The Sun.
London, England, 1824-05-07 00:00:00

BEER DUTY.

• Mr. FORRESTER presented a petition from Wenlock
against the Beer Duty.
Mr. RUSSELL, presented a petition from Saltash against
Negro Slavery.
POOR LAWS.
Mr. GOOCH presented a petition from a Clergyman in
-Suffolk, praying for the Amendment of the Poor Laws, by
finding employment for labourers.—The same Hon. Gentle-
man presented several petitions from Suffolk against Negro
Slavery; one against the Wool Duty; one against the Bond-
ing of foreign Wheat, and one against Excise Licenses.
-Mr. MILLS presented a petition from Warwick against the
Eitise Licence Duty.
•Mr. 3IANSFIELD presented a petition from the Tanners
of Leicester against the Ilides'and Skins Bill.
Mr. DAWSON presented a petition from Londonderry,
against the Repeal of the Linen Bounties.
Mr. PORTM AN presented a petition from Bradford against
the Eteise Duties.
.The above petitions Were ordered to be printed.
Mr. DA',% SON presented several papers relating to a
Correspondence between the Admiralty and certain Naval
Officers.

Sir AbEXANDER 'HOPE' presented tion from
lithgtsw, praying for a Repeal of the 'restrictions on the Spirit
Trade.

Sir R. FERGUSSON 'presented a petition from. several
Brewers'of Fife, complaining of the present regulation of the
Beer Duty.
Sir W. GUISE presented a petition from Clifton against
the Assessed Taxes.
Qt TAKER 'TESTIMONY.
lard JOHN BUSSEIAL presented a petition from certain
QUakeis of a place in Ireland, the name of which we did not
hear, 'praying that they might be placed on the same footing,
and have the same legal privileges as the rest of their fellow.
subjects.

Sir. HUME 'supported the petition, obseriring, that the
Quakers were in general a praiseworthy people. In JO•
years there had been. he baieved, but one proseeution against a
Quaker for a false affirmation in a Court of Justice.

-Sir JOHN NEWPORT 'al;io supported the petition.
Mr. Secretary CANNING. said he did not propose oing into
any argument of the general question ; but tie could not for-
bear observing that he thoUght there were many difficulties in
the way of pressing any measure for the benefit of persons
whose religious opinions were correspondent with those of the
petitioners. If a general law were passed in their favour, any
person who declined taking an oath ; had only to declare he
was a Quaker, and thus Many abuses would necessarily follow.
Even if this difficulty were removed, he did. not see hosvutitey
could yield to persOns of the' `sect called Quakers, and after-
wards refuse to yield to any other sect, the members of which
should think Proper 'to decline taking an oath.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he did not feel the force of the
first objection raised, by the Right lion. Secretary. The Socie-
ty of Friends had lists of their members ;- and the :fact of -be-
ing or not bdng a member could always be ascertained with-
out difficUlty. Ss to the Second objection" he certainly
thought religious scruples to take an oath, ought be indulged
sat wereQ takers
attended w ere
in all persons.
not
to. o
lle bu loyi personsyeh
* hbolsra. Sr .6 joCI!
sscari said tile)
oath adittinisterok to Moravians and Socinians had been altered,
frinil the usual forin. Quakers, however, were disabled from
giving evidence in Courts of Justice on the most iniportant:
occasions,

Mr. J:WILLIA3III said he Was determined to persevere
in his attempts to indUct Parliament to allow of Quaker testi-
mony in all cases. lie should renew the Bill he had brought
in last Session.

BEER DUTY..
Nslhrt.
ePw.sbCuOult,BaEg'afinpsrt theesencli
t a petition from the Innkeepers
ofPresent regulations of the Beer
Duty. ,
Lord lIELGRAVE supported the prayer of the Petition ;
and hoped the Beer Bill would not be persevered in by the
Right lion. Gentleman. , , •
~
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER Said he would
have no objection to postpone the Bill to-morrow, •if it should
come on at an unseasonable hour. Be had no iiish to prevent
its receiving the fullest consideration.
Mr. P'. CORBET presented a Petition from the Tanners of
ShreWibury against the Hides and Skins Bill. •
Mr. STANLEY presented two Petition' from Manchester
against the Regulations of the Beer Duty.
The above Petitions were ordered to lie on the table and be
printed, , •
Lord ENNISMORE presented a petition from the High
Sheriff and Landed Proprietors of the County of Cork,. against
the 'removal of the, Linen. Duties. The Noble Lord deprecat-
ed this measure as .o-ne of bad policy and injustice. .• .
Mr. C. H. HUTCH.INSON supported the petition. The
Linen Trade had been more conducive to the growth of in..
dustry in Ireland than any other occupation of the natives of
that country. . - 1 - •
Mr. DO:IIINICK BROWN bore testimony to the value of
this bianch of trade tO.lreland. •
Mr. DENNIS BROWN protested against any interference,-
,
with the linen trade. They might be assured that this was not
the last step with respect to that trade, but the first which was
to lead to. others of a most. lamentable description.
Mr. BAGWELL supported the petition.
Mr. W. BECHER, said, that if .the time for withdrawing
the bountiei could be protracted, it would be productive of the
Most beneficial effects.
The petition was then read, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. LITTLETON presented a petition from the Brewers
Of Burton-npon-Trent, against the Beer Duties.—Ordered to
be printed.- . . . . .
Mr. BYNG, presented a petiton from the Vestrymen of St.
Anne's Liinehouse, against the Window Tax.—Ordered to lie
0:1 'the table. • • . .. . .
Mr. PELHAM presented a pretition from Oswestry, against
the Duties on• Ale and Beer.—Ordered to lie.on the table. .
' Mr. HUME presented ,3 petition. from Aberdeen, in favour
of the Oil Gas Bill.—Ordered to he on the table.
Lord ' BELURAVE presented a petition from Chester,
"gain,sC the_ Beer Duties... •
Mr. GOULBURN presented a Petition ftom the Silk Menu-
factilereis of Diiblin, praying
_for,slie application of the late re-
gulations relative to a drawpack ,on silk goods to their particu-
.
Li iiise.—Ordered to be prioted.,
:lir. TWISS presented a Petition from -Gloucester against
;11@ Game Bill.—Ordered to lie On the table.
• Sir M. W. RlDLEY.presented a Petition from Newcastle-
upon-Tyne and Gateshead
against the Beer BilL—Ordered to
lie on 'the table.
RIO J.ANETRO.

Mr; Secretaty CA NNINO said, that op a recentevening an
Hiirf."FAeild" of- his'had vtit a question to hitn resp' ectinithe
amount of the French naval force at Rio Jamie°. lie (Mr.
Cantthigyhad it'thitt time stated' that he had no doubt that the

reportiliihibli had been circulated on the subject were destitute
of foundation,' but-that he hoped, in the course of a few day:;;
to haire 'the pleasii'e'bf coinixiuniCating to the House more ac-
curate 'infoimation respecting- it. Since that time he had re.
aired' the' most satisfactory explanations froin the Trench
Goteinfnent;"'who'hadeaccOunterifor every ship 6f war that had

been sent out of chop** of France, and shewn their various,:
destinations. At the time to' which. his Ron. Friend had al.
luded, instead of eisht, there were only two French nieu.of-
war at Rio Janeiro ; one of which was on its way home. It
was also proper to observe, that there were two English,linF-
of-battle ships on the station in question ; and it might be sit-
tisfactory to the House further to.know, that, although not the'
slightest ground existed for apprehension of any kind
what-
ever, there was not a naval
raituation in the world on which tlie
force of this country did not completely outnumber that of ari7 •
other.—(Heal, hear, hear !)
' '1