion of Mr. ii trntat, the Petition was referred to a Committee to report thereon. Mr. D. 611.11E11T hrought up.the report of the Select Cur nnitee on the Public Expenditure. . . Sir C. Monett wished to know from the Right Non. Gentle man•in what state the Revenue was. He had understood that it was Nourishing; and lie hoped the Right Hon. Gen. denial) would sa•isty the House on that head. Mr. VaNstimatur said, when the accounts came to be in vestigated, it would be found that the income would exceed the expentlintre about three .millions. in this he included the Sinking Fund. On the motion for the second reading of the cotton maou• factures, regulation bill. bir It. PREL made some observations on the state of the manufacturing and labouring classes, affected by the bill.-- He hoped, 1141 as the subject had been three years before the House, and it was necessary that something should be done to relieve the,little children from the oppressive labour is which they are subjected, especially after the - melancholy catastrophe which had oceured at Huddersfield—he hoped that no delay would take place.in allowing the bill to pass. It could not be said that children are now free labourers. He should now propose to place them from nine to sixteen years under the protection of parliament, and that nate should he permitted to work hi manufactories under nine years of age, that the time of .labour should be eleven hours, allowing one hour and a half •for meals; thus making the time for employ ment twelve hours and a half. Lord LAWELLES had no intention of opposing tlie,prinei pie of the bill, but it was one thing to manage children, aha are not free labourers, and another to interfere with free la bour. With respect to the bill, lie thought it did not originals with the sepon of the Committee. . . . Mr. PHILLIPS said, some doubt had arisen ter pecting the propriety of making regulations of the nature alluded to.— The Hon, Gentleman condemned the pruceediu 4 s that had been resorted to in the manufacturing towns to get signatures to the petitions in favour of the bill, since its first introduc tion. He referred to the evidence of several manufacturers to chew that the children of weavers often worked fifteen au4 sixteen hours at a time, in dark and damp cellars. He de nied that it was true that more children were brought to the infirmaries in consequence of being employed in these facte. ries. At least it was not the case in Manchester. The con. sequence of limiting the working hours would be felt materi ally by the revenue, for it was a well known fact, that on the continent, in manufacturing districts, the hours for .labonr were quite as long as in this country. He deprecated the idea of legislating in this I expect, and implored the House to pause. Mr. DAVENPORT said, that the House ought not to inter fere with free labour, unless under a case of great exigency. He cautioued the Hon. Baronet of being .in too great a hairy in bringing this measure forward. Mr. Fast observed, that the Hon. Mover had no wish to press the subject, lie had so stated. It was impossible to judge of the eltect ofthe bill until the blanks were filled up in the committee. He hoped, that no opposition would arise until an opportuuity was afforded of circulating the bill through the country. The question now was not whether the House 'Amid legislate-or-mot, but whether the subject should not be enquired into. He did nut mean to deny, that some of the mills were very respectably conducted; but lie wished to observe, that it was not intended to legislate. fur such ma nufactoi ics, but fur those which were not ao respeetably.con ducted, and did employ the children during the night. He noticed the petition coming from the parents of the children employed, who desired •the interference of parliament; and ' who stated, that they had no means of repressiu; tile time of .-einploynaent ;and that the excessive tatigue to which tbey were subjected by the masters was ge eatly prejudicial to the health of their children. He wished, therefore,,the House to allow thr bill to.go to a committee. 1111%.FINDLAV observed, that with respect to the.year at which the children -should be allowed to work first—that might be•of use in Scotland, because lie that country there were we poor rates. He was of opinion it would be highly detrimental to the interests of the cotton trade, in respect of the supply t 6 be given to the foreign markeis. It•would be a facility to the foreign manufacturer, and thus injure our re. venue. He contended that the children employed in menu ficinries, were better treated than any others in the same situation of life. He (Mr. F.) was one of the commitiee to inspect the city gaols, and there lie sass several children con demned to die. who were . under t 2 yeacsaof age. If those children had been employed ice illsl6lll.lCteriUl: Wier would have been 141 no such situation, because they would ineve,acqulred habits of industry.which would lievepreveuted them Prose Tutu vice. ~lr. iiiey s anted wore , Experience as to , this lIICAMIIIe before they legislated on it. Sir F. ltuttne,rr said, they wanted no physician's opinion to tell them that eltildrens' health mast be injured by an unit. tutted umuker of hours work lathe 24. As to chilsirep work. 11111•111U1.