The Sun.
London, England, 1819-05-15 00:00:00

GAME LAWS BILL.'

Mr. lIRAtm having moved that 'the Report of
the (Lime Laws Bill be
.recommitted, .

_ .
Sir JOHN SHELLEY warmly opposed the Bill
and contended, that if such a theoretical measure
were atiopted, the sports of the field, by which
the bold and manly qualities of the higher
orders of the people were cherished and itivigo-
iated, would be entirely- annihilated, and the
country would indeed dwindle into that which it
had been contemptuously asserted by Buonerarte
to be—a nation of shopkeepers. He would
therefore move as an amendment, that the Report
be taken into further kl9sltieraiion on that day
six months. '.

Sir J. SBBRIGHT supported the Bill, and main- •
tained that the existing Game Laws were inade-
quate to that which it was professed they had for
their object, the preserration of game ;. for it was
impossible for any gentleivan to preserve his game,
but by recourse to laws which, in themselves, had
nothing to do with the Game Laws ; namely, the
laws for punishment of trespass. By the Present
system of the Game Laws, anti the custom of
preserving game, which had of late increased to
a great degree, poaching had also increased to a
degree which was .truly alairipiitg. Indeed, what
Game at present could be protected but by'force
01 arms ? .Ile should be ashamed to stand up in
his place, ivere he, ,for any amusement of his
own, to uphold a systeM which► demoralised the
country, and led the people trout crime to crime,
till they ended with robbery and murder. It, in
the present circumstances of the country, this
system were to be ',misted in, it would convert a
great part of the people into gangs of banditti.

•
Mr. LONG WELLESLEY, in answer to the argil,
ment, that the Game Laws were an inducement
to: the retidenee ot, gentlemen in the country, de-
nied that they were the cause of the residence of
those petsotv; who were the ornaments of the.
country, casuely, thesesident acting. Magistrates.
Those who were acquainted with, the country
kne‘k, that of the Gentlemen who 4ttehiled Nt
'Quarter Session*., "and 'Were on Grand Juries,
there were few Gelkeinen who had preserves of
Gime. Thisi3vill did- not entirely repeal the
Game LAws, but it repebled the odious parts of
the Game Laws ; it made that trafficlegal which
must be carried on, and would continue to be
carried on, in the pre:,ent state of the country.
One third of the property Of this country was in.
the hands of persons who
.had no means of ob-
taining Gtme but by purchase; and whilethiS
was,the case, all laws
,prohibiting the sale were,
'vain, and could only lead to the practice o
Poaebing Poaching, ai was well-known, was the
parent of ail crimes. Would they then, by the
I continualKe of a system which necessarily led to

, -
poaching, place the poot of this Country in a
state.at degradatiOo still lower that) they were

now in ?

Mr. F. DOUGL opposed the 13i11.—Ile con-
tended that it mod() iwt improve the morals or
increase the happiness of the people, but by
splitting certain rights among a great iiinuberry
endle,,s contention would be occa-
siolird. 'l'l►e Hon, Member proceeded to express
his conviction that this Bill Was calculated to de-
stroy that spirit (t manly independence and re-
spectful submission to the laws tishich had for