The Sun.
London, England, 1834-03-07 00:00:00

OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH.

Mr. MILES presented a petition from Bath, signed
by 1,600 inhabitants of Bath, and another from a parish in the
county of Somerset, signed by all the occupiers of land in the
parish, praying for the better observance of the Lord's Day.
The hon. member hoped that some alteration would speedily
take place as regarded the observance of the Sabbath, for at
present the greatest demoralization existed among the lower.
orders. The necessity of some alteration was evident from the
increasing number of petitions presented that session in com-
parison with the last. The hon. member for Wigtonshire was,
he was glad to find, about to bring in a bill for this purpose, and
he hoped that the hon. member would not introduce any thing
afikting religious liberty or the liberty of the subject.
Mr. SANDFORD concurred in the prayer of the petition.

Sir A. AGNEW was anxious to protect the poor people from
working on the Sabbath Day ; their wages were not affected by
it ; they would obtain as much for the six days as by violating
the Sabbath. He did not wish to interfere with the religious
opinions of any class.
Mr. HALCOMB would not yield to the hon. member in his
anxious desire to insure the observance of the Sabbath, but he
did not think it came within the province of the legislature to
interfere on such a subject. As to the clause in last year's
bill, what rational cause was there for preventing persons
from dining as they liked, and at what hours they chose? He
would wish that those who needed protection should be pro-
tected ; but no coercion should be resorted to on such a subject.
Sir A. AGNEW explained.
Mr. HALCOMB also explained.
Hon. CRAVEN BERKELEY brought up the report of the
Gloucester and Berkeley Canal Company.
THE LATE SEIZURE FOR ASSESSED TAXES.

Colonel EVANS presented a petition from a Mr. Hutchin-
son, of 110, Gray's Inn-lane, whose goods had been seized for
assessed taxes. The gallant colonel likewise presented a peti.
tion, the prayer of which was to reduce pensions and sinecures
from the present standard of money. The hon, and gallant
member was proceeding to read the petition with much em-
phasis, when
The SPEAKER rose and observed that though the proceed.
ings of that house were published, yet no petition could be re-
ceived which contained an argument upon speeches delivered
in that house previously than any particular•prayer; the peti.
tion was accordingly withdrawn.
DISSENTERS' PETITIONS.

Lord J. RUSSELL presented a petition from the Dissenters
of Huntingley, in Yorkshire, praying for the removal of their
disabilities.

Mr. R. TODD presented a petition from the ministers and
congregation of a body of Dissenters of Honiton, in Devon-
shire, thanking the house for the benefits already conferred,
and praying for a national registry of births, &c., and for an
exemption from church-rates. He bore testimony to the
respectability of the petitioners, and from information which
he had received, he could state that they had expressed entire
satisfaction in the measure introduced by the noble lord, the
Paymaster of the Forces.
After a few words from Lord VILLIERS and Mr. Divevr,

Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that nothing could give bim
greater satisfaction than the introduction of measures of relief
for any class of his Majesty's subjects. It should, however, be
recollected, that differeat congregations of Dissenters enter-
tained different views upon the same subject, so that
it was by no means an easy matter to introduce a mea-
sure that would in any probability give satisfaction to every
body.—(Hear.) He had received a letter that morning from
a dissenting minister respecting the publication of the bans of
marriage, who said that he would never publish any bans i❑
his chapel, and that people went there to hear the word of
God, and not to hear who were to be married.—(A laugh.) He
had received several other letters complaining of another pro-
vision in his bill which required that some conspicuous
place should be allotted in every chapel in which the
names of parties intending to be married were to
be married. This, they said, was turning their chapels into
gin shops or public houses. He would not say that the provi-
sion was necessary; he would only state that he had taken it
from a bill which was drawn up by a dissenting minister.—
(Hear, hear.) He would not add any more, as the subject
would be before them in a day or two. The petition was then
ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. DOBBIN presented a petition from a parish in the
county of Down, for the abolition of tithes.

Mr. F. O'CONNOR supported the prayer of the petition,

Lord HENNIKER presented a petition from Blything, in
the county of Somerset, praying for the repeal of the malt tax,
and complaining of agricultural taxation. He had also a peti-
tion from the eastern division of Somerset, signed by 11,000
persons, for the abolition of the corn laws and the malt tax.
The latter petitioners also adverted 6 the high charges fp; the
poorrla,eannddp.—ra(yHedearfol hear.)
rtehatl
eintroduction'of a system of poor laws
in
Mr. POTTER suppOited the prayer of the petitions.
Mr. SHAWE was understood also to support the petitions,
except that part which prayed for the introduction of poor laws
in Ireland.

Mr. F. O'CONNOR contended that any increase that had
taken place in the produce of corn in Ireland was not a proof of
prosperity, for that W 44 caused 1y the bringing a great quantity

Lord CAVENDISH presented petitions from Barrow Twy..
tied, and several other parishes' in the county of Derby, for the
better observance of the Sabbath. The noble lord also pre.
sented petitions from Norbury, Melson, and several other
places, in favour of the Established Church.
Mr. E. J. STANLEY presented petitions from the Dissenters
of Knutsfbrd, praying for relief. The honourable member
concurred with the petitioners in that part of their pe-
titio'n which expressed a wish for the continuance of the
union between church and state, and trusted that the other parts
of the prayer would meet with the attention of his Majesty's
Ministers, particularly that which prayed that the Dissenters
might partake of the benefits of the universities of Oxford
and Cambridge. If, how6ver, the jealousies of those esta:
blishments would not permit therri to do so, he trusted that a
'charter would be granted -to the university of London. The
hon.. member also presented petitions from Knutsford, and
other places, praying for relief from tithes and church rates.
Mr. BOWES, in supporting the prayer of the.'petition,
stated, that be knew the dissenters of the country to be a very
worthy set of men, and he trusted that the house, in any
,measure of relief that it might sanction, would not deal grudg-
ingly with them. He hoped that a charter would be granted
ere long to the. London University.
Mr. SHANE presented• apclition from the Dissenters of
• ,
Beccles, in Suffolk, • complaining of the disabilities affecting
that body.
General *SHAT,Felesented a petition from Dumfries.
complaining ...of ch patronage in Scotland. The same
hon. memberpresented a petition from the handloom weavers
of Dumfriel; Complaining of the duties under which they
laboured, acid praying relief.
Mr. P. HOWARD supported the prayer of the petition.
Much of tile distress under which the handd-loOm weavers were
suffering was attributable to the introduction of steam ma-
chinery. • ,
Mr. D'ASHWOOD 'presented a petition from Great Missle-
ton, in tht county of Buckingham, on the subject of poor laws.
Also a petition from the dissenters of a parish in the same
county, praying for. relief.
Mr. J. SMITH, •,with reference to the first petition pre-
sented by the hon. member, hoped that some alteration would
be made in that part of the poor laws which related to the
interference of magistrates.' The hon. member also sup
ported the prayer of the Dissenters' petition.
Sir T. FREMANTLE bore testimony to the high cha-
racter of the magistrate alluded to in the petition relative to
the poor laws, presented by the hon. member for Buckingham.
shire.

Colonel GORE LANGTON presented a petition from the
Protestant Dissenters of Shepton Mallet, Cheshire.
Sir E. CODRINGTON presented a petition from the Unita.
rian Dissenters of Devonport. . . .

Mr. POTTER presented a petition from Protestant Dissent..
ers of Ashton.in!Mackerfield, Lancashire; also from a simi-
lAr body of St. Paul's, Wigan.
Mr. WALLACE presented a petition from the inhabitants
(all Catholics) of Rathfoe, against tithes.
Mr. MOSTYN presented two petitions from the Protestant
dissenters of Bold and Buckley Mountain, in Wales.
• Mr. HARCOURT presented a petition from the occupiers
and proprietors of lands of Apenley, in Oxfordshire,complain-
ing of agricultural distress. Also, one from the Protestant
dissenters of the parish of Sidmouth, Oxfordshire, and one
from Wiggington, for the support of the established church.
Mr. SHEIL presented two petitions, one from Wales, the
other from Nenagh, against the disabilities of Dissenters and
tithes. One for a repeal of the union, from Nenagh, and seve-
ral petitions from various parishes in the county of Tipperary,
for the repeal of the union and against tithes. The honourable
member then presented a petition from an individual
of the name of Richard Gaythorn Bull, a person in the Fleet
since the year 1814, having been convicted with a noble lord
(Cochrane), of raising the price of the funds, and praying,
that as that noble lord had becn set at large, the same
measure of justice should be dealt out to him. He
did not know if the facts stated in the petition were true; but if
they were, they required attention.
Lord W. LENNOX said he knew nothing of the peti.
tioner or the petition, but if the facts were true, they de.
served to be inquired into.—(Hear, hear.) He therefore
suggested to the hon. and learned member to withdraw
the petition for the present and to bring it forward on a future
day after giving notice of it to the Under Secretary of State
tor the Home Department.—The petition was NOtbdrawn.
Mr. SHEIL gave notice that on Monday nexthe would pre-
sent a petition fir the abolition of tithes front Belfast.
Mr. TREL A WNEY presented petitions from 13 parishes i❑
the north of Cornwall, praying for the abolition of ecclesiastical
courts.

Lord D. STUART presented a petition from the Dis-
senters in Arundel, for the removal of their disabilities. He
entirely concurred with the petitioners, as to their right to
be put on the same footing as the members of the established
church, and although he would support any measure for that ob.
ject, he could not but uphold the connection of church and state,
for it was essential to the interests of religion that there should
be such a connection. He trusted that the measures which
were to be introduced in favour of the Dissenters would afford
them satisfaction.

Mr. HOWARD supported the prayer of the petition ;
as far as he knew the feelings of the Dissenters of Carlisle,
and other places, he thought that no measure would be
perfect, unless it was accompanied by a provision for exempting
Dissenters from the church rates.—(Hear.) That rate might
not be of large amount in some towns, but out of charity and
good feeling it ought to be given up, for it was considered very
onerous.

Mr. WILES wished that some of the Ministers were pre-
sent •to hear the sentiments of Members. He believed
that dissenters in general did not object to the payment of
tithes, merely because they purchased their estates subject to
tithe, and therefore they were willing to pay; but as to church
rate, they were opposed to it on principle, although it amounted
to only about 300,000/. a year.
After a few words from Mr. RUTHVEN and Mr. H. HUGHES,
the petition was ordered to lie on the table.