The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-04-18 00:00:00

Auoithop: O.F.SLAVEY..

Mr. POWLETPTcesented petitions from Darlington and Bar-
used Castle, both in wham, praying for the abolition of Negro
Slavery.
Similar petitions were also presented by Sir W. Rowley, from
..Laysharn, Suffolk ; by Mr. Pym, from Vi'itney and Baniptoo, Os.
tordabire ; by Sir William Ingilby, from Batton.on.the-Humber ;
bi Mr. Wemyu, from Kirkcaldy, on the Frith of Forth ; by Lord
ksiffir.igtun, front Barnstaple, Devonshire; and by Mr. Sykes, from
• parish in Lincoln, and from Forfar.
Ordered to be printed.
CORN LAWS.

Sir W. Rowley presenteti a petition from Corford against the
Corn Laws; 111 r. Hume presented a similar petition front Berkshire ;
end tlr. Byng, from the parish or All Saints, Poplar—Ordered to
be printed.
11r. PELHA3I presented a petition from the landholders and
tanners of Huntingdonshire, against any alteration in the Corn
la es.—Ordered to be printed.
CORONER'S SALARIES.

fir J. ASTLEY presented a petition from the Coroners of
Wiltshire, preying an increase of their salaries.
Similar petitions were presented from slonmouthshire, by a
Member whose name we could not ascertain, and from Northerly-
t by Mr. Cartwright.—Ordered to be printed.
USURY LA WS.

Sir T. AIOSTYN presented • petition from the town of Flint,
p .ping fur a repeal of the Usury Lass.—Ordered to be printed.
CURRENCY OF SCOTLAND. .

Slf W. DVIC6:I; presented a petition from the obeeiwrighte of
Smut Mary, Edinburgh, praying there might be no alteration 10.
etre Scotch currency—Ordered to be printed.
LIGII H OUSE DUES.

Mr. ACME presented a petition from Cumbray. preying a re.
d..ction of the Light-house dues.—Ordered to be printed.

PROSECUTIONS FOR BLASPHEMY.

Nfr. Hl'. Ml,. said he held in his band a petition, praying an al-
teration in the law under which individuals were prosecuted for
blasphemy. The petitioners prayed that they might no longer be
shilijetted to prosecution for entertaining or propagating any reli-
rows opinion whatever. In the prayer of this petition, he (Mr.
flume) fully co..eurred. Ile thought it a most discreditable re-
Amapa on England that individuals should have been thrown into
prison fur three, tour, and rive years, arid that there should believe-
/a, so confined ever. at the present moment, for no offencesave that
eotertaining opinions differing from others. lie was glad to ob.
64:f TO that the Secretary of State for the liome Department seemed
priceirsed to put an end to that system of martyrdom which had pre-
vailed ; and he trusted the result would be that the prejudices
misting against freedom of opinion would be gradually removed.
It did appear singular, however, that the Right lion. Gentleman
should hare caused the liberation of 31r. Carlile only. In his opi-
nion the liberation ought to have been extenuul to others now lying
in prison for slander offences. On the question that ti.e,petitio* be
reed, . _

-
Mr. Secretary PEEL said the ease of Mr. Carlile differed from
time ut the other Individuals referred to by the lion. Member.
TIN lung imprisonment Ruth:red by Mr. (*ride might be consi-
dered some commuted= of his Sat.

Hr. Sergeant ONSLOW said no man was a greater advocate
fee freedom of opinion than lie ; but the propagation of blasphemy
he smoldered as highly dangerous. It went to attach the very
fouodation of morality, anti destroy every virtuous principle. The
law did not say a man might pot entertain—if such were Ms mi►for-
atana—blaphewoua opinions: it merely held. and he thought very
oiselyohat these opinions were not to be propagated.
The peution was then read, mid ordered to be printed.
DUTY ON HOPS.

Me CURTEIS pre;ented a petition front a part of Surrey, the
mato of which we could not hear, praying a repeal of the duty un
bepa.--Ordered to be printed.
_____
_INSOLVENT DEBTORS.

DENNAtiptesenZsaiOpeliZoniitw; a solicitor of the
same of Bright, previa& an alteration in that part of the law relat.
stig to Insolvent Debtors, which confined prisoners within the wells
tae prison.—Otuerett to be pri•tted.