The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-06-10 00:00:00

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thought of, and at every stage he should de his best
to avert it.
04 the question for bringing up the Petition
being pot—
The Cuestcst.ton of the Excusourn said,
that having conversed with many very well-inform-
ed persons on the subject, he had beets led to the
inference, that there did not exist any sound objec-
tion to the proposed tax. With respect to the
duration, on which a conversation had arisen late
last night, whether the forms of the Rouse did not
exclude Petitions from being presented against the
Resolution. of the Committee, sanctioning, as they
did, the imposition of taxes, as he should rather
construe the restrictions against the subjects' peti-
tioning liberally than strictly—and as the new taxes
could not in strictness lie considered part of the
Supply, the Resolutions providing them not hawing
grown out of a Committee of Ways and Means,
but a Committee on the Finance Report—he be-
lieved, on further consideration, the right of pelt.
tioning was not yet precluded, and that the Pen.
tion might be received. Btit if the Resolutions
bed passed in a Committee of Ways and Means,
there was no question but that would constitute a
preclusion of petitioning, even beforeilills founded
uu them had beet, introduced.—[The Right Him.
•Gentleman•spolte in an extremely low tune of voice,
-Vo that it is possible we may not have reported his
observations with perfect correcteess.]
• Mr. BROUGIteIe said, as the present question
affected a most important right of the subject, lie
trusted time House would indulge lons in n few ob-
servations. The Right Hon. Gentleman had stated
'that his former objection to receiving Petitions
filled, on the ground that the new taxes were not
included iii the Supply, not haviug originated iii
Committee of 1% nys and Mums. In this opinion
be (Mr. Brougham) entirely concurred, and hail
the R:glit lion. Geld !email stopped there, he should
not have troubled the House with a single word.
But as he had guise much further, and asserted that
not alone the brnigieg in of Bills, but the pessiog of
Resolutions in Committee of Ways anti Means,
was, by the forms of the House, a preclusion against
petitioning—and, as that question would rtecessaiily
arise again, it might be expedient (without de.
neon; to engross the time of the House tuniecessu
sit)) to examine that position at piesent. Hetsell,
who certainly must Ire considered of high autlei.
rity, discussing the -voila in his third soloine, wade
use of lauguege winch sliewril that, according to
him, the principle of the Right Honourable Gen.
tleman was not correct, but that which be (Mr.
Brougham) had laid down last night, namely,
that it was not the passilig of the Resolutions
Inch constituted the ground of exclusion, hut
the bringing its of Bills founded thereon. The
Honourable and Learned Gentlenian then read
rum extract horn the Above work—describmg the
necessity in e Leh the House fuund itself,
slit.rtly after the Revolution, of establishing some
regulations on the receiving or rejecting of Peti-
tions—and stating, that it had come to the resolu-
tiun nut to wear any Petition against a Bill pent!.
in gto impose a tax on any article. That (Nlr.
Brougham proceeded) sufficiently shelved what the
suatiments of the writer were ; but, in order to re-
move all doubt on the subject, he then cited tl:e
cape of the Pennon from the City of London, re-
jected nu the 26th Fyuruary, 1727. He observed.
. that of seventy-sitar cares ',reduced on that occa-
sion and read, theme sere but three exception*
to his principle. lie (Mr. Brougham) wiehed
particularly to call the atteotiou of the House to
• she rejected Petition of the City of London, because
it originated on an occasion exactly similar to the
present, being directed against as intended tax on
wool, purulent tea Resolotion of a Committee of
Ways and Means ; but such a multitude of Prti.
Units poured in against it from all parts of the
'kingdom, that, though the Bill hail been brought
the Ministers of the day were compelled to give
it up.—/Hear.)—But a recital of the circ'nm-
stancsa attending the rejection of the Petition
v:ould skew, that that example ought nut to re-
gulate the conduct of the !louse at present. A Re-
solution to the effect he had described had passed
the Committee of Ways and Means, but bad not
yet been reported. A few days after, on Monday,
the 26th February, a Petition was presented from
the City of Louden, in the usual manlier, by
the Sheriffs, at the bar. The House reject.
ed that Petition. But it should be observed,
that the Petition did not refer to any Reso-
lution of the Committee of Ways and Means,
nor to any tax in contemplation, but contained a
general complaint of the burdens under which trade
interference
and and a general prayer fur the
end consideration of the House. It was not • Pe-
tition armlet a new tax, but prayed fur relief, ge.
sierally, from taxes already imposed. This, there.
fore. he left out of the question. On the 22d and
25th of February, 1729, two Petitions vomit the
salt tax were refused. About the same time, on
the 27th of January, 1729, • Petition from the
soap-makers and chandlers of the City of Biistul,
against a tax which affected their trade, sod which
had not been inserted in a Bill, but had only ema-
nated from a Committee of Ways and Mastic, was
rejected—.but, before it was rejected, it was pre.
seated, brought up, and read—the City of Bristol
not possessing the privilege which London enjoyed
of haring a Petition presented and read, us a matter
of form, before it could be rejected. These excep-
tions went to strengthen the general rule, and, to
use the words of Mr. Resell. 11 the House ought
to be particularly cautious not to be tuts rigid mu
extending the opposite principle beyond the prac-
tice of tiurtr aurestors. If there were any doubt
on the subjeLt, the people ought to have the benefit
of it.
Lord CASTLERCAON mid. as there was o 0 objet.
Lion to receiving the Petition, the point had not
arisen on which the Learned Gentleman could use-
fully display his iuformation. If, in the course of
the evening. any Petitions were presented. to the
receiving of which opposition was given, that would
lee the time to discuss the point to which the Learn-
ed Gentleman had applied himself.
Mr. IiIIOUGNAN would not have introduced the
subject if the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Vau-
Milan' had nut adverted to the opposite principle.
Lord MILTON said. the intended tax on foreign
wool had created the most lively apprehension
throughout the country. When the Petition now
before the House was disposed of, he would pee.
seat another on the wine subject. which was sign.
ed, in the course of half a day, by between six