The Sun.
London, England, 1821-03-07 00:00:00

Pt;TITION.

Mr. COKE; presented a Petition front severrl Agrimiltot *
in Norfolk. praying for relief; aid -complaining partiestlarly
of the late duty on Malt, and the Agt it:ohm-al Horse Duty,—
He said that this.was a ser! jest of so much importance, that
it was a matter of stirprise tnat the Government should not.
have been the first to talre it up.. But instead of that they
threw cold water an the complaints.of the Agriculturists, and
resting upon their majorities, they passed by the. necessity
which seas every:day more and more manifesting itself for
their. interposition ; the principal, object attic Petition was-
to.reptal the last duties imposed on Malt.. He Was-sure
that by carrying economical measures into. a few only of the
branches of expenditure, the amount if this tax might
easily he met, tic had no hesitation in saying that he was
no friend to protecting ditties, for he thought-the principle
of them was bad in any point of view. and wholly ineffectual
for the particular object they had in tiew. The House
would observe, for instance, that when the duty was laid on.
the importation of foreign wool, it was front ,80 to 84s.—
After the laying ore of the duty it fell to 455. ; and lie
would :lA, was it much above 355.' It was not then a pro-
tecting duty he would wish to see proposed as a remedy for
the distress of the Agriculturists. No; he would relieve
them by a reduction of taxation; that, anti that only was
the renieoly from which any benefit could be expected.--
Some affirmed that our -distress arose frsiiir the over quan-
tity of prinictiort—tome declared - that it •was attributable
to an " ignorant impatience of taxation;" some again said
that our distress was occasioned by an excess of population.
But the real truth was, that 1/0 reniedv could he expected to
lie provided for the universally admitted miseries_ of the
people, without a change of system. If those who usually
supported fslinistets, and enabled them to keep their influ-
ence in the Councils of the state, world still continue- to do
so in spite of 'be alarming progress of distress, arid in spite
of.the inability or the omit ioQncss, ot those Ministers to
go abOut looking-for a remedy; then the, landed tarn most
unite, and force ',Ministers to a reduction of taxation. Let
them try what that would do toward; relieving the people—
and if-it failed—if the-reduction of taxation f-tiled to stop tire
approach to britilirtiptey. then he wou'od say boldly, that the
funds :mist Ire resorted to—there must be a reduction of the
debt sonic war or another. lie trusted that the Honourable
Niember for Suffolk, who was one of those
.who usually sop-
ported Ministers., and who were fire cause of all our evils,
was sincere iii his motion that night, and that his proposition
was not the result
.of some collusion bet wren him and Nlinis-
tests, for the purpose of keeping tip the delusion IA the Conn-
try; at least he feared that the Hon. Member voted for
the Malt Tax; and if so, be would not place much confidence
in his zeal for a remedy for the public distress.
Mr. lIIP.CI-1 referred to,a doCument which lie held in his
hand for the purpase of showing that-Cie effect of opening
the ports was trot to depress.thQ price of corn for a c ritsider-
able time afterwards fur lie said, that when, the Torts were
opened in 1816._ it was apprehended tliat the comitty was SO
glutted with corn, that the ports wool,' not be ()twilid for a
lung time. But the fact proved otherwise, for in three months
afterwards the price- ot grain rose so high, . that the ports
were asain opened.
Mr. GOOCH rose to say, that lie bad no view whatever of
supporting any taxes by .t be motion he Shoolti submit. There
was no_eollusion whatever between him nod the Government ;
lie should havelteett, ashamed of hiruself if there.w3s, arid
•still more would he have lite!r h•banled_ if there could have
been :toy collusion on such a subject at the piesent period of
dist ress.—(Cheers.)
Sir EDWARD KNATCHBUI.I. made,a few rerriarhsson 1 he"
question, bat said his chief object in rising was-to rep-test the
-tuzinber for Abingdon to consent to the past poorment of his
motion till to-anorrow (Cries of " No, no,". from the opposite
side), on account of the great importance of the motion on
agricultural distress, which stood for this !tight.
Mr. MAB KRLY said, the Hon.- Member for-Surrey (Mr.
11.Sitintter) had called upon him, arid made a similar request,
hut be had assured him that he neith.r -could Mir would.
conseut to postpone his motion. The motion which he shotild,
have the holibur of 3oinnittitrg to the' House was one ;of as •
great importanee-ms . that upon the Agricultural Distresses,.
and he hoped he should be able to satisfy the House, that it
would furnish the means of remedying those distresses. Many
Gentlentru interested in this motion were.waitingin town foi .
the result Of it , :4111.1 it doutd not be postponed witlnna great
injustice both to' theta-and to himself.
Mr. H. SUMNER said that Ina reason for wishites. 111 e
Hoir. Gentleman's nrotion to be post potied.was that many.
country gen 4 h.fuen whose attendance-at the discussion itt the
Aglicultura.l distress appeared to him of infinite importance,
woulddre obliged at this time to heavetuwri on aetnunt 'of the
assizes. ": • _
Mr. STUART- WOItTLET said, be
.considered.the parer
read by the lion. Gentleman (14r. limrelt) most mischievous.
All he was anxious for was a 'Committee tO investigate the
abide siii.ject.
Mr-. II G. BENNET submitted that the army estim ties
ought to bepost potted till Friday, that the iletals necessary
for their elucidation might. he fairly before the Noose,' and
su4s,ated that the Host Member (Mr. Gooch) should post-
Pone his
_motion till to-morrow.
Lord CASTLETWAGII consented to the po,tparsemerit of
the Army F,stinrites till Friday. and stated at the saute time
that all the returns moved for were printed. • '
Mr. CCIA.W EN made a few observatiutis on the question
before the House.- The Petition was then brought up, read,
awl ordered to lie printed.
pOWER OF JUDGES TO FINF.A DF.FI:NDANT.
. . .

Mr. HOBROUAE slid, thit he th/m4ht ihe
Member on the floor (Mr. Nlalterly) was right in not posttion-
:mg his motion, he could not sot press the importance nf the.
Petitions Which he held in his folios, ngaiott the ',flyer of
itriges to fine 4 tleicndAnt while defeirCe. Bat a;
the subject wight occupy some time, he contentcd'hituse!l

now with giving notice that he would', wetent'the Petitions
to morrow.
4GRICULTI.7nAL
LAMB 'presented a Petition fear- t!,; occupiers of
'l,lO in the.county of Hertford, evils plaining ut Agrit tritium,
llt,ttess•
'‘CHARLF.S BURRELL prestilted a-sitflilar Pt:tillon
from the neighbourhood of St ey'rline: io SusseX.
Mr. .ft SUMMER. prestuted a rirnilar Petition front Surrey.
BROWNE pr.esented a siurilar Petition from Ryc.'
Sir T. ACLAND presented a :similar Petition from Barn-.
staple.
Mr. 3. P. GRANT moved for detaPed accounts...l the Me-
dical-expellees of tree Army,ftre-t he present year.
PKITHA UMW INSTITUTION.
Sir RONALD FI'AtOUSSON moved for an account of the
expenses ot• this Instautiou since its COMllleflCTUlelit, dif3lll-
- tr,C salaries of Sir William Adams and in Ler Mr dicAl
:Wend:tots, and the allowances to servants.
Mr. F. LEWIS hoped ilrit the. Mot:General wiittld follow
up hiS present motion, by moving fur a Coniniittee of Inquiry,
in order to give att. individual (air Adams).of the greatest
truth:mitt. and streets in curing disrasei of the'eye. an oppor•
tunity of vindicating his reputation, and proving the merits
of the institution over which he presi.leit.
1%1- 11. G. BENNwr said he felt most anxious to ascertain
the merits of. the iostitution, and hoped that the result of the
inquiry at the War-ounce, and before • the. Doke of 'York,
would be laid before tlie House.
Sir C. LONG concurred in the'prupriety of 'referring the
whole sobject to a Contain tee of that blouse, without which
it would be extremely *diffieult, amillst so many contradictory
staterriChts, to come to a satisfnetiiry conelnsion.
Mr.J. P. GRANT said, that if his surtaestions some years
ago had been attended to, the present state ut doubt and eon
troversy MI the stbjeet,would trace tJeVII prevented. hie ha>
for the fullest investiotioa.
Sir R. FERGI.:SSON sail that nothing was more his wish
than that the subject should, he referred to a Committee He
believed that Sir William Adams W 34 at raritn. e with the
Medical Statfk of whom he knew several Gentlemen. Than
whom none could :lie noire learned, route 14• Ni• et. bee, and
more useful, end for their sakes he Was.ankimis for inquiry.
Mr. F. LEWIS es pktinvd.—The motion was then agreed to.
Mr. J. B ENETT presented a retition from several thousand
clothiers of Gloucotershirse and Wiltshire, complaining of
great distress, and rtaying for relief:
Mr. H. GREY BENNEr grave make, that he would move
to-morrow fm- the production of Papers relative to t he Inquiry
at the Horse Guards into the nieirts of the. Ophthalmic In
-stituti‘')n.

AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
Air. PRICE presented a petition from Occupiers of Land
in the County of Hereford, complaining of Agricultural Dip-
tursq.--Ord,rrd to be ',rioted.
Mr. GOOCH postponed his motiors for a Committee to in-
quire into the Agricultural Distresses.