The Sun.
London, England, 1832-02-10 00:00:00

110 USE OF COMMONS.

The SPEAKER took his seat at Four o'clock.
Sir Jotut CAM HOBIIOUSE took the oaths and his seat
for Westminster.

A person appealei at the bar with returns of the
number of convictions against coffee-house-keepers at the
Metropolitan Police-offices.
On the motion of Mr. CIiAYTORS the Bill for con-
structing wet docks on the south side of the river Wear,
at Sunderland, was read a first time.

Mr. STRICKLAND, in consequence of the indisposi-
tion of Sir John Newport, postponed that Hon. Baronet's
motion with respect to First Fruits, from Tuesday next
to Thursday the 23d inst.

The Hox. MEMBER then presented a petition from
Halifax, signed by 5,000 persons, in favour of the Bill
introduced by the Hon. Member for Borougbbridge for
the shortening of the labour of children in factories. The
Hon. Member concurred entirely with the prayer of the
petition, being convinced that some interference on the part
of the Legislature was loudly called for.
Mr. HUNT presented a petition to the same effect from
the cotton-spinners of Preston.
Mr. WOOD observed that as far as be understood the
wi-lies of the people of Preston, they would prefer the Bill
going to a Select Committee, that further inquiry might
be instituted into the subject.

Mr. HUNT stated that if he understood the wishes of
the electors of Preston, they were quite different to that of
the Hon. Member who had just addressed the House. They
wished the Bill to pass as speedily as possible.
Mr. O'CONNELL concurred entirely with the prayer
of the petition, but he thought if the parents of children
labouring iH factories supposed that when their hours of
labour were curtailed they should receive the same wages,
the sooner that fallacy was removed the better.

Mr. BENETT observed that all pecuniary lose would
occur to the master.

Mr. STRICKLAND had had various communications
with the parents of children labouring in factories, and
upo❑ his stating to them that they could not expect the
sirne wages for their children when their hours of labour
were shortened, they observed that they were ready to
put up with that inconvenience, all that they wanted being
protection for their children. He thought all the altera•
tions required in the Bill would be much better effected by
a Committee of the whole House than by a select one.
Mr. SADLER said, that if the diminution of wages
was the result of the Bill passing into a law, as the peti-
tions had contemplated it, no objection should thereby be
urged against it.

Mr. HOME contended that it would be most unjust
to the manufacturing interests generally to decide the
question upon an ex-parte petition, without referring it to
a Committee up stairs. He was, therefore, very much
astonished when he heard the lion. Member for Wiltshire
object to farther enquiry upon the subject.

Mr. ROBINSON considered the claims of humanity
paramount to every other consideration, and upon that
principle he should support the Bill.
Mr. DIXON believed that it the Bill passed, and ex-
tended to Scotland, it would reduce to pauperism
every young man under twenty-one. The only way to
legislate safely upon this subject was dispassionately to con-
sider it in Committee up stairs.
The petition was ordered to be printed.

Mr. HUNT presented a petition from two individuals
who had been incarcerated, in consequence of having
met on Sunday, at Manchester, to petition for a
pardon to the unfortunate men who had since been
executed at Bristol and Nottingham. The peti-
tioners stated, that as theirs was an object of humanity,
while they kept within legal bounds, they were aware of
no law to prevent their meeting. Besides, as they repre-
sented, the Members of his Majesty's Privy Council met
on Sunday to discuss political knitters, no law could pre-
vent them from meeting on Sunday to discuss their
grievances.
_ . .

Lord ALTHORP said they had been taken up and
committed : they would be tried in the due course of law,
and if not guilty of any offence they would be acquitted.
Mr. HUNT wished to know what redress they could
have if acquitted, for having been dragged from their occu-
pations, and imprisoned for merely meeting on Sunday.