The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-19 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, JULY 18.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual hour.
Mr. Campbell, from the East India House, presented
copies of coresponderice relating to the subject of steam
communication with India.
TREATMENT OF THE CHARTISTS.

Mr. LEADER rose to present a petition from Wm.
Lovett and John Collins who stated, thet they were, on the
6th instant, arrested at Birmingham, and brought before
the Bench of Magistrates; that at half-past eleven o'clock,
on the morning of the 7th, they were removed to the county
gaol of Warwick, that they were finally committed ; peraonal
bail to the amount of 5001. having been demanded, and two
sceurities each in the sum of 2501. The petitioners com-
plained of the exorbitant amount of bail demanded, seeing
that, as they were working men, it would be impossible for
them to procure the bail among men in their own
sphere of life. They stated, that when removed to the
County gaol they were stripped stark naked in the
presence of two turnkeys, and examined all over to disco-
ver if there were any marks on their bodies, an indignity
which they emphatically remonstrated against; that they
were taken into a room in which there were no less than
eight prisoners, some of whom were in a filthy state ;
that they were compelled to strip themselves naked,
and to bathe in the same cistern of water
with those men, and to dry themselves with the same
towel, and that a common felon was ordered to cut the
hair off Lovett. The petitioners further stated that their
shirts having been taken from them, and their initials
stamped thereon, they were put into a room in which
were twenty-two other persons, one of whom was
infected with the itch ; that they were com-
pelled to fall into ranks in the open yard with other
prisoners to receive their food and to be examined by the
Doctor, to see if they had taken the itch ; that they were
exhibited to persons who came to the gaol from curiosity ;
that they were confined to the common gaol al-
lowance, a small loaf which they believed did not weigh
more than one pound and a half, one pint of oatmeal
gruel, without salt, and two ounces of cheese each day,
except Sundays and Wednesdays, when they were served
with one pint of, what was called, beef soup, but in which
there was not the appearance of any thing like weat,
except some slimy, stringy particles, which offended them
so much, that they were obliged to forego eating it ; that
they were permitted, with the untried prisoners, to
expend threepence a day, with which they procured eggs
and bacon, but that they were not allowed to have their
eggs and bacon cooked, and were obliged to cat them raw ;
that during eleven hours out of the twenty-four they were
locked up in a vaulted cell with a brick floor, at the door
of which cell they were obliged to leave their boots; that
they had to lie on an iron bedstead, with a mattress
and two blankets, but without sheets; that they were
compelled to make their own beds in a particular manner,
under penalty of solitary confinement ; that they had each
morning to fold up their mattrass to the exclusion of the
air, so that when unfolded the smell was offensive to an
extent not to be conceived ; that they were not allowed to
see any person except in the presence of the gaoler,
and that a wicket-gate, with spikes on the top
of it, was between them and their friends; that their
watches and other articles they had in their pockets were
taken from them ; that they were not allowed the use of a
knife, fork, plate, or any vessel except a small wooden
tub and a spoon; that they were debarred the free use
of pen, ink, and paper, and that they were not allowed to
write to any person, however necessary it might be, except
in a particular room, where there were other prisoners, and
that they were compelled to leave their letters open to be
examined before dispatched for the post. (Hear,
hear.) The petitioners begged to be understood
as making no complaint of the personal conduct of Mr.
Atkin, the gaoler; but of having been thus treated
as common felons, having been treated with the utmost
indignity, and limited in the quantity and quality of their
food, they prayed—
Mr. FRE SHFIELD rose to order. There could be
no objection to the House being made acquainted with the
facts of the case, but the petition ought not to be read at
length. The rule on the presentation ofpetitions ought to
be general.
Mr. LEADER said it was a great pity the Hon. Gen-
tleman had not interrupted him before, because he had
now finished reading the petition.—( Hear, hear.) The
reason he did not make a statement of the petition in
compliance with the rules of the House was simply
this—that the petition was only five minutes ago put
into his hand, and he had not had time to put himself in
possession of the facts.---( Hear, bear.) He was compelled
therefore to read the petition, and be trusted the House
would make an exception in a case of this sort, where
really great hardship had b-en inflicted—where redress
ought to be immediately given, and where if these things had
been done according to law, not a moment ought to be lost
in altering that law.—( Cries of Order, order, and Chair. )
The SPEAKER said the Hon. Member was then
speaking on the merits of the petition, and therefore quite
out of order. —(Hear, hear, hear.) The Hon. Member ^
had been out of order in reading the petition.
The petition might have been read by the clerk at the
table, but the Hon. Member must be aware that the rules of
the House prevented him from going into it at that length.
Mr. LEADER was aware of the rule, and was quite
ready to submit to it ; but he should not be infringing the
rules of the House if he was to move that the petition be
taken into consideration, and if seconded, which it would
be, he might then speak as long as he pleased. It
would, therefore, have been better if be had been al-
lowed to go through the petition. He had only to
add, that the petitioners prayed that the House might take
the petition into consideration, and the treatment that
had been inflicted upon them, such as no Englishman ought
to be subject to while under confinement pending the pro-
duction of bail and previous to conviction of crimp. In that '
prayer he (Mr. Leader) agreed, and he thought no one
could say there was anything improper in the prayer of the
petition. On the contrary, the House would be neglecting
its duty if it did not take measures to remedy such a law,
if in reality such a law was in existence. He moved that
the petition be printed with the Votes, and gave notice that
on the first Order Day he should move that it be taken into
consideration.
Mr. FOX MA ULE said, as this petition involved some
serious charges, he thought the Hon. Member for West-
minster would have done better had he kept it in his pos-
session for a day, in order to make himself thoroughly ac-
quainted with the charges, and to give notice to the Hon.
Member for Warwickshire, who was closely connecied w'th
it. He must say that, after the treatment of Dr. Taylor
in gaol, he was surprised to hear the allegations in the pe-
tition. He, however, bad no objection to its being printed.
Mr. LEADER said be had made no charge against any
man or set of men. He had merely stated the prayer of
the petition, and there was now ample notice to the Hon.
Member for Warwickshire. As to the truth of the alle-
gations, he knew Dr. Taylor, and he also knew Mr. Lovett,
and ho would say that a more honourable man did not exist
than Mr. Lovett. He would answer for him on his own
personal knowledge.
The conversation then dropped.
Mr. LEADER presented a petition from the parish of
St. Clement Dance, against the Collection of Rates Bill.
Nfr. JOHN O'CONNELL presented several petitions
from places in the county of Kerry in. favour of the Irish
Municipal Reform Bill.
Mr. L OCK H ART prevented petitions from the county
of Argyle in favour of Church extension in Scotland.
Mr. B. SMITH presented a petition from Norwich in
favour of the Government plan of education.
Mr. W. ELLICE prefelit,d a petition from the
Chairman of the Board of Guardians of the Leicester
Union against the Poor-law Commission Continuance
Bill.

Sir GEORGE GREY presented a petition from the
Stationers of Devonport, in favour of a uniform penny
postage, and against the adoption of stamped covers.
Mr. BARNARD presented a petition from Deptford
against the Collection of Rates Bill.

-Mr. F. MAULE presented a petition from Glasgow
relative to the presentations to livings in the Church of
Scotland.

Mr. TURNER presented a petition from the Stationers
of Truro, iu Cornwall, in favour of penny postage, and
against the adoption of stamped envelopes.
Col. SALWEY presented a petition to the same effect
from the Stationers of Ludlow.

Sir T. ACL AND presented a petition from Devon
against certain clauses relative to nut-door relief in the
Poor-law Amendment Bill. Also a petition from stage-
coach proprietors of Somerset, complaining of inequalities
in the taxes imposed on conveyance by coach, and by
steam travelling.

Mr. DI VETT presented a petition from Stationers of
Exeter, expressing their gratification at the adoption of
the principle of a penny post, but also expressing a fear
lest it might injure their interests.

Colonel WOOD presented a petition from the Agent of
a certain Company for procuring a species of stone from
the banks of the Shannon, stating that this stone was of
durability and beauty, equal to any other, kut much cheaper,
and praying that the House would (Erect the attention of
their architect to it. The Hon. Member suggested that
the petition should be referred to the Commissioners for
the New Houses of Parliament.

Mr. O'BRIEN could bear his testimony to the valu-
able qualities of this stone, and wished to ask the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer a question on the subject, but the
Right Hon. Gentleman was not in the House.
Lord POWERSCOURT presented a petition from
the stationers of Bath, praying that their interests might
be protected in the new system of penny postage.
Mr. DENISON presented a petition from the stage.
coach proprietors of Surrey, complaining of excessive and
unequal taxation.
Sir B. HALL prosented a petition from Marylebone,
in favour of a penny postage.
Mr. CAYL EY presented a petition from the West
Riding of Yorkshire, against the administration of the New
Poor-law (we believe).
Mr. DARBY presented a petition from stage-coach
proprietors of Sussex, praying for equalization of those
taxes which pressed upon travelling.
Mr, BAINES presented a petition from Yorkshire in
favour of a penny postage.
Captain PECHELL presented a petition from Brigh-
ton against the Collection of Rates' Bill.
Mr. LEADER wished to give notice that he would
call the attention of the House to the petition of William
Lovett and J. Collins on Monday, on the first order.
Lord J. RUSSELL said no motion could come on
then, upon an order, unless an order for Committee of
Supply, if the motion did not refer to the order.
Mr. LEADER thought the Hon. Baronet (Sir E.
Wilmot) had settled with the Under Secretary for the
Home Department, that the petition should come on upon
Monday.
Mr. FOX MAULE had merely understood that such
a petition was to be presented, and had suggested that it
should be taken into consideration on an early day.
Sir EARDLEY WJLMOT said there had no
understanding between the Right Hon. Gentleman and
himself, but he was desirous that an early day should be
named, as such charges ought to be inquired into.
NEW POOR LAW ACT.
Mr. YORKE moved for a Select Committee to inquire
into the allegations of a petition, presented the other day
by the Hon. Member for Oldham, casting imputations on