The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-17 00:00:00

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Mr. It. MARTIN presented a Petition from the Inhabitants
of Camberwell, praying that the House would adopt some mea-
sure for protecting brute animals from the cruelties to, which
they were often subjected. The Hon. Member said he could
horrify the ears of. the House if he were to mention some of
the instances of cruelty towards animals which had come to his
knowledge. There was a place in this city called the " West;
minster Pit," which was appropriated to the exhibition of com-
bats between different animals. Round this_ pit were congre-
grated a set of the greatest vagrants that ever existed. He had
heard it remarked, that Parliament ought not to interfere with
the amusements of the lower orders; but he denied that the popu-
lace assembled in any considerable numbers round the " West-
minster Pit;" it was attended only by the lowest miscreants.
Printed. bills of the amusements of the Pit" were distributed,
and tickets of admission were sold. One of the printed bills
ran as follows :—" Jacco lifaccacco, the celebrated monkey;
will this day fight Tom Crib's white bitch Puss.—(A laugh.)—
Jaceo has fought many battles with some of the first dogs of
the day, andhas beat them all, and he herebi-offers to fight
any dog in England of double his own weight."—(A laugh.)—
The battle advertised in this bill took place, and after having
continued for upwards of half an hour, it terminated by Puss
tearing away the whole of the under jaw of Jacco, who,
on his part, lacerated the windpipe and the (n•teria carotin
of Puss.—(A laugh.)—ln this state the animals lived for
two hours, and then they died.—(A_ laugh.)—He would be
the last man living to interfere with what might properly be
called the amusements of the people, but scenes such as he had
described could afford pleasure only to the lowest and the vilest
of mankind.-:-(Hear.)—He once went to see the "Pit," and
there he saw one of the miscreants, a woman, who belonged to
it, who had just returned from the hospital, where she had
been confined for six months, on account of a wound which
she had received frOm a bear ; for an animal of that kind was
kept at the " Pit," besides 50 or 60 badgers.—(A
The way in which the woman received her wound was this :
she was passing the bear one day, when the animal gave her a
claw and completely scalped her. He believed that the amuse-
ments of the "Pit" came under the equity of existing statutes.
They would be unlawful if it could be proved that money was
paid for admission, but that was difficult to do. lie hoped
that his Hon. Friend, who had introduced a Bill for regulating
the Police of the Metropolis, would bring the " Pit" within
the purview of that measure.

Mr. LOCKHART spoke against treating animals with
cruelty. Though the brute creation was subjected to the domi-
nion of men, it was never intended that they should be sub-
jected to torture. He was therefore disposed to favour the Pe-
tition, and also the Bill of the Hon. Gentleman.
Mr. GURNEY reorobated (as was understood) the transac-
tions which took place at the " Westminster Pit." He, Was
opposed to interfering with the amusements of the lower or-
ders, but he did not believe that the scenes which took place at
the " Pit" were exclusively patronized by the lower orders.
The Honourable Membei for Galway had said that he had vi.
sited the " Pit," and he might, perhaps, tell the House how
rimy Members of Parliament he saw there.

Sii C. BURRELL was willing to punish unnecessary cruelty,
but he doubted whether the Bill of the Hon. Metaber was
necessary.
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_

Colona BAGWELL hoped the Hon?' Member (Mt. Gur..
ney) did not mean to impute any blame to the Member for Gal-
way for going to the " Pit," after he had stated what his object
was for going there.
Mr. R. MARTIN said he should not like to be present at
any of the combats which took place at the " Pit.' He went
there on a Sunday ; but he saw the animals which were des-
tined to take part in the conflicts.
Mr. SYKES presented a Petition from the Guardians of the
Poor of Kingston-upon-Hull against the Poor Removal Bill.
Mr. 000 CH presented a Petition from certain tanners of
Bury, praying that the whole of the duty on leather might not
be repealed, but only that.part which'had been recently imposed.
Mr. COKE presented a petition from certain owners and oc.