The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-19 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS, THURPDAY, MAT 10.

ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.
Mr. LITTLSTON presented a petition from a parish in Star
fordahire, against negro slavery —Laid on the table.
Similar petitions were presented by Mr. Dawson from Gorey,
Weaturd ; add by Sir George Hill from Tullow, Carlow.--Ordered
to be printed.
Lord J. Rt'SSELL presented a petition from the dissenters of
London and Westminster and their vicinities, praying a removal
of the disabilities to which they are liable.
After a few word; (tart 31r. J. SMITH In.; Mr. HUMS in sup-
pott of the petitioners' prayer, the petition was ordered to be
printed.
BENEFIT SOCIETIES.
toemHOBH 01.'S E presented a petition from the members of a
society in the neighbourhood of the City-road, called the
Social Brothers, praying that the arbitration clause In the Act red d-
ots to such societies may not be rep•aled.—Ordered to be printed.
CORN LAWS.
Mr. 111'31E resented a petition from Oxfordshim against the
I.oin Laws and the pressure of taxation.—Ordered to be printed.
THE KING'S BENCII PRISON.
Mr. 111'31 B said he had to present a petition from an indivi-
dual confined in the King's Bench prison, complaining of its regu-
lations. Ile had had no opportunity of visiting the prison to wet-
bin whether the charges contained in the petition were correct or
not, but he would ante one of its allegations. The petitioner
stated that Mr. arse, the Marshal, had the power of giving Inlet
to persons confiner for which he could exact any sum he pleated. '
and foe this liberty he charged accordion to the circumstances of
the parties applying. Tits petitioner had had to pay as much as
2071. 10s. as a consideration for this privilege. He subsequently
was out from his lodgings, and accidentally hail some quarrel with
individuals connected with the police; and the consequence of this
was. that Mr. Jones locked him up, and now refused either to re-
turn the money or allow him the privilege for which it was paid.
Mr. Hume took this opportunity of saving, that he considered the
whole system of imprisonment for debt as an aggravation of the
evils of creditors. He was sure, if a return were made of the ex-
penses incurred through sending individuals to prison, it would
amount to three times as much as any payments obtained in this
way. If he could persuade himself that taking persons from their
business and confining them in prison could at all contribute to.
wards the payment of their debts, he would be the last to raise his
voice against it; but when he saw the law expenses incurred, and
considered that at the present moment the prisons of the country
were as full as they could be, he must object to the system. Tte ex.
pisses incurred by arrests frequently prevented individuals from be-
ing able to discharge their debts. He thought this was a subject de-
serving the serious consideration of the House. In reference to the
petition, he thought it objectionable that any individual should
have the arbitrary power of granting rules.
On the question that the petition be broUght up,
Mr. BANKES regretted that the Hon. Member should have
presented the petition without first making inquiry as to the accts.
racy of the allegations it contained. These charges were of a seri-
nue nature, and should not be made without some show of probe-
tidily. It was wer. known that this prison is under the control of the
Lord Chief Justice of the Ring's Bench, and any person having
cause for complaint, and sending it to the superior Judge of that
Coort, would meet with redress. The petitioner did not state that he
had adopted this course, which was certainly the usual and proper
one, and he (Mr. Bente.) objected therefore to the petition. He
did not think it right that charges should be thus entertained
against individuals who had received no notice of them. Another
objection was, that at this late period of the Session, the person
el.arged would have no opportunit of justifying himself. It would
he more fair and candid if the lion. Gentleman would postpone
tile petition till he could himself inquire into the accuracy of its
statements. . .

Mr. P. 3100 RE said he knew the Marshal to be a very humane
man ; he had had the best opportunity of ascertaining this, because
moat of his constituents were once in that officer's custody. (A
laugh.)
,Mr. CALVERT said a few words, which were not audible.
Mr. DAWSON said he believed the petitioner's cite stood
ft, .16 :—After he had got the benefit of the Rules he was frequently
a'tsent from his lodging*, and beyond the precincts of the Rules.
The :Hershel, finding this, was obliged to. confine him, to secure
himself against being called on to pay the petitioner's debt.
Mr. 11131 E said, when be received petitions, he could:not always
undertake to visit the risons in other places from whicn they might
come, to ascertain their accuracy. He should be very sorry if,
through him, any false charges were made against the Marshal
(':ears: and., under these circumstances, he should, for the present,
*id:draw the petition.
TITHES—ST. °LAVE'S.

Mr. HOLE said he had to present petitions from three indi.
'idol!: (whose names we understood to be T. Rolfe, W. (lethal,
and John Barkland), complaining of the conduct of the Rector of
the parish of Pit. (Have. The petitioners were all of them highly
respectable. floe of them stated that the extortions of the Rector
were not confined to tithes. A person residing in the petitioner's
house went to be married, and, after the ceremony, he offered the
Rector a guinea, which was refused. In consequence of more net
bring given, he revived notice that the tithes of the house would
be raised to 21.9 d.. and a writ of Exchequer was issued against the
petitioner, putting him to an expense of about fifteen pounds. The
petitioner went on to say, that the Rector had a son, bred up to the
law, whom he always employed against the parishioners ; he suf-
fered little, therefore. front legal expenses, while the parishioner.
bed to pay heavily. The petitioner prayed that the House would
institute an Inquiry to put an end to these vexatious proceedings.
Against the second petitioner, writs were issued without any de.
mead hsvirg been made. He appe4ed to the Bishop of London ;
who said in reply all that perhaps could be expected from
his Lordship. His letter, in answer, said that he had no
power over the clergy, and the petitioner must refer to other autho.
rity. The last petition contained matter very similar to the former
ono, with the exception that It stated that the petitioner attended a
vestry meeting, called to consider the proposal of the Rector to its-
Seem the tithes of the parish. The petitioner made some objec-
tions to the increase, which offended Dr. Owen, the Rector, who
was himself in the chair, and the petitioner was called by him a
worthless and paltry fellow. The Rector also said, on that otos-
sten, that he regretted He wore a black coat ; the reason for which
the petitioner thought must be sufficiently evident. Ile (Mr.
Hume) thought the House ought to take care that England was
not brought by the tithe system into a similar state with Ireland.
If the clergy persisted in setting up their ancient right to tithes,
amounting to 22.-9 d. in the pound, he thought the landed interest
(sight to see that the clergy paid for the poor out. of such tithes, for
they originally did en. Ile was persuaded that if there were any
alteration in the Corn Laws. and taxes remained as at present, the
landed interest would not be able to support the poor, and par the
full amount of tithes now claimed. No man was more anxious
rum he to give to the clergy a fair remuneration for the duty they
performed ; but i n this instance, on caleul sting the Rector's salary,
a-d the nember of days on which he had performed duty in the
coarse of the year, it was found that he was paid at the rate of 4001.
for each sermon.
Tor petitions were then ordered to be brought up.
The first, from W. thohel, was ordered to he read and printed.
The second, from John Barkland, was onlmed to be laid on the
Mine. On the (minion that it be read,
alt. Alderman WOOD expressed his regret that he was not in
the House at the time when the Honourable Member presented the
petitions. lie fully concurred in the spirit which dictated them, and
hopped this the House would not be inattentive to their prayer.
AD. W. iVYNN thought that the subject which formed the
ground of the petitions was not one calculated for an application to
that House. It was a matter which might be much better brought
before those ulbuitsls to which the law of the country referred it.
He therefore considered the best mode for adoption would be to put
the question In a train of legal adjustment.
The petition wan then onlered to be read and p.o.ited : as was
also the other petition from Thomas Rolfe, after a few words from
/dr. Cat.caerv.