The Sun.
London, England, 1822-02-26 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MONDAY, FEB. 25
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.

Lord ROLLE, in the absence of the Lord-Lieu-
tenant, had been requested to present a petition
from the noblemen, gentlemen, clergy, and yeo-
manry of the county of Devon, praying for agri-
cultural relief, the reduction of taxes, and, in a
rider, for Parliamentary reform. He should
briefly explain the reasons which had induced
him to second the petition as it originally stood.
His desire was, that individuals who were really
suffering should have an opportunity of express-
ing their opinions fully on the causes of their dis-
tress,. and the remedies which they conceived
might be applied to it. ",He wished that no party
consideration should be mixed up with such a
statement ; and that it should be signed in 'the
most numerous manner possible ; and he had the
satisfaction to say, that the original Petition had
been carried unanimously. A Rider was then
proposed, containing a prayer for Parliamentary
Reform, and such was the disposition of those by
whom it was introduced, that every one who
came forward to protest against it was most
grossly 'interrupted and insulted, but no insult
could prevent him (Lord Rolle) from fulfilling
his duty, and opposing the intrusion. The re-
sult, however, proved what was the real sense of
the country, for out of 10,000 freeholders and
10,000 leaseholders which it contained, only
446 had subscribed their namep to the petition,
in consequence of the addition which it had re-
ceived. Not more than 14 Magistrates and 16
Clergymen had been induced to sign it, though
every thing had been done to procure signatures.
Placards had been put up, and papers carried
about the country, telling farmers that if they
wished to get rid .of their taxes they must peti-
tion for Reform. He trusted therefore that their
LOrdships would think with him that a petition,
which, under those circumstances, presented only
446 names, did not speak the sense of the majo-
rity of the county. He then moved that the
Petition be read and laid on the table.
Lord KING expressed.his satisfaction that the
Noble Lord should have seconded a Petition
which recommended.economy and retrenchment,
because no doubt could be entertained of his
having well weighed their necessity. He there-
fore gladly hailed the prospect of enjoying 'tor
the first time the assistance of, that Noble Lord
in cutting down the public expenditure. With
respect to the rider to the Petition he (Lord
King) understood that when it had been pro-
posed, not more than fifty hands had been raised
up against it. The Noble Lord said, that every
art and cunning had been used to procure signa-
tures in favour of Reform, but there was no (Treat
cunning in intrusting it to the care of the Noble 7)
Lord, whose sentiments were well known to lie
so little friendly to Reform.

Lord ROLLE would reply to the congratula-
tory anticipation of the Noble Lord, that in
seconding a Petition which prayed for extensive
retrenchment, he had waived every private opi-
nion and consideration for the purpose of pro-
moting unanimity, and had been successful until
the Rider in question had been proposed, when
no one who spoke against it was suffered to be
heard. He believed that those by whom the
tumult had been excited were people who had
no property in the county. Cobbett himself had
not come, but his papers and placards were
there. He felt therefore convinced, that the
prayer for Reform did not proceed from the
majority of the county.
Lord HOLLAND thought the Noble Lord had
taken an odd opportunity of revenging himself
for the treatment which he had experienced at
Exeter, by giving their Lordships the speech
which he had not been allowed to deliver at the
meeting. No Petition had ever been placed in
more unfortunate circumstances ; for the whole
address of the Noble Lord to the House was
one of censure on the persons who had signed
the Petition. And the Noble Lord had stated
that the Petition, which he in duty to his King
and country had thought it lit to lay on their
Lordships' table, did not contain the opinion of
the persons who signed it. It was true, that it
was not signed by the High sheriff, and that ac-
cording to the forms of the House it could only
be received as the Petition of the individuals by
whom it was subscribed ; but he did not doubt
that it expressed the sense of a large majority of
the county.
Lord Roux drew his conclusions with re-
spect to the sense of the majority, from the fact
that there were three thousand persons present
at the Meeting, and that the Petition was only
signed by 446. He also knew that many who
had intended to affix their name had retired in
disgust without doing it, after the Rider had
been proposed.—The Petition was then laid on
the table.

The Duke of SOMERSET presented a Petition
'corn several Agriculturists of the Parish of 110 -

beach, in the County of Lincoln, complaining of
Agricultural Distress, and praying for a reduc-
tion of taxes. lie considered that it was the
pressure of distress which impelled the people to
think of Reform. Taxation was so oppressive,
that it had driven away many persons out of this
country to others, where the means inadequate
to their support here, enabled them to live• in

comfort and even in affluence. If our expendi-
ture were reduced at home, and the peace esta-
blishment diminished, distress would not exist to

such a degree. If retrenchment were carried as

'ar as it could be, much would be 'done .to quiet