The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1819-02-26 00:00:00

f . IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. MOINF OF LOMA, Tnumanifiv. FellatlAßT 25. T° • Dok• ,•( NORTITVIIRTRLAND, and Lord HOWARD of Elfinghiso th. -nib% nsigt their sew... %1E4001114, FROM TILE COMMONS. Adminil FRANK• •nd Where from tke Howie of COM. mow. ' ,, oneht np Owe MII. f.,r the anorinting •od repit , hug of certniis Road* therein mentioned. STATE OF THE GAOLS. bold Sir/Mile in fn.. mad said. that the Home boil now 14 , i50, it returns fr virinses gaols arid penitentiary bus ses throughout the kingdom, ehew iota the Pale of their regulations, their internal and the general condition of their un fortunate inmates. 711,1 were ebtained by the ngency of the Sheriffs of e. ties Slid Chief Ma gistiates of fowls., and would be (Mind as full and as satisfactory as was desired by the Noble Mar tinis oponsite (Laosslown). If any deficiencies se,we discovered in them, he should be extremely happy if they were pointed out, to apply his best rinfravoors to have them correeiril. The re t urn , fro... the several parts of Etigland and %Vales were romiil«ted ; from Scotland Dhow live-sixths were received ; but (ruin Ireland thew were as yet very few. The accounts, however, alp ad) /refine the 110lisee were in his nand, 1.11 frlul,lit to induce their Lordships to refer the entire' matter iiiii wet erl with them to a Committee. There were also on the table accounts shewii.g the members of persons committed to vsini charged nods pr oaf offences, in 1.11 the routines, except Midriff rwx, limn the year 1,405, the ',mod its which regist..os were first used with regard to them ; but so London and Dlidillesex, front ihr year 1749 In the year IS lII. nm comps:mon of these :Ironton', it wits Wis.. I..c,.biy for him to be enabled In state, that the mind), r of commitments within the last y or were Goer than in the year preeerliog. The difference ea- not considerable, but even the iltraelire of an itiereroe furnished .nine cause for congratulation.— / liear, hcor.)—Woli respect to the county of Altddlear x and London, it was satisfactory to per celer, that the proportion of the increase of errives within them Burins; the last seven years, Was I .4 than In any other comities, with the exe litho) of lintlanil anti Glamorgan. It had beets renowned by some persons, that the state of toe prisons diroirefrou , the country sod in the metropolis had chiefly contributed to the increase of crime ; while others, ohs she contraty, had be het,ii that the bid sate of the prison., had been caused by the iovreus. ell off-tiers. To his 'snood, it Iller!litil that lif se whM attranstefl tlw increase of crimes to the but aisle of the gaols. left 4.ut of their view :f- the •tilijeci the vas , • mprovements which 1)01 ni late years been happily int•oiluestl in the system of prisoir discipline; it was trio mooch, there- I. 1., to *my, flint in II system sit which liftrlnt mriit hail been great, alai was st ,, l t ang ii s i ire, the growth of er me had I I an accelerating Indeed lie f.lt 1011% cnnyi iced, lhat It the " ) ,":0111, were pLerfl in the best possible stale, still, ut.di r tie cloy imistancen of the country, as they hail thl:CLlrre,l ...ming the few late years, there would have hurts i vast increase of crime.— (bear, hear.) The atte , •tion of their 41411 W had of en 'n en painfully drawn to the 41i,ire.ord condition of th e people ; u was itnposs.lile for th-em to stint their eyes in the high price or prisviinons, to she d minish td rate of wages, to the want of employment, and to the simultaneous rliseliarre of a large portion of the rimy and navy, *lnch must have consider:4llly ii2gt.avarted the other misfmtunes. The combined tuarratiots of these sari causes must have added In the general mass of misery, and indirectly contri buted to the increase of crimes. With such cruises, therefore, he (lid riot doubt that offroces would have nicreased in a great degree, even though the prisons of the country had hero brought to /I stale of theoretic perfection.—(lleue, hear.)—By the accumulation of prisoners, the state of the gaols was alPcted, in such a manner as to prevent the classification of crime, and impede the improve ment of prison disciplitie. Before the House, therefore, could hope to ameliorate the state of the gaols to any efficient purpose, it would be necessary to ascertain the cause, for the inctease of crime, sod endeavour to arrest their progress. The state of punishment too should lot in an important part of their investigation. There were Iwo complaints osually urged against the existing system of Crittrioal Law, or rather against the node - in which it was tufo:red. Our was, that the law itself was much too sanguinary, and the toner, tb tt Govermut sit had acted on a principle of set erity. To refute these objections let the House look at the Returns, in which it w o uld b e f oun d, that from the year 1746 to 1756 the a ge Hum ber of executions was forty-three, while in the last ten years the average number amounted only to nineteen. This :.firmed a sufficient answer to this objection. To this, host I vet., moodier objection was added of a direr by contrary nature, oraniely, that the laws were executed with too much lenity in re gard to what might be considered the secondary punishments. No doubt the apprehension and dread of the panisliment of transportation had of late years been much diminished, which could be accounted for solely by the increased number of per sons on whom of late years that pirssishment had betel inflicted, and which was so west as to pre vent the fassibilily, Ms their arrival in New South Wales, of providing proper places for their rinploynient, classification, and instruction. It was indeed very desirable that means should be 'dolma tlnre, not may or separating the depraved convicts front those who were less hardened in guilt, but more particularly for separating the convict. 11l gene's! from the free inhabitants of the colony.— ( flew, hear./—lit the hulks. be was happy to state, the system pursued there was greatly unprov ed. The prisoners were classed according to age and habits—they obtained religious insttuction— und, what was of no less importance, were kept to constant and hard labour. This discipline had been attended with the most sslutary effects. There were also regular returns made to the Office of the 11 l)epartmetit every six timidly, signed by the C.pioins, the Clergymen, amid Overseers, stating the conduct of the convicts; and in cases where, from their exemplary behaviour, any of the pri. Goners were deemed worthy of having mercy ex tended to them, they were discharged —net, how. ever, until a kind of security was given that they would not become burdensome or injurious to society: sod few were the tartness in which those I • who exerliaell melt • discretion had des* tooegret the extension of lenity. The system of imprison ment no general be Isinvalid to state. from the rrporis made to him from varioas ports of the coon tty, by no means presented an sotisfectory a subject for reflection. He relived that places of confine ment. instead of correcting the offender, too fre quently sent him hack upon *timely more corrnrt than lw had b-en presimirly. But desirous though the reform of criminals undoubtedly was, still It should ever he nssiwi-sted with the idea of punish ment. an that offenders rent hack to society might associate with his irle:oi of good the painful recoil, lion of severity, hard labour and ponsishtrent. It would tint be advisable to strip a prison of its ler. bora, a n d enahle those liberated from it to convey to their friends abroad ideas of its comforts and plenty, which nitglit almost create in the listeelerr an ettaehronsi to, it. The secondary ponislimerits should be rendered as effective as porril&, that being tile only means of mooring the painful necessity of hays iog recourse to those of a higher and more terrific character. lie feared the greatest difficulty would he found in correcting the abuser of prison'', under local jurisdiction. But the House, on hearing the Report of its Co iiiiii ittee, could then determilie what steps it might be proper to pursue. With these impressions, he 'Mould move, as a preliminaly step— That a Selcrt Committee he appointed to tyke into their consideration the Papers kid on the table, by order of the Piioce sums's, on the 19th and 23.1 instant, relative in the state of lire Gauls and Penitentiary House' throughout the United Kingdom, and report thereon to the House." The motion being read— The Maiquis of Isostioerw rose and said, that it afforded him very considerable satisfaction to fiiiil that this subject had heels undertaken by his Majesty's Government, and hrought forward by the Noble Lord, recommended by all the weight of his influence. He feared, however, that a much more extensive task was assigned to the Committee than it was possible for them to accomplish. It was sufficient for them to inquire into the state of gaols, and to suggest the mean fur ameliorating the prison discipline, without thinking of an inquiry into the cause of crime, or into the effects and operation of She seven hundred sod fifty laws of a hick the penal code of this country consisted. The Committee might be usefully employed in devising the mean of effecting an equal and impar tial infloo ion of jounishinent. He did net, in using these words, thick of implying, that in the admi nistrant 4444 of jostler there was any partiality Of im prope► favour skew,. to intlivi.luals, hut he was de ' s that in the p • !mews iiiflt•trd, as great an equality sl Id be observed iu the distribution as possible. The Committee might propose rules for the regulation of prison., and also that a dia.. tinctio n sl Id he marked between persons h. fore conviction and persons after conviction—(Hear, Hear, 'ions Lord Sidmouth)—aad also among per sons after couvicti 11l , a distioction should be made Isetw,en the several gradations of offences., and offend. rs be properly classed, to prevent the con tamination that ninst ler existing circutustances destroy the moral distitietton between hardened ctiniivals and more youthful delinquents. The Committee might also propose that all prisons under local jurisdirtion should either be com pelled to adopt the regulations enforced in all other prism's. or transfer their prisoners to the ad joining gaols under certain circumstances; and, lastly, they might devise the means of bringing the whole stale of the prisons occasionally before the Iltoue in such a manlier as to 'thew the state of crime, the condition of the prisons, and the moral advance ment or retrogression of the offenders. After dwelling nn the ad money of establishing a regular system of labour within gaols, by which the prisons and the prisoners might he supported, lie noticed a recent journey of Mr. Gurney to various prisons in the country, and an observation made by that Gentle man, that compistiog the prisons of Glasgow sod Maticlwster, it was found in the former, where a system of labour was established, not more thou one-third of the offenders were found to return— while in the latter, where no such system was adopt ed, not less than two-thirds were found to return. Nut meshing to offer any opposition to the motion, he should no longer trouble their Lordships, but he could not look for any satisfactory result from the Committee if they went into an inquiry beyond the strict and defined object of the state of the gaols, and the best means fur ameliorating it. The Motion was then carried. On the motion of Lord Stomount, the following Lords were nominated of the Committee : The Lad Chancellor The Marquis of Lowdown Tlw Earl of LiVerpool The Earl of Litnesick The Earl of Carnarvon Lord Sidesouth The Earl of Illolgrarre The Bishop of Chester The Earl of Luusdate The Bishop of Liao&lT Lord Melville Evil Verolam The Earl of Clue (Lord Lord Holland Fitsod,hon) j Lid Grenville Lord Atirklaud 4 9 Lord Whitworth. There were three other names which we could nut rateli, from the indistinct and rapid mousier in which Lord Sithouotb read the list. SLAVE TRADE. Lord lIOLLAND gave notice, that be would on this thy se'imight move for certain papers, shriving the measures adopted by the Colonial Legislatures on the subject of the admission of slaves. in conse quence ol nu Address of this House. lie hoped it would be convenient for the Noble Eau' (Bathurst) to attend on that night. COTTON SPINNERS. Lord KLNYON moved the order of the day, which was read ; and on his motion were also read several Petitions in favour of a diminution of the hours of labour for children in cotton manufactories, from Stockport. Bolton-le-Moors, Hythe, Holywell, in Flintshire, and other places, which had been lire seated to the House about a fortnight since. These Petitions noticed by name Sir Robed Peel's mea sure, on which The LORD CHANCELLOR remarked, that their Lordships could nut allow any measure berme their Lordships to be demintisisted in this mustier. What did the Hauge, iu its legislative capacity, know of Sir R. Peel ? Lord HOLLAND ►aid, that the Petitioners cx presend themselves in a manner to he iutrlligihir in all persons, and that if the Ihouse weir to adopt such a strictness, it would be equivalent to clo►o% their doors against all petitions. The LORD CUANCLLLoIt said, his sole object in 'mitt:ll'4 the ctrcuinstance was to prevent a rept titiOn of such a mode of expression. The Petitimsa being rad—. • Lord KENTON met, and 'Markin* on the vast importance of the subject, proceeded to notice the objection. which. on a former occasioa, lied been urged against his proposition fur appointing • Com miller of Inquiry. Ile raid, that some few masters had reduced the hours pf labour, but not filleting their example imitated, they were obliged, in their own defence, to return to their former lilac of labour. Ile alluded to the distressing heat of 11110 manufactories ice Lenteiseleirr, which averaged 76, HO, and in some of them so high as 85 degrees. From three houses he, however, excepted those of Mr. Holdsworth, and of Meows. Nl'Cinsiiel and Co. Me ridiculed the idea of considering children of only eight years of age free labourers, when, if they were to refuse to work as their masters required, they would be refused relict' from the overseer of the parish, and were notoriously unable to procure other employment. Ile denied, on the authority of many respectable persons, that the inquiry tub this subject in Parliament had been the cause of the late disturbances; to fact, the cotton in • era were tier very lest clays of persons who had lammed 0141 : sod although they were more formidable than all the others, it was bereuse they were the most nu merous body. The Noble Lord dwelt on these ;mints, and concluded by moving—" That a Com mittee be appointed to enquire Imo the state and condition of children employed in cotton-fiectoriev, and to report thereon to the I louse." The LORD ('iLincOLGolt leasing read the mo tion, came &wit from the woolsack and said, that if it were fully made out to the sati•faction of a Jury, ilea a child eel tender years lewd been kept to severe labour, so that its health had beeu thereby ens daageretl, it WAS an offrieve indictable at COMMON/ 1:11V ; and if it defence were set tip that the child was a free agent. 011 d acted 40111 his own will, it would hr regarded with great jealousy. The commons law hail ever considered such proceedings as an of. fence. He stated this with it full knowledge of the expense and trouble which would hr required in bringing the law into action. ;le thought that some degree of unfairness had been sheen by particulalizeseg the cotton-spinners and chimney sweepers, as 11104 e who should tnedergo all the ex pense of legislative p-iteeedings ; for he had 110 doubt that the evil% stiffened in these trades were nut greater than were endured in many tether occu pations. If a general law were thought advisable for theeprottction of all children ice all maiitilac tones, so be it ; but he doubted the policy of ap plying a particular law to particular manufactu rers. Particular measures would have the effect only of removing children from one employ merit to another—from those complained of to others 1101 Ire. prejudicial. He lead lately seen in at provincial Paper a circumstance that lead sti uck his attention very strongly. He there saw that individuals who had complained, with great warmth of feeling, of the sufferings endured by ascending boys, could witness with great firmness, and without mu ex pre.: of pity or syMpathy, boys of very tender age descending to coal-pits, of which the depths were incalculable, where dr danger was far greater, and the immediate soffrriegs by no means less. The Earl of ROIILYN argued with considerable warmth against the principle of the proposed mea sure, which was hostile to every consideration of commerce or of political economy. He stated, that in the stocking trade, in the worsted mille, and in the potteries, children were compelled to labour a greater length of time, and with more severity, than in the cotton factories. The inquiry, there fore, should not be confined to one trade, but should embrace all. He remarked upon the heavy expense which the roomed inquiry must cause to all the parties concerned, not to %weak of the waste of time and of labour. The Noble Farl then comuseided upon the ill effects of the mess stores proposed on the commerce and matonfartures of the conistry, and concluded by contending shat the inquiry should be extended to all trades, as well as that of cotton-spinning. The Bishop of CHEsTea would not do justice to his own feelings if hr did nut state Isis strong inipressien on this subject to be, that the length of imie during which children were employed was iejerimis to their health and destructive 10 their lives. It was ascertained, that out lions four to 5,000 persons ad mitted into the elates', factories. nut above eleven at tained the age of fifty years. What had become of the others?—es here were they gone? tie heart-it that 'hit question could be answered only in one way, that they were goer to their silent graves. It was impos sible to go into one of those manufactories without seeing objects painful to humanity; it was us tenable of demonstration me any mathematical proposition, that the health of the children must be iijured iii proportion to the number of tenors in which they were employed. One of the objet tines ur ge d against the present measure was, that eso interfer ence should be exercised between) free labourer. end their employers; but who coml.' consider there children Irre agents The Noble aced Learned Lord on the Wooleack had met, that the law was open to those who were oppressed ; but though 111111 was trite io theory, no oar knew better than the Noble and Learned Lord that it Was not true eel precrice.—lflear. hear.)—lie argued, finen the great capital, industry, mid unproved state of ma chinery of blues country. even though a few hours were deducted frosts the lel 1111 l r of children, many ages must roll away before our maniefectures could lie undersold on the Confiner's. He denied that the (Aims spinners were connected with the late disturbances, or that any delueion lead been prac tised atnong them. All they desired was, to have the labour of their children abridged, and that their wages should be rated in proportion. • Earl GRusvettott felt convinced that in opposing the proposition made by the Noble Lord opposite, he should lee doing murk more good to the indivi duals alluded to than if he had supported it. • He IF/JS aware that the warmth of debate might carry !stream very far, but lee could never have *opposed it would have acted ro strongly upon the Right Rev. Pielate, as to make him censure all the oppo nents to the present measure as enemies to limner oily such justice. Ile felt t h at if the present mea sure were adopted, great evils would arise from it to the country in general. It wee t*lttlllety (lOW. gerous on every eccount for the Lol , Pl , iture to in terfere with the principle of frke labour. The m o wers and those employed by them with, if left to themselves„ regulate, as most consistent with dear iiittlual advantages sad the interests of the coun try, the boors of tabour red the wages of industry; but if the present measure titre 'Attica, llte cono.i otvence must he, that the amount of waged must be either ascertained by Parliament, or reduced in proportion to the reduction of hours of labour. With respect to the effects produced by the labour of cotton manufactures on the lives of the labourers. it was 'pwned by the Right Reverend Prelate that but few arrived at the age of fifty. It should not, however, he furgotton, that two thirds of all the persons employed in their manta- factures, were children, therefore as they advanced in life, the greater proportion of them were re moved, and found empluynient in other trades. During the war a great 'mutter of them were drawn off by the army and navy, and as it was stater! before the Committer, there were no men liner its appearance or more healthy. The Noble and Ll'4l'll.ll Lord on the Vl'oolsack stated, that if evils were really felt. the law was open for the redress of the sufferer.; to this it we. objected by the Right Rev. Prelate, that this was true in theory but not so in practice; but if this objection, founded on the experoe and difficulty of legal pro ceedings, Mid any weight with regard to the per. 5011. employed in cotton manufactures, it was equally cogent with respect to all other persons; and why should the cotton-spinners be particularly selected a: the aisle objects of legislative inter ference ? tie remarked th.t children engaged in various other trades, silk, listen, hosiery, hard ware, grid Lae, were employed fur even a greater number of hours than in the cotton factories. Why then should these persons be selected, or why should the present moment be chosen for the purpose of 'anon an outcry against the master cotton spinsters ?—why must they be pointed out as Calms and Monads, fur public execration, while all other masters were to be considered as Isaacs and Jacobs, persons meriting universal approba tion ? He noticed how very undeserving of atten tion the Petitions, for the greater part, were that were laid on the table. Some of them were ob. tained by gross delusions, and all seemed to be founded in total misapprehension. The Right Rev. Prelate seemed to consider Bolton-le-Moors as the very scene of cruelty and inhumanity, but unfortunately for the Rev. Prelate, out of 23 ma nufactories in that place and its vicinity, in 16, as he remembered, children were not employed for even 13 hours a day. It would be a serious consi deration fur Parliament to reflect what the come. grittier' to the Poor Rates would be, provided the present measure were adopted—numbers of the children would probably be thrown upon the parish, to increase the public burdens. He be lieved, from the evidence before them, that the grossest misconception prevailed on this point. It the House were to legislate on this sub ject it could not stop short, the Legislature could not overlook the manufacturers in white lead, which was generally in a few years fatal to life. Laws must soon he made even for the pot-boys, who were made to work night and day, and who certaiuly, after a few year. employment, lose their original healthy appeeralice. After dwelling on the was. chief that .ucli legislative interference must pro• duce on trade its general, the Noble Earl concluded by expressing his deterrninatioa to oppose the motion for going into a Committee. 1 he Rail of Livearoor. rose, not for the pur pose of prolonging the debate ' rend still less with a desire of fullowing the Noble Earl who spoke last through the variety of topics he introduced. Hs object war to draw the attention of the House to the question which was actually before them. Dur ing the last Sessions a Bill was brought into the House, from the other !louse of Parliament, to regulate the cotton I,ciories, but was postponed for want of further evidence. He, however, would tell the liou.e fairly, that its the last Session of Parliament lie would readily have voted for the measure, because even from the .hewing in time Report of the Committee of the House of COIIIIIIO/0, he felt that some reculetions were ne cessity. It was absurd to consider this as a quell ing, of free labour. Who could believe that these poor children, in their preterit cireinustarices ' were free labourers? His Noble Friend on the Wool sack had s.sid, that to overwerk children of tender age was an offence at common law. This, there fore, was a proof that in the opinion of the com mon law , such children were nut free agents.— (Hear. beur.)—But not to be led away into that view of the subject, lie should merely observe that the motion How before the House required nothing more than a etiotitiusuce of the inquiry which, titanic the last Session of Parliament, the House declared to lie necessary. It did not pledge the House to legislate ; all it desired was to pursue an investigation which was commenced in the last The Earl of LAU DERD 41.11 said, that even were he wit 1111%0141g to enter fully into the general view of the presesit subject, the state of his health would prevent lust. His sole object was to correct the incorrect view of the question which had been represented by the Noble Earl. He took a gene ral review of the progress , of the measure, and stated, that Sir R. l'rei had never entertained an ides ou the subject, until that good maim, Mr. Owen, had oliewis him a plan inure extensive than that he afterwards was willing to adopt. He said that in the manu facturing ilisitrict-, parents usually selected their weakest children to place them iii cotton factories, which were generally considered as offering a mode of employmesit highly conducive to health. The Noble Earl then commented largely oo the evidence already received, and reworked, that the various Petitions on the table did soot support the present motion, did not pray fur inquiry, but required the enactment of a certain measure. Before lie should sit down it was his intention to propose an amend mem, embracing every .species of trade wherein children were employed, where an equal if sot a greater cumber of hours were occupied, and where much less attention was ',hewn In the comforts sod 'mauls of t h e children then in the cotton factories. lie was surprised that the Rev. Prelate and the Noble Lord should confine their humanity to the cotton factories. He was aware that many very worthy persons bad been led ewer by false and in correct views of subjects in which they suffered their humanity to be their only guide. He recollect ed that on the subject of the Chimney-sweepers' . Regulation Bill. the Dean and Chapter ofehiehester sent up a Petition to the House, in which they stated their firsts couvictioir, that without the interference of Perliatuent, not one of the elbsiliag boys could midi the kiostato of bleano.-4 Loraghter.)— , 4 4 The Noble Earl cconclsided by movitqz, as e n Amendment, that after ,he word "cotton," slooslst be inserted the words lace, woollen, hosiery, and all other manufactories, inateri,.., „„,1 mines," and that the Cosomittee shoos Id Soristsre Soso the efficacy of the existing laws for tlo sr prose Lord HOt.L•no ssid, that having iiraril one •liir of the question, they should hear the c•U.ei respected father of the Noble Lord 111 , .11 , ~ r 01L...t forward this motion (Lord Kenyon), 1 , ..41 I the words midi aileron, parkin," slio,d scribed in letters of gold iii every• Com! ~; ~. In his opinion the tame words should .. • every Legislature. k was but just th,t .hi : lf having, in consequence of a Bell stilt up +:,,,, die Commons, entered into an investigatiiii all out one side, they should now resume the what could be said on the other. lie that even those who said the common litv cient to redress the evil, allowed thst it war :!t to bring that common law into action—there s.i., therefore, in fact, HO redress. fie argued upoii necessity of Parliamentary interference ; but e. ever might be the opinion of the !fume point, there was prima facie evidence lino01;44- lion. A fset was alleged on one site insalubrity of cotton factories, which on the other—this was alone sufficient to wort at least the propriety of further inquii y. The Amendment was then put, on which a di vision took place— 6 Nuo•Costents.. ...... . l9 Majority. .... 13 The amendment was therefore neg.tived. The original question was then put and retried• The House adjourned at half past nine o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, TIVRIDAT, FEBRUARY 25. This being the day appointed to ballot fur • Committee to decide on the Petition against the Limerick Ciertion, the Gallery was not opened until half -past four. The Gentle. men olio attend to report the debates suffered serious in. convenience, from the admission of a number of individu4ls on the stairs leading to the Gallery, before they veer stir. fered to ascend. The Stetaata, with praiseworthy kindness and consideration towards those whose arduous and deli. este duty it is to report the proceedings in Parliament, hail granted them several accommodations which they forme, ly did out possess. These intannities, however, will he en dered comparatively useless, if the minor officers of the House take upon themselves, whenever it suits their lute. rest or juice, to contravene the good infeatious of the Speaker. INVERKEITHING ELECTION, The Report of the Constnittre to which the Petition against the luverkeithiag Election was referred, was brought up. It set forth (as far as the noise in the Gd irty and the body of t►e Horse enabled us to rollers it), that the Petitioner, the Hon. F. W. Prinaluse bad sock toad his tae, and that the election of John Campbell, E 9. was not valid. The CHAIRMAN of the COMMITTC, then moved, That a new writ should be made out for too. t), rice of Itur t iha of Inverbeitbing, Re. in the room of Juba Campbell, Esq. whom election is declared void. AGRICULTURAL PETITIONfI. Sir C. Illoitnsults preseeted a Petition from certain Land-owners and Occupiers of Land, in the Comity of Warwick, setting fords, that the suit of the United Kios dons was capable of producing corp, 0 1, 41 every other spe cies of grain, salScient for the imaiiiirnauct of its pow,- lativa ; and it prayed that such peuteciing duties snigbt be enacted, as would give the greatest posmble encouragement to the farsner.—Laid on the table. Lord ESSINGTON presented a Petition of the same nature from the Dwiters and Occupiers of Land in the Comity of Devout. The Noble Lord observed, tint there was nu Gen tleman in that House who was not aware of the great hue di us under which this species of property was labouring at present. There was no individual, on either side of the House, he believed, who was not most aux:ous to protect it. The Petitioners, in the present Wallace, though they were desir ous of having proper relief extruded to them, wish. d, Ri the same time, to avoid exciting that irritation in the 'Hilda: mind, which had already operated su much against their iu terests, and which (very unprejudiced man must desire to see removed.—The Petition was read and laid out the table. General WALPOLE presented a similar Petition from cer tain Owners and Occupiers of Land in the parish of Norfolk. The gallant Geneial stated, that though he felt himself called un to present this Petition, lie could not sup port the prayer of it. In his opinion, one or two unprofit able seasons could not justify the measure which the Peoi. tiouers prayed fur. Still, howevir, he conceived the subject was of such importance, that it ought to be taken into the most serious consideration. The gallant General also presented a Petition from it number of Owner. a-id Occupiers of Laud in the County of Norfolk, praying for protecting duties.—Laid on the table. Mr. COKE said, lie had to present to the House a Petition of a similar nature, from the Owners and Occupo rs of Lain; at Lynn, in Norfolk, and the neighbourhood of that place. It was signed by several very respectable Gentlemen, and by a large body of the yeomanry of the vicinity. He was sorry that he was called on to present it, because his opiiiiiiti did nut coincide with that of the Petitioners. The affect of granting the prayer of the Petition would be, to raise the price of corn—and lie was one of those who thought tic ere- Sent price fully sufficient to remunerate tbeformer.—(!'ear.) —He admitted, however, that the agricultural interest diet labour under considerable burdens, and dernande.l fficient relief, but not of the description prayed for. It the Asyri• natural gorse Duty were repealed, which bore vilest grievously MI the agricultural interest, it vrottlil pr.editee the must twoefical effects.—(llear )-1t was a lax so that, to his own knowledge, many loth, irlitals were pre. vents al, lay its severe operation, from emharkiug iu aztical tura: ion suits to the extent they otherwise wont,' ,e— -(Hear ;—Tatty circumstances tended to depreciate the avi culture of the counts y—one of 'him, and it was a most de , graceful one, was the custom of receiving tenders fur the letting of farms. This was a system that militated say much against good husbandry, because it had the effect of destroying that confidence, founded on a lung knowledge of each other, which ouzlit to subsist between the lainVoitiand tenant. Were prow.- covenants enteied into ea each side, ft r a considerable term of years, and certain security given fair their doe performance, the profit both to the latulord anal tenant would he t 6zr tier, at the same tha t lii, I.lllllr i.n1,1 he enabled t. 6 rnyloy a greeter huai'al 111111 r lIITSOIIB than he 'lid at pre,. tit. 'the use of noachin•••:, had tended to throw many twist/MI out a I nuttier) atria. He was ready to admit that mach leery, tit one point of view, aas beneficial, but it emild o u t 1...:01.111. ell, that it tended to increase the number of In his parish there was a work-house, on *hid', a few ”.1114 ago, the claims were by no means numerous—t a il the c - IC was now very different, the nomeinployntent of the pour its agricultural pursuits kept it constantly full. Mr. Werrenst said, he was tel. - astral with the prr. Demotion of three Petitions from Eases. similar to e which had just been submitted to the House. They ne,e signed by :shout 1,200 of his eouslitin sits, on urn anal ewe, . piers of laud. He begged leave to Oise, ye, that amongst these were many of the great landholders of the rowdy (Near, head—They stated, and it could not he that they 'offered much front the existing st sir in. lie trust ed that their coin plaints would be ionnidloilty u I.rtad to a Committee, and that that Committee WWUId prUrt , 4l ip examine the subject without passion or parjudice. In the county of Essex, the farms ra did not find it woe ;hi their while to proceed, with spirit, in cultivating the soil Thu consequence was, that many labourers were theown our of employment, and he believed the same rettwervatiou oliiilaJ -All 7.'Nr