The Sun.
London, England, 1810-06-14 00:00:00

PETITIONS

'The 'Sheritli ot Land appealed at the Bar,
aid prestnted the Petition ot the Lord Mayor,
Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of
London, praying for a Parliamentary Refo;rn, which
war ;aid on the table, on the motion of Alder Man
ComtE;
Mr. ItORARTs pre-ented the Address and Declara-

Linn of the Irla.;istratt's Worctwer, praying that
• th`a House of Commons would maintain is Rights
and Priv:leges against such factious proceedings as
tended to villa.), the House, which was laid on the
table.

Mr. PETER MOORE presented a Petition from the
• M.iyor and Freemen at Coventry, praying for a re.
dres4 of grievances, and for Parliamentary 'Reform,
which was laid on the table.
Lord BINNING presented a petition from several
Landhohiers in the County of Haddington, com-
plaining of the oppressive mode of colleding the
Properiy Tax; which was laid on the table.
MIDDLESEX PETITION.
Mr. BYNG presented the Address, Remonstrance,
and Petition of the Freeholders of the County of
Aliddlosex, complaining of the rjedion of their
former Petition, and praying' that it be received,
which yeas read by-the Clerk.
Mr. BrNG moved that it be laid on the table.
Mr. Secretary Itypa,tt observed, that it was unne-
cessary for him to enter into a detail of the present
Petition, as. it was preci•ely the same as that Which
had :,ad beeii rejected, but with some additioos.—
' Hon. Met ober read a pisagefrom the Petition
stating, that tne Petitioners had a right to petition,
accordin4 to the Bili of Rights, and it never occurred
-in -the fyratil reign of the detested jAilieS to leicet
the Petitions of sue People, and that in so doing, the
House ,vinlated the law and the:Constitution.. The
language of the Petition was such, that it was im-
possible that it could be received by the House, and ,1
he would theretore oppose the motion for its being I
laid on the table. -

Mr..WirmartEAD.argued on ,the contrary. The
Petitioners fiat' a tight to.slate their grievances, and
the passage quoted by. the ,ltight lion. Steretary
ought not to occasion its ri jection. Fur instance he
ouid ask him, lithe rights of the People were-not
Violated in the year 1759, when-a Member having
.complained that -his fishery - was invaded, certain
persons were ordered into the custody of : the Set-
rant at Arms. On such. an occasion, ought. a Pe-
tition to be je6ted becduse it'statt,M 1114 Parliament
had violated by eondua -the law and the Con-
stitution. Th:_re was something in the House of
Commons ever since the cominittal of Sq-Yrancis
'Burdett lull of inconsistency and caprice with re-
speo to rest king and rejeding the Petitions of the
People. There was no rule laid do4n on the sub--
ject, excepting that they ought net he received,
unless thLy suited the criticisms of the Honourable
Secretary.

The C:IIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, if a
Petition was drawn up in dutiful' and respedful
terms, then it ought- to be received; bUt if it was
intended to insult the dignity of the House, then it
ought to be 'ejected. The House was not in the
custom of criticising nicely the Pc.titions of the
Peop:e, and therefore soak were suffered to pass un-
noticed, as improper expressions may be overlooked
in the hurry•ofreAding. In the present instance the
tit loners repeated their offensive I.lliguage, and
prayed ihattheir Petition which had been .rejeded
s►,ould be now received.

Tie qtie%tion having - been put, the Petition was
rejected wahout a division, .

. SHEFFIELD PETITION. -
Mr WHITBREAD presented a Peinion from se-
veral persons in S thel.l, praying for the release of
Sir F. B ,idett and G. Junes, and for a Parliament-
ary itc.forini- which he muted should be laid On the
uric.

Mr. Secretary RYDER observed, that whoever at-
tended to the la, page of the Petition must, be con-
vinced that it ought tfot to. be teCeited. Among
other expr:'sons it stated,that the_Ptivileges of the
H use ,were not-the laWs of the land, and ought not
to be acki:oA,le :ged. The existence of the Privileges
of the-Rouse was acknowledged- by a large majority
whose vote was disputed by the 'Petitioners. The
language of the •, Petition in other particulars was
so ►nsulting that he would oppose the motion for its
being laid on the table. • ,
_ .

_ .
I,J-id MILTON remarked, that when persons com-
plained of glievanees, some latitude shoukl be al-
lowed them, and their expressions ought nut to be
cri!icist-d too fistidi,usly. He was persuaded that
the. Petitioners, whom he knew, had no intention'
wh..tever of wilituLy insulting the dignity of the
HOuse.

Mr. WALLACE said, it was utterly impossible that
the Petition could be received as, among other in..
suiting expressions, it stated, that the people were
ordy nominally represented.
Mr. CALCRAFT hoped that the House would not
go on rejecting the Petitions of the People, when
Petitions of a similar nature were first presented, the
Petitioners. were used with• deconirn, and the de-
bate was adjourned, to give the House time to 'Wu-.
sider the subject;. •he thereore•moved that the De-
bate be adjourned-until to-morrow.
General TARLToN said, he was not surprised at
the ohjeaions made by the Secretary of State for
the Home Department, for he knew ',when Pe-.
ions were hem to his office, if
_they were not pa-
lato r)le, they were untiwiced and laid upua the musty
Sheivbs among the cobwebs. •
_

1:21C ATTORNEY-.GENERAL was of opinion, that it
waiuntiecessa-y to adjourn the debate, as the lan-
guage of the Petition was so- exttemely insulting,
ia~ ii ooald nut be received.

Mr IiAIaNG s,icf, it did not appear from teuor of
the 1);:t it lori, rha there w;ls any decided intention
on the pan sit the Petitioners to insult the House.
Mr. i:TEPHEN observed, that the Petitioners took

111)..t ittem.,elvei to cptunieut on the speeches of the
Ni,atbers of the House, though th:tre was a stand-