Star.
London, England, 1826-12-06 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS

The Farl of Bacrwis and two other Members took the oaths at
the table.

A Petition was presented, complaining of an undue Election for
the County of Kerry, and ordered to be taken into consideration
on the loth of January.—A similar Petition for the City and 80.
rough of Wells was presented, and ordered to be taken into consL
deratlon on the 17th of January nett.—Two Petitions for the
Borough of Mallow, on the 19th of January.—A Petition for the
County of Limerick, 7th of January ; for the Borough of Ludlow,
17th of January; for Kingston-upon-Hull, 18th of January; foe
the Borough of Camelfsrd, 18th of January; for the Borough of
&ockbridge, 18th of,ianuary.
Mr. PrIACQUEEN presented a Petition, praying that a full le.
vestigation might take place, previous to any change of the Corn
Laws, which he introduced by some observations on the import-
ance of those laws 'to the welfare of Ireland, dependent, as that
country was, upon hr agriculture. The Petition was from certain
Individuals in Ireland. Laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.
Lord BINGHAM, in bringing before the House the Petition
with which be had been entrusted from certain Parishes in the
County of Mayo, praying that the Catholics of Ireland might be
relieved from the disabilities under which they laboured, took oc-
casion to lament the intemperance of some of those wh'b professed
to be their advocates, an intemperance, which, however natural,
considering how long they had been oppressed, and how much dis-
appointed, must be lamented by every friend to their cause, and
must give proportionate courage to their enemies, who were with-
out any other ground of opposition. Highly as be disapproved of
the conduct of a wavering Ministry, which would not consider Ca-
tholic Emancipation as a Cabinet measure, still he would not pledge
himself to any set of men, whether Ministers or Opposition, but
would view all measures impartially, and vote upon them accord-
ing to his conscience, from whichever side of the House they might
proceed.—The Petition from the United Parisbei of Kilcommon
and Duckbill, in the County of Mayo, was then read, and ordered
to lie upon the table.

WEIGHTS ♦ND MEASURES.
Mr. WARBURTON, in rising to move for some
Returns to shew the effect of the law for the alteration
of Weights and Measures, would take the opportunity
of pointing out what appeared to him to be great im-
perfections in the Act of Parliament. One imperfection
was, that the to elch clause of the Act which directed
counties to procure the proper standards, did not ex-
tend that direction to Cities and Boroughs being coun-
ties within themselves, and governed by Magistrates of
local jurisdiction. Another imperfection was, that by
the 14th and 15th clauses of the Act, it was left op.
tional with the buyers and sellers whether they would
employ the new measures or the old ones. In many in-
stances, the old measures being merely local, and al.ffcr
ing widely in different districts of the kingdom. The Act
only required that the proportion the old measure bears
to the new shall be marked. He had been informed by
measure makers, that when these clauses came to the
knowledge of the public, large orders which they had
previously received for new measures had been coon-
tormanded. He thought it highly desirable that the
provisions of the Act should be made obligator y and
universal. He concluded by moving that there be laid before the
House a return from the Chamberlain of the Exchequer, of the
Counties, Boroughs, and Corporation Towns in England, Ireland,
and Scotland, which had procured copies or models of the new
.standards of weights and measures, compared and verified with
those in the Exchequer.
Sir G. CLERK had no objection to the Motion. He
thought the information it sought very proper to be
I.id before the House. The imperfections alluded to
had regard rather to the mode of operation than to
the principle of the 'measure. Experience might

ill MR A TIO/47.
Lord A. HA MILTON said, that previous to present.
ing the Petition he held in his hand, it was his painful
duty to advert to the state of destitution and misery to
which the labouring population of Scotland, and parti-
cularly of the County he represented, were reduced,
from the want of employment. Ho knew it to be a fact,
that men who worked 14 boors a day could earn °nil,
61. and in some instances only ss. or 4s. 6d. a week,
which was not sufficient to procure food,without leaving
any thing to provide them with raiment. He entreated
the House to reflect what must be the situation of men
who heard their families crying for bread, and who
were themselves in a state of destitution, and how ago.
nizing to the feelings of respectable parents to be with-
out the means to rear up their offspring in virtuous
principles. Then what did they ask? Their prayer
made good every one of his assertions. They did not
ask for charity—they asked for what was usually the
punishment of crime—they asked for the means of
Emigration. Thii was the nature of their application—
they asked for leave to Emigriee. His notice would be
for an inquiry. An understanding he knew prevailed,
that all business was to be postponed till after the holi-
day's, but he could not reconcile it to himself to put off
for two months the consideration of this urgent distress.
With regard to the subject of Emigration, he hoped he
should hear from some Member of his Majesty's Go-
vernment what their plan was. He had understood that
the views of Government were favourable to the object of the Pe.
titioners. It was manifest to every one that the case was daily
grqzhig worse. There was one other topic to which he would
adfirt before be sat down—that of the large number of Irish who
emigrate to the West of Scotland. He did not wish to circumscribe
she right of Irishmen, but it was evident, that if the wave of End.
gration rolled from Ireland, it must, in proportion to its magnitude
and strength, drive Scotchmen into England. It was necessary,
-thetefore, in considering the subject of Emigration, to go to the
fountain head. The Petition he bad to present, as it prayed foe
assistance to enable the Petitioners to Emigrate, required the con.
sent of the Crown,whicb he was persuaded would not be withheld.
Mr. Secretary PEEL rose and said, that it was im-
possible not to feel that the Noble Lord had brought
forward a case entitled to the warmest sympathy arid
the most attentive consideration. He dii feel that
there was no part of the Unied Kingdom in which the
distress from want of employment had been more severe,
and he must also say, that there wax none where the
working classes were more respectable, or w here they
had been more patient and exemplary under their suf-
ferings. He could assure the Noble Lard that the situ-
ation of the Petitioners had engaged the attention of
Government, and that not a single week had elapsed
since thd dissolution of Parliament in which he had not
been in correspondence with that part of the country
upon the subject. The Petitions the Noble Lord in-
tended to present, called for a grant of public money,
but as it might be questioned whether the purpose for
which it was asked was a private or a public one, he
did not know whether the consent of the Crown was
' necessary to its being received. He would not how.
ever withhold that consent, although he at the same
time begged to guard himself from encouraging any
hopes the Petitioners might entertain. Tt,e subject of
emigration was an important ore, and one which could
not be satisfactorily discussed, on the pre.entati n of a
Petition. A Committee had sat lait Session u, 01 the
subject and had presented a Report,which cnneuded with
a recommendatitm that another Committee should be ap-
pointed, and as before May no emigration could take
place, he thought the further consideration of the subject
had better be postponed. So far from opposing further
enquiry, he hoped his Hon. Friend would after the bon:
days move for the appointment-of a Committee. He
must beg leave particularly to caution these indivi-
duals not to hope for any great relief from emigration.
No measure could require greater caution than an ex.
ttnaive emigration. To send out twenty th, °sand
persons to Upper Canada without full preparati n, would
be productive of the greatest misery and confusion..—
The employment to which they must be devoted was
agricultural, and milieu they had been in some degree accustomed
to this, assisting them to emigrate would only he to aggravate their
distress. A most discriminating principle in the selection of indM.
duals was necessary to the success of any scheme of emigratit.n.-.-
Habits, age, and many other circumstances ought to be attended to.
He had thought it his duty in consenting to the reception of this
Petition to make ,these observations, in order that nu fal.e hopes
might be excited, and that the parties might not be diverted from
their present pursuits of regular and habitual industry.
The Petition from the Manufacturers of several pal ashes in Scot.
land, stating their distress, and praying that meals of emigration
might be granted them, was then read, ordered to lie upon the table
and to be printed.
Mr. R. MARTIN bad two Petitions to present from the lobe.
blunts of the united parishes of Kilcommon and Killarny, in the
county of Galway,praying ibr the removal of Catholic ,lisabilities.
One of them was the Petition of the Catholic and the etivr that of
the Protestant inhabitants. The former was signed by 1500 per-
sons, the: latter by the whole of the Protestant h,h ibisat t., amount-
ing to the number of eleven. The Catholic Petitioners did not com-
plain that they were compelled to maintain a Protestant rive t f
worship for the use of their eleven Protestant fellow Petitiorms
although a Church had been built, which cost 1,2001. but they did
complain, and he complained for them, that they were not pet-
mitted to tax themselves for the building of a Roman Catholic
ChapeL The Hon. Member displayed the Catholic Petition ha
bringing it up, and observed that it was almost as voluminous, as
that presented against himself yesterday.—The Petitions were thcn
read, and ordered to lie on the table.

gr. WHaTLE HARVEY PreoetreJ a Petition from Thai.
Palau% late Secretary to the NatLoral Stone Way Company, corn.