The Sun.
London, England, 1833-04-18 00:00:00

ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.

Mr. HODGES POULETT prestnt,d a petition from
Upnm-on•Ser,-rn, aeainst n.Tro slavriy.
EXCESSIVE POOR RATES.

Mr. HOLFORTH presen-ed a petition from the parish
of Coontersihorpe, in Leicestershire, praying the Ilou.e to
take the poor laws in o consid,ration, and to improve that
portion of them which relate to the removal of paupers,
by which so much money is wasted.—(Hear, hear ) The
lion. Member bore testimony to the truth of the peti-
tioners remarks, as applied to their own locality.
An Host. M MBE a deprecated the idea of the equaliza-
tion of the poor I t, a, prayed for by the petitioners.
Sir GEORGE PHILLIPS was of opinion that an
immediate effort should be matte to put th,lpoor laws into
a more 1 ffictent state, and to relieve them from the ob-
jet: ionable parts of their present operation.

Another floN. AIEMEER expressed himself to the same
effect ; attributing at the same time, to various causes,
the great increase of pauperism in the agricultural districts.
Mr. POTTER bore testimony to the superior manage-
rn of the poor-rates in the manufacturing d,,,tiicrs to
hat in the agricultural. The rates at Manchester were so
low as 4s in the pound, whereas in many places m Sussex,
whi,th he had visited, they actually amounted to nearly
the extent at the rent.

Mr. BRISCOE thought, from the facts stated in the
petition before the House, that would exempt the peti-
tioners from the supposition of mismanagement.
Mr. WARRE thought that it would be exceedingly
unjust, if those places wherein economy and good manage-
ment was practised, were ohiiged to contribute to others
whose parochial funds were mismanaged.
An HON. MEmBER. here said there was already a power
in the law to obtain rates in aid from the neighbouring
parishes, and lie concluded, tiieref.re, that the petitioners
had not been able to make out a case for the Magistrates,
an I must have mismanaged their funds.

Mr. WOLFORTH claimed for the petitioners the
credit of having administered the affairs of their parish
wish economy.
BETTER OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH.

Mr. WOLCROFT then presented petitions praying
for the en•orcement of a better observance of the Sabbath
horn Willoughby, Great Ashby, and other places in
Leicestershire.

AGAINST THE SABBATH OBSERVANCE BILL.

Major BEAUCLERK presented a petition tram the
inhabitants of Wandsworth, in the county of Sorry, pray-
ing the House not to permit the second reading of the
Bi a introduced for the better observance of the Sabbath.
The petitioners gave as their opinion that the observance
of the Sabbath is better kept now than in former years ;
and that any further enactments would only go to create
dissatisfaction and schism. The Hun. Member bore testi-
mony to the respectability of the petitioners, who, he
stated, comprised above 200 of the oldest inhabitants of
Wandsworth. He tully concurred in the prayer of the pe-
tition, for he was of opinion that the Bill which hail been
brought into the House would have a directly contrary
effect upon the public mind than that intended to be
produced.

Mr BRISCOE felt the greatest pleasure in hearing his
testimany to the respectability of the petitioners, but he
thought it right to state that he could not concur alto-
gether in the prayer of the petition, that no legislative
enactment whatever should take place on the subject. He
had already presented a great many petitions from different
parts of the country to the House, and they all pre, ed that
some law might be introduced for the better observance of
the Sabbath.day.—(Hear, hear, hear.) He could not
certainly give his consent to the Bill, as at pre
sent introduced, but he thought, at the same time, it
was very necessary that some legislative enactment should
take place, and he believed all parties agreed that it should
git to the extent of the entire suepression of Sunday trad-
itig.—( Hear, hear.) He was very glad to heir those
cheers, for it convinced him that there were Alembers of
that House of the seine opinion. He had not the teig,test
wish that anything should be done to enforce a religious
otiservance of the Sabha, h—ii• thing could be more unwise.
but the measure was only called for by the industrious classes
of tne country, to enable them to enjoy a day of rest free
from the ordinary demands made upon them during chit
day. To that extent he would give his support to the Bill of
the Hon. Baronet. Whether the Bill on the second
reading would undergo such alterations or not, he could
not say, for he was not acquainted with it; but he should
be very sot ry it no Bill whatever were introduced on the
subject, and he was quite sure th it in saying so, he ex
pressed the opinion of the whole of the moral enlightened
and religious people of th kingdom.
Major BEAUCLERC wished to set his Hon. Colleague
right as to the prayer of the petition. It did not pray
that no bill whatever might be introduced on the subject,
but that no measure which might tend to rests met the
innocent amusements of the people. The Hon. Baronet's
Bull went to shut the gates 01 the Park, which he quite
objected to.--(licar, hear.) He (Major Beiuclerk) had
no. objection to any measure, which merely had fur its
object the prevention of Sunday trailing.
Mr. ROEBUCK was gl.d to hear the observations of
the Hon. Al, tuber for Surrey, regarding the Bill of the
Right Hon. Baronet, and he was cute the wiziitis of that
House had yet to learn the real purport of the Bill. The
Hoti. Genteetnan opposite hail said, that the object of the
Hon. Baronet was chi fly to protect the poor man in the
enjoyment of a day of rest. Now, he could assure the
House that every one of the provisions of the Bill
have a directly contrry tendency. (Hear, hear.)
fur it would compel the poor man's wife to cook his Sun-
day's dinner at home, instead of b ing able to have it done
at the baker's. He was in favour of some legislative al-
teration in the state of the law as it regarded the Sabbath,
provided that legislation could improve the morality of the
people, without interfering with their innocent recreations.
He did not mean to charge the motives of the Hon.
Baronet who brought in the Bill; but he could not help
saying whatever were the motives which he cherished, this
Bill, seemed to have the intention, and would have the
effect of preventing the people from enjoying them-rives
quietly, peaceably, innocently, and calmly on the Sabbath
lay. The steam-boats were not to be allowed to go down
the river, and every thing was to be done to confine
within the unwholesome purlieus and dense houses of this
metropolis those industrious art;c in+, who, confined closely
the week, had an opportunity afforded them once a week
to et joy the fresh and healthful air of the surrounding
country. The great objection to this Bill was its inequa-
lity. The poor man was prevented from riding on horse-
hack, because he had to hire the horse, but the rich man
was to be permitte a to ride or drive when and where be
pleased.—( Hear.) If the Bill was passed he would move
a clause, that if a gentleman's carriage or servant were
seen in the stre,ts on the Sunday, the master shield be
fined 50/.—(flea
r, and a laugh.) It would also be right
and necessary that Hyde Park should he shut up, that
not a single beau or belle should be seen there, and that
it should be converted into a scene of unmitigated and
unive sal asce,ti,tn and fanaticism.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir J. AS I'LEY presented petitions from three parishes
in the county of Wilts, in favour of the entire and imme-
diate abolition of colonial slavery.
Mr. PRINGLE presented a petition from the Minister,
Elders, and Kirk Session of Selkirk, for the better ob-
servance of the Sabbath ; also two petitions from the

United Associate Congregation of Selkirk, the one in fa-
vour of the Factories' Regulation Bill, and the other for
the abolition of ne4ro slavery.
An HON. MEMBER. pre.enred two petitions from the
Wesleyan 1.11,-thotlisrs of Ripon and Rainton, for the aboli-
tion of colonial slavery.

M. ROEBUCK presented a petition from a very re-
spectable class of his constituents, against the punishmen►t
of death generally fur offences .igiinst property. He cor-
dially concurred in the prayer of the petition. The Hon.
Member also presented a petition from another class of his
constituents, in favour of vote by ballot and triennial Par-
liaments, and complaining of the system of persecution exer-
cised over the people by the aristocracy under tie Reform
Bill. The next peti,ton was from nearly 4.000 in Merthyr
Tydvil, in favour of the beer shops. T.,is petition was a
very singular one—almost every person who h ul signed it,
had ,igned it by their marks ; they could not write,
therefore it was in every respect to be con-idered the peti-
tion of the p-or man, and entitled to great attention. Ti 'e
petitioners denied that the increase of crime was owing to
the beer shops ; and the Hun. Member was decidedly of
opinion, not only that that statement was correct, hut that
tiler., was no increase of crime. Proof of increase of
crime did not depend on the number of committals,
or even on the number of convictions ; but on
the state, habits, and mariners of the peop'e. Tna state
of the people had been improving for the last thirty ye ire
—the mode of spending their lives and their earnings had
been regularly improving. Mr. H. Place, of Charing
Cross was a person peculiarly tfile to form an opinion ,n
this subject; and he had told the Hon. Member, lately,
that forty years ago, in the alley in which he lived, every
woman was a prostitute, and every otl.er man a thief—
(Loud laughter ) 11,,n. Gentlemen might laugh, ti.ough
the subject when properly considered was far from being
a laughable• one ; and now that very alley was led with
exceedingly respec•able and industrious persons—so it is
with many parts f:f London
ABSENCE OF MINIiTERS. AND PRESENCE OF