The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-08 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS, FEBRUARY 7.

Several private Bills were forwarded a stage.
The London Bridge Bill was read a secend time, and
ordered to be committed.

Several petitions praying fur Parliamentary Reform, fn•
the Abolition of Slavery, for the Repeal of the Assessed
Taxes, and for a Reduction in the Expenditure, were pre-
sented from different places.
Sir J. NEWPORT postponed Ma motion- relative to
first fruits to the 7th March.

Alderman WOOD moved for the return of the amount
of the assessment for rates in Grosvenor, Bclgrave, and
Eaton-squares.—Ordered.

GENERAL FAST.

Mr. 11. HUGHES presented a petition from a congre-
gation of Dissenters at Oxford, praying that a day might
be set apart for a General Fast on account of the distresses
of the country.
Mr. HUNT said, as an Honourable Member had a
motion for a General Fast, he should like to ask him
whether he did not think such motion unnecessary,
as he must, or cught to be aware, that one
third of the population fasted every day.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. S. PERCEVAL was surprised to bear the re-
mark of the Hon. Member for Preston. Did be not
know that the Almighty disposer of all worldly affairs was
also the sole dispenser of all human benefits?
Mr. HUNT—Oh, yes, lam aware of that. But the
Hon. Gentleman and others of his class appropriate to
themselves what Providence designed for the use of the
poor,

Mr. PERCEVAL should not condescend to answer
any thing that related to himself personally.
Mr. HUME hoped that if there were to be a General
Fast, the proclamation would embrace all the causes of
the general distress. When the proper time arrived be
thought he should be able to explain those causes.
Lord MORPETH thought, that when the motion was
before the House would be the proper time to discuss
the subject.
Mr. HUNT, in explanation, said, if the Hon. Gentle..
man (Mr. Perceval) imagined that he meant any thing
personal w himself, he was much mistaken, as he did not
even know him by name. The petition was then ordered
to lie on the table.

—.—......-
Mr. GUEST presented a petition from a parish in m
Glamorganshire, in favour of Re-
f
De-
vonshire, against the. duty on sea-borne coals : also peti-
tions parishes in
contrasted the population and
property of
G ii
organslure with the English counties ;
oi. from
The
i.l
and called the attention of the House to the following cal-
culation which he had made, and which would show the
disproportion of the representation of Glamorganshire as
compared with other parts of the empire :
Number of Population
Member& in 1821. Being
Sussex
Dorset .. .
All England . 513 • • . . 12,218,000 : . . 1
Glamorgan . 2 •• • : 105,000 .. . 1
RETURNS OF ANNUAL
nn N ALUE
ual FOR PROPERTY TAX IN 1815.
A v alu e.

£
__.
Or £
Sussex has 20 Members . . 913,560 . . . 1 for every 48,000
Dorset .. 20 ditto • • 698,000 •. . 1
Glamorgan 2 ditto .. • 334,000 . . 1
Glamorgan had more extent, and annual value of property
and population, than Westmoreland, Monmouth, Huntingdon,
Bedford, or Rutland; each of which counties return two Mem-
bers.
The Horr. lllamima then gave notice of his intention
to move, on the 15th of February, for a Select Commit-
tee, to inquire respecting the pensions granted under the
Civil List, with a view toconfine them to services performed.
Sir E. KNATCI-IBULL presented petitions from pa-
rishes in Kent, praying for the repeal of the coal duty, and
complaining of the distressed state of the country.
Mr. BRISCOE presented a petition from Richmond-
on-Thames,
ir .J praying
gN
for a general fast day to be appointed.
Sir presented a petition from Scarbo-
roughj.oN
against the duty oa coals.
BREACH OF PRIVILEGE.

Ari. D. V
HARVEY presented a petition to which
to a breach of privilege. It would be recollected that some
he wislied en W.
all e the attention of the House. It related
time since a petition was presented by a person of the name
of red&ll, complaining of the manner in which justice was
administered in the Prerogative Court. On that ac-
casion Doctor Lushington, then a Member of the
House, and animadverted in very strong terms
on the gotup
allegations contained in the petition, and asserted
it was not the petition of Mr. Peddill, but of his attor-
ney, Mr. Walker. These observations, after being corrected
by the Learned Doctor, were published in the " Mir-
ror of Parliament;" against which publication, and
also against Dr. Lushington, Mr. Walker had
deemed it his duty to bring an action for libA,
and the cause was especially appointed for hearing in the
King's Bench on Thursday morning. Now on that
trial it would be absolutely necessary to prove the
original petition, which certainly could not be done
unless the house consented that the proper officer
should attend the Court. The Hon. Member then read
the petition, to the effect that the officer of the House
be ordered to attend the King's Bench on Wednesday.
He (Mr. Harvey) was aware that Dr. Lushington was not
responsible at law for what he said within that House, but
the action was brought for his correcting and afterwards
publishing what took place.
The petition having been ordered to lie on the table, the
110 N. MEMBER moved that the officer be ordered to at-
tend the King's Bench on Wednesday.
Mr. Husaß seconded the motion,
After some observations from the Speaker, Mr. Hurtle,
Mr. Spring Rice, and Mr. Littleton, the motion was put
and negatived.

Mr. HUME said ha was subpoenaed on the trial, and
wished to know Whether he was competent to give evi-
dence of what passed in that House.
The SPEAKER, said he was competent, but was not
compelled to do so.

Lord TAVISTOCK presented a petition from the
parish of Harrow, in Bedfordshire, praying fur Parlia-
mentary Reform.

In answer to a question from an Hon. Member,
Mr. F. BUXTON said he would postpone his motion
with respect to Negro Slavery from the let to the 4th of
March.

Oa the motion of Mr. CAMULL, the Registration of

Deeds Bill was ordered to be real a second time on the
4th of March.

Mr. AS FELL presented a petition from Bridgewater,
praying for the repeal of the House and Window Duty.
Mr. SA NDFORD presented a similar petition from

Mr. ADEANE presented a petiiion, praying for a
commutation of tithes, the repeal of the Assessed Taxes,
and Parliamentary Reform.

Mr. H. CURTEIS presented several petitions from
owners and occupiers of Lind, complaining of distress. He
took the opportunity of stating that Ministers had dealt
with much too merciful a hand toward, the Pension List.

The llox. GENTLEMAN then presented a petition from
500 labourers in the hundreds of Chichester, praying for
a repeal of the Malt Duty ; and petitions to the,same effect
from the farmers and occupiers of land at Epiten and three
other parishes in the county of Sussex.

Mr. HUMS, observing upon these petitions, denied
having ever made en invidious attack on the lan•'ed in-
terest, although certain of that body considered him hostile
to them generally. He had merely, in the exercise of his
duty, exerted hitn.elf to procure a relaxation of their mo-
nopoly in corn, and in the same course he should continue
to persevere.

An HoN. MEMBER (whose name we could not learn)
suggested that some such concession might be obtained
from the agriculturists, if the rest of the community were
compelled to participate to a greater extent in the burden
of the poor's-rates.