Star.
London, England, 1817-02-22 00:00:00

. . fit it LI4 NiEN.T.taltY .111110011,11 i:
iir. ROBERT HERON pretented a Petition from
G:insborough, praying for a Reform in Parliament.
The Meeting was conducted with the utmnit order
and re.zulatity. Tie Petitioners did not pray fi r
Annual Parliaments and Universal Suffrage, but
they desired the restoration of Triennial Parliaments,
which the Honourable Baronet observed hid been

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establis!led in the best days of the Constitution, and
which had been repealed by an unequivocal policy,
and less than munpivocal justice.
Mr. TIERNEY postpoued his motion, relative to
the Third Secretary of State, to the 27th of Marci!, to
which dAy Mr. BROUGHAM also p istponed Mr. LA MB-
Totes motion relative to the Payinaster-Gcne,ll.
Sir RONALD FE GUSSON presented Pte.i!ions
from the B )rou ;I of KiiitcaLly, and the viliage of
Leuchars, in faitur of Annual Parliaments and Uni-
versal Sufroage.—Lai.:. on tl-e Table.
A Petition in favour of Reform was presented from
the B ()ugh of Boston. It stated, that it appeare,t,
ircms the annals of the country, that for a thous Ind
years before the R:vollition, Annual Parli iments were.

ihe Con•titntinn of England.—(l.aughing from all
part: of tie —Laid on the Table.
Mr. MAURICE FITZGERALD _gave notice,
that he would, on Wednesday next, move for leave
to bring in a Bill to exempt small portions of land
attached to cott4ges in Ireland from the payment of
tithes, and to as:ertain the tithe of flax.

SUPPLY.
The Report of the Committee of Supply WAs
brought up, and the Resolutions read and agreed to.
Mr. LAW suggested the propriety of increasing
the number of men on board ships of the line on
foreign stations, to the war complement. If a war
suddenly broke out, there would then be no neces-
sity to strip merchant ships of their hands, by which
they were frequently disabled from navigating their
sbips home ; and it would also be attended with a
saving of at least £lOO,OOO in we.sr and tear, as
fewer ships would be in commission.
Sir G. WARRENI)ER said, thltt every point of
that kind had been already considered by the Lords
of the Admiralty, who were anxious to establish every
saving.
The House then resolved itself into a Committee
of Supply; in which a sum of W 500,000 were voted
to his Majesty for the pay and support during
six lunar months, of his Majesty's land fumes al
home and abroad.
The House resumed. and the Report was ordered
to be brought up on Monday.
CoNTIIINU 11 %NS.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
moved the first reading of the Bill empowering vitri-
ous Persons in °flit.: to make voluntary Contributions
from their Salaries, for the alleviation of the
burdens. under the present cli.oresing circumstances
of the' cuuntry.—Read a first time.
POOR LAWS AND PALIP3R3.

Mr. CURWEN rose to draw the attention of the
House to the most important topic which had been
subraittel to their consideration since the present
Session,• .of Parliament—a subject which must be
always of the last importance to the country, parti-
culatly at a time like the present, when the public
mind was filled with the worst presages. He re-
Igretted the task should have been as it were imposed
upon one so incompetent to effect the desired change
in the present system, and had hoped the weight of
Ihis Majesty's Ministers would have been added to the
already anxious wishes of the people, and occasion
an adoption of measures conducive to the restoraCon
of our at present depraved national character. Un-
der the present system of the Poor Laws so many
evils had grown up, that he feared it would be found
necessary to alter and amend every enactment upon,
that most important, yet most delicate subject. It
would be necessary to inquire, first into the effects of
pauperism upon the colation of the country ; and,
secondly, into the remedy et this enormous evil.—
The Act ot the 43d of Elizabeth was the first sta.
tote, proceeding upon the principle now cornplet.d
and improved, under the title of Poor Laws. The
institution ot the principle of relieving the poar -he
could not object against ; it was the mode of inter-
preting these Acts he complained of. It w.,s not for
the relief of the idle, the improvident, or the dcceit•
ill, that this Act, aad the many Acts growing out
of this, had been enacted. It was originally inten-
ded for the laborious, the active, and such as had
conducted themselves with that providence and fore-
sight, which, in the ordinary course of things, it
might have been expected would have insured them
independence, comfort and happiness. In the event
of objects of this description becoming chatgeable,
the provisions of these Statutes had been penned.
Brat he had to lament this Statute had been misinter-
preted for nearly the space of 250 years past, and
hence the evil increased with every legislative en tct
ment, and must continue to increase. Since the pe-
riod of 1776, %hen this country was almost wholly
agricultural, to the present period, when it had be-
come completely commercial, the Poor Rates had
been.gradually increasing from the sum of one mil-
lion and a hall, until the present year, in which he
calculated the amount would not be less than eight'
millions and a half, in a period of forty years,—
An f even tt.is he should not, nor would the country
itself so much regret, provided by the contribution
of this vast SUM, the sum of human misery had been
lessened; but the contrary was the fact. The poor
classes had thus been taught that the present was
every thing, the future nothing—independence of
sentiment was sacrificed to the grovelling gratifica.
non to be derived from eleemosynary assistance. If
Parliament did not find for the public some principle
which might restore their independence of character,
it would be vain shortly t t talk of our past glorious
achievements; they would become mere matter of
history, and an insult to our future debased and de•

Ade.' situAtion in the politicAlwolld—(Hear, luar.

Kra_
filere WAS. in tact, at present, more collected t.►r the
use of the poor in this kingdom, than was collected
throughout wile dominions of, perhaps, any potentate
in Enr.lpe fee all the possible purposes ut civil, mi-
litary, and charitable establistinsents. Yet look, said
he, to their situation, and examine if they are more,
comfortable, happy. or gra►eful, for the advantages
they enjoy ? Quite the cunt: in y,. never were they
less so, river ohne disposed to idleness, to discontent,
to mutiny and ingratitude. The jaundiced eye of the
lower orders look with peculiar dissatislaction at every
thing offered to it for the relief of its complaint.—
In a late visit be made to Ireland, he could not help.