The Sun.
London, England, 1831-08-20 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

.110.tISE OF LOPDS, Aucusr 19:

In the absence of the LORD CHANCELLOR, the Earl it
SICAFTESBURY took his seat on the Woolsack at Five
o'clock.

The Candle Duties Repeal aid the Msessed Taxes Bills
were read a second time,

Lord KiNGw presented several petitions praying for the
abolition of tithes, and that some other mode of paying
"the' clergy Might be devised.
I' The NottE UM) also presented petition numerously
signed, complaining strongly of the cons±nct of the yeo-
manry at Newtownbarry.

The Earl of WICKLOW said that he Would decidedly
oppose the reception of -the petition. He thought the
Noble Lord seemed to be aware that it ought not to be re'-
ceived by their Lordships, and if it was not withdrawn, he
would certainly-take the sense of the House upon it.
Lord KING then withdrew the petition.

Lord KING then presented a petition from the manu-
facturers of some place, the name of which we could not
catch, praying that the hours of children's working in
manufactories might be limited.

• Lord TENTERDEN then entered, and took his seat on the
Wool,aek, and the Arbitration and Interpleader Bills went
through a Committee, and the reports were ordered to be.
brought up on Monday.
Lord TENTERDEN introduced a Bill, the same as the
one he brought in last Session, for altering the time of
prescription.

The Earl of WICKLOW gave notice that on Monday
he would put some questions to his Majesty's Ministers
on the subject of the Reform Bill.

The House then adjourned till Monday.

HO USE OF COMMONS, Atraysr 19.

The SPEAsEi took his seat at about Half-past Three
o'clock. •
Lord DUDLEY STEWART presented a petiti(n from
a respectable individual, the Mayor of Arundel, in the
county of Sussex, stating in the first instance that the Re,

form Bill now before Parliament would be: incomplete,
unless the protection of the ballot was afforded to places of
a small constituency, so that mine influence might be
prevented. In this prayer the Noble Lord tia'd he could
not concur, although he knew there were many persons in
this country who wished for the ballot; when, however,
it should be brought on, he would give the subject
his best consideratimi. The petitioner also complained
that Members were appointed nn Corn in ittees on private Bills,
who were interested parties to the subject befo:e them. He
instanced a case of a Road Bill, which went into a dun-
mittee in the last Session, which was lost, and that several
Members of that Committee were subscribers to the pre-
posed undertaking. The petitioner complained of inelivi-;
duals being thus appointed on Committees as judges in
matters that concerned themselves. The Noble Lord con=
curred in this part'of the petitiOn-

. --
A long but very uninteresting AiscussiOn. took place
between the SpeOser, Mr. HoWard, Mr. Hunt, Mr.
Hume, Alderman 'Atkins, Sir G. Clerk, Lord Morpeth,
and 'Mr. Wynn. The objection made to the pet Non was
that it conveyed a general complaint against Members of
Committees who were interested' in cer:ain Bills, and who
were Members of the last Parliament, relative to certain
grievances; but the petitioner did not state that he hal
suffered any grievance.
'The petition was read, and ordered to lie on the table:
STEAM-BOATS NAVIGATION .BILL.
_ _

Mr. HODGES presented a petition from the Corpora.
tionof Gravesend against this Bill.

Mr. Alderman WOOD said he hail brought in this Bill
by Abe desire of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London,
who had themselves been witnesses of the great injuries
accruing from the rapid rite at which steam-boats pro-
ceeded on the Thames; he hoped that the Bill would be
allowed to go into a Committee up stars, where all parties
who were opposed to it would have ample Opportunity of
enforcing those objections, and having them ful:y discussed.
The Bill was of very great importance, and since its in-
troduction into this House he had had upwards of 100 let-
ters upon the subject, stating a variety of injuries that
had occurred by the racing of steam-boats.

Mr. MABERLY thought that if this Bill were passed,
to regulate the pace at which steam-Imats shou:d travel,
they would next have a legislative enactment to limit the
pace at which persons should go home in their carriages
or on horseback.—(Laughter.) The very essence of the
Bill was to regulate. the pace at which steam-boats should
go, and that would destroy one,of the great benefits aris-
ing from steam, viz. expedition.—(lfear, hear.) Ile
had no ojection to punishment for improper conduct;
but he could not agree to allowing any Bill to pass
a stage in silence, when it might afterwards turn out that
it ought'never to have been introducedat aIL

Mr. O'CONNELL was of opinion that the rapidity of
steam boats ought to be checked on such a crowded river
as the Thames.

Mr. HODGES wished the Hon. Alderman to postpone
bis Bill until Monday week, to allow the Corporation of
Gravesend time to prefer their claims.

Mr. D. W. HARVEY agreed in the principle of this
Bill, but he thought that in case of injury done to boats
the penalty should go to the owners, and not to the Cor-
poration.
Mr. HUME suggested that before the Bill was passed
it ought to be ascertained whether the Corporation of
London bad or had not the power of making the necessary
regulations to inflict and enforce penalties.
Mr. Alderman WOOD said the Corporation of London
had no such summary power over steam-boat racers as that
referred to by the Hon. Member for Middlesex, and which
they exercised over stage-coach drivers in the city. The
object of the Bill was to supply this, in order to check the
nuisance that existed, and to prevent further mischief.
The petition, was then received, and the second reading
of the Bill was postponed till Monday.
Mr. HUME presented sevenl petitions on the subject of
education in Ireland, praying that all public grants should
be made to persons possessing the public confidence,
and that the good contemplated by Parliament, might
be accomplished without reference to party principles
or for the exclusive encouragement of particular sects
or religious opnions.—The petitions were ordered to be

• printed:
The Horr. MEMBER also presented a petition from the
North Western district of the National Union, stating
that they approved most sincerely of the great liberality
of the House in granting 100,0001. per annum
to her Majesty in case she survived his Majesty,
and praying that the same liberal spirit might be extended
to the vridow of every operative, by granting to her an
annuity of 251. He moved that the petition be brought up.
The SPEAKER said, as the petitioners asked for
a grant of money it would be informal to bring it up.
Mr. HUME admitted that if the petitioners had asked
for a direct grant of money it would haie been informal to
present it, but they prayed that a law might be enacted
to the effect which he had stated.

Mr. COURTENAY thought the intention of the pe-*
titioners was'evidently to throw ridicule upon the House and
its proceedings. He believed that they never imagined
that any attention would he paid to this petition, hut they
had determined, at all events, 'to cast into disgusting ridi-
cule the resolutions and grants of that House. He should
therefore divide the House upon the question of its
reception. 1

Mr. STANLEY bad no doubt the petitioners never
imagined that their petition would be granted. At the
same time, it would be thought to be giving too great
importance to the petition by refusing to have it brought
up ;it would be much better to haveei it laid upon the
table, and that no further notice of it might be talon...
Mr. HUNT would reiterate the language used by the
Petitioners in calling this a profligate expenditure of the
public money, and if be bad been in the House at
the time of the gent he should have opposed it
The SPEAKER called the Hon. Member to order.
Mr. HUNT should perhaps apologise far having beeo
absent on that occasion, but— •

The SPEAKER remarked, that when a giant was
made it was presumed that every Member was present, and
it was harsh and nnparliamentary to charaeterise any act
of the House profligate.
Mr. HUNT would regret to make use of any language
that might be termed harsh or unparliamentary, but in the
present state of the poor in the country_.
The lion. Member was again called to order by the
SPEAKER, and

Mr. HUME rose, and said he would object to the law
as hid down by the Hon. Speaker. If he were wrong
he might be, but he had on many occasiow called acts o!
that House " mischievous," from the tendency they had ;
" illegal," from their violating acknowledged principles to
the Constitution ;" and " profligate," from their extrava-
gantly wasting the resources of the country.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT thought it would be derogatory
to the character of the House to receive such a petition.
Colonel DAVIES hoped the Hon. Member for Middle
sex would not press the receiving of the petition.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM suggested the propriety of
withdrawing the petition, for the purpose of having ti-
language of it corrected, as it at present stood, the petition.
Was entitled to little or no attention.
Sir RICHARD VYVYAN observed, that if the Hoo.
Member for Middlesex was determined to press the rereving
of the petition, be should certain!), vote against him.
Mr. HUME .stated, that he should .certainly withdraq