The Sun.
London, England, 1822-06-20 00:00:00

HOUSE- OF . COMMONS.

Mr. BASTARD presented a Petition from the Pilchard
Ei-Shers in the neighbourhood of Plymouth, ,for the total repeal
of the Salt Tax.—Laid on the Table.
Sir W. LEMON presented a similar. Petition from the Fish-
,Curers of Mountsbay.—Laid on the. Table.
Air.: Alderman ;WOOD. presented Petition from John
'Knklit, of Manchester, late a prisoner in Lancaster jail, for a
political:Offence' complaining of ill-treatment.
The Petition being read,
Mr. B. WILBRAHAM stated, that many of the allegations
of the Petitioner were fallacious.
Mr. Alderman WOOD could not be in possession of the real
facts of the case, but the Petitioner appeared to have been put
to hard labotir, which, by his.sentence, he was not liable to.—
Ordered to be printed.
Sir R. SHAW moVed for a return of the net amount of Win-
dow and-Hearth Tax, paid in Ireland, within the last seven
years, distinguishing the amount for each year—Ordered.
Sir R. SHAW presented a Petition from the Parish of St.
Mary's, Dublin, praying a repeal of certain: assessed taxes.—
Ordered to be printed.
PUNISHMENT-OF HARD LABOUR.

Mr. COURTENAV rose, in pursuauce to the notice he had
given, to move for leave to bring in a Bill to extend the inflic-
tion of hard labour upon offences which were not now visited
by that punishment. As many, Hon. Members had spoken to
him upon the subject, who entertained a favourable view of the
Bill, he hoped there would be no objection to his motion. He
would briefly state the object of-the Bill, which was to annex
the punishment of hard labour to persons imprisoned for certain
felonies and misdemeanours. _ _

Mr. M. A. TAYLOR wished to know, whether it was the
intention of the Hon. Member to leave this new power at the
discretion of the Judges ?
COURTENAY,repIied, that the punishment would be
applied to specified cases.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
Mr. S. RICE presented a . Petition from the Tanners of
Drogheda, praying a repeal of the Excise Duties on Leather.—
Ordered to be printed.,
Dr. LUSHINGTON moved, .that a new writ be issued for
a Member to serve in Parliament for the Bon:high of Camel-
ford, in the I.o'll of the Earl of Yarmouth, now Marquis of
II extford.—Ordered.
COUNTY COURT.

Mr. LENNARD presented a Petition from certain Trades-
men and others in London and Middlesex, complaining of what
they described to be mal-practices in the County COurt.
Mr. COURTENAY was convinced that this Petition did
not proceed from any considerable body of the respectable
Householders of Middlesex. The lion. Member deprecated
the means which had been adopted by the Petitioners before
the presentation of the Petition. He contended that, if there
were ground of complaint, a proper application to the Chief
Justice would Temedy it. As the law which established the
Court provided a check over its Officers, he thought persons
ought not to be• allowed to come with ex-parte statements,
for the purpose of recording malicious charges against the
Judges of the Court, without giving them the means of repel-
ling them. r As this was his view of the case, he should move
the rejection of the Petition.
Dr. LUSHING TON expressed his astonishment at the
course adopted by his lion. and Learned Friend, in charging
the 4000 individuals who signed the Petition, with malicious
motives. They were called upon to reject the Petition, and
to disbelieve its statement upon the ipse.dixit of his Honoura-
ble and Learned Friend. He contended that the subject was
one which demanded attention, and he could not help feel-
ing some indignation at this attempt to abridge the right of
Petition. _ .

Mr. H. SUMMER briefly supported the Amendment.
Mr. H. G. BENNET contended, that instead of rejecting
the Petition, the House were bound to enter into an investiga-
tion of the complaint. He thought there was no confidence to
be placed in the Court of King's Bench as to the regulation of
offices, for that House was the only power which could keep
the Courts of Law in order. The fees of all the Courts ought
to beTeduced. He supported the Petition.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, that the Act of Par-
liament fixed a very summary punishment to the officer who
exacted more fees than were his due, namely, that of removing
him from his office. If any of these 4,000 Gentlemen, could
therefore 'prove the charge they had made, an application to
the Court of King's Bendi was all that was necessary to have
the Act of Parliament enforced. If it was meant to say that
such an application would be disregarded, he could only say
that such an assertion would be the most extraordinary one he
had ever heard. _ _ _

Mr. HUME supported the Petition, and contended that the
House ought'to go into an inquiry upon the charges which it
contained. He was surprised at the course pursued by the
Honourable and Learned Gendeman, considering that these
Coiirts had been so frequently accused in that House. He
should have thought that he had been anxious to uphold the
character of the Court not only as free from blame, but above
imputation.
Mr. WYNN entirely concurred in the opposition of his Hon.
and I.earned/fiend to this Petition. :He knew nothing, and
cared nothing, as to whether the complaint was well or ill
founded ; but so long as he knew that there were tribunals.ap.

Mr. WYNN explained, that his objection was not to the
-prayer, but -to the allegations of the Petition ; and from time
immemorial it had been the practice to reject petitions on the
ground of objectionable allegations.
Mr. ROBINSON hoped, that after what had fallen from the
Hon. Member for Cumberland, (Mr. Curwen) his Hon. Friend
(Mr. Courtenay) would feel that his objection to the Petition
being received was removed. He begged, however, to state,
that he did not, by admitting the Petition on the understand-
ing that it was intended to promote inquiry upon it, _ pledge
himself to support such inquiry.
Mr. COURTENAY consented to witharaw his opposition ;
but he put it to the candour of the Hon. Gentleman.opposite
(Mr. bennard) to endeavour to prove his charge.
The Petition was then brought up, and ordered-to lie on the
table.