Star.
London, England, 1809-03-24 00:00:00

ROXBURGH FEF:RAGF.

The LORD CHANCELLOR rose, for the purpose of calling 1
their Lordships' attention to a few observations, with respect to •
the present state of the different claims for the Roxburgh Peerage,
as they now stood before the Committee of Privileges. The
House would be aware that, on a former day, when the Com-
mittee last sat, Council were called to the Bar, and they were in-
formed of a Petition from General Walter Ker, presented to his
Majesty, stating certain objections against the title of the Earl of
Roxburgh being at all affected bv a certain charter which led to the
Designation Deed of 14;48, and that he rested his claim en the
original patent. The Learned Counsel generally on that occasion
remarked, there was an objection to the Petition having been
presented in this stage of the proceeding. But the House would
so far he of a different opinion ; for it was certainly competent on
this, as on other occasions, for his Majesty to receive such peti-
tions, and of course it became a fit subject for the consideration
of their Lordships in their capacity of advisers to the King. It
was on this Petition he should submit a particular motion, direct-
ing certain instructions to be laid before the Committee, leaving it
to their discretion to hear one or two Counsel for the parties, re-
specting its merits. He would also recommend to the Commit-
tee, that the Lord Advocate of Scotland, and his Majesty's At-
torney-General, be likewise heard, if either of them were desirous
to address them on the occasion. There was, in addition to what
he bad stated, another subject of great importance, a considerable
question would fall to the consideration of the House, when they
came to decide upon the charter of 1648, anti there were in that
instrument certain words " their heirs male," which required
peculiar attention before they decided upon their import ; because
should the decision not be consistent with the general law of Scot-
land, by which titles and estates were there held, it might tend
to disturb rot only the law of landed property, but interfere with
the security of the titles of some of the oldest families in that
kingdom. From these consideratisms he was induced to move,
" hat certain instructions he given to the Committee of Privi-
leges, that on Monday next they hear one or two Counsel, as
sl a!1 be thought proper, on the subject of General Walter Kees
Tuition, and also that the Lord Advocate and his Majesty's
Attorney-Gereral he heard or. the same subject ; and likewise in
the same manner that Counsel he further heard on the import
and meaning of the words " their heirs male," as joined with
other terms expressed in the same. charter.
The Lord Chanceloe's motion was agreed to.

,•
The Fail of i4.3,5:.yx presented a Petition from the Debtor.
of the Four Marshalsea Courts which was °reit:lt:a to
be laid upon the table.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The Lorin API:OCA FE or SCO Tt.A ND reported the decision of
the Newry Election Confmittee, that the sitting Member was
duly elected, and that the petition of IsLac Corry, Esq. was nei-
ther frivolous or vow iemt. _ _

Mr. HARVEY' CHRISTIAN COMBE obtained leave to
bring in a Bill to renew the Senday Toll at Biackfriars Bridge,
and Mr. Wilberforce obtained similar leave relative to Westmin-
Ater Bridge.
A person from the Stamp-Office presented an Account of the •
Balarces remaining in the hands of the different Collectors.
Mr. BANKES brought up the Report of the Select Committee
appointed to inquire into the Abuses of the East-India Company's
Patronage. It was ordered to be printed.
On the motion of Mr. ROSE the Thames Ballast Bill was read
a first time. Second reading to-morrow.
Mr. 'WHITBREAD gave notice of his intention on a future
day, to move for the production of the last Letter of Sir John
Moore to the Noble Lord opposite (Castlereagh). The House
had on a former occasion been led to expect from what had fallen
from that Noble Lord, that tithe.- the whole of that letter would
be laid before it, or at least an extract. He, however, then un-
derstood, that it was now the determination of the King's Mi-
nisters not to produce that document in any shape ; and con-
ceiving, as he (lid, such a document most mcterial for the pub-
lic, in forming its decision upon the late operations in Sp M., he
was convinced of the necessity of moving for its produ,ti..a.—•
As a motion of a Noble Fiiend (Earl Temple) of his, relative to
the production of the Corresponeknce which had taken place
between Mr Frere and Sir John Moore, stood for Tuesday, he
(Mr. Whitbread) conceived that day :ail a proper opportunity
for his intended motion ; :rid he had to app. it.e the House that
he would, when o:ln was 1", certainly bring

it on.
Lord CASTLEREACH presented a Return of !Ito Quantity of
Stores brouzh. t;;r B:idsh .1r::.7 tram Spain.
WHAR'i Itreas::: up tin port of the Committee;
when the Resoluri•ms \ : a.td agreed to.
A Member was s'svorn
A message :torn the I im.se of Peers announced, that their
Lordships had artreed to the amaica Free l'ort Bill, the Ex-
piring Laws Nil, ii,:l for making the Expiring Laws perpetual,
and a Bill for Th.: bt tzer N.,Trlition of the Royal Marines while
on shore, without ;:::y amendment ; and also to several private
Bills.
Mr. SHAW br.mglit up the Dublin Water Bill, which was read
a first time.
Mr. MELLISH presented a Bill for regulating the Poor of the
Parish of St. Clements, which was read a nr4
On the motion of Mr. ASHLEY COOPER, the House re-
solved itself into a Committee of the whole House, on the Dover
Sands' BilL The Report was ordered to he received to-morrow.
Mr. PARNELL moved for an Account of Monies raised by
way of tax for paving the City of Dublin, within a limited pe-
:Lod. He also moved for a Copy of the Report of the Commis-
sioners for Paving the said City, as presented to the Lord Lieute-
bant of Ireland ; both of which were ordered accordingly.
The Mal‘a Ships' Bill was read a second time, and ordered to
be committed to-morrow.
A New Writ was ordered for a Burgess to serve in Parliament
for the City of Cashel, in the room of Mr. Dick, who since his
Election had accepted the Office of Escheator of Munster.
COTTON MANCFACTUREIts OF LANCASIiIItE.
Upon motion that the petition of the Cotton Ma-
nufacturers of Lancashire be referred to a Com-
mittee,
Mr. DAVIES GIDDY observed, that this Peti-
tion contained propositions which it was impossible
for the House to entertain ; he believed there was
not one pers-n in the House but concurred with him
upon Or: • übject—yet it was desirable, as it con-
cerned so large a body of people, that something
should be dune to relieve their distresses.
Mr. CU amEN said, that alth:ligh the Petitioners
wished for a minimum to be fixed to regulate their
work, yet they had ..d,o to c..roplain of the manu-
facturers taking :in nAttnited number of apprentices.
Laws existed to prevent other trades being overrun,
and they wi:died for a similar protection ; at present,
when a manufacturer wented additional hands, in-
stead of employing th,,se who had been bred to the
busintss, he foino.l it his advantage to take an addi-
tion number of apprentices, and thus the workmen
were kit destit,ite of employment.
Mr. WILBRAHANI BOOTLE: thought the Ho-
noureble Gentleman's observations only applicable to
cotton-printers, and not to the cotton-weavers.
Mr. BARING said, that to entertain the Petition,
for the purpose of regulating the apprentices, would
only be deluding these poor people ; the prayer of
the Petition bore that on the very face of it, which
must prevent its bring heard.
Mr. BLACKBURNE said, that when he was re-
questf.d to present the Petition, he informed the dele-
gates, that the principle of a minimum could nut be
P listened to.

Mr. WHITBREAD said, that when the dele-I
gates of these unfortunate people waited on him to
solicit his advice and support, as he supposed they
had on several other Hon. Members,he told them, that

principle was destructive of their views, but they did
not know what else to propose, and hey wished it
might be referred to a Committee, where they appre-
hended wiser heads, as they expressed it, might sug-
gest something better. He did not mean to argue upon
the propriety of this suggestion, or the fitness of the
Petition, but thought if the Petition was referred to
a Committee, they might in their Report, from the
terms in which they could couch it, say something
which would tend to appease the feelings of the Pe-
ti ti one rs. He therefore proposed, that it should be
referred to a Committee.

Mr. ROSE said, he had had conversations on the
subject with the Petitioners, and had pointed out the
objections ; they, however, had thought fit to present
their Petition. He coincided with what had fallen
from the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Whitbread.)
After a few words from Mr. BOOTLE, the ques.

tion was put " that- the Petition be referred to a
Committee, who shall report their opinion upon the
same, to the House," which was agreed to.