The Sun.
London, England, 1830-03-30 00:00:00

KENTISH PETITION.

Sir E. KNATCHBULL had a petition to present from
the Gentry and Freeholders of the county of Kent, the
result of the late important meeting which had been held
at Penenden-heath. He could not prevent it without ob-
serving that it afforded one snore proof of the continued ex-
istence of the distress which unfortunately afflicted the
country. One of his strongest apprehensions was, that
which a Right Hon. Gentleman opposite had so lately ex-
pressed—namely, that the effect of the present depressed
state of the landed interest would be to diminish the number
of that class of most useful and influential country gentle-
men who bad from 1,2001. to 1,500/. a year.—(Hear.)---
The Hon. Bart. then read passages from the petition
agreed to at the late Penenden-heath Meeting, declaratory
of the prevailing distress in the county of Kent, which
he could verify from his observation ; for instance, he
knew that the agricultural tillage of a great quantity of
land in this country was at present in a very deteriorated
state. The petitioners also complained of the system
of what was called free trade, which they thought, in the
condition of the people of this country, injurious at this
moment, when wool was at so low a price, as well as
hides, tallow, &c. Such, too, was the pressure of taxation
upon the productive sources of public industry, that the
people were universally complaining. This amount of
taxation he knew could not be helped if it were actually
necessary to maintain the essential establishments of the
State. He was ready, as he had told his constituents, to
press for the utmost remission of taxes ; but that alone
would not do—the country wanted other measures as well.
The currency was also mentioned as an ingredient in the
distresses of the people ; and the petitioners further called
for Parliamentary Reform. He had told them at the
meeting that he would be ready to assist in the exposure
and redress of any specific abuse which was proved to have
occurred iu the representation, but he would not assent to
speculative and indefinite propositions.—(Hear.)—His
constituents likewise called tbe inquiry into the distresses
of the country,---a call, he feared, not likely to be obeyed,
after the experience which the House had of the late four
nights' debate. He highly approved of the recent reduc-
tion of the leather and cider duties; but he did not think-
that on beer was likely to be es useful as some Honour-
able Members anticipated. Indeed, his firm opinion was,
that if the Chancellor of the Exchequer had gone further
in the remission of those taxes which pressed peculiarly
upon the middling classes, he would have done snore to
grant immediate relief to the working classes generally,
than could be expected from his late arrangements. He
moved that the petition be brought up.
Mr. WELLS was present at the meeting in Kent, and
it gave him great pain to see how universally distressed
was the condition of the people. When they found them-
selves in this condition it was not to be wondered they
should call for a reform in Parliament, and declare that
had they obtained it in time many of their present evils
would have been averted. Indeed, before this petition
had been agreed to by the meeting, an address to the King
for parliamentary reform was adopted, on the ground
that the people were tired of seeking it from the House of
Commons. His Hon. Friend's efforts to impede this
vigour beyond the law, were as unavailing on Penenden-
heath, as similar efforts made by him in theprevious year,
in that House, were in averting the great inroad upon the
Constitution which was then perpetrated. He believed
that many measures had passed through the House of Com-
mons, which would not have been so successful, had the
people had a little more influence over their Representa-
tives. This was the complaint made by Mr. Pitt in
1782, who said, that without reform it was impossible to
save this nation from being plunged in new wars : that
without it the people could not be protected from a bad
Minister, nor have the benefit of the measures of a good
one. The Hon. Member then adverted to the pressure of
the poor rates in Kent, and bore testimony to the great
distress which prevailed in that county.
Mr. HONY WOOD said, the object of his constituents
was—first to obtain relief from the present weight of taxa-
tion, under which they were fast sinking; and next, to
obtain parliamentary reform, with the view of preventing
similar evils in future. The distress of the country was
great, and be believed in too many cases rents were paid
out of capital, and not from profits of cultivation. He had
for 20 years been an advocate for pailiamentary reform,
and the experience of each successive year had only given
greater strength to the first impressions upon that question.
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT was quite satisfied that
Hon. Members would at length become convinced of the
absolute necessity of giving the people a greater weight in
their representative system ; and that the old apprehen-
sions with which well-intentioned persons were deluded
from supporting this principle, could no longer be at-
tempted with any chance of success. He was sorry to see
in this petition certain observations respecting what was
called free trade. In the alteration of old settlements
there must always be some derangements ; but be was
satisfied that when the principle of free trade was fully
understood, and fairly applied, the people would see that
they could not be injured by it, or that they had any rea-
son for opposing it. The sooner that misapprehensicins
upon this point were removed, the better for the country,
fur as matters stood, no Government, especially while that
House was constituted as it was at present, could safely
embark in any large application of the principle : free
trade, indeed, could never be said to be fairly considered by,
the public, until the Corn Laws, which were the great ob-
stacle to that consideration, were removed ; they stood
broad in the way of any enlightened principle of ac-
tion. Indeed, he was so satisfied that the country
gentlemen were themselves exceedingly in error on the
subject of these Corn Laws, that he meant, soon after
Easter, to bring forward a motion, the object of which
would be to have them repealed. When he did so,
he hoped it would be unnecessary for bias to } ress
upon them, that the proposition did not come from
one who was hostile to their interests, but from one who
was identified with them, and who thought, that not only
for the general prosperity of the country, but for the par-
ticular advantage of its landowners these laws ought to
cease. It was a fallacy to suppose that the country gentle-
men had any separately beneficial interest in this respect
from the other classes of the community ; on the con-
trary, their interest must always go on pari passe with
that of the people at large. So impressed was he that
these laws were most injurious, and to the landed interests
as well as other classes, that he had very little doubt if the
gentlemen of the country would only keep their minds
open, he need not despair of convincing them that they
ought to be the first to get rid of this stumbling-block to
the fair trial of the principle of free trade in all their com-
modities. Of this he was quite satisfied, that the corn
laws were a real bar to the prosperity of the country. It
had been said, with reference to the question of Parlia-
mentary Reform, that the time was when no loyal person
would advocate it. For himself he could fairly say, that
he had never thought it disloyal to urge this topic, because
he had always contended that to give their fair weight in

.4'

the representation was as essential to the:r happiness as it -
was to the stability of the thr( ne itself.
The Kent petition was then laid on the table, and' . ,
ordered to be printed. :.1--
EAST INDIA QUESTION. .. I:
Mr. MABERLY presented a petition from the Chamber:. --
of Commerce in Dundee, praying that the East India trade
should be thrown open. ':

Mr. HUSKISSCiN presented several petitions from eon-
gregations at chapels in Liverpool, against the burning of
suttees in India.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM presented a petition from Har-
nage, in Cumberland, against the renewal of the Vast
India charter, and in favour of an open trade to China.
These petitions were referred to the East India Com-
mittee.

Mr. W. PEEL presented a number of papers, ordered
by the House, respecting the administration of criminal
law. and gave notice of a motion for Friday to repeal the
act of the 55th of George 111.
._.

On the motion of Mr. ROBINSON, copies were ordered
of the instructions sent out to the Governor or legal au-
thorities of Newfoundland, relative to the operation of the
act of the sth of George IV., and their answers (if any)
thereupon.
On the motion of Mr. MAMMA', a series of returns '
was ordered, showing the official amount of the importa-
t
ions of flax, dressed and undressed.

On the motion of Lord W. POWLST; accounts were
ordered, showing the number of vessels engaged in the coal.
trade.

Mr: LENNARD gave notice of a motion on the 22d of
May for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal the act giving
the Lord Chamberlain the power of licensing plays.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved
that the report of the Committee of Supply he brought up.
Mr. BERNAL, alluding to a report which had got
abroad, of the intention of Government to take away from
the captains of vessels the right of nominating midshipmen,
wished to know whether there was any foundation for
that rumour?

Sir G. COCKBURN replied, that it was intended to
take the power of introducing the first class of volunteers
from the captains, but that the whole patronage of nomi-
nating midshipmen would remain with them.
Mr. HUME had been requested by au Hon. Friend,
who intended to submit a motion to the House with re-• '
spect to the Canadas, to ask when it was intended to bring
forward the vote of money for works in Canada.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated,
that he would postpone the vote as late as possible, with a
view to meet the convenience of the Hon. Gentleman.
Mr. MONCK suggested the propriety of doing away
with the widows' pensions.

Mr. HUME noticed the injustice of giving 300/. a year
to the widow of an officer in the Navy-office, who bad only
served three or four years, while nothinc, was allowed to
the widow of a labourer in the dock-yard.
Sir G. CLERK replied, that by an arrangement made
in 1825, no pensions were to be given for the future to the
widows of commissioners ; but that arrangement had only
a prospective effect, and did not affect those who were in

the receipt of pensions previous, to that period.
After a few words from Mr. MINE and Sir G. CLERK,
the report was brought up and agreed to.
Sir A. GRANT brought up the report upon the Four per
Cent. Annuities Acts. The resolutions were severally put
and agreed to, and a Bill was ordered to be brought in,
founded upon them.

THE PARKS.
he CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved
the order of the day for the House resolving itself into a
Committee of Supply.
Mr. HUME said that he should object to the vote for the
civil contingencies until he should receive a satisfactory state-
ment from Ministers as to their intentions with regard to the
opening which was so justly called for by the public on
the ground of public convenience—he alluded to the open-
ing from Waterloo-place into St. James's Park. The
Commissioners of Woods and Forests had promised that
such an opening would be made when the public money
had been originally voted for the erection of the buildings
there, and it was only due to the public that that pro-
mise should be kept. The promise had been broken, and
he should certainly object to this vote of confidence until
he received a satisfactory explanation on this point.
Mr. ARBUTHNOT denied that any promise had been
given that an opening would be made from Waterloo-place
into the Park. When he (Mr. Arbuthnot) was in that
office, he would state that in the original plan which was
then sent in to them, and which they felt it their duty to •
carry into effect, there was no such opening laid down. •
He (Mr. Arbuthnot) stated so in his evidence before the
Commissioners of the Board of Works ; and when he was
in office he never promised that such an opening would
be made.

Mr. HUME said whether the promise had been given
or not, such an impression prevailed, and he hoped Mi-
nisters would have no objection to state now whether it
was their intention to oven a passage, which would contri-
bute so much to the public convenience?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER did 'not
consider this a fit time for discussing this point.
Mr. PROTHEROE contended that an opening should
be made here, which he conceived would not alone contri-
bute greatly to the public convenience, but add much to
. .

_ .
the beauty of the street. There was something exceed-
ingly unsightly in the wall which had been erected, and
which quite obstructed the view of the Park. As he was
on his legs he should wish to ask the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman opposite a question with regard to the Regent's
Park. Some years ago, unless his memory deceived him,
a promise was given to the public that the Regent's Park
would be open to them after a certain period had elapsed.
That period he conceived had now elapsed, and the public
had every right to expect that their expectations would be
realized. There was an exceedingly dense population in
that neighbourhood, to whom it would be a very great
convenience to have the liberty to walk over the Regent's
Park. The trees in the plantation were now sufficiently
grown up to allow of the opening of those grounds, and if
it should appear that any mischief were likely to ensue to
the trees from the admission of the public, that might be
prevented from stationing there some of the police con-
stables.

Mr. MABERLY said, that the terms of the leases of the
buildings in the Regent's Park did not leave the Crown at
liberty to open the plantations in the Park to the public.
The rents of these buildings had been increased in conse-
quence of its being understood that those grounds would
not be opened to the public, and the Crown could not
throw them open to the public now, unless they purchased
up those leases in the first instance, which he did not itna-
gin?, the Government would be inclined to do.
Mr. ARBUTHNOT agreed with the Hon. Member
for Abingdon, that it would not be in the power of the.
Government to throw open the whole area of the Park to
the public, but there was a portion of it—the Hon.
Member knew the part to which he alluded—which he
(Mr. Arbuthnot) had intended to open to the public bad
he remained at the head of the department over which he
then presided. What would be done now with reference
to that part of the Park he could not say; but he would
only say, if he had remained at the head of that depart•
meat, he would open it to the public.—(Hear.)
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said, that every Hon. Mem-
ber who passed down by Charing-cross must have had his
feelings and nerves annoyed in coming along that exceed-
ingly dirty passage. There could, therefore, be no greater
convenience, not only to Members of Parliament, but to
the public, than the making an opening from Waterloo-
place into St. James's Park, lie did not believe that a
pledge had been given to that effect by Government, but
he thought that upon the higher grounds of public conve-
nience that opening should be called for. He trusted that
this passage would be made, and that also the area of the
Regent's Park would be opened to the public. He trusted
that the Noble Lord now at the head of the Woods and
Forests, and who he was sure was desirous to do every
thing for the public convenience, would finally. have the
Regent's Park thrown open to the public like Hyde Park,
and that also a passage would be opened and a flight of
steps made from Waterloo-place into St. James's Park.
Mr. HUME said that, whether or not a pledge was
given that this opening would be made, he trusted it
would be made for the public convenience. He concurred
with the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite, that this subject
could be mooted on a fitter occasion, and as they would
have several votes brought forward connected with the
Parks, they would then have an opportunity for discussing
this subject.

Mr. PROTHEROE differed from the Han. Member
for Abingdon, as to the construction of acts of Parliament
regarding the Regent's-park, and as to the terms of the
leases upon which the villas in that Park had been let. It
was quite true that there were provisions in the leases to
prevent the building of any more villas there; but be
(Mr. Protheroe) could see nothing in the terms of those
leases to prevent the Government from opening the area
of the Park to the public. He did not think there' was
any thing in the terms of those leases to prevent the Park
from being opened for the benefit and recreation of the
public. He himself possessed a villa in the Park; but he
did not think that the convenience of the public at large
should be postponed to that of the few individuals who
had villas there.

Mr. MAIIERLY said, when a part of the Park was
opened to the Zoological Society, be (Mr. Moberly) took
counsel's opinion on the subject; and that opinion way,

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