Star.
London, England, 1817-06-12 00:00:00

AOINNIsTRATIoN OF JUSTICE IN JERSZY.

freeholder_ wno depri_
in the strongest terms any attempt to suspend the
privileges of the Coeszitution, because a kw obscure
radividuals thought proper to contemplate its sub-
version. They heard with surprise and alarm that
such was the intention of his Majesty's Ministers, and
they earnestly besought the House not to sanction so
wanton and unnecessary an attack on the liberties of
the People—an attack which, they said, it successful,
would make the Government despotic, and the Peo-
ple slaves. •Thl Honourable Sieniber trusted that
Ministers would at length teel that they would really
incur snore danger in continuing the Suspension than
in restoring to the People the lierties of which they
were deprived: _
Lord FOLKSTONE declared, he never saw a
=ore numerous or respectable Meeting at the Town
Hall at Reading than that from which the present
Petition emanated ; and this may be said in one view
to be rental 'cable, from the circumstance that the day
of meeting was not the market-day, or one likely to
atiract a crowd to the town. It was remarkable too
because a set of persons, called " TtlB Pin CLUB,"
in Reading, had canvassed about for in oppnaision

Mr. BENNETT moved, that an humble Address
be presented to his Royal Highness the P,ince Re-
gem, praying that he would be graciously pleased to
_order that there he laid before the Noose a Copy of
the Report of the Committee appointed to inquire
into the state of Jurisprudence in the Islaads of Jer-
sey and Guernsey. The Hon. Gentleman explained
the object of his Motion to be the renewal of an in•
quiry on which a Commission was held twenty-five
years ago, without any practical result having been
attained.

Mr. BRAGGE BATHURST was sorry to be
obliged to resist this Motion. These Wands were
peculiarly situated with respect to their total jutis-
, skijor' and they had the utmost jealousy indeed,
even so a doubt, of Parliament to interfere in their
' internal rrguiations.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT said, that if such a doubt
were entertained, or such 4 doctrine asserted, denying'
the posvor of Parliament in this respect, it was a
wrong reason why his Honourable Friend's Motion
should be carried, tor the purpose of setting the ques-
tion at rest.

Mr. DA ilivasr said, when he mentioned that
such doubts were entertained he by no means wished
to be understood as conntenancins them. There was,
however, a competent person now employed in exa-
mining the state of the jurisprudence tit these islands,
who would, he was convinced, terminate the inquiry
in the most satisfactory manner.

Mr. SENN Err, after hearing this, would not press
his Motion, which was in fact only intended as a sti.
mulant that something .should be done. There was
a singular fact connected with the present state of the
islands of Jersey lied Guernsey they were situated
between• France and England, but not yet subject in
their internal regulations to the interference of either.
They were not subjected to the impost of any taxes,
and were fortunately tree from the fraternal embrace
of the Right Honourable Gentleman opposite phe
Chancellor of the Exchequer—at The
islands would not refuse to accept good laws if they
were offered to them; but they dreaded that it inter-
ference were once admitted in their internal regale.
Owls. the power of taxation would hilow as a cense.
quence.—The Motion was then negatived.

311 ROUGH SYSTEM.

Sir FRANCIS 13URDETT ruse to present a P.
titiun relative to trausActions to which he had often
felt it his duty to call the attention of the House.
He now held in his hand a Petition from a perion in
the Borough of Hasle•nere, which put the flagrant
abuse, of which he so long complained, in the strong-
est point of view. It related to the practices. which
prevailed in Borough Elections, and placed the Bn.
rough-mmigeriag system in its proper colours. It
shevi4cl it to be a system destru..tive to morality, t••
howes:y, and to every goosi feeling which forms the
Abaractrr of alt hottest man. The peutilkAtt
rn ed .
that at the last General Election fcie"' li dr
Hulemere, Lord Lonsdale conveyed over to'hun a
certain property, toiluality him to vote At the election
for his Lordship's nomin v. The petitioner, in fact,
,became what; in the Borough•mongerirg system,was,
called abase, to accommodate his Noble patron....
Lord Lotisdale had no property in or near the 80. I
tough, bin by conveying a qualification of this kind,
it was in his power to sworn ttvo Mentbees to Par-
liament. who were competent to dispose Of the pre -
petty cf the whole county. The petitioner hiprouell
to have a supple conscience, and refused to deliver no
the property conveyed to constitute him a vow...
ILvediaigti—fle being a conscientious man—(4/
jaegh)--he refaced to restore to the tight owner the
property of which he *swore he was lawfully kosseir
Jed at the last eleidoo, and the petitioner stays that
for this qualm oVcoaseiewee he is enduring every .epe.,
ass of persecution, by legal process and otherwise,.
born the Nub*, Borough Patron. If this petition be
laid en Ilse table, it will be impossible to refrain tr•
following it up by some ulterior proceeding. It
an act of treason against that House, worst
than that foe Which persons were now undergoing
prepacted triolar.a treason against the rights and li-
berties of the people. It involved the crime of per-,
:pry, of togpttllude, of a want of faith and trust:
he tact, a aims against religion, morality, and every
,Whig of ?vitiate gratitude. This petition contain •
0 i silassoare *nue of all these enormities, an exa
blames of the Borough-mongering system,
~. • their deielnpement Of that intrderable grievance. ts
iss
'He believed that it was this system which causeit
'what was termed the disaffection in the community;
Aid treated that feeling thatLcalled for such enact.'
the l• - tof discussing. The
they had a right to .
eat Nets could not by
. House of Commesis ;
iernatra 'tang *.d t
on the part of a .
and privilege,, whi
N
ly , .ig ... duty *ere estrcised tor.
the protection of the just privileges 'of the peopa.
To give, by way of illustration, a description eitMe
Borough•ninngeriug system, he need only wale :is
parody on the poetry of a great Bahl-. Ji
A eombinaoon and a form, indeed, ..
Where every Omit did *yenta. se WA seal,
To jive the world INUMIC, of a Puled.
The Honourable Baronet concluded by moving that
this Petition be brought up.
Mr. BA N KES begged the Honourable Baronet to
state the nature of the complaint, and the remedy
sought tor— (hear).
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT read the Petitieeh
which set forth tne grievance complained of, as being
a vindictive prosecution arising out of the proceedings
at an election. The petitioner lett the mode of *-
dress to the consideration of the House.

Mr. BANKES held, that in this caw the Petition
could not be received, as it called for redeem islet',
none could be granted. The Petitioner complained
of leg .1 proceedings, which were, as would appear,
yet pending in the. Courts of Law. This• was.not
son of tendon which the House was in the habit of

receiving from individuals, nrd it came WitLir. ti:e 1
esceptions acted upon even in the present Ses'ion.
Sir F. BURDETT observed, that the Petition
contained an allegation, which, if true, was a direct
infringement of their privileges.
Mr. BANKES said, that the Petition complained
of certain matters touching the election at Haslemere
some years ago. It could only he received while
that Election Committee was sitting— (Thar, /mar).
—The House could not now institute such a Com-
mittee—( lhar, hear).
Mr. BRAND said, the House had no cogni7 ince
of the Petitioner's remedy elsewhere, and could not
therefore refer to it. It was impossible for the Pen-
' tioner to have brought his case forward while the
Election Committees were sitting, because the
grievance of which he complains occurred at a sub
sequent period—it had only just taken place, and as
won as the House was informed that a fraudulent
practice prevailed in the mode of obtaining votes at
an election for one of its Members, they mere bound
to refer it to a Committee to impute into the state-
ment therein made.

Mr. 13. BATHURST objected to the course
adopted by the Honourable 13aronet, 6u re cling the
Petition as part of his speech, and said, that the pe.
rind when the Petition came to be considered was a
matter of small importance, but the circumstance tit
the individual's neglecting to appeal to the Com-
mittee, precluded him Irmo any proceeding in that
House upon the same question. There was also A
legal question involved, which could only be deter-
mined ia the Collets below

Sir H. PA RN ELL thought, that the circumstances
of the case were of such a nature as to entitle the Pe-
tition to the consideration r.l the House.
Mr PETER MOORE observed, that the Petition
stated a distinct grievance to h tve been suffered by
the individual; and where a grievance was felt, he
hoped that in this country there was always a re-
medy. He trusted, therefore, that an opportunity
would be afforded him, by the reception of the Peti-
tion, to exercise his judgment on the case.
Mr. W. SMITH must protest against the doe.
trine, that it was not a right of a Member to read
from a Petition in the course of his speech. He now
heard so from the Chair ; but he remembered a good
deal about the mode of presenting Petitions; and
what the presenter should or should not say on such
occasions. It had been said that the Member should
have read the Petition, and seen that there. was no-
thing in k improper. The House was always in a
state of embarrassment on questions of this sort. If
the statements of the Petition,..as far as they had been
mentioned, were true, they told facts which were alike
anomalous to the law of the land and the Constitu-
tion of that anise. A freeholder or voter should be
so ionefule- This Petition :hewed the contrary. Yet
when the subject of burgage tenure came before the
Noose, they ail felt that men had freehold or other
rroperty made over to them fraudulently, and for a
.articular purpose. According to an old saying of
.slr. Lee, the qualification of property was nothing
but a little hot wax and wet paper. This was to
' convey a banal* right to the temporary occupier:
but how did the question stand in common sense and
Jaw, when the conveying party brought his eject-'
went ? The man to whom she property was made
had it, or had it not. The man appeared to be per. I
located, because he would not gives up what was
1111041114M40 WO. Hoe the Heine were in their

acettstOlhed ejnbaftessffisent on such occasions. It
would he better to enact something to establish the
tight of hurgage tenures intelligibly. for the return of
/ombers. than in leave them as they are. They
...ere now disgracefully covered with a cloak and a'
circenlment. The Petition shewed the absolute ne-
dimity of some inform. He had nothing to do with
re Petitioner's conseience—( laugh.)—White these
Boroughs existed, it seemed good that now and then
these faggots, as they were called, should come under
161 notice of Parliament.
The SPEAKER said, that he wished to offer a
few words relative to the right of a Member to read
in his place a Petition as part of his speech. It cer-
tanly was expected from every Member that he
jhould read a Petition before he presented it, in order
fliat he might be enabled to state to the House whe-
her it was couched in decorous language, and what
Were facts it contained; but it was contrary to
`:he invariable practice to read the Petition itself in
the coarse of his speech. In answer to another point
I alluded to at a m .re rally part of the debate, when
it was urged that if a Petition was brought up, it
should afterwards be read at the table; he was of
opinion, that it the Petition was in itself objectionable,
or it the prayer was such as could not be complied
With, it was in that stage, as well as in any other,
' liable to be opposed.
Mr. CI 7RW F. 1•1 contended, that as the Petition
contained an allegation in which the character of that
House was concerned. they ought to take some steps
lin it for their own honour; they were bound both in
I honour and justice to entertain it.
Sir R. FERGVSSON supported the question for
receiving the Petition.
' Sir FRANCIS BURDETT said, that if it was a
role of the House to prevent the reading of Petitiors
iti the way that be had done, sothing could be more
easy than to describe the subseance. He was not at I
all surprised at the objections made to the reception
of the Petition by the Member for Cork Castle (Mr.
Bankcs), and others who were returned in the game
way, which the Petition went to expose. It was quite
natural that they should raise objections in &nine.—
Thy Petition went to charge a Peer of Parliament
with interfering in the election of a Member. How
could the House get rid of that It went further to
state, that theintetferenee want fraudulently conduct-
ed. Though the House might shut its ears against
those facts, the Country would not, and unless some
titer, was taken, lie would be compelled to bring the
,question forward in the nature of a charge, so as to
oblige them to entertain it.
he House then proceeded to a division. wher
there appeared—For the reception of the Petition IS
—Against it 47—Majority Sl2.

IMPORTATION OF CORN.
' Mr. PONSONBY said, be wished to call the at-
!ion of the House, for a few moments, to a sub.
ject which was extremely interesting at the present
time. He was informed in the course of chat day,
and he had every reason to believe his information
cotrect, that exportations of corn from. this country.
to Prance, were now taking place under an arrange-
tr.tr.t entered into br individuals with the French Go-

krrirent. lie did not knew vr!tr.f.i:er, rrder tl
fisting laws, the Government of !Ins country be
power of actints in sue, a cage
to take their pr rn to ..nnther mart et in; • ••: c!' r!!,
foring it her sale ;It home. he did it kt4l‘..,
any iaterlerence could properly tnr Pt:eal!:•1•.1
stated thy tact in the 11.7.ne that Cn7rre.v.l..
turn their view to the sohject, fur Le eras
would fi .id his information grits pyrfeccy cr,ir
Mr. ROBINSON agr..ed with the
able Gentleman as to the peculiar delkiacy t:::
subject. It soil; t be true, fur any
knew to the contrary, that cc.rn reel,, fee i.c.refutse„
here by individuals, or lay iitaieldnals in irA•
by the Government itseit. it was true that, vs t: c
law stood st present, they were at liberty
and it was a matter of great delit:sty tnr inePle
that law. We were ourselves in the balk of
flog corn from abroad, and if we in. 4 m,y us;
business, it would be at the LAitird pt diff,•:i•lle!"
nor own importation, when we 11. tine It r.c.:!-f17,-.
Besides, it we professed to I,,ck upturn here,:: "-gm
prevent those foreign countries Om cent it twe ;.1
first iustaiKe, with a vi.•v.• to lcrther, exporfairen into
(Mier parts, front sending it at Ali. AI the 1... v ewer
stood, Govertinient bud no right to interfere.
Mr. PONSONLY ,Aid, h felt all the ck.licac.c-
uf the rase, tut there was a diff-nroce be.
t t.,• 11 the tel n impur:rd from the lorvig is mat k‘ pud,
that wl.:sh WA. grown in our awn countty..
tar G.:Vein:tient might at: Upon that LitS:cittl .11, ::?
did !la know ; but he hoped the) avould take it tr.vs
their c ns.dersslion, and he was -me they must teal t
diso.ition to do all that could tailly be dune
the circumstance'.

Lurd c4I::Ti.ERF.A.GI-1 said, that Vie inconTe.
nience was not MIL:, to last long. Tice iiidicultits
of France with regard to sahlt.tf7iice promised to tt".
soon at an end. a. the T7e harTett was in the tnr‘t
promising cmiditiol. It had, in fic!, tonsiL.c:.,:t!r
reduced the price of corn alrea.fy. 11 this %Via
with respect to r.tnce, it was still more bti 4:1;

spect to counties noire to the southward.
Itred to potent the expottstion w the 7.
it might operate to hinder the grain latic!.
the country upon speculation. It no,::!
foreign Governments into t!...
measures when our own 11CC4.%!;t11.1, t *!'

Mr. WILLIAM SW. C 1•1 .:1 • • .
not possible to prevent ail exportaci• u, c.,,,
be taken at least to provide that the Kra:ti o
I.ty shoo' be seat Abr )4d, And thAt 4.M7 0:**II
should home the benefit of Gie good.
Mr. 111:1SKISSQV observed, ihit the (F.
the present year, a% .7oinpared wilt the in.peti,
e7ceedin:::ly ausl that, therefore, Vie F.,-:•e
should hesitate much b.f. le they I.rocre•le,l to
Ali), restrictive measims.

N4lllnallg""lfana swots as they were in Se h
-
sr readmission mow issuirryt yip News poberc at large knew will t t
!HA RLF4DUNIPAS Pielestiug effirtitinn represented to Parliament' the
!ll,Amellothers aims/ ..tenants Membeee
g.artret an . that the House had an *Joon
Ani..hT a Honourab Mere easing any such interSrence I
ion was signed.by upwards ol.one thousand to be a breach of the* rights
ler: of the Canary of Berks, who deprecated were only their's so long as ie