Star.
London, England, 1828-03-21 00:00:00

clause could not otherwise have been ever agreed to.
It mint, if allowed to remain, prove highleskjuliou, to
the silk trade. The first specimen of sumptuary Laws
in this country occurred. he believed, in the reign of
Edward 111. Similar laws were passed at subsequent
periods. In better times—at the time of the Revolu-
tion. it was laid down as a maxim by the Whigs of
that day, that power was a trust in the hands of the
few for the benefit of the many. In this case, how-
ever, power was exercised for:the benefit of the few—
the benefit of the Members of that House—and not of
the many. The object of a wise Government should
be to encourage the manufactures of a country, and
not thus to throw . obstacles in their way. The silk
trade was a foreign plant of soft and delicate texture,
which by care and due encouragement had arrived
at great perfection. If that encouragement should be
discontinued, the most injurious effects must follow. He
wondered how the Member for Limerick, who professed
himself the friend of free trade, could have proposed
such a clause. If not repealed, the effect would he to
injure most severely the population of Coventry. When
trade was dull, it was the custom of the masters to
employ their men in the manufacture of ribbons for
elections. This resource being takep away, many must
necessarily be occasionally thrown upon the pooh
rates. Beside, the custom of the country was to wear
ribbons at elections, andhe thought that even the Par-
liament itself could not conquer the force of custom.
Bonaparte with all his power could not prevent the em-
blem of the Fleur-de-lis from being worn; and he (Mr.
Fyler) thought it was too bad, that while the Irish and
the Welsh were allowed to wear their national emblems,
that Englishmen, when exercising their most important
franchise, should be prohibited from wearing their peesl.
has badges.--Badges always did, and always would
exist—for example, look at the different badges worn by
the, different parties who espoused the cause of the
Houses of York and Lancaster—(Laughter). Irish
Elections should be made no model for those of Eng-,
land, for there patty spirit prevailed to an extent un-
known in this country, and it might not be safe to allow
the use of badges. After a few further observations, the
Hon. Gentleman moved for leave to bring in a Bill, to
Repeal-so much of an Act of last Sessions as prohibited
the use of ribbons at elections.
Colonel WOOD seconded the motion on public
grounds end private. His private reason was, that several
hundred men of. the Middlesex regiment of militia
were Coventry men; and when parting with them, he
had promised to do them a good turn if ever it should
be in his power—(laughter), and he knew this Act must
be very injurious to those men. His public ground of
objection to the Act was, that the prevention of the
wearing of ribbons at elections was calculated to take
away much of the popular interest attached to them ;
and the legislation on such, a subject was too petty and
minute for the dignity of Parliament.
Mr. SPRING RICE acknowledged that the speech
of the Honourable Member for Coventry was by no
means destitute of variety— (Laughter.) He had, incked,
taken a wide range—Edward the Third and Lord Ba
con—free trade and the Game Laws—and the wisdom
of our ancestors and penal laws. But he (Mr. S. Rice)
would "not march through Coventry with him, that
was flat.“--(Laughter.) Legislation on this subject was
not petty nor improper, as any measure tending to lessen
the expenses of elections went to make them more free,
and enlarge the circle of candidates. Nor were the
sums expended by candidates on ribbons so very trifling
as had been supposed. At the Northumberland election
alone, th- charge for ribbons was 6,0001. and at one
election which omitted since the Bill passed, 1,5001.
had been saved to the candidates. The Hon. Member's
Attempt at repealing the existing Act for the benefit of I,
"the ribbon makers of Coventry, was as absurd as if hel
Rice) should bring in a Bill compelling the in-'
habitants of Covent: y, Lads Godiva, Peeping Tom, and
all. to wear Limerick gloves at thecelebrated Coventry
festival. He hoped the House would support him in
opposiog the Bill.
',oast LOWTHER approved of the law as it stood.
and must therefore oppose the motion of the Honoura-
ble Member—(Cries of "Question").
Mr. FYLER in reply said, if' it were determined to
oprose his notion, be would not unnecessarily press h
upon their notice. One thing was qui.e clear, that
nothing but " Self" directed this opposition.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, when a division took
place. For tbe ion • • . . 9
Against Mot.
. • . . 91
iilaiority against the Motion 62
RIGHT 6 01/ VtIEEMOLDEUS.
'Mr. SYKES, in moving for leave to bring in a Bill
4' To declare the Rights of Fret holders in separate Di:-
tricts.nr Counties Corporate, to vote at the election of
Knights of the Shim of the Counties from which they
shalt have been separated," observed, that as he bad on
a former occasion detained the House at considerable
length, be would *not now tiespass on their attention.—
He formerly moved for a Committee to inquire into the
*object, but that course was objected to, aad it was said
that he had better move for leave to bring in a Bill upon
the subject. It was to him a matter of po consequence
-how his object could be carried into effect; but, as the
course he now porseed was recommended to bias, he
thought it prudent to adopt it. It was urged against
him, that if this Bill was passed into a Law, it would
be an insidioas mode of securing Parliamentaiy
lte-
fr.rm ; but that he strongly denied, although he must
admit; that he was decidedly friendly to the great
cause of Reform.
The motion being FM trews the Chafe that leave be given—
Col. Si BTEIORPE supported the Bill. He thought
it was a great hardship en 460 freeholders of the county
of the city (Uncoln) which he had the honour to repre-
sent. to be denied the right "of voting for the county.
The ATTORNEY" IIiNERAL said be would not
oppose the motion for brin#ag ia the Bill, reserving the
cli,cussion of it to anothet krrod.
Lease was then liven to bats to the Bin.
Mr. GRATTAN ro..e hat leave to bring in a Bill to
render the lessor liable 1k county and parish assess.
meats inall haute lettingt•al land in Ireland. The
Hon. Member observed, that complaints had been made
from all parts of Ireland of the hardship of making the
occupiers of land liable for permanent assessments.—
Triey were not only oalled upon to pay for roads and
bridges. in which it might be said they were interested,
but also for gaol., hospitals, and other public buildings,'
toe which presentments *tie granted by Grand Juries.
This was a hardship which the Bill would remedy.
Mr. V. FITZGERALD said, he would not oppose
the principle ct the Bill, but he could not consent to soi
wide an extension of that principle as the-Hon
Mewber
proposed.
Mr. W. LAMB would not object to the inuaLducion
of the Bill, out he would not stand pledged iikito the
whole way with the Hon. Member, in a meastrkWhich
would make so great an alteration in the relations be.
tween landlord and tenant in Ireland.
Sir J. NEWPORT defended the necessity al thelle-
scut measure. More than half the amount. of 'Grata
Jtiry assessments in Ireland were not t'''objects in'
which the occupying .tenant could be saffd to have a
duets wresest. It was a hardship on a tenant to be