The Sun.
London, England, 1812-02-28 00:00:00

F 771-4 tr. -

Lti RIAL ALL 1/1111E,N1.

HOUSE OF PEERS.

THURSDAY, FEB. 27.

In a Committee of Privileges, their Lordshipsmade
fan her progress in the investigation of the Claims
of Sir William Jerningham to the Barony of Slraf-
f4d. To proceed again on Tuesday next.
Seveial Bills of a private or local nature were
brought up from the Commons by Sir. J. Graham
and other Mernb,rsi which were severally read a
first time.

The Exchequer Bills Funding Bill was read a se-
cond time, and committed lot to-morrow.

NOTTINGHAM FRAME BREAKING PREVEN-

TION BILL.

The Earl of LIVERPOOL moved the Order o.f the
Day upon which their Lordships were summoned,
which being lead ;
The Noble Secretary of State obierved, that al-
though the circumstances which gave rise to the
present measure were wyll known, yet as it
contained some enaelinents. of . a, novel nature,

it. was necessary he should state to the House some
of those grounds upon which. he thought that it
ought to pass into a law. The transactions which
took place, and were still going on 10 the county of
Nottingham, were pretty well known to. most of
their Lordships, and he rose to state, that tio exer-.
lions were wanting on the part of Government to
remedy the evil, and insure the return of trimpii-
lily and order under the existing laws, and this he
believed was the convialion of those most couvers-
ant on the subject, and who had opportunities of
local information. It bad at length become neces-
sary to recur to, and express the determination of
Parliament on the subject. [he Bill in question
was divided into two different parts, which most un-
doubtedly in some respects, proceeded on different
grounds. The second part -was 'introduced with a
view to the detection of the offenders, which" was
the principal objet?. It. went to compel individuals
in whose houses frames should ne broken to give
information thereof to the Magistrates, and the pro-
visions of- this part of the Bill were calculated as
much as possible to insure dete6tion ; and it was
deemed necessary to render the offences proVided
against by the Bill capital. He was „aware there ex-
isted more difference of opinion on this than on any
other point; he knew it would be urged in its dis-
cussion, that such en enaelment would only tend to
render detetitiori more difficult, and the chance of
conviaion more uncertain. To this, however, lie
thought. it could be rationally objected, that the ter-
ror of the law would in rreany cases operate, where
the apprehension of les er punishments would be
found int.ifeetual. He, ter his own part, could see
nu well founded objection
.to try the effeets of the
inea.aure which was propose-l. The chief difficulty in
the present case, lie repeated, woe tilt; CitfiCility of
detection under the system of the existing apelicei-
ble law ; and he believed at the same time, that the
operating dread•ot the severer punishment would,
in the present case, be attended with beneficial el-
feds. In addition to this, he obierved, that the ACI
was proposed but as 'a temporary.' one, and there-
fore the Legislature would have a future regular op-
portunity of revising it, on a consideration of its et-
feels. If it should prove inef4Ctual, they would
have an opportunity of considerifithow far it would
be wise or expedient to continue e. But consider-
ing all the circumstances of the case, the- extent, the
nature, and the details of the e‘il; lie was himly of
opinion the measures proposed in the Bill were the
most proper for the adoption of the Legislature;
and that the other House of ParliaMent were well
grouuded in sending it up for the concurience of
their Lordships. He would therefore move, that
this Bill be now read a second time.
Lord BYRON (in a first speech) decidedly opposed
the measure. He was connected in. that part of the
country where the scene of the disturbances lay,
and had,been there lately. He was there during
•the time of the alarming and delirious extent of the
outrages which the Bill was proposed to suppress.
But he had to observe; it was in his mind evident,
that theperseverauce alone of the unhappy iudivi-
shewed they were driven to the commission
of such offences by absolute want. One of the
greatest objects of their violence was a particular
species of wide frame, which enabled one man to
perform the work of several*: These unhappy per-
sons conceived that the use.of these frames, was the

cause of throwing numbers out: of enlployutent.
The real causes of their distresses, however, were
of a very different natuie. The singttlar species of
warfare which was thought proper to be adopted for
eighteen months—productive of bankrupxy, im-
puted fraud or conviEtion of felonies : these were
the operative causes, and it was no wonder, when
.such existed among better circles there. should be
found these excesses among a distressed and despair-
ing populace. He had also to object that no pre-
vious inquiry should be instituted before the I,2gls-
lature was called upon to pass even a sentence of
death. The Commission which was ordered to ye
sent into theCouuty for the ptkrpose of quelling the
disturbance, arrived in time to behold the wrecks
which had been left, and to collect these optitha
spo/ia! He felt assured, th:it if a proper investiga-
tion had been instituted in the earlier stages of the'
disturbances, the present ineasuie would have been
unnecessary, and a very different scene would have
presented itsolf in that quarter, thau an idle inikary,
and a starving and wretched poplace.. "They should
not forger; that out of that class of .their fellow
subjects, the British. navy was in,4tued, arid tkeir
battles fought. These unhappy and starving manta-
. faCturew, he felt, had the strongest claims on the
compassionate consideration of the country ; when
the Portuguese sufferers were relieved by eery class
al the community—by the rich man's largess and
the widow's mite, so as to enable theta to to- till