Star.
London, England, 1818-03-11 00:00:00

~1;: of the public, existed, so far as the Brewers
and that it was owing to the great
in the metropolis that the price of Porter
• kept NO 1()%V. He knew nothing of Mr.
but he had fl•It himself bound to prove
:he charges he had brought forward were un-
-1!r. DICKENSON said, that much inconvenience
r. 1.1 occur if certain private Bills before the House
...ot passed this evening, while the Lords were
.irs. Ile thirefore would move, that the debate on
i'etition should he adjourned till to-morrow.
\h. NV. SMITH was inclined 'to differ altogether
^!11 Cr' lionnralile Gentleman (Mr. Barclay), but
,co.-rt,,tl to the proposed adjournment of the
ay. He sviihed the Petition to be referred to a

u,ulL V LILT bowed to the wish of the House
rpi.,,d adjournment. In his life he had
veer iriii'mtations more fake than were con-
ox,; this Petition. He hoped a Committee
h;:irpointtd to inquire into the merits of the
,ie. tr) him appeared necessary, for the satis-
ic:ilr. of h^ Public, and for the public peace.
Debate was then adjourned till to-morrow.

REFORM.
FRANCIS PURDETT said he had some Pe-
'resent from Warrington for Annual Par-
,7.ents and Universal Suffrage. The Attorney-
tt!,ass' :he last night had stated, that those who de-
Annual Parliaments and Universal Suffrage
,::sign to overturn the Constitution. If these
nS were conspirators, they had conspired in the
dly. It had been proved to demonstration,
:Pati;nnients had for a long period of our histoof' ,
r, 'old once a year or oftener; there were new ,
aad lists of new names, for every Session—
nmes two, sometimes three, and in a few in-
ices four Sessions within the year, for each of
ich there sins a new election. The Statute, that a
rli.tment slould be holden once a year or oftener,
plied that a new election should take place every
%4-1: and wl,en the nature of Parliamentary busi-
, wa, cunsidered, that they could not then be cor-
?:ed cr bribed, according to the fancy of the Crown,
wa, r.itic:,al to suppose that the Members would
'icrrisse.l ai flon as the business for which they
sent was done. Members did not then expect
id or in.lke their fortunes in Parliament ; it was
isk, to protect them
Aiament was erected,
tormed one duty for their
anxious immediately to
difficult to prove that
though from the lan-
and from a variety of
probable that some-
age exited. He should
Ad Coronation Oath—
according to the laws
• pas vulgus elegeru."
ing of the word vulgus,
or historical records,
indeed, that word had
that when applied to
could only be under-
ifrage. But this construe-
: when we considered the
magnates, basorses, libsri
Fat mach
:ould not be perverted
of universal suffrage.
s doctrine could not
tgant, or so contrary
saints, as a Learned
ght proper to describe
to say upon this occa-
it any length into the,
iversal suffrage, butt
tinst the repetition of
him to say so much,
which had of late pre-
is of the people, not
iuse.

cred to lie on the table.
'olverhamptealagainst
:0 lie on the table.
up a lteport from the
which was ordered
ight Hon. Gentleman
Thursday, for leave to
Poor Laws.
VSPENSION ACT.
resent a Petition from
in the neighbourhood
Gentleman observed,
the facts, he could not
rents contained in the
I had been said of the
ught it proper to °b-
ut:re true, the parties
to be redressed; while,
uiers themselves were
ever, any minor point
.0 be unfounded or ex-
eason fur rejecting the
substantially true. But
ierits of those Petitions,
he discussion to which
; for it was impossible
inititute some inquiry
Mary acts of injustice
ior.: detailed. Revert-
held in his hand, the
is disacquaintance with
he felt it his duty to
submitted to him, pro-1
terms. This Petition
the Petitioner was en-
ag a representation of
>equer.ce of the want of
3 VIE-V 7 he met ly other
n-dt.r to conclude upon
ve it forwarded to the
:y, who was the person
,tiat.d were in the habit
x weavers had scarcely
:or-Fiscal, Mr. Salmon,
ipanied by constables,
of them for papers.—
but yet the Petitioner
imitted to prison. Pe-
al hours in a dark cell,
red to another cell in
Here he was furnished
mt blankets, which for-

med his only covering. For four days he had no
other food than could be furnished by his wife, who,
with several children, were nearly starving before his
committal. From this place Petitioner was taken se•
veral times to be examined by Mr. Salmon and the
Sheriff' Substitute, upon which examination Mr. Sal-
mon said, that which he (Mr. Brougham) observed,
served to illustrate the probability of what was attri-
buted to this Salmon in the case of Campbell, namely,
that if Petitioner denied what was imputed to him,'
he would be hanged, as there was plenty of evidence
to prove it. Petitioner still protested against the im-
putation, and demanded trial ; but this was refused,
and Petitioner was still detained in close custody,
being allowed to see his family for only five minutes
at a rim?. Petitioner was at length, in consequence
of the rigour of his confinement, afflicted with a
dropsy, and his medical attendant:pronounced, that
unless he was speedily liberated the disease would be
fatal. Yet his liberation was refused unless such
bail was procured as his prosecutors demanded.—
This bail, however, some charitable persons were
good enough to grant, and petitioner was liberated
after an imprisonment of eleven weeks. Upon his
liberation, petitioner being in the greatest distress, ap-
plied to a Magistrate for relief, but this the Magis-
trate loyally refused him any, because, truly, he had
been a State prisoner, during which he had had the
misfortune to lose two children. So that it appeared
any man who had been a State prisoner, was to go
forth into society with a stigma upon his character.
Thus the tyranny of those by whom such a prisoner
was unjustly imprisoned, was to operate not only
daring his imprisonment but throughout his life. The
,petitioner concluded his statement with a prayer that
the House would take his case into consideration—
that at least no measure would be adopted to prevent
the petitioner from obtaining legal redress.
On the motion that the Petition should lie on
the table,

Mr. FINLAY rose and observed, that having had
no opportunity to inquire, he could not speak to the
entire character of this Petition. But he could state,
from the confessions of those who assembled for the
professed purpose of petitioning the Sheriff-substitute
for relief, that they had another and a criminal ob-
ject really in view..—He could also state, that the re-
ports which had gone abroad with respect to the
jailor of the prison alluded to, were quite incredible
from the general character of that individual, as well
as from the system for conducting the prison. Then
as to the Magistrates of Glasgow and its vicinity, he
never could believe that any one of them, all of whom
he had the honour to know, could have uttered such
an expression as that stated by the Petitioner.
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT 'said, that he never
heard such a decisive declaration upon the merits of
a case from any Gentleman confessing that he had
never inquired with respect to that case, as that of
the Honourable Gentleman who had just sat down.
The Hon. Gentleman was willing to acquit Gaolers
and Magistrates upon presumption and by wholesale.
To justify that acquittal, however, he hoped the Ho-
nourable Gentleman would not only inquire himself,
but allow others to inquire also, and that the Hon.
Gentleman himself would vote for a motion in that
House to inquire into this, as well as into the other
Petitions upon the table.
Mr. BROUGHAM animadverted upon the ob-
servation of lir. Pithy, which-he thought nth&
inconsistent with his Honourable Friends candour
and good settee.
The Petition was received, ordered to lie on the
table, and to be printed • as was a Petition to the
same effect from John Sheith, a cotton-spinner of
Glasgow.
Mr: BROUGHAM presented also a Petition from
William Edgar, a schoolmaster of Glasgow, who
was tried three times for the same offence and ac-
quitted. Yet the Petitioner was condemned to soli-
tary imprisonment for twenty weeks, and was hand-
cuffed and treated likie felon' when brought forth
occasionally to submit to examinations and answer
interrogatories upon charges which appeared to have
been fabricated only by his persecutors.
Mr. BOSWELL said that he did not rise to oppose
the Petition being laid on the table, but to observe
that the acts alluded to in this as well as in the two
former Petitions, were not done it appeared under
the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, but ac-
cording to the ordinary course of law. Therefore if
the Indemnity Bill were passed, the parties com-
plaining would not be precluded from redress for
such acts, if the complaints were well founded.
Mr. BROUGHAM observed, that the justice of
the remark which he made last night, namely. that
some Gentlemen were cheering the measure alluded
to by the Honourable Gentleman, without being
aware of the character and object of that measure,
was fully illustrated by the observation which the
House had just heard from that Honourable Gentle-
man. For the Honourable Gentleman professed to
think that the Indemnity Bill did not propose to screen
from any action at law such acts of oppresssitis. as the
petitioners complained of, because such acts did not
take place under the Suspension of the Habeas Cor-
pus ; whereas this Bill extended to all acts done with
a view to what was called the preservation of the
public peace, or the suppression of conspiracy, since
the 26th of January, 1817. Therefore the Honour-
able Gentleman misunderstood this Bill, and upon
that misunderstanding he should expect his vote
against it in future.
Mr. BOSW ELL said, that he did not support the
Bill alluded to upon such specific grounds. He cer-
tainly was not aware that this Bill extended to the
cases stated by the Petitioners ; but persuaded of the
loyal zeal of the persons complained of by the peti-
tioners, he was glad to find that the Bill proceeded
to such an extent as the Honourable Gentleman had
stated, and he should the more readily vote for its
adoption.—The Petition was ordered to lie upon the
table and to be printed.

.I,sign to overturn the Cor
ns were conspirators, they h
dst. It had been proved
, •
Paii;anients had for a long r
r held once a year or often
aad lists of new names,
avames two, sometimes three
ces four Sessions within the
Rich there was a new election.
'aliament should be holden once
.plied that a new election ghoul
scion: and when the nature of I
is was considered, that they cou
pled or bribed, according to the
sea; vatic:Jai to suppose that t:
. dismissed ai ,00n as the basin
:re sent was done. Members c
mend or in.lke their fortunes in
duty a:ld a personal iis
T v.-Inch the privilege of Part
.Lars soon as they had performe
,:i!acnts. they were not anti
It would be more di
-:y.rat Suffrage prevailed; the
in all ancient writings, all
documents, it was I
It: veto like universal suffrage
yante the words of the old
• r.•: King should govern aci
people may choose—" leges 5
apprehended that the meanin;
' aced in our law books or
nut be mistaken—that, bid
;.:rrive signification, and ti
ri,,,ht of popular election it ci
C to imply universal suffrage
mold not be questioned whe
,:i;,ttion of the words magnate
e: consmusitates tottssi revs
err Parliamentary records cou
ay other meaning than that la
argued therefore, that this
teemed so novel, so extravag,
r.:7 -ancient constitutional ha
eina:, had last night though
Thus much he felt it right to
without meaning to enter at
tc of the principle of univ
a view only to protest agair
. remark; as had induced If
• to deprecate the practice wt
;n answering the petitions
fsc: argument, but by alit'
^e',everal Petitions were order
A Pe...ion presented from Wrol
Leather Tar, was ordered to
M 7. S. BOURNE brought tal
...rint,ee upon the Poor Laws,
he on the table, and the Rigl
re of a motion for
itz, in a till to amend the Pa
tRVEITY UNDER TILE SI7SI
Mr.Bitot GIIAM rose to pm
es Robertson, a weaver, in
Glasgow. The Learned G
at having no knowledge of the
fur the statemei
atiu. But, as a ..,reat deal 1
tion, no the Table, he thotv,
• e, that if these
r "..plaiting ought obvinusly to
Ley were false, the Petition
f .wing of censure. If, hove'
Petition should appear to
erated, that would L no re
t don altogether, if it were st
'odd not enter into the met
t e would not anticipate the
Petitions must give birth ;
▪ ,the House could refuse to is
• .te,pect to such caraordir,
epprevion as those Petitior
.t, the Pe..ition which he h
"tad Wrnber repeated his
a ease; but observed, that hi
tt!-.is, or any Petition su
• "4r: 'as couched in correct
°J,that FeLruary, ISI 7,
,c; with others in preparini
.xtremo di-trev., in co- e,
• men.., ni d that with this
:fit
...,.:c.-house, in or
at :*- t.. and to hay(
cf the county
n.
ed men in &JAI
tr `7. 2 r r6ef. But these
be I,!'on the Procurator
it. 'id • :!le room, accomp
Ks "c .I t:, eras ch each of
, were found, bt
!re • were cnrrin
pct
.I;lned for cevc: at
ep Pe stns trarisfcrrt
)n- r. a, some light. Fl
he e ac• two slip