Star.
London, England, 1822-04-30 00:00:00

• TUESDAY, APR IL 30, 18'2,2.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, APRIL 29.
• Their Lordships met at ten o'clock. to hear Appeals.
THE Delta or Roximon, Appellant; Km, Respondent.
This Is an appeal from the Court of. Se thloa, Scotland. The
Arromar-Gsumat. was heard out for the ansellint, and Mr.
Ctaium, in part, for the respoudent.—,Ftirther argument
Town of Alnwick, County of Northutnberiand, Watch-
itig aed Lighting Bill, and the City of Durham Paving and
.Lighting Pill, were read a second time.
The Flax and Cotton, and the Summary Proceedings Bills
went respectively through Committees, and were reported.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE presented a Petition from tbe
'Owners and Occupiers of Land of the County. of Forfar, pray-
ing for agricultural rellef:—Laid on the table.
Mr. Bacionan and others brought up from the Commons the
Bank of Ireland Bill, the Dover Gas tight, and the Edinburgh
Read Bills, which were read a Sri* fame.
The Earl of ALBENIARLE presented two Petitions from
the Owners and Occupiers of Land in.the Hundreds of Blow-
field and Walsarn, in the County of Norfolk, praying for agii.
cultural relief. Bis Lordship stated that these Petitions bad
been unanimously adopted, and were signed by none Nit teal
owners and occupiers of land, aU people of the highest respecta-
bility. Every individual in both Hundreds had subscribed
them, as no difference of opinion existed in the necessity of the
application.
Lord CALTHORPE wished to confirm all that the Noble
Earl bad said concerning the respectability of the Petitioners
and the reality of the distress experienced in that part of Eng-
land. This was the more afflicting, as those two Hundreds
were remarkable for 'the fertility of their soil, the skill of the
farmers, and their vicinity to excellent narkets.
The Earl of ROSEBERRY also bore testimony to the re. ,
spectability of the Petitioners, sonic of whom were his own
tenants, and most of the rest well known to Lim.—The Petition'
was then read, and laid on the table.

Lord SUFFIELD presented a similar Petition from the
Owners and Occupiers of Land of the Hundred of Parh.un, in
the County of Norfolk.—Laid on the table.
Lord STEWART presented a Petition from the Chamber of
Oommerce of Belfast, praying for an additional duty on foreign
butter.—Laid on the table.

DISTRESS IN IRELAND.
The Earl of DARNLEY stated that if the subject were not
soon brought forward by his Majesty's Ministers, be should
think it his duty to call the attention of the House to that most
important object, the consideration of the affairs of Leland.
There was a degree of increasing distress in that country almost
amounting to famine, though be hoped and trusted the accounts
received were exaggerated. His object in mentioning this dis-
tress was to obtain some assurance from his Majesty's Ministers
that the subject had occupied their attention, a fact of which he
could possibly entertain no doubt. The objections which had
been made in other times to discuss such questions, did not now
apply. The superabundance of produce which occasioned dis
tress in this country might be rendered available to alleviate
that which existed in Ireland. At all events a good effect would
result from an intimation on the part of Government, that the
subject had attracted their attention, and that they were ready
to afford every kind of relief in their power.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL admitted, that as far as infor-
mation had been received, it was true that in some parts of Ire-
land great distress existed. That distress, however, had not
been overlooked by his Majesty's Government, and measures
had been taken to administer relief according to precedents,
which had proved successful. As to the general question of in-
terference, he thought that an extreme case alone could justify
such a step, and that nothing would be more likely to create a
famine than any interposition on the part of the Government or
the Legislature in the subsistence of the country. It was by the
exertions of individuals. that that subsistence was best secured,
and when a foreigner expressed his surprise that London shouts'
1 be supplied without any regulations, be war justly answered
that London was so well supplied only because there wore no
regulations. He appealed to the Noble Peers who had lately
returned from Ireland, whether they were -not satisfied, that
whatever could be done to relieve the present distress, would be
done, and was doing?—Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
This was the last day for receiving Private Bills.
A Petition was presented from the County of Wexford, com-
plaining of Agricultural Distress.—Laid on the table.
PELIJA M presented a Petition of a similar nature from
Lincoln. The Petition stated that the present state of the coun-
try threatened to overwhelm the whole agricultural population ;
and expressed a belief that nothing but a reduction of taxation
can relieve them.

Sir R. HERON said, he feared that his Majesty's Ministers
and the majority of that House did not seem yet to be aware of
the full extent of the evils which oppressed the agricultural and
all the industrious classes of the nation.—The Petition was read,
and laid on the table.

Mr. CUItTEIS presented a similar Petition from the Eastern
part of the County of Sussex.—Laid on the table.
Mr. C. DUNDAS presented several Petitions of a similar
nature, from Owners and Occupiers of Land in the County of
Burks.—Laid on the table.

Mr. TREMAYNE presented a Petition, complaining of
Agricultural Distress, from the County of Cornwall.—Laid on
the table.

Mr. GOOCH presented a Petition from several considerable
Land-owners of Foxley, in Suffolk, complaining of Agricultural
Distress. The Petitioners prayed that such a reduction of public
expenditure might be effected as would justify a further reduc-
tion of taxation, but they expressed an apprehension that no im-
mediate relief could be derived from that source. Ile viewed
with great dismay the distressed state of the Agriculturists. A
remission of taxation he knew would assist them, and as far as a
reduction of establishment could enable that to be done, he
would do it. Ile had felt it his duty to move in the last Session,
that some notice should be taken of the numerous Agricultural
Petidons on the table of the House. In the Committee which
was appointed he was nominated Chairman, and he would not
flinch from any of the responsibility that might attach to him on
that account. It had been thought proper t►at that Committee
should be re-appointed this year, but be was sorry to say that
their Report contained nothing satisfactory to the country. It
proposed no measurea calculated to afford immediate adequate
relief. It should, however, be borne in mind how difficult it
was to discover any such remedy for the present evils. The
markets were glutted to the extreme, and corn must either be
removed from the market, or more money must be brought into
it for that purpose. A prohibitory duty on the importation of
corn was what would be most beneficial to the farmer. When

the ports were opened in 1820, by means of a fraud, seven hun-
dred thousand quarters of eats were admitted ; and with an
average consumption of thirty thousand quarters a year, it was
surprising the effect which that importation had in lowering the
prices. He agreed in the system of duties, tut not as to the
quantum ; the duties recommended by the Report were not
, sufficient. This country could not maintain her staticti in Eu-
rope if its agriculture were allowed to sink. The Petitioners,
amongst other remedies, prayed for a Reform in l'arliament.—
In this he did not agree with them, being satisfied that Reform
would not put one shining Into the pocket of the lkltish farmer.
Mr. HUMS observed, that this was not the lint, second, nor
third time that the Hon. Alember who bad just sat down had
I expressed his anxiety to relieve the distress of the Agriculturist.
In the numerous motions, however, which had been made fur
the remission of taxes, and the reduction of expenditure, he did
not recollect having had the pleasure of having the Honourable
Member in the minority. What was tbe use then of presenting
Petitions of this kind, and talkint about Gibing the price of
corn, if he did not assist in lowering and abolishing useless esta
!Ash:neat., in order to effect that which he acknowledged to be
the only remedy? The only way to relieve the country was, to
reduce the price of production, and to export the surplus corn
to other countries. To the year.l76o and 1770 this was an ex-
I potties coaxal. lie hoped the Hon. Member, by his future

condtret. irould Make Infer his pat ansissions.---Tbe Petition
was read and laid oa thri 'ASA
' Mr. LOCKHARTnneented a Milldam from the Tanners of
the ectunt7-61. Word, piping fit the &Missies of the Leather,
Tax, in•coasapience or me increased value of money.--Laid on
the table. • ,
Mr R. WILLIAM, presented a Petition from the Tannin
of Came"; Pealing foe a repeal of the Leather Tax.—Lid
on the table. .
Mr. gRIFFITIIS presented a Petition from the Tanners of
Ruthin, M the county of Denbighs against the Leather Tax.—
Laid epee the table. ' •
An Han. Minima temehted a Petition from certain growers
of grain in the counties ot Stirling and Perth, who had suffered
by Agricultural Distress praying that the restrictions en the ex-
portation at Scotch Whiskey might be removed. The Hon.
Member stated that 'widget in policy nor justice were these re-
strictions warrantid. •
Mr. S. WORTLEY thought this was a subject well worthy
the consideration of his Majesty's Ministers.
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE had long considered the subject, and
certainly thought that the restrictions on Scotch Spirits ought
to be taken off.—The Petition wasousiered to be printed.
Mr. DUCHANAH presented a similar Petition from the
county of Dumbarton.—Laid on the table.
Similar Polska's were presented from the counties of Aber-
Beef and Binff.—Laid on tie table.

Mr. S. WORTLBY presented a Petition from certain Weal-
staplers of the West Riding of tha county of York, and from Ha- I
lifax, against a Bill pending in the House for the admission of
Foreign Wonl, duty free.—Laid on the table.
The lion. Member presented a similar Petition from certain
Ship-owners ii the ports of the West Riding of Yorkshire.
The Hon. Member also presented Petitions from Hudders-
field and the West Riding of Yorkshire, in lariat of the York-
shire Poll Bill.—Laid on the table.
On the motion of the Hon. Gentleman, the second reading of
the said Bill was then postponed to Friday nett.
Lord NOR MANDY presented a Petition from Whitby,
Yorkshire, against the Yorkshire Pull Bill.
Mr. G. W. BRA UMON T seconded the prayer of the Petl.
tioo.—Laid on the table.

Mr. CIIETWYND presented& Petition from the Merchants
of London interested in the trade with the British North Ame-
rican Colonies, praying that the Bill pending in Parliament for
the regulation of that trade might not pass into a law, and that
they might be heard against it by CounseL—Laid on the table.
Mr. T. WILSON presented a Petition from the Merchants
and Woollen-drapers of the City of London against the Ameri-
can and West India Trade Blll.—Laid on the table.

Sr W. Ctlicris presented a Petition from the Ship-owners
of the Port of London, and others, against the American and
West India PAlL—Laid on the table.