Star.
London, England, 1822-03-14 00:00:00

LOWER CANADA.

Mr. MARRYATT presented a Petition from the Assembly
of Commerce of Lower Canada, complaining that within the
last twelve months the price of every article had decreased one-
half—that their exports had fallen from xsoopoo or £900,000
to a£500,000, and that the Itevenue on articles of consumption
bad decreased Rom .11.50,000 to £70,000 or £BO,OOO, in conse-
quence of the exclusion of Canadian grain from the linglish•
market, since the sth of October, 1820, imposed by the Cons
Laws, and praying that all setts of Canadian grain may be at all
times free for the consumption bf the United Kingdom.
Mr. EI.LICE said, that he was sorry the restriction laws
prevented the introduction of corn into this kingdom. The
alteration on the timber duties was beneficial to Canada, and he
regretted a 'similar alteration was not made in the Corn Laws :
by allowing them the English market fur their Corn, they would';
be the better able to pay for English manufactures. From his I
knowledge of Canada he could confirm all that was stated in the
Petition. He thought some beneficial regulations should be in-
troduced to reconcile it to this country, as, from the reports in
circulation, there was some danger of ultimately losing it. If
the restriction was continued the consequences would be disas-
trous to the navigation of the Colonies.
Ali, BENETT (of Wiltshire) said, the corn of Canada ought
to be excluded, as a great part of the American corn would be
exported to this country under the cover of Canadian corn, if its
introduction were permitted. He thought it would be injurious
to the Agriculture of England. Ile advocated the ptiticiple
of equitable protection to the Colonies, which, he believed, i
Canada possessed. I
hlr. WILIOT expressed his conviction of the existence of ;
the distress stated by the Petitioners, which was also in some
degree-the effect of the operation Of the Act passed in 1815.
He was of opinion ghat it ought to be submitted to the Agriculs
; tural Committee.
l hlr. R ICA RDO said, justice renJered it necessary that *I ;
tension should be paid to the complaints of the Petitioners;
they eomplained•that we did not take their. articles on the same
; terms that they teak ours ; that we refuset: the admission of
their corn, and subjected them to the iuconvenience of purchas-
ing their commodities iu this market. He thought these great
hardships.' Canadian corn should he freely received its our
ports ; and, with respect to forcing them to purehase our coma
i mutinies. be that& it a serious grievance, and whenever the
, 1 subject cense bciore the store, he would support may tneasuie
t that woeld remove its
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stated in the Report was, that thecountry and the
House were greatly indebted terthd .worthy Alder.'
man (Wood), for the zeal he had sheWn, and the clear
ness with which he had established the cruel and in.'
human practices caviled on in that jail. Having said
so much on the case as it regarded Mr. Hunt, hr:
hop'..d the IL u e 11 mid indulge him with its atten-
tion while he would explain the connexion which his
name had with Detester jail: At the desire of the
House be had examined that jail, and had certainly
given a favourable report of it: The Commissioners
appointed by the House had also examined it, and
they had given a very unfaiourable Report. If they
differed in their Report from his representation, they
were probably right, ant he was wrong. But it was
possible that both were correct. It should be known
by the House that the Commissioners examined the
jail in Ikl2l, and he examined it in 1815. At chat
period Sir J. P. Acland was the visiting Magistrate;
and during his time everything was as it ought to
be ; but great alterations had been made since that
time. Another difference betsteen the Reports was,
that the Commissioners' Report included all parts of
the ' prison except the manufactory ; his Report
touched the manufactory only ; so that they reported
all except that which was solely the subject of his ex-
amination. Raving said so much in vindication or
himself, lie hoped the House would excuse him if he
made some observations on the sufferings of hini
whose name was so often before the House. When
the Judges of the King's Bench had fixed on Ilaes-
ter jail for the impris:mment of Mr. Hunt, they had
no reason to suppose it was not the most correct jail
in the kingdom. The sentence of confinement which
they passed on him was that of thirty months, in a
wholesome and healthy jail. With respect to that;
point the Judges were deceived, and the facts stated
in the Commissioners' Report plainly • shewed that '
there was an aggravation of puMelment ssh:cli was
not intended by the Court of King's Bench—(Hear).
—lt was indeed more aggravated when the house
would consider that, out of six hundred prisoners
confined in the jail, four hundred had been afflicted
with sickness in consequence of thedampness of the
situation and other causes.—The Honourable Mem.;
ber then adverted to the copy of the evidence takes
on the Inquest of James Bryan:—'fhe verdict in that
ease was; that the deceased died by the visitation of
Gorr; but that his death was accelerated by the
dampness of the rooms to which he was confined,
It appeared from that evidence, that the rooms in
the orison had a great depth of water from the low
situation of the place. But it was in tlitit very jail,
and in those damp room', the t • fr. Nunt was con-
fined. It was clear that the Ju es, in passing semi
tence, never intended such sever rot. punishment.—
If Mr. HUnt were condemned t wear out the term
of his imprisonment in that tmison so drs:ribed by
the Report and by the evidence, he would suffer a
great injustice. He hoped that Government would
take the subject into its consideration, and h,: trusted
the Right Honourable Secretary (Mr. Peel) would
direct his attention to it. He 4:111: Buxton) did n&.,
teak of the severity of the punishment on the score
of any private friendship for. Mr. Hunt. He had no
kftoWledge of Mr. Hunt's'priearecondnet or ch; r a
ter; but; whatever were his politi,-s or his el aracter
whether be were a good citizen or a hal one, he Li,
served at least to be treated with justice--(N.• ar).
Sir T. LETIIBRUX;E said that he would agree
with the Honourable Member, that if it were ma,'
out that Mr. Hunt was suffering an undue sever;
a rea!n aldlahteio:ofruomid
kttohaatioonusghwtittho
thel
of punishment,ofiboLnaitletbfoler .Member, in forwarding an applicath
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