The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-17 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, FEBRUARY 16.
Sir MICHAEL SHAW STEWART presented a petition
from Little Dunkeld, in favour of Parliamentary Reform•

WESTERN PART 017 IRELAND.
Mr. DOMINICK BROWNE said that he had three
petitions to present from the western part of Ireland, re-
lating to the want of food in that district ; but that, in the
thin attendance of Members, he would confine himself to
presenting one of them, and would reserve the others for
to-morrow. The Hon. Gentleman stated that the dis-
tress which existed in that part of Ireland, from the want
of emplcyment, and the apprehenson of the speedy want
of food, was extreme. Whatever might be the cause of
that distress, he conceived that it was the duty of his Ma-
jesty's Government to take means to prevent the inhabi-
tants from being reduced to absolute starvatiol. The dis
tress had been greatly increased by the run upon the banks,
which had affected not only the lower but the middle
classes in Galway and Sligo; it having been impossible to
get large and good bills discounted on any terms. Along
the whole of the coast there had been a complete failure
in the potato crop. These circumstances, added to the re-
duction of the duty on barilla, and other causes, had driven
the people into a state of the utmost destitution. He had it
on the authority, not of the petitioners only, but of the
Marquis of Sligo, and other highly-respectable individuals,
that there was not a month's provision in band. Unless
some interference speedily took place, it was to be feared
that the dreadful scenes of 1792 would be renewed ; aggra-
vated by that distress among the higher orders which pre-
vented them from employing and relieving the lower. The
petitioners did not pray for money ; all that they required
was employment, by which they might obtain the necessa-
ries of life. He would now present the least important of
the three petitions, which . was fron3 the inhabitants of
Letterwallin, in the county of Galway, engaged in the
kelp trade.
KILDARE-STREET SOCIETY.

Sir J. NEWPORT presented a petition, in the prayer
of which, the Hon. Baronet observed, he in a great
measure concurred, from a numerous and highly respect-
able body of the inhabitants of Waterford, against the
present system of Irish Education Grants.
Mr. LEFROY expressed an opinion strongly i❑ favour
of the Kildare-street Institution; and said, that whenever
the subject came under the consideration of the House, he
should be prepared to show that it was a most valuable
establishment.
IRISH VESTRY LAWS.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT presented another petition from
forty Protestant inhabitants of Waterford, against the
Vestry Laws.
Mr. WYSE was rejoiced at this brilliant example of
religious liberality. This was the first petition from Pro-
testants calling for the repeal of the Vestry Act. He
was satisfied that no alteration of that Act would be suffi-
cient, but that it must be totally repealed ; for it was
intolerable in a free country that a large portion of the
people should he thus taxed without their own consent,
and without having au), controul over the money forced
from them.
Colonel AI3ERCROMBIE presented a petition from the
inhabitants of Alloa, praying for an extension of the elec-
tive franchise.