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London, England, 1809-05-16 00:00:00

prevent those abuses of which every feeling mae
must bees been convinced there is necessity to
complain. For amongst some men, from ward of
due reflection, it beast is considered as mere pm.
perty, over which the owner has absolute domis
mon. The general answer returned to all remous
strauces must have beeu noticed by every Noble
Lord who now heari me; remonstrate against crii,
city prictised by the servant, he replies, rin are
not his master—it is no business of your s—and
expostulate with the owner, he says, he has a right
to do as lie pleases with his own property. Falsely
guided by a consideration of property, they forget
the duty they owe to the animal. That God, in
his bountiful goodness, has granted to man the
doniinion over the inferior part of the animal world,
is very certain—but, my Lords, that dominion Is
not coufided to us absolutely, it is a dominion in
trust. The animal over which we exercise oat
power has all the organs which render it susceptic
ble of pleasure and pain—it sees, it hears, it
smells, it tastes, it feels with acuteuters all the sen-
sations of pleasure and of pain. The moil aF
study the construction of the &Masai system, tli•A
more we have reason to admire she mercy um"
goodness of the Creator—end this Acme. inde-
pendent of our sympathetic feelings, is suffle;em:
to instruct In how mercifully we ought to eterenie
the dominion entrusted to our care. If a beast
were destitute of those organs which itresistfbl!'
compel us to admit lie is alive, like ourselves, to.
every iiifliction of pain—if be were but a maw
of living matter, without any app eorauee of his
being susceptible of pleasurable or painful stoat-
tions—then nide, d there would be no necessity to
go further in Icgislation—but to consider him as
other property. The Bill before you, my Lords,
considers the animal as a being itself, over which
wan has but a dominion in trust. Perhaps saint
objection may be made to the preamble as being
unusual, and not to be found in Bills which ate


commonly introduced into Parliament." His Lord.
ship here read the preamble, which stated, " That
whereas it had pleased Almighty God to guilt un-
to man rl'onsinion over the lower animal a oild—that

still the dominion was only granted to him in trust,
so that he might use,. ►ut not ahuse, the animals
thus placed wider his power." •• Although this
kind of preamble may be unusual, it isnot uupre-
uedeuted ; such may be found in some of the most
anneal, and yet most important of all the t•tatu•sii.
It was expedient to commence the present Bill
with that kind of preamble—it mny thereby incul-
cate instruction in the winds of these who read it
—and may influence men in many of their implied
duties towards the brute creation. There are many
cruelties practised, which no law can reach, but a
duty may be enjoined by inference,. which cannot
be enforced absohitely. it may be observed, if
such be the principle of the Bill, it ought to have
been extended to all living creatures--why, me
Lords, from this Bill, a lemion of duty is incul-
cated toorards all--but I thought, with many en-
lightened men, whom 1 consulted on the subject,
that those animals which man has reclaimed and
bred fo► his use, ought most particularly to be at-
tended to. because wild and un reclaimed animals hr.
_ .

ceased, would increase beyond all due bounds, were
Ore spat incited to cleat, oy them, midi might endauger
the comfortable existence of the human speeies..--
Besides, we see it provided in the emirs* of nature,
that other animals are so constructed us to prey
*sprig and destroy them 'without the interference of
IFOUII ; this si ens designedly the order sf %War,
and is one of those mysterious dispensations of
Providcuce, which may be useful iu reconciling vs
to this state of this lower sod imperfect world.—
There is one sobject not :abated to in the Bill,
and which I mu induced to locution front the
feelings of the present moment. I mean bull-
limiting; it must be recollected * Bill was brought
into the other House of Parliament, for the pins
pose of preventing that barbarous sport. But the
principle professed was that of preventing so mesh
disorder occasioned in society.. particularly in those
parts where these sports were exhibited, and the
easily complaint* of servants neglecting their duty
on these occasions was another grievance; Intl the
misery and torture of the itil was not tl:e object
of its consideration. On this account an Hon.
Gentleman. not far from me (Mr. Windham
was standing beside the thione) objected to the
measure; but I cannot for a moment suppose, if
the only question had been, whether the annual ere.
anon were to be freed limn cruelty, it would have
incurred his opposition, I sin willing to do
more justice to his known g,ood feelings, h 4 ge-
mu*, acid the brightness of irei mind However,
Bull-baiting is not included in the Bill upon year
Lordships' table, afthongli every attention is pie l
to the Bull himself, acid if it shall be ctetertmute.l
that the sport of baiting a Bull is a wicked, wan-
ton, and barbarous act of cruelty, no one rim rea-
-1 sonably object to its being punched. I never
con believe that 'toy heroic character existed who
had !peen habituated io acts of cruelty; they Deter
can lead to the greatness of our army Or 11:1Vy. 41.1'
Land to form any useful character in oscirty. this
subject, any Lord, is one which in • my opinion de-
serves the serious consideration of your Lordships,
and if this bill be passed into a law, it will, I hate
no doubt,produce many salutary elfects.lt must have
its du( weight upon the minds of the kisser orders.
and will satin p as an °drove alpinist morality, that
cruelty which from boys they had been in the habit
of practising without reflection. Au example of
punishment upon the owner of ZIP animal will here
due iiitlueure upon the servant; and though I mu
persuaded, for one instance Kimono sellouts, there
are one hundred ainongst moues. It wool I este-.
nish any mail, to know the number of instants ci
cruelty which have, in letters, becii detailed to me
from all parts IA the country, anal from one end of
the kingdom. to the other. Magistrates and Cler-
gymen have everywhere represented the necelost tY
fur providing a law upon the subject. To recite all
the iiistauces would be almost impossible. 1401
only advert to those which I huve myself witnessed.
It is not intender, to &jamb men in the use of their
annuals, where sometimes the strength of such us.iy
necessarily he exerted Myron! their 'Dauml pow. r ;
but it is intended that these animals should not lie
abused. flow lamenialdr it is, that interest should
hr the ostensible incitemo iit to cruelty;
.O 5 a t see so
the tiesititient or 1,..t-hor,..s. 'lli re is A.. 0 ii ''t
of trot ellen' who will ,co a hunt for the d.), en:
immediately ride ant 4.f tow us for the intr! .e.e co
destruyiug that ennui tebic h con,tautly per; urou

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