The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, FEBRUARY. 15.
Lord GODERICH presented several petitions on the
subject of the truck system, the abolition of slavery, and
the extension of the elective franchise.
Lord DACRE presented petitions from Bishop Stortford
and several other places, praying for Parliamentary Reform.
Lord KING presented petitions from Clamorganshir e
and Sonaersetshire against the tithe system ; also a petition
from the Manchester Political Union, praying for Parlia-
mentary Reform ; also a petition from St. James's, Cler-
kenwell, and Mile-End, praying for Parliamentary Reform.
Lord RADNOR presented a petition of rights from
the town of Birmingham, praying for Parliamentary
Reform. The Noble Lord in doing so expressed a sin-
cere hope that the ballot would form part of the proposed
system of Reform, and took occasion to refer to how that
saystem worked in America. He firmly believed that no
plan of Reform would he satisfactory, unless accompanied
by the ballot.
Lord CALTHORPE did not agree with many of the
sentiments contained in the petition, considering that it
asked for that which Parliament could not grant con.
sistently with its own dignity.
COMMISSIONERS OF BANKRUPTS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR then rose to present a
petition from a most important body of individuals, the
hankers, merchants, and solicitors of the metropolis. In
doing so his Lordship observed that, in looking over the
names which were attached to that petition, upward.
of four thousand five hundred in number, he found many
with whom he was well acquainted. and he had no
doubt that if the petition had remained for a longer
period for the purpose of signature, many thousands more
would have been added to it. The petition stated that the
present system of the Bankrupt I.aws was so bad as griev-
ously, to affect the trade and traders of the city of London.
It objected to the whole arrangement and system of the
administration of the estate and effects of bankrupts by
the 14 lists of Commissioners; and then set forth,
shortly and clearly, some of the principal evils of this
system : and this it would be necessary to remember
was the result of long experience and the subject of much
discussion in the city of London, for he himself recollected
many debates on the subject; they also prayed that their
Lordships would adopt such measures as in their judgments
seennal necessary to abolish the 14 lists of Commissioners,
and in lieu thereof to establish such a Court as would give
to the public that convenience which it was entitled to.
It might be supposed that be (the Lord Chancellor) had
taken some interest in this proceeding, after the notice which
had been given for Tuesday next to bring forward his
proposirion on this subject. He assured their Lordships
that he had not had the slightest communication with any
person who had been instrumental in bringing forward
the present petition till he had been requested by the peti-
tioners to bring the subject before their Lord-hips.
He, however, could assure the House that the petition did
not present any speculative doctrines urged by these indi-
viduals. The parties signing the petition were men who had
bad experience on this subject, and. who were now suffer-
ing from the effects of the system of which they com-
plained. Under such circumstances he particularly re-
quested the attention of their Lordships to a petition of
such importance.
REPEAL OF THE UNION.

The Earl of SHREWSBURY presented several peti-
tions films different parts in Ireland, praying for the repeal
of the Union.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY asked if the
Noble Earl meant to say that be supported the prayer of
these petitions for the repeal of the Union Act?
The Earl of SHREWSBURY was not prepared to an-
swer the tluestiou. The only answer he could give was
that Le had not made up his mind on the subject one way
or the other He bad great confidence in the present Go-
vernment exerting themselves for the relief of those (and
many time were) who were and had been suffering in Ire-
land, and towards whom the late Administration had been
avowedly hostile The late Government had done nothing
towards removing the complaints that issued from the
sister country beyond granting emancipation to the Roman
Catholics, and which they had only done through com-
pulsion.
The Duke of WELLINGTON had not the smallest
objection to the Noble Earl's paying every compliment to
the present Government, but he felt bound to protest against
his stating that the hate Government wad hostile, avowedly
hostile to Leland. The measures which the late Govern •
anent had in preparation, end which the Nobie Duke
believed the present Administration were now bring-
ing forward, respecting Ireland, would spew that
the late Government could not have been avowedly
hostile to that part of the United Kingdom. Further,
the measures recently adopted and put in force by the
Government of Leland itself, and which he trusted had
tended to the pertnauent tranquillization of Ireland,
adopted by the very Noble Individual who, during
the late Administration, had Leen dieectly opposed
to such measures, went to prove that the late Administra-
tion could not have been as bad been described.
The Earl of SHREWSBURY had already said that
he was not prepared to answer the question that bad been
put to hint. He then only answered it in the best way he
could. He certainly, though he did use it, did not mean to
have used the term avowedly hostile, he meant to state
that, in the late Government granting emancipation to
the Roman Catholics they had done it not from a
sense of justice towards the people of Ireland,
not with a view to conciliate or satisfy the people of
Ireland, but because they felt the time was coma when they
could no loner resist the measure.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY had put the question
to the Noble Earl for the purpose of knowing distinctly
whether lie, possessed as he was of large estates bsth
in England and Ireland, could really stand up
and declare that he supported those prayers, which he
in his heart believed, if granted, could have no other
possible effect than that of subverting the happiness of the
people of Ireland, and proving a total dismemberment of
the empire.
Lord STRANGFORD withdrew his notice of motion
whiels stood for Friday next, in consequence of Lord Ellen-
boronret having a motion standing for the same day, and
fixed it for the 21st instant.
CHURCH BUILDING ACT.—TITHES.
The Bishop of LONDON present,d a Bill for amending
the Act for facilitating the erection and endowment of
churches and chapels; in doing so he was anxious to cor-
rect a mistake as to what fell from hint in last night's
debate, which had gone forth to the public. He bad been
wade to say that the average of the livings of the clergy in
England was 3551., and that the average of the income of
archdeacons was 600/. a-year. What he had said was that
the average of incomes of clergy in England and Wales was
/135/., and that archdeacons had not 6001., but that the
average slid not exceed 100/. a-year.
Lord KING expresed his surprise that the tithe should
:amount only to so small a sum. If that sum were multi-
;Asa/ by 10,500, the number of clergymen, 4' would make
the whole tithe only 2,000,000/. It was quite inteetlible
to suppose that tithes and church lands amounted only a'
2,000,000/. or 3,000,000/. a-year ; he thoughts
.5,000,000/. would be nearer the mark,
The Bishop of LONDON said he had taken flits ealelf='
lations from returns made in 1811—the livings maleing,
on the average, the sum be had stated ; but taking perpe-
tual curacies and all into consideration, the average was
under 2001. a-year, assuming that the returns were correct.
The Earl of RADNOR supposed the Right Rev, Pre-
late included only the tithe.
The Bishop of LONDON said he included the whole
revenue of the church, and out of the average he had
mentioned the pay to curates was to he deducted.
Lord WYNFORD presented a petition from the per-
sans employed in the m inufacture of kelp on the western
part of the county Galway, praying fur the protection of
that manufacture.. The Noble and Learned Lord ex-
pressed an earnest hope that a branch of industry which
gave employment to (as we understood) 500,000 persons,
might receive due protection and encouragement from the
legislature.