Star.
London, England, 1819-01-23 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, JANUARY et
The House met a qUarter before four, and ten
Members took the oaths and their seats.
Mr. LAWSON, in addressing the Chair, to pre—
sent a Petition, said, that it was with considerable
diffidence he put himself forward on the present oc-
casion. He who was then, for the-first time, trust-
ing his slender bark, which was scarcely sea-worthy,
to the tempestuous ocean of political discussion, mast
naturally feel great timidity at the hazard of the
trial. But still the importance of the trust which:was]
Confided to his hands, and the conviction that he was
bound to use his best efforts to discharge it faithfully,.
gave him confidence ; and, therefore, he nnhesi-1
bitingly embraced the opportunity of taking the
sense of the House upon the Petition, the first which
was presented to this Parliament, which he held in
his hand. " Nay," continued Mr. Lawson, " start
not, Mr. Speaker, at the sight of,parchment, nor ima-
gine, from what I am now about. to present, that you
are about to have such an accumulation of Petitions
as daily poured in upon and covered your table in
the last Parliament. This is •the beginrting of true
.and radical Reform—(Hear,)—a reform—not, Sir,
of the House over which you so honourably preside
but—of a Yorkshire turnpike-road.—(Hear, and
wry laugher.) The Petititioners, it is true, have,
like other reformers, gone upon a levelling system;
but upon other grounds ; they wish that the trustees,
stto form as Well the representative as the e:.ecutivc
r,ver, may have an extension of their aathority.
Their prayer, however, *as not for economy and re•
trenchnient—they sought not to have their burdens
lightened—no but, antious for the public good,
they wished to have their burdens increased. (Hear,
and,' laugh.) Here then, Gentlemen (turning from
the Speaker towards the Members), you have a Peti-
tion of a number of respectable individuals, praying
that you may increase their burdens.“—(A laugh )
Mr. Lawson went on to shew, that though this in
nunu., might be considered a private matter, yet, from
its importance, it ought to he considered as a public
question. It prayed for a Bill to improve the line
of road leading to Ilarrosvgate—the metropolis of a
Northern county ; and to =Tease the toll to defray
t:.e expense to be incurred. The fashionable and gay
?lice of resort to which this road led, rendered this
improvement a matter of public interest .The Speaker
himself could attest the importance of the place, hav-
ing visited it. He also could give his testimony for
:the necessity of having the prayer of the Petition
complied with: and it must be evident to all, that it
was of advantage to the public, that there should be
such a road leading to this place of resort for fashion
as well as for health, as might prevent the delicate
nerves of its visitors frmi being too much shaken in
their passage to and from it.—The Petition was read,
and referred to a Select Committee.
Eisw LONDON WATCH-WORKS.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR. presented a Petition from
several inhabitants of London and Westminster, pray-
ing for leave to bring in a Bill to establish new Wa-
ter-worts, in opposition to the monopoly of that ne-
cessary article which at present existed. The object
of the Petitioners was not one of profit to themselves,
but that such a company should exist as might rescue
the Inhabitants from being obliged to submit to the
oppressive monopoly at present established. The Peti-
tion was read, and referred to a Select Committee.

NORTHERS" CIRCUITS.

Mr. M. A. TAYLOR gave notice, that on Thurs-
day, the 4th of February, he should move for an Ad-
dress to the Crown, praying that his Royal High-
ness the Prince Regent might issue his Commission
in the name and on behalf of his Majesty, for hdld-
ing two Assizes every year in the four Northern
Counties, as well as in all others.
AGRICULTURAL PIiTITION._

• • Sir GERARD NOEL presented a Petition from
' the landholders of the county of Rutland, setting
forth that this country possessed, within itself; suffi-
cient means of producing an abundant supply of corn
of evary description, for all its inhabitants, without
havhig recourse to the aid of other countries. They
prayed that I Select Committee might .be appointed
to eitamine into this matter, that they might be al-
lowed to give evidence before such Committee ; and
in case only of their being able satisfactorily to esta-
blish the premises, that such protection might be af-
forded to them as was enjoyed by the manufacturers,
Merchants, and traders, by the Navigation Act. The
Hon. Bart. said, that though he presented this Peti-
tion at the request of the parties, he was not pre-
pared to go further in its support. It was ordered to
lie on the table.