The Statesman. — London, England, 1818-02-24 00:00:00

Mr. GORDON said, that tbo.Petitioners fur the Gss Lights anseunte!J, he believed, to Sor 3000. — lie belsoled the rest auto of the miSe`mas, that the Corporatinn wanted to boa 4114 *Ante business in their own hawk, thinking it might prove to them a profitable; concerti. Mr. M ETH UEN spoke in favour of die respects bility of the Company. Col. PALMER explained. - Mr. CUR WEN observed, that the etreptino re specting I,nrd Manvers's property was copied from a Corporation Bill. Views of monopoly were die. claimed ; what was asked fur was improvement. Lord LTA Y N N E spoke in a low tone, in favour of the Corporation. Mr. [WTI:I.:ROE argued for the Bill's going Into a Committee. - • Mr. P. MOORE bid no portico's'. objection to its going into* Cosnmittee; but when there, be should wish to call the attention of the Committee to the price charged for Gus. Be thought that, in the pre sent way, the poor were likely to softer. He had bad a gond deal of information 'Nutt time Gas-light Companies., At one time the chugs proposed was ,isoly four peso& per house in all its branches, and that it should be put upon a similar footing with 'Thames water. supply. Pubis •lamps,, supplied by oil, were, he endesstood, thranfartblags each, and Gas aught. it would appear, to be bait ; a farthing. - -Mr. BARNETT said !bet the opens wits sets. Wed by the coil of Net. „ /fr. BERSON so(r i t 4ir, wa rd,. Sir B. HOlSHOUSEihasaght nosh co:insi ders', in e Goseasittne.. The gallery was clealealOrt.lo o ** lo i 401 1 " took place— • For the Amesdmend • . Apia's it 79 Majority for Mean:and wad* —4l t. ntDtMNITY. • Mr. Sheriff Won't* presented the City Petition against an Intlemniiy Bill, which was read and or dered to lie on the table; and, on the motion of Mr. BENNETT, (Adored to be printed. CITY PRISONS. . Si. W. CURTIS moved for sundry Accounts of Monies paid by the Chamberlain of the City of Lon don on account of the different Jails. for tilo last two jeers, distinguishing the Jails.—Ordeted. The Report of the Thamis end Medway Canal Bill was received. COLLEGE OF SURGEONS: ' Accounts were ordered of Fees : waived by the College of Surgeons, and of alterations in tbit.re spect since its institution also for similar accounts from the College of Surgeons at Edinbergh, and . from that in Dublin. SURGERY BILL. The Surgery Bill was ordered to be read a second Gee that day fortnight. SALT DUTIES. Mr. CALCRAFT gage notice of a motion for Tuesday, the 10th of March, respecting the Salt Duties. TILOODAIONEY. Mr. BENNETT tap notice of a motion for Wed nesday, for a Bill to repeal the practice of 'Officers taking fees, *wantonly called Blood-money. POOR RATES'. • ' Sir CHARLES MORDAUNT proteeted Peti- On from Birewielham_,_ stating the alattning.amount of the Poor Rates.—Referred to the Committee tia the Pont 1.4.9, and ordered to he printed. H A REAM CORPUS SUSPKNSION. • Sir W. 11URIIOUCHS gave notice of a motion for Wednesday, for Returns of all Persons commit ted and dioeharged on Charges of Treason, or Sus picion of Treason, ender the Act for anspeading the Habeas Corm. * • CORK-MANUFACTURERS. Mr. SHAW, of Dublin, prevented-a Petition from the Manufacturers of Cork, in Dublin.—Ordered to lie on the table. FORGERIF.S ON THE BANK. Sir JAMES M AcINTOSH had a motion to make, ' which, If not then assented to, he would make to. morrow, for certain returns from the Bank of Eng land, persons prosecuted fur forging, or uttering forged Noses, distinguishing particulars, and stating tho number who suffered death on conviction, for 20 years preceding the seapension of cash payments, and from that period to 1815. Also for returns of the Bank during such periods in these prosecutions. After a few words from the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, Sir J. MACINTOSH rive his notice for to. inoirow. • CLERGYMEN OFFICIATING IN JAILS. TN: Bill went through the Committee.' Report to-morrow. ARMY ESTIMATES. • • Lord PALMERSTON gave notice of his Wen. lion to move t Mhe BURN rmy ErYt' Esimates S LI BRA on F Y iday. Mt.. BR . Mr. BANKES presented a Petition from the Trustees of the British Museum, praying for Perlis t enicry aid to enable they to purchase the Library of the late Dr. Burney. The floe. Gentletnan de scribed the library•in question as nee of a most vs. bible description, the result of the rccumelation of many years by its late possessor, a man: of great learning end taste, and who bad sparsid l a reason. able espence in the collection. Under the circum stances in which Dr. Burney had lift his family, they were desirous that this Library should be disposed of, and although he (Mr. Bankes) felt reluctant at a time like the present to call for any Parliamentary grant that was got absolutely necessary, ,yet, when it was considered how important it was to deposit so reliable a collection in a place in which it would be eo easily accessible as the British Museum, (the re. gelation, of which, of late years, had given so much satisfaction), he trusted the House would be disposed to accede to the prayer of the Petition. The CHANCELLOR.of the EXCHEQUER. bore testimony to the talents and learning of Dr. Burney, sod agreed in tbinklag that the present opportunity of acquiring to the British Museum his valuable Li brary of Manuscripts aid Books ought not to be neglected. A Committee was appointed to examine into the subject s and to roped to the Home. FINANCE. Mr. DAVIES GILBERT presented a Report from the Select Committee appointed to enquire into the (come and Expenditure of the Cosntry. Sir C. MONCK wished to ask the Right Hon. the Chancellor. of the &chapter, if he could favour the House frith apm is to the balance et the locums of the coustry, compared with the ezpeeditere l for last year ChEa Tile MASI 1e '4 'l / 4 84 141 • llfri stated, that tit* .f the Memo attest yatir,. eonspereit with eliterillotiat, lad bass mete 4a voisiable ihati was anticipated when en Ben. Irrieed of bis, at the close of last &sake, asbesitte&Lcartsks Financial Resolations to he House. Oa wonspaelog the income end espenditere of the country. in the mode pointed oat by these Resolatiossi, the surplus of the income above the espeuditure, leclediag the . Sinkihß Fund, was three millions.' EMPLOYSIEN OF CH[LORIIN IN MANUFAC... TONI K 9. Sir R. PEEL, its rising to move for the 'nett& reading of his Bill, adverted to objections made ,against it en a former eight. It could not be Said' that the Bill would obstruct free labour, for children l eeeld ant be called free !sheerer& Ile hoped the 'Meese would pursue the same course u they did 104 the Sill this time three years. If the House rseiasent to have the Bill now read a second time, a nd dim blanks filled op, be would pledge himself to do ssetbing more till after Easter. The obleett - of the Bill were to prevent children from being . employed ita . the factories before the age of nine; frost Dine to iisteen to pet them ender the protection of Part*. moot Os he did not look upon them to be flee agents till the latter age); to limit the time of siettsai 4 lehber,l eleven. hours, which, . with she addition of eti hoot lea half for meals, would make op twelve hours sad lior the whole day • sod lastly, to take away the mischief of . working Children by night," and pro hibit all night-work. • The Order of the Day was theet : pist, thattbe Cot ton Factory Bill be read a second time. lard LASCELLEi did net intend to oppose the second reading, because of the declaration that the Bill would lie over till after the recess, and the blanks in the mean time be filled op, which would afford better meet* of learning its true nature. Though not (deadly to the maimends of the measure, there was one proviaion of it be approved of, that limiting , the age of entering into employment ; ba t he, could s wot say the same respecting that Hashing the time of tabour. In former times all mills were woltedby the force of streams ; the invention and application of steam engines had .caused a greet diminution ii Such ; bet still* greet proportion were kept is action by water. To ley down particular hoursoflabourfor the latter was unwise in the last degree, end alse t olafair. 'kills worked by steam could be set going at any time, but the other class must depend for (hat spring. of operation on causes beyond human agency. His opposition to the measure was in a great degree founded on the circumstance, that it did not spring from the Report of 1816, but from evidence kept in 'Gentlemen's pockets. This was an underbsatl mode of legislation. Mr. PHILLIPS said, that the Petitions 9* ivlsicit this measure was grounded, were the produce of idle, factious workmen. Some persons bad bees ex. tremely active in generating discontent among the cotton workmen. During the sitting of the Com mittee of 1816, he had asked an inditidessi t if be had not caused the publication of an advertisement of this nature in the manufacturing districts— " That rem*sieg children would so mach enlarge the price of labour, that thee the father and terp eldest son would earn as much as the whole ferally,did noW." He was at first quite indignant at such an ,imputation, bet efterwerds was obliged to show it Is be fact, sad say it had escaped his memory.— . -' Mr. Wood's evidence, the surgeon, bed been, brought forward to support the necessity of leg's. luting on the subject; but he has admitted that chit. then were employed as labouring in other ways.-- In cottoo factories, all that was required of was, an attention of hand, and directioo of eyet piece the broken yarn—no great bodily exertion. k was known that boys of the age of six or seven Werle employed in building; why interfere with cows*" factories in particular ? This was a measure foamiest on loose evidence and rape assertions, for the pur pose of throwing reflections oo the beads of factories. It was very desirable that the subject shooed be con sidered very accurately, not on declamatory evidence. At Manchester there were toeuty.foor thoseand pee pie engaged in the cotton trade. From a late Be. port of the state of an Infirmary there, it appeared, that of ninety patients which it contained, nineteeen only belonged to cottoo factories. And from the Report of the Poor-house at Presto% fromitpril, 1815, to April, 1816, it appeared that out of six he*. dred and fifteen families receiving assistance, tauten. was engaged its the cotton trade. In 1817, whon the men employed in the factory with which he was cons nected, saw disease and famine around them, without a nyinci temeut they stepped for wardwith a coatribetion of 241.f0r one charitable food, a od the same sem for an.. tber. This irresistibily proved the good conditioa l they found themselves in. Dr. Henry in a liter to the llonosrable Gentleman (Mr. Phillips), beet said, decidedly, that chronic,' diseases were much Pest prevalent among persons engaged its, cotton factories than in other employments. He bad not hosed meow of that description of labourer', In fever. warili4 than of any other. and lie thought - That 01 1 1111.40 number might be greatly lessened by the eppliesttes , and improvement of ventilators. If the Homo is. entered in the cotton factories, they would have, young people from all other factories assaillog. thee with Petitions, and telling them truly, that ibis selves were in a worse coeditioo, that they worked longer, and were paid less. The limitation of nine years was scarcely any innovation in well-coodect ed establishments: in such, younger were rarely ad. milted—it was not the wish of the proprietors. As to hours, he had no experience of his own ; but be could not bet listen to the suggestions and advice of his friends. In no large town of England was there stronger evidence of good health in any large eats- ' , blishosent than in that in which he was engaged. All be asked was a limitation of the time of labour its , other factories, or the imposition of a laic ea the ex port of cotton twist. The bad spirit which bad given birth to the Petitions would be fostered by the at- tension bestowed on them, and would work. sees dangerously in better times. He was &soy sew vinced a proposal more injudicious in all its bearliqp,, more prejudicial to the interests of the employers and the employed, and more repugnant to sound dews of policy, foreign sod domestic, had never been sob., milted to Parlisment. In one of its main objects it was eteleos—for a very small proportion of child:as THE STATESMAN. PARLIAMERTARY REFORM. Sir FRANCIS BURDETT presented two Petitiona from Warringtoo, for Parliamentary Reform. The Hon. Baronet said he had intended to give police a a motion on this subject, bat he saw by the notice book that an lion. Member had already done A Bill was brought in by Mr. PEEL to give power to the Commissinoers of Kilmeinham Hospital * to stop the Pensions of Pensioners committing Frauds. —Read a firstlfine; to be read a second time to. rillettOW. hicounts were presented of the Monies paid front the Chamber of London, on account of the differ** Jails. Ordered to be printed.—Adibutned. FRENGIi PAPERS. PA.elf t F,on. 20.-0 o the 18th inst. the Duke a t Wellington. gain a brilliant concert at his betel. Madame Grassini was among the amateurs. Yesterday his Grace had the honour of dieing 'wbh his Majesty and the'Royal Family. - It appears that the trial of Matherin Branson has induced another idiot to attempt the some imposture. Yesterday about siz o'clock, estranger, well-dressed, of hip stature, Whose age appeared about 30, enter -ed the Theilleries, and followed the attendants whei were engaged in carrying the King's dinner; be pro. -resided with them to the entrance of the dinhvg.roore s where he was plopped. He called himself Charles of Navarre, and requested to speak •itb the King. They took him before the Duke of Hellion, who 'ordered him to be conduCted to the Police.olfice, Ile wit *soon recognized there to be the Sieur Dufresne, the nephew of a former broker of that name. He bad been insane for many.years. He was traasferred to Charenton. In the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday the Project for granting further time to the emigrants against their creditors was agreed to, 97 to 64, with an amendment limiting the delay to the Ist of Jane ary, .1819. Yesterday the Chamber was occepied in their Bureau: with the Project respecting the Customs. Fourteen Libels have been seised, the Authors, Printers, or Publishers of which are to be tried by the Correctional Police. To-morrow ere to coon on the cause of " Flied," and that of " The Peeks to the Chambers two seditious pamphlets, without the name of either Author or Printer, written by soi-ditant Royalists, sad which were aeized at the houses of the Skiers Tendron, father and son, aad the Dame Desgraviers. These three individuals are in custody. '!rite trial of .Mathurin Brunette, calling himself -Louis XVll.'contissed on Tuesday and Wednesday, and was Adjourned till 'yesterday for judgment. 'She ,Committee on the ,Budget have appointed three R.oporteri the first for the Expenditure , the second for the Revenue, and the third for the isits Bonn's- Marshal the Duke de Tarente ls.to make the Re part to the Chamber sir Peers on the Recruitment Project. Minato, Fre. I.—lt is 'hid, that an amnesty Us favour of Refugees'will shortly be published. The rspedithtn preparing at Cadis for Sooth Amt• rice wilt be formidable.. Besides the ship/ comprisieg the Russian squadron, three Spanish ships of the line, four large frigates, and twelve transports, are to form a part of it. The number of troops which are to be embarked is estimated at 11000 men, perfectly disciplined and equipped; a proportionable qsaatity of artillery, ammunition, and 'rm. Ogre reedy. Thie armeeiest•is espected to sail neat month. "MICA, Nov. 14.—The ci-decant King of Swedes, now become a citizen of Basle, has, inconformity with the findamental laws of the Canton of Basle, formally renegued all the privileges and all the distinctions and pverogatives which be heretofore enjoyed. Re ' has declared at the same time, that he does not claim the right of citizenship for his children. Pet ZUNIRON, JAN. 2.4 —The Grand Dike Mi chael will immediately make a journey in Europe, and then proceed to England. MADRID, FEZ "6.—Private Lettere stele, that Mina will be conveyed teSpeih to be tried; but this coo kware does pot 'poser to be well founded. , Vizatra, Fan. 7.—The plan of the journey of the Erriperor of Reside is cheated. This Monarch will proceed from-Meow, Petersbergh, shd frost theses to Wane', 'wheels ie. has been obliged to Ldefey the opealeg of . the Diet. From Warsaw the Emperor will p to Odesia l and some say from them to Astracen. The Joirney of the King of Prussia to Petersbergb t to be prises% at Ma aecoucheasent of his daughter, is indefinitely postponed. ll awoven, Fas. 6.—The Duke of Cambridge re. tweed . hare the der before yesterday from Cosset, with Prince William of Hesse, brother of hiseogest intended roused. Their Royal Hignesses return to Cassel on the 11th. bas ibi d A •cl u ar E ed lia lo F re several towns Pnrisnc ansd o tow Greed Dewily of the Rhine, that t beanci ent ri g hts of bf di i s l t a r r i d et e s o ohlrhtghe the Nobility will not again be re-established ; that the Liberty of the Press will be maintained.; but that the Getatertit Diet will take measures to prevent the abuses of this - liberty, by an absolute law throughoot Germany ; that tie institution of Juries will be con tinued ; and that the same regard will cooties, to be observed Inwards those French institutions which et• perience has proved to be so salutary. FORTUNE - TELLING.-- ASTROLOGY ONSERTIIIG CREnIT.—The policy of the British Government prohibits the practice of fortotie.telling—orange ea this may appear, they bare themselves foretold dreadful herricane, which is to take place in Mao* next, when Three Prises of 1'30,000 each, with 97 other Capitals, and Twelve Pipes of Port, will he blown into the possession of edventerers who dire to brass the storm. MARTIN and Co. 8, Cornhilir and IW, Word-street, hare proved escellent pilots on format occasions ; and Ire Brio recommend thetas • • . t!ere et this dal eateloyot Pet :eitetr t s. e tketeesively is :e l se mi. A kygNititT thoeght lee precipitate in forwarding thi the last Session bad passed wits _ . t , i ) I, s f '. e ; 1 bp f / 1 3 ' 7 Ak i j ' . . eons if salierlir ate' eon nder A 1 , r to, waded tbd am- tit bd printed. e s , _. . A Petition mute WI: some In 4i t li ta is that Gentlemen were of the town of N ,co ICU • ea . i s 28!. Re was sem attachments on the ties d pry tout a revival of the inn for Ananal Paha nts, and an extends col th o ee d e nteed at giving Elective Franchise to all Householders. .:.•.• r a sarivr• my R1111:111111 • • •• Ary to mei this . thout ...use. He whited to be understood so °piston at pretest ea the tendency of the Bill. Mr. PEEL.—" Of this Bill, like many others, it is exasedingly dificalt to form a cored judgment till the blacks are filled up. The propriety of it will chiefly depend on the minimum of age, the quantum of hours, and other regulations accurately expressed. I am surprised to bear any Gentleman' complain of precipitancy, after the promise of the Mover to let it lie over till after Easter,. and I trust all further discussion will be postponed till then ; in the interim, the country may form an opinion on the nature and object of it. The Noble Lord who pro voked the discussion this night is friendly to one provision of it ; but . I am aware that some Gentle.': men reject it in all its ports. With respect, to the ' objection that it interfered with free laboarers, it did not apply. The labour of children could not he 'called free, panic-shirty • when, one considered the nature of Cotton Factories. In these ell the young labourers most work during the same time--young sad old are obliged to go on together. Where the gestural employment is thirteen boon, if a child were to !Impose working for nine he would be refored l I ft is sot for well-regulated - mills, of which Gentle ' membeve spokes someehObet, we want to lesislairt. r T ing Noble Lord 'wiped' strongly that the Bill is receded not on the Report, but partial evidence kept in our pockets: If to, these would be just ground fee his objections. But iliere is no reason for conceal.. sent of the evidence; I hold It in my hands, I am ready to give a copy of it to any Gentleman that rha r l sires it ; . it contains more recent enquiries, since the Committee sot; of persons well competent to form a judgmeiit on these subjects. The first statement is from Mr. Symonds, a surgeon ;be affirms positively, that his former opinion was not gri.onsied on in dividual cases; that he is still lrmly convinced the hours of la b our are too long for children, and that he shudders to think of the consequences likely to follow from a continuance of the system. The two next are from two persons, inspectors of Sunday Schools. Ido not think it fair to omit to the feel ings of the House, or to refer to individual cases, but I shall declare the sum of their opinion: they do not hesitate to say, that the lengthened employment and the great time of labourlire materially injurious to the children in general. There are other state ments to the same effect from Clergymen of the Church of E land and Surgeons . I cannot bet ad vert to the le ith which the Petitions, supposed to furnish a g for the measure, have been treated. I cannot bring If to think thil: 'any Gentleman imagines undue meal have been used by friends of it to obtain them. in one reipect these Petitions %ter, entitlkl to material consideretion. They'catue frons the parents of the children employed, and inlayed for legislative interferience to rescue .thfir 49dt% from the miseries ofmacessive labour, they beitg Awn bound IS continsit at work for a period equal twilit! required of thentselles. * -: ‘ Mr.PHILLIPS said, the Right lien. tentlemes, Mrpoled auk% : retiree* on ohs opinion of Simone • he world pay a greater regard to ,bat of Plutskiad. Mr. PEEL explained. I- Mr. FINLAY- said ? "thatibts sill would Intpertl.: ticularly injurious to Scotland, wherethere *lsms, legal provision for the poor. He'otever sew the (mi.- donee on which the Bill was Growled; It must be iej great part .correct. An Act of Parliament would not remedy tbeebeses of ill•resulated factories, and . Could be injurious to the well.regelated. For merly the greatest abuses were found to Wit in a factiwy under the regulations of an Act of Parliement. Cote .ton was an extremely important article of out trade, considered not only in the employment it afforded 10- the poor itself, but also in the encouragement it lent to, other trades; for instance, the iron. Government ought to look with great attention to every alter.. tion suggested in the mode of conducting it. This country had no natural advantages for carrying 1t oe above others. He was appreheasive the limitation of the time of labour would convey this trade to foreign cations. In this respect there was so nicrt i balance between them and us, that the smallest ale. teration might turn the scale in their favour. 110, was no advocate for the employment if children at s tender years in factories; but he recollected very' well, when on a Committee on the State of the Jails, beanie children ender sentence of death so yowl; as. 11 or 12 years of ego ; he was sure if thenkinktith had been employed in factories, they would not hue locarred this penalty, and would have been in a dd. forint condition of life. Ile was folly persuaded that the children employed in esanufsetories would no generally found in a better condition than dome of the use age in other employments.. This Dille was grounded on the state of. Cotton Factorieser, Ware not linen manufactories in the habit of elew g. ploying children ?—were not woollen?—why w!is not the state of employment in these branches atiftt illeded to ? The Ilan. Member coicloiled by read. ins an extract from the speech of au Hon. Gentler man, when the Report of the Committee of 180 ff Was coder consideroiuri. In this speech the prat ? tics of employing children Is she factories at night was pointedly alluded to. Mr. CURWEN would oot object to this sobject being fully disclosed in a Committee. . , ! Sir F. uußzurr was glad that some - step bad' been takes for the full consideration of the state of children employed in manufactories. Thu nature of this employment to children of tender year" wits pre judicial 'in more views than one—it was destrec tire to their health and happiness. The children who worked at night were, it appeared, on the whole less unhealthy than those employed by day, and for this reason, that they bad play-time allowed them, which the others had not. It was satisfactory that a measure was in progress to consider the subject well. '['be Bill was then read a second time, committed, the Report received, and ordered to be taken into farther consideration this day sit weeks. Mr., BENNETT protested a Petition from. the Tanners of Shrewsbery, for the repeal of the Leather Tat. Mr. BENNETT *sensed a Petition from a par ses of lb. ewe el George Oradbery, who had been I. i r --- ~ ,v L_ .