The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-03 00:00:00

WEST INDIES.

Mr. KEITH DOUGLAS said he had to move for cer-
tain papers connected with the West India Colonies,
which he understood was not objected to by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. Of such importance
was the agitation of the present questio❑ relating to West
India property, that he hoped before many days elapsed, the
Noble Lord (Althorp) would explain to the House the
views of his Majesty's Ministers on the subject.
Lord ALTHORP would lose no time in doing so.
But he could not now pledge himself to bring forward
the subject of West India affairs on any particular day.
He only rose then to say, that he had no objection to
the House being in possession of the papers moved for.
Sir J. WROTTESLEY presented a petition from
Wolverhampton, praying for Reform. The Hon. Member
supported the petition, and stated that he himself had
been a reformer for 30 years.
Mr. LITTLETON would not trespass on the House
further than to say that the petition expressed the
general sentiments of all the persons in that populous
town, and that it bore the signature of many persons,
who had all their lives been, until lately, opposed to its
prayer.

Mr. HUNT—I rise, Sir, to present a petition from
, in Somersetshire, and as the prayer is short,
I will take the liberty of reading it. It prays
for a commutation of tithes, an abatement of taxation,
particularly the malt tax, the abolition of all useless
places and sinecures, Reform in Parliament, and vote by
ballot.—(Hear.) I need scarcely say, Sir, that with the
prayer of this petition I cordially agree. I think, how-
ever, that the petitioners have, in the present instance,
put the cart before the horse, for it appears to me, unless
they get Reform and vote by ballot, the other evils they
complain of, will never be redressed. The petition comes
from a class of agricultural labourers who, although greatly
distressed have behaved in the most peaceable manner.
And out of the several hundreds that have signed it,
only tlirce could write their owe names.—(Great
and continued laughter.) After a short pause, the
Hon. Member proceeded. I must apologize to the House,
as I am but a young member.—(Laughter.) Rut I am
informed by my friend of a mistake that I have fallen into

—instead of only three persons who signed the petition
b,ing able to write their names, I should have stated that

that there were only three who could not do so.—(Hear,
hear, hear.)—l am of opinion, Sir, that if the in-
tended Reform in Parliament is for the object
of protecting the landed interest, already so well protected,
it will never satisfy the country. I am, Sir, and always
have been, a Radical Reformer—(Hear)—and I shall
always continue so. With respect, Sir, to the Corn Laws

I shall give notice on the subject. I think it hardly ne-
cessary to go into a general statement of my principles ;
they are known. I must however say that no
Reform will be of any avail, unless it is accompanied by
ballot. lam happy to see that that principle is becoming
exceedingly fashionable. I can assure the House that
in all the towns I have travelled through, the universal
wish is, that unless the ballot be established, they would
rather not have the curse of election at all.—(hear.)
Mr. C. FERGUSON bad no wish that the landed

interest should be protected at the expense of others.—
But he was a decided enemy to universal suffrage.—.
For if property mere not to be represented, there would
be no security for the country.

After a few words from Mr. C. PEr.itam, the petition
was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. HUNT presented another petition from Manchester,
and could assure the House it expressed the senti-
ments of the majority of that great and populous
town. It pra3, ed for the abolition of the Corn Laws,
Reform in Parliament, universal suffrage—(Laughter)—
and annual Parliaments. He fully agreed with the peti-
tioners, and he thought the House ought not to exclude

the right of any one of the electors. He would
take that opportunity of stating that his (Mr.
Hunt's) constituents had been grossly misrepresented
It was stated, that by the late elections they had shown
their hostility to the present Ministers. Such was not the
case, neither were they actuated with the least hostility
to their late Member. During the whole contest Rot a single
word of an offensive nature was addressed to him.
he would disclaim for himself and Lis constituents all hos-
tility to the present Government, and if the intended
measure of Reform was not exactly according to his views,
yet, if it included vote by ballot, Ministers should
have his hearty support.—(f-Isar.)—He could, however,
tell them, that without ballot they might as well do
nothing at all, for the country would be less satisfied
then than if was now. The petition was then read.
CORN LAWS.

Mr. HUNT gave notice that on this day month he
should move for a total repeal of the existing Corn Laws.
:Hear, bear.)

Mr. CAMPBELL presented a petition from the inha-
bitants of St. Andrew's praying for Parliamentary Reform.
The petitioners venerated the Constitution, and, at the
time they prayed fur Reform, they trusted that whatever
alterations were made would have the Constitution for
their basis.

Mr. N. CALVERT presented a petition from Hoxton,
in Hertfordshire, against the Duty on Coals.
Lord MORPETH presented a petition from the town-
ship of Long, and another from Milton, in Yorkshire, praying
for the reduction of salaries and Reform. The Noble
Member presented a petition also from Yorkshire, praying
for the abolition of Colonial Slavery. His Lordship also
moved for certain woollen returns.

Mr. lIUME gave notice that he should move to-mor-
row for a list of all the pensions that had been granted
under the 57th of George 111. and the 6th of George IV.
Also that he should move for a Return, sliming the aggre-
gate amount of money paid to the different branches of the
Royal Family (with the exception of the Civil List),
with the several Acts and authorities under which they
were paid. The Hon. Member presented a petition from the
parish of St. Anne's, Westminster, signed by 840 house-
holders ; and another from the parish of St. Luke's,
signed by 2,000, praying for the repeal of the Assessed
Taxes. With the prayer the Hon. Member cordially
concurred. He considered this tax ought to be removed,
even it' his Mijcsty's Government should have to im-
pose some other tax in lieu of it. Ile presented a peti-
tion from the inhabitants of St. Philip and Jacob,
in Bristol, to the same effect. The Hon. Member presented
petitions from the city of Perth, the corporation of Perth,
from the Magistrates and Counsellors of the Royal
borough of Arbroath, from the borough of Annan, from
the royal borough of Forfar, from Lanark, ft ono Dingwall,
from Chichester, from Marylebone, and some other places,
praying for Reform, and the greater part for Universal
Suffrage and Vote by Ballot. The Honourable Memb: r
agreed with the petitioners, that unless there was this ex-
tensive Reform, the country would receive no relief. He
wished, on the subject of taxes, he could influence the
House to repeal all except those that fell on landed gen-
tlemen—(Mucha laughter)—for the purpose of punishing
them for having occaiioned the universal outcry against
taxation which had now keen raised. It would be but
justice if it were so.

Lord ALTHORP said, I rise to inform the House that
his Majesty's Government will be prepared to sob.nit to
the House their in,asure for Reform on the let of March
next. I wish also to state that his Majesty's Go-
vernment have determined to entrust the bringing
forward of that measure to my Noble Friend the Paymaster
of his Majesty's forces. We have selected that Noble Lord
because of his perseveranc, on the subject of Reform, at a
time when it was almost impossible to bring forward the
measure. My Noble Friend persisted then in bringing
the subject before the House, and we think it doe to hint
that he should now have the opportunity of bring-
ing- forward the question of Reform at a time
when it is considered proper to be done.—(Hear.)—
I understand there is in the order of the day a motion of
mine on the subject of the growth of tobacco in Irel
I beg leave to give notice that 1 shall defer bringing
forward that measure until to-morrow fortnight. I also
give notice that I shall to-morrow lay on the table the
proposition which his Majesty's Ministers mean to submit,
for the purpose of snaking up the Civil List. I
shall lay the papers on the table to-morrow, and
at the same time explain the nature of the imea-
sshuraellsbrinintegnidteida
Btoillbfeor aciolonpsotelidd.atinOgn
ttihwe
C3,tilsotfonaiNsla;rcahndl
also a Bill for consolidating the Stamp Acts. It is nut

my intention to propose an addition to the Stamp Duties
in Ireland.

Sir CHARLES WETHERELL took the liberty of
asking !whether the Paymaster of his Majesty's forces,
whom the House had this moment been informed was to
be deputed by his Majesty's Government to bring forward
their proposed measure of Reform, was or was not a
Member of his Majesty's Cabinet ?
Lord ALTHORP—The Paymaster of his Majesty's
Forces is not a Member of the Cabinet. But if the Hon.
Member means by that question to impute that the measure
to be brought forward by my Noble Friend may not have the
full concurrence of the Members of his Majesty's Cabinet,
one and all of them, he is mistaken.—(l,oud cheers.)This is not an unprecedented step. There are precedents
for :it. It happened accidentally that the same course
was pursued when Mr. Burke brought forward his pro-
position respecting the Civil List Establishment. Rat if
this were not so, it must be apparent to Hon. Gents. that
if his Majesty's Government chose to depute any gentle-
man holding an official situation, to bring forward a mea-
sure, that gentleman solemnly pledging himself to
he responsible for the measure, it could snake no
difference to the House, whether he were a Member of the
Cabinet or not.

A MEALIER wished to know whether it would not be
better for the Noble Lord to postpone his measure
respecting the growing of tobacco in Ireland to a more
dist-int date, that the presence of the Irish Members
might be insured o❑ the discussion?

Lord ALTHORP said he should not delay it further. He
bad every reason to believe that the Irish Members
would be present then.
Another SIIMBEL under the gallery desired to know if
the measure of Reform was intended to extend to Scotland.

Lord ALTHORP hoped he would be excused for
saying that he should decline answering any further question
respecting the measure, until it was brought forward.
The measure was intended to extend to Scotland.