The Sun.
London, England, 1823-03-26 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT.

. ,
110Ugg OP LORDS MARCII 25.
Mr. WALPOLE.; from the Treasury, presented accounts of
the Consolidated Fund and Unfunded Debt tip to the present
year.—Laid on the table. • '
The Duke of NORTIJUMBERLAND presented a Peti-
tion from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, against tile. Insolvent Debtors'
Act.—Laid on the table. •
Lord KINGSTON moved for returns of the number of con-
victions,which had taken place in Ireland, under the Irish In-
surrection Act.—Ordered.. •
The Private Bills before the Molise were each forwarded one
step in their respective stages..,-Adiciurned.

HOUSE OP' COMMONS.
ISCE L LAN EOUS.
Mr: I ftvirto presented the annual, accounts of the Exports
and Imports.
Accounts were also presented of the qUantity of Corn sold
in Mark-lane,- of Irish Excise Duties, and from the Audit
Office.—Ordered to be printed.
A new Writ was ordered for the Borough of Lymington, in
,the room of Sir Harry Neale.
Colonel WOOD postponed his notice r moving esolu-
tions relating to the I.aw of Settlement, from the 23d of April
to the 30th.
Lord STANLEY presented a Petition from certain Publi-
cans' in the town of Blackburn, in Lancashire, against the
Licenfing System.— Laid on the table.
Mr. CRIPPS brought in a Bill to regulate Parish Appren-
ticeships. Read a 'first time, and ordered fur a second reading
'on the 14th of April.
Mr. MANNING presented 3 petition from the Planters of
the Island of Antigua, against any alteration in the Sugar Du-:
ties.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. ORENFELL gave notice, that on Wednesday, the 16th
of April, he should move for Returns of the amount of balances
in the hands of the Bank of Ireland, and of the number of
Bank-notes circulating in Ireland, similar to those for which lie
should move with regard to-English notes.
A Copy of the Report made to the Secretary of State for
the Home Department, by the Royal Society, relative to
Gas Lights, was presented to the House, and ordered to be
printed.
MESSAGE FROM T 111; LORDS.
A Message from the Lords announced their Lordships' assent
to several public and private Bills. •
CAPE BRETON.
Mr. HUME rose to present a petition front the in.
habitants of the town of Sydney, in the island of Cape Bre-
ton, which he considered' to be of great importance. In
1763, this Colony; among,many others,. was ceded to this
country. It was a part of our Colonial policy, that when
Colonies were conquered or acquired, the King should have
the power of directing the. manner in which they should
be governed! But Lord Mansfield, who had stretched the
Royal Prerqgative as far as any man with regard to Colonim
had stated that when that power had once been exercised, it
ceased to exist. After the 'cession of. the isloods, tome of
them received, by proclamation, a form of Government and
Houses of Assembly, by which all laws Were to be made,; In
Grenada the freeholders were immediately assembled, and the
others proceeded to form their assemblies as circumstances

permitted. At Cape BretOn the Islanders almost all quitted
the colony, and there were not freeholders enough. to act. In
17813, when Governor Parr received instructions from the King
he was prohibited from introducing any laws but those of Eng-
land, and it was distinctly stated that the Act of the General As-
setnbly of Nova Scotia should hava no force in that settlement.
After this, encouraged by the prospect of living under English
laws, the population of Cape Breton had increased to twenty
thousand souls. Yet, notwithstanding the Proclamation of
the King, and the state in which the eaten), bad remained down
to 1820, it was then made a county of Nova' Scotia, by a pro-
clamation of the Governor-General, Sir JaMes Kemp. Upon
the authority of Sir J. Mansfield, lie conttatiled.that this was an
usurpation of the power of Parliament. The Hon. Member pro-
ceeded to argue that great grievances had arisen to the inhabi-
tants of Cape Breton, front the change of their laws and
condition. With regard to the right of property, there was a
complete anornaly 'in their situation.' ily their old established
laws, they inherited property by right of primogeniture;
whereas in Nova Scotia property descended as in France,—
The petitioners prayed to be relieved front these grievances,
either by a return to their old Government, or by being
allowed to remove, with a compensation tot loss of pro-
perty, to the United States, where they card live under
certain and fixed laws. It was impossible to say that rights
and laws could be thus overthrown by the flat rorthe Ding in
Council., Be trusted that such a principle never had been, and
never would be recognised in that .House. There was an im-
. post paid by the merchants of Nova Scotia, of two antra half
per cent. from .which the inhabitants of Cape Breton were spe-
cifically exempted. What then must have been their Surprise
when they found themselves united to Nova Scotia, and liable
to this duty by the simple tiat of the King? Not only was this duty
imposed on them, but it was increased to three and a half {ter
cent. The Proclamation of the King in 1820, contained one point
to which he would particularly call the attention of the House.
It stated what was raise, and what was inconsistent with the
original' Proclamation, when the island was first colonized
namely—that the island of Cape Breton was to be re-annexed
to the Government of Nova Scotia. It was impossible that it
. should. bere-annexed, because it had never been annexed. The
Government might as soon think of' re-annexing the Islands of
Dominica or Bermuda. .By the late union, the circulation of a
forced paper currency had extended to the petitioners front Nova
Scotia ; and the consequence was, that the Island was so
drained of its bullion that they bad scarcely money- enough to
pay for necessary articles. The Hon. Member then recapi-
tulated the prayer and complaints of the petitioners, and said
lie thought it impossible for such a statement to be answered...—
He felt that he lied not treated the subject in the way which its
importance demanded ; but he hoped the House would con-
sider with the greatest attention the case of so large a portion
of the community appearing at their bar, as the petitioners now
did.. -
The petition having been read,
Mr.' 'WILMOT 'rose to' reply to some,of the observations
which had fallen from the Honourable Member. The Honour-
able Member had commenced by declaring that the petition
involved a 'great and important constitutional question : and
he must say, that if that were really the case, another occa-
sion, and allifferent time in the evening, would be more appro-
priate for its discussion. But lie had no doubt of being able to
convince the Honourable i%fember himself that he had quite
misunderstood the case. There were two points of view in
which the question ought to be considered ; the one of policy,
and the other of Constitutional right. The Honourable Mem- ,
ber had stated that the petition was numerously signed; 'nit
as far as his information went, the fact was very different.
He understood that the nunlike of signatures wars, «bO, and ac-
cording to the lion. Member's own statement, the population
amounted to 20,000. In addition to this, he could state, that
no remonstrance had ever reached the Colonial Office against
the change which had taken place. If the eCidence of the Go-
vernor would be considered of any value against that of the
Petitioners, he had stated that the change was approved by a
large majority of the inhabitants, and that the petition was
got up by a few individuals. The same person, when he thst
attempted it, could obtain no signatures at all. And after.
Wards, having obtained 40/. from some of the merchants, he
had a primed paper circulated, stating that the -undersigned
had authOrized their names to be affixed to apetition, and the
present one was drawn up by this individual. The lion.
:Member then argued that the meaning of the_ Proclamations
had been mis-stated, and contended that the inhabitants had
originally understood their island to be repreeented in the Ge-
neral Assembly of Nova Scotia, This was proved by, their
having elected two members for that purpose, which Members
Were not received, because the election was informal from the
wantassern obfiyfrefeholders.
bulld Capeeduponprßolrineistoenohradaritioy claim to to
raiglehgt,islaTtihvee
'Royal Proclarnstion of 1116:3, did not extend tu that island, or
he admitted there would be a good case made out. With re-
gard to the alleged grievances of the annexation in 1820, three
years had since elapsed without complaint, and great advan-
tages had been derived to •the island by that Act. In fact,
there was no discontent felt or expressed, upon the. part of
the great majority of its inhabitants. If the House looked at
these circumstances, he was sure ft would not place dependence
upon the statements of the Petition. He would like This op:
portunitY:of reverting to d subject, which althoitgh nut con.
nected with this question, might as well be mentioned upon
tation of what he had said, in a quarter which had been inge-
that as upon any other occasion. lie alluded to a misrepresen-
niouitly described by an Hon. anti Learned Gentleman as cer-
'tain historical fragments.' He was aware that misrepresenta-
tion could not always be avoided, and he should not have
mention the subject if it had not affected
sentiments to
tsa
nticonduct. Be had been made to gar,
}lib
ott
of
lit eti
al it necessary
that the Hon. Member for Aberdeen could not justify the policyy.
of leaving arms in die hands of a hostile population. lie had
said no such thing. If he had, lie alic.,:dd 'have been guilty of
a irrOss breach of duty, because he did not believe the popula-
ivas that, considering the
stitotinteut:fbtelihe°nsetiiigelibo‘uniagt IlePotulitdingeanyt, anti the attempts which
were making to engage the people in troubles, no one Could
justify their being left armed 'muter such circumstances. But
lie nerd did use. the words hostile population."
Mr. BERN AL thought this question was one of the first Ito-
pounce, involeing, as it did, past, as Well . as anticipated,
grievances anti violation of right,. lie contended that the Pro.
elamation of 1603, extended to Cape Breton, and that Grenada
.
had no title whatever to a Legislative Assembly, which Cape
Breton did not possess. Ile considered the question adverted to
by this petition as one of the highest important*. He denied
that there had been an acquiescence of three years by the people
of Cape Breton under the-present system. They had, on the
contrary.; taken the .earliest opportunity of obtaining legal
opinions, by means of which they could ascertain their rights.
Mr. BRIGHT thought this subject called for the attention
of sU who took an interest in the welfare of the Colonies ; for
if one Colony was. deprived of its Legislature, it was highly
probable that attempts would be made to deprive other Colo-
nies in4he same manner. The people of the Northern Colonies
were entitled to every consideration, on account of their pre-
sent, as well as the probability of .their future strength; but
independent of this circumstance, if their rights were clear and
away merely by
defined, tind could be shewn to have been' long and unihter.
grurrnedelialt utroyneudi
The 'petition vita then ordered to be on the table ; and after
Some OliservutiOnS, in explanation from Mr :Hume (wlto stated
that if no other Member took up the subject, he should do so
himself}, was ordered to be printed..
tthheeycrivoerwne. not to, be. taken