The Sun.
London, England, 1829-02-26 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION.
SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

THIS EVENING.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Sir G. CLERK took the oaths and his seat.
Colonel SIBTHORPE presented a petition from the
parish of Saxleby, against further concessions to the Ro-
an Catholics.
Sir T. MOSTYN presented a similar petition from the
hue !red of Mayler in the county of Kent ; also a similar
petition from the parish of St. Asaph.
Mr. WYNDHAM presented a similar petition from the
Arehdearonry of Sarum.
Mr. DAVENPORT presented a petition from the
Journeymen Silk 'Weavers of the town of Macclesfield,
who informed the House that their distresses were much
increasing. The Honourable Member said, that the town
of Macclesfield, which was once so fast approaching to
wealth and prosperity, had now fallen to a state of incre-
dible distress, and one might now see 500 or 600 houses
unoccupied. He believed that the cause of this distress
was the late alteration in the Silk Laws. Those laws
were found not to answer, and in such a care the or.ginal
laws ought to be revived.
Sir G. PHILLIPS believed that the petitioners, and
the Hen. Gentleman who presented the petitiou, were
under a great mistake when they thought that the trade
had been injured as he (Sir G. Phillips) believed that
the laws had been calculated to produce a contrary effect.
He believed that if any respectable manufacturers were
examined by the House, they could state that instead of
the late alterations having injured, they had improved the
e;lk trade. Instead of the French trade being improved,
the manufacturer!: of that rountry complained that the new
laws had itettrell them. He considered it far more likely
that the present distress arose from a too great increase of
manufacturers, and from the introduction of machinery,
which had lowered the prices.
Mr. BRIGHT considered that if ever there was a caaa
which called for investigation lee the House, it was the
present one. Various causes had been assigned, but he
believed that the true one could not be discovered till the
House procured evidence.
Sir H. PARNELL, was convinced the true cause of dis-
tress was, as the Duke of Wellington lately stated, to be
attributed to the great extent to which smuggling was
carried in this"country, but the only means of removing
the distress was, by reducing the present high rate of
daties.—(Hear.)
General GASCOYNE.—My lion. Friend has just
given the most conclusive reason, that a Committee should
be appointed, he says the present distress does not arise
front an alteration of the laws, but owing to the extent
to which smuggling was carried. If that was correct,
it was the greatest of all reasons why it should be inquired
into.—(Hear.)—The Hon. Member wishes the petitioners
to persevere, and they would find the laws would be of
great benefit. He (General Gascsyne) would ask, how
could men, who only earned a few shillings a week, sur-
rounded by a starving family, persevere? lie was con-
vinced a Committee ought immediately to he appointed.
The petitions were then brought up and read.
Sir ROBERT KING said he was entreated to present
a petition from an individual named Loughlan against the
legality of the return of Daniel O'Connell, Eeq. liar the
County of Clare, and praying be might be heard by
Counsel at the Bar of the House.
The SPEAKER informed the Hon. Baronet, according
to the standing orders, the petition was too late.
Sir ROBERT KING said he should have presented it
sterday had there been a House.
Some conversation followed in a low tone, which it was
:_re,yossible to hear in the gallery, at the conclusion,
The SPEAKER informed the lien. Member that yes-
rday would have been one day too late.
The petition was then withdrawn.
Mr. BANKES presented two petitions against any
further cencessione to the Roman Catholics.
A new Writ was ordered for the election of a Member
for Corfe Castle, in the rnnm of Mi. Peach, having ac-
cepter! the Chiltern Hundreds.
Admiral SOTHERON presented fourteen petitions
from places in the county of Nottingham, against any fur-
ther copceseiocs to the Roman Catholics.
Mr. ESTCOURT presented a petition from Stafford-
Attire, against the Roman Catholics. He stated that he
had always opposed concreesion ; he should, at a future
time, exprees more fully his objections when the question
came before the House; until then he should wish to be
considered an unqualified opposer of the Catholic Claims.
After a few words from Lord Mtterow, the petition was
ordered to he printed. He also presented two other simi-
I at. petitions.
Lori DUNCANNON presented 24 petitions from the
TjygetlvaartLf4irtlT,4lg:
letting Act.
Mr. HART DAVIS presented a petition against the
Catholics, from the Mayor, Magistrates, Clergy. and Inha-
bitant. of the city of Bristol. He wished to call the et
tension of the House to the number of signatures, as he
believed that no petition, which had ever been pre-
sented from the city of Bristol, hail been so respectably
and numerously signed. It was signed at a public meeting
of the inhabitants in Queen-square, where a statue of
King Wiliiarn the Third happened appropriately to be
placed. The number of persons was estimated dif-
ferently, the fullest accounts stating' them at upwards
of 20,000. It had not only been eigned at Bristol,
bet the neighbouring village of Clifton. Persons had
been appointed to examine the signatures, when it ap-
peared that the petition had been signed by a great ',ember
of ladies, whose signatures were very ungallantly erased,
though they probably formed the most interesting part
of the petition. After that examination the petition
contained 39,894• signatures, which was the streugest ma-
nifestation of the public opinion he had over witnessed in
that pity, and he hoped would have the proper influence
on his Majesty's Ministers.
Mr. TENNYSON oloserved that the lest census for the
city of Bristol rated the inhabitants at 5'7,0410, he would
say be believed them to be 90,000. The males were
rated at 58,000, including of course the male children
who must be computed at half the number, by which cal-
eulation the petition of the Hon. Member would be found to
contain the whole number of males in Bristol, including the
children. A counter-petition had been presented bearing
I 7CIO signatures, which number must of course be deducted
and, ,;:tder such cireurnstanc.cs, he conceived that the
petition wes one which the Hen. Member should have
been ashamed ;.-ee present. He hat another objection to
make to it, that the word " undersigned " had been erased
and the words "Mayo'. Magistrates, Clergy," inserted.
He would not reject 'the petition for this, but he stated the
fact for the purpose of showing in what way it had been
got, and the spirit which intiuenered its supporters. With
regard to the counter-petition, he deprecated the practice
which had been pursued to prevent perroto from signing it,
the Mayer having interfered at a public nieetiog, and dis-
persed it ot, the ground that the public peace ofe.a Rattan-
gered by it.
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE did not expect that a petition
which came from such a place on such a quest.:mi would have
been rece;ved in the manner it had been. He regetted, and
was surprised at the observations made by tint Hon.
Member apposite, and would assert on his own mesuci-
'Way that a more faithful and haired manifestation of the
public opinion had never been brought before that House.
We much regretted that latterly petitions had been received
in the way they had, by Members oft the other side of the
House. It was iu direct opposition to the principles which
-they always had the crediterfsopporting. It was fit that there
should be the same respect paid to petitions on one side
of the question as on the other. The petition now on the
floor' of the House was entitled to more attention than per-
haps aoy that would be presented during the present Sessioo.
AR rega.r(!ed the subject of the petition, the Hon. Member
people of this country would pause a
noped that the
little before they came to any angry feeling. With
respect to the eoneinest of the Right Hon. Gentleman who
was no longer a Measber of that House, lie bid not

(LEFT SfVAICING.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.

•Several petitions for and against the Catholic Claims
were presented.
CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION SUPPRESSION BILL.
The Marquis of ANGLESEA in adverting to Bill of
last night, spoke at considerable length in commenda-
tion of the Prospective Relief Bill, which was to follow.
The Marquis of LO'NDONDERIIY was happy to hear
the Noble Marquis express himself as he did on this
Bil. Not one but should bail with delight the Bill which
was proposed last night as calculated to put and end to one
of the most unfortunate and mischievous Associations that •
e7er existed.
The Marquis of ANGLESEA wished it to be under-
stood, that if there was any possibility to disperse
that Association by the Government of the country,
without the hazard of loss of life, could not have
the slightest objection to it. If he were now at the head