Star.
London, England, 1815-03-07 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

This being the last day for receiving Private Petitions, the
SPLA&t& entered the House precisely at a quarter past three,
and formed a House immediately after prayers. After some
Private Petitions hail been received, vast numbers were pre-
sented by different Members, from all parts of. the Kingdom,
praying that no alteration be made in the Corn Laws. Amongst
them were those front New Sarum, Gainsborough, Paisley, Lei-
cester, Ramsgate, Sudbury, Frome, 'Tooting, and the parish of
't John's Southerark. Others were presented, which, on ac-
count of the great number .of signattires affixed to them, called
forth a variety of observations.
Several Petitions were presented from different parts of Ireland,
in favoer of the Corn Bill.

Mr. CALVERT, on presenting the Petition from
the Borough of Southwark, observed, that the short-
ness of the time had only enAled 7500 inhabitants to
sign it; but there was no doubt that the Petition,
which would be prepared for another plsce, would
be signed by more than three times that number. He
took this opportunity of adding, that the object of
this. Petition was not to entreat consideration whether
765. or 80s. were the fittest price, but decidedly to
pray, 'that no alteration whatever be made in the
Corn Laws. _ _ _

Mr. BARCLAY presented one from the Manor
of Clapham, signed by 7,700 persons.
Mr. BLACKBURN presented ten from different
parts of Lancashire ; amongst them was the Petition
from Manchester, which was signed by 54,000 inha-
bitants. On this being presented ;
General GASCOIGNE took occasion to observe,
that when he had commented on the unpopularity of
this measure in Lancashire, an Honourable Member
fee Latocaster had said, that the , people were rather
friendly than adverse to it. He would only ask whe-
ther the many thousands of names signed to all the,
Petitions from those parts, did not prove directly the
'contrary ?
The Petition from Manchester was ordered to be
read ; it set forth the unequivocal and unanimous
opinion of the Petitioners that the Bill was the most
unadvised and injudicious measure ever brought for-
ward : that they were convinced it would have the
effect of raising the price of libour, and diminish the
demand for our own manufactures. It alluded to
the great improvements in the cotton machinery on
the Continent, by which an impinant rivaiship would
exist towards us, that could nut fail to undermine our
manufactures, if this measure were passed into a law ;
the Petitioners therefore viewed it with the greatest
alarm, and prayed that it might be rescinded.
Sir ROBERT PEEL said, that it was not with-
out some uneasiness he rose on this occasion. He
thought the Petition must shew the unanimous opi-
nion entertained of the Bill in this large manufac-
turing town. He begged the House else to observe,
that the Petition was not urged by any want of at-
tachment_ to the Government ; for during the most
pressing periods of the war, the people of Manchester
had abstained from all complaints, because they had
hoped that the return of peace, whenever it might
arrive, would cause a cessation of their burthens. He
had witnessed their feelings on former occasions with
great uneasiness, as they arose from a want of bread ;
but when they were told that it would be injurious to
publish their complaints, they submitted to their hard
condition with' the most praiseworthy silence. He
conilieved the present Bill as the most injurious and
unprecedented measure which had occurred in his
time, as it went to affect an immensely numerous and
*yet body of people who had supported Government
by their labour and' the advantages derived from its
ekerctse. Was it then to be endured, that Ministers
should lend themselves td such a measure? He would
tell them that they had but one interest to consult,
end that was, to support the labourer in manufac-
turing industry. Was it intended that we should for
the future only live on the produce of our land ? If
so, what would become of the resources from our ma-
nufactures, when our machinery should be lost ? He
was persuaded our manufacturers would not sit still
and see their trade frittered away and destroyed :
they would go abroad and exert themselves where
their labour would be properly appreciated and ena-
ble them to procure the necessaries of life. He, how-
ever, yet hoped, that as the injurious tendency of the
measure must now' be evident, that it would not be
suffered to procedd,but that Ministers would convince
the anxious multitude that they were alive to their
real and vital interests. The fact was, that the more
the measure became known, the more generally it
was execrated and condemned. The people were not
to be cajoled by such arguments as that the Bill
would give them cheap. bread ; they knew better ;
titer knew the thing was impossible ; and considering
the inevitable consequences of the measure, he hoped
the House would no longer suffer it to exist.
Mr. PHILLIPS was more and more convinced
that no measure ever had been proposed, against
which the manufacturing classes were so unanimous.

Mr. CAWTHORN hrit:fly insisted, that the land-
ed.interest is the greatest surport of the country, and
that which protects and provides for the poor. He
was certain that there was -a great diversity of opi-
nion on the subject in Lancashire.
This was denied by General GASCOION4 who re.
peated his previous observations, and said the proofs
of their truth were to be found in the 11S,000 signa-
tures and upwards from that county alone.
Sir R. PEEL replied to an observation which fell
from Mr. Cawthorn, respecting his not having an
accurate knowledge of the opinions of the people of
Lancashire, in consequence of his not having resided
for some time in that county, by asserting, that al.
though he had been partially absent from the county,
he would have the Honourable Gentleman under-
stand that his great capital had been constantly em-
ployed in it, and had contributed to the support of
the people, whose sentiments he could not but know
as well as any man.
PZATION FROM LONDON.

Sir WILLIAtitCURTIS, on moving to present
the Petition from London, observed, that it was a
measure which otiginated in no party spirit, but one
in which people every sect and description were
unanimous. Whig and Tory, High Church and
Low Church, Methodist and Dissenter of every per-
suasion, had come forward to express their opinion ;
and he hoped, that though it was vet), short in its
number of names, yet, as it contained upwards of
40,0001 he hoped it would have its due weight, as it
ought to have.
Sir JAMES SHAW bore testimony to the great
number ankisrliNftspectability of the pe!enns wl.a
had attended the Meeting at the Mansion 11,•use.
Mr. BARING declared his belief that it was the
most numerous, respectable, and unanimous Meet•
in that ever was held in the City of London. It
might be said, in a few words, that the measure would
substantially have no other effect than that of raising a
considerable revenue from amongst the consumers of
bread, for the purpose of keeping up the price of
rents. Except for the dicussions which had been
kept up in that House till two or three o'clock in the
morning, the inhabitants of London would have had
no opportunity of expressing their sentiments before
the obnoxious measure had been precipitated throng
its forms. But the voice of the people of Westmin-
ster had not yet been heard, though lie hoped their
Petition would come in time. Neither had the opi-
nion of either of the Representatives of 'hat City yet
been heard on the subject—(Hear, hear, hear!)—One
of them, to be sure, was prevented from attending
in his place; but as the other must before this time
have heard of what was going on, at whatever dis-
tance he might be in the country, there could be no
doubt but he at least must be now upon his road to
attend and watch over the rights of his constituents.
(Lend and loxpeentinned cheering.) Adverting to the
Petitions from the country towns, the Hen. Member
said, the fact was, that many Meetings had not yet
been called, because the people could not persuade
themselves that before now the measure would have
been set aside. As this, however, WAS not likely to
be the intention of its promoters, farther time ought
to be given for their opinion to be expressed. F.r
his own part, he should feel it his duty to resist every
attempt to hurry the measure through the House,
and should give it on every occasion his most decided
opposition.
Alderman ATKINS, correcting Sir William Cur-
tis, said, that so far from the signatures to the Peti.
tion being only forty thousand, upwards of forty
thousand had signed it on Saturday. He had on
Friday night earnestly intreated the House to post-
pone the second reading of the Bill ; but the result
was known. It really seemed as it the purpose of
this precipitation was to prevent the Petition from re-
ceiving three times the number• of signatures that
were already affixed to it.—(" No, no !" front dierne
ma: of she Home.) He would insist, that the time
had nut been sufficient to procure the sense .of the
City; but he hoped the Petition, as it- was', wood
induce the House to take into their most serious con-
sideration the consequences of pressing the measure.
The Petition was then brought up by Sir William
Curtis, who seemed much oppressed by its bulls, aid
was ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. JOHN SMITH presented four Petitionsfrom
different places, one of which was signed, by 18,0 W
names. The noise of a vast crowd pressing.into the
gallery, and a continual conversation amongst the
Members, prevented the names of many of the placth
from being heard.
' Mr. METHUEN presented, four from different
towns of Wiltshire, which were signed by the whole
population of each place.
Lord LASCEL LES presented amongst.others, the
Petition from Leeds, which had 24,000 signature&
Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY, Coli presenting a Peti-

,t)

Lion, said he was nut sorry that it gavehim2nwpor-
utility of expressing his opinion that the Bin kens ex-
treme/y injurious, and to condemn the precipitancy
with which it had been forwarded, which looked as if
its promoters were unwilling to • hear the opinions of
the people.
Mr. WHITBREAD brought up several petitions.
Mr. YORKE, on presenting a petition in favour
of the Bill, front the Owners of Land in the Fens of
Lincolnshire, observed, that it was easy to obtain sig-
natures to petitions against the measure, but he would
not admit that these petitions contained the real sense
of the people. If petitions could be obtained from
those who could foresee the very distressed state of
agriculture, they would shew that there was not the
great unanimity of opinion that had been intimated.
Those who had signed the petition he now held in
his hand, were the owners of three or four hundred
thousand acres of land, which had been redeemed
from the water, under the protection of Parliament ;
but which would now become useless unless 611C011-
raged by the Bill before the House.
Mr. BARING maintained, that the 'agricultural
labourers, and even the tenantry, had no interest in
this question—(Crier of No, no).—Their opinion was
that the evil lay in the high rents alone, and that if
the Bill did not pass, the proprietors of the land
must let them cheaper. It was an absurdity to say,
that the labourer had any interest in the question.—
It any persons, however, had mote claims than others
for the interference of Parliament, they certainly
were those who had reclaimed waste lands, and
brought them into tertility.—(Near, hear). The
Honourable Gentleman then adverted to the evidence
of certain persons, to thew that 80s. was a price not
necessary ice the protection of lands so reclaimed.
Mr. hIETHUEN begged to assure the House,
that the petitions ire had presented this day were not
signed by manufacturers alone, but that they con-
tained the names of matey laud-owners, who were
convinced of the injurious tendency of the measure.
A Petition from the Owners of Land in the Bed-
ford Levcl, to the amouot of 911000 acres, in favour
of the Bib, was presented, and ordered to lie on the
table.
Mr. HOME SUMNER presented a petition from
the Inhabitants of Cioysion against the Bill, and ob-
served, that as he had already brought up one from
the same place of a different tendency, he could not
but regret that while he performed his duty, he should
have to differ in his own opinion from any portion of
his constituents.
Mr. CALCRA FT presented a petition from the
inhabitants of Rochester, signed by b7OO names.—
The Hon. Gentleman declared he fully concurred in
the prayer ot die petition, and hoped the House
Would even now feud it necessary to pause in their
precipitancy.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR presented a petition against
the Bill from Poole, which, he said,'was numerously
signed ; not by manufacturers, for there were no per-
sons ot this description in the town, but by merchants
and others, many of whom were copsiderable land-
holders. He trusted, that if the House should agree
to the Bill, the people would sit down quietly under
it ; but, for his own part, he would give it lot utmost
Opposition.
The same Hon. Member gave 11** of a motion
for the 16th of March relative to Wills; and also of
another, soon after the Recess, for a Bill to. abolish
punishment of the Pillory.
Lotto casr
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUE4
moved that the Howie should resolve itself into a
C.mmittee on the Bill for amending the Corn Laws.
Mr. WHIT iiREA D did not rise to object to the
Speaker's leaving the Chair, but there were other
orders of the day cia which he wished to obtain some
information. He desired to know. it the diaeusaion
on the Corn Bill should last long, how it was intend.
ed to dispose of the question on the renewal of the
Dank Reatrktion Act ? And he desired particularly
to know what the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Pal.
merstone) meant to do iu that case with the Mutiny
? While he Was on his legs. seeing the. Noble
Lord in the blue ribbon (Lord Castlereagh) in his
place, he wished to auk if the time tor making those
disclosures which had been called for, but withheld
in his absence, was at hand, and if they might soon
expect him to come down with a message from the
Prince Regent on the subject of his late important
rni41011?
Lord CASTLEREAGH said he should be happy
to give the Hon. Gentleman every information in his
power, but at present he was not able to intimate to
.him when any communication on the subject referred
to was likely to be made from the Prince Regent.—
When he. should know such a message was to be
brought down, he would not fail to give due no-
tice of it. If, before this was done, the Honourable
Gentleman should wish to obtain information on
any particular point, he thought it would be best
that he should raise some questionoetbat after some
days had elapsed, he should call for that which he
thought necessary. The Hon. Gentleman would
certainty understand that, under present circum-
stances, the explanations which he (Lord Castle-
reagh) could give, would be in many respects limit-
ed. If, however, the Hou. Gentleman called for any
information which he might consider desirable, it
would enable him (Lord Castlereagh) to state what
discloeurei be could make without injury to the pub-
lic service. A; present he could only say, though the
proceedings were not closed, yet much had been
done ; and it was important to add, that what was
done, had been don; with the general concurrence of
all the great Powers, who had made every arrange-
. meet for upholding those decisions which bad been
dir.tated by the common interest of all. All the great
poims in which this country was especially concerned
jled been met by all the Powers in a spirit of peace
and arranged perfectly to his satisfaction, and he
hoped in a manner that would prove satisfactory to
the House.--(Heart hear.) •
gr. WHITBREAD thoughtthe Noble Lord
might have misunderstood the intent of his question.
,he had asked if he did not propose to give some in.
formation to the House I—tor whatever the Noble
• Lord might have been told by hie colleagues; he
(Mrs Whitbread) did think the time was come %Olsen
wpm inks:medal-MI& to be given from the pelsco.l
ke fro* Of Noble Lord in 'without being
;AM fee. . *rots ihe answer be had received, he
• pow ba4ljr believe the Noble• Lord was the man
lobo lad bon at •Visavia, for 'what lied talk from