The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-06-18 00:00:00

*nWtrtai Varitamtnt.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-THIIRSDAY.
CANADA PRISONERS.

Lord BROUGHAM rose to present a petition, of which he
had given notice on Tuesday, for the purpose of calling the
attention of their lordships, and particularly that of her ma-
jesty's ministers, to 'the case of nine very unfortunate indi-
viduals
who had been subject to imprisonment for 18 months,
and who were in imminent danger of being transported to a
penal colony. Some collateral matters respecting their case
had come before the Court of Queen's Bench and the Exche-
quer, hence it became more important that he should call the
'attention of the house to their situation. He had never seen
more clear, lucid, and impressive statement of fact than
was presented in their petition ; therefore, he did not think
he could do better for the petitioners than to present that
statement to the house. He had had correspondence with
Mr. Parker, one of the petitioners, and had made it his busi-
hess to make some inquiries respecting him. In the result
he had found that he had been in a most respectable station
of life, and universally admitted to be an honest and upright
man. As to the others, he had been assured they were ge-
nerally respectable. They were committed to prison in Upper
,Canada towards the end of 1837, on a charge of high treason,
which was before the treasonable outbreak took place in that
colony, so that they could not have been parties to it. Mr.
Parker's offence was that of having written a letter containing
treasonable expressions. Some of the petitioners had sur-
. rendered from the terms of the proclamation, which offered a
ftee pardon to all who should surrender, except to the six
persons named in that proclamation.
• The Marquis of NORMANBY was sure that their lordships
'wopld feel that it was impossible for him, at this stage, to
make any comments on the petition which had been read to
their lordships, for this reason—that many of its allegations
were, at the present moment, under the consideration of her
Majesty's government. No decision had been yet come to
on the subject. It was, therefore, obviously impossible to
speak to the guilt of certain parties. He was satisfied that,
in the present state of the business, their lordships would not
consider it consistent with his duty to say another word.
Lord ARDESDALE proposed the second reading of the
clerks of the peace bill, but it was opposed and negatived.
Lord DENMA.N said that in consequence of the amendments
made by the Commons to the borough courts' bill he should
not, press that measure ; but that he should introduce another
bill in a form which he hoped would be less exposed to ob-
jection.
Earl STANHOPE then presented important petitions from
clergymen of five adjoining parishes in the county of Kent,
from Thomas Coombs, &c., complaining of the provisions
and operation of the poor-law amendment act. His lordship
entered into interesting and impressive details on the subject.
They gave rise to some desultory discussion, in which the
Dukes of Richmond and Wellington, Lord Brougham, &c.,
took part.—Their lordships afterwards adjourned.