Star.
London, England, 1820-06-01 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Sir Or.laca Hut, and Mr. D. Baow►, took their oaths and
their se:its.

A Bill was brought in for allowing a stipend, in lieu of Uthec,
to the. Rector of St. Dunstan's in the West; which was read a
first, and ordered to he read a second time.

LOrd WM. RUSSELL put off the Committee on the Gram-
pound Disfranchisement Bill from Friday to Monday next.
The second reading of thi, Navigable Rivers' Property Bill,
and of Sir James Mackintosh's thr.e Bills to ainend the Crimi-
nal Laws, was poottpuned from Monday next to the 9th of June.
Lord GASTI ER EA II withdrew the notice which he had
given of a motion for to-morrow, tending to forward the consi-
deration of Firction Pedtlons.

Sir K KNATCHBU LI. brought up a Bill to prevent frauds
in the sale of Coals on the River Thansi.s.—Read a first time.

'The House went into a Committee on the Greenland Fishery
Acts, and agreed to certain Resolutions fur continuing the same.
The Report to be brovg'at up to-morrow.

CONTEMPT OF TILE COURT OF CHANCERY.

Lord ALTHORP presented a Petition from seve-
ral persons now in a state of imprisonment by order
of the Court of Chancery, for contempt of that Court,
and to the periods of whose imprisonment there was
no limitation whatever. Oae of the Petitioners was
a poor woman, eighty-one years of age, who had
been already confined for thirty-one years, by order
of the Court of Chancery. Another was a man,
sixty-four years of age, who had been imprisoned
for thirteen years ; and a third, whose age was sixty,
had been in prison above nine years. There was
another, who had undergone a long imprisonment,
but who now being in a dying state, was unable to
give any account of himself. The Noble Lord ob-
served, he was glad that by presentiug this PatiSitop
an oepattunity wasaffarded him ni soppssekg die
part-of the Bill for the relief of Insolvent Debtors, in
which it was proposed to introduce a clause, that
should include prisoners of this description. He had
known one or- two instances, in which persons con-
fined for contempt were ready to comply with the
order of the Court; bat in consequence of the timc 1
which had elapsed from the period of their first being
sent to prison, they had no means of doing so; meta'
of the parties connected with the cause were dead,
and the cause itself was forgotten. Under all the
circumstances, •he thought that the Noble and Learned
Lord who presided in the Chancery Court, could not'
do better than that of having all cases of contempt
brought before him once or twice a year.
Mr. LOCKHART wished that something might
be done for the relief of persons suffering this kind"
of imprisonment ; but it must be observed, that some
of the contempts were acts of a very serious nature,
because they prevented others from obtaining justice.
The Petition was brought up, and ordered to lie
on the table. The following is a copy :

" TO me HONOURABLE TILE COMMONS OF THs ;arms KINGDOM or
ISSZAT ERITAIN AND IRELAND IN emit:Asir:qv ASSIMILLED, THE
PETITION OF CERTAIN FIUSIONERS IN THE FLEET FAISON, WHOSE
NAME/I ARE ANNEXED,
" Hunaly sttemeels—That your Petitioners have been committed
by the High Court of Chancery, and confined for a long titre;
some for informality, and others for inadvertence, or neglect,
which has been construed into contempt : That your Petitioners
labour under every disadvantage and distress, and have suffered
privations which would shock the feelings of humanity, while
they have been debarred of all means of relief, and deprived of
those benefits and privileges which ace afforded by the Law to
other Prisoners.—Your Petitioners do not venture to call in
question or dispute the strict regularity of their committal; but
only to complain of the extreme severity of it, and the great
misery which they have so long endured. Desirous of doing
what is right, they wish to do all in their power to satisfy
every demand of Equity and Justice; and if it be found impos..
sible for them, in their pect.:iar circumstances, to discharge this
duty, they hope for the favourable consideration of your Ho-
nourable House, and that, in this age of humanity and benevo-
knee, they may enjoy the same advantages which are allowed
to Insolvent Debtors. Your Petitioners pray not for indulgence
in any acts of dishonesty, but that the same clemency may be
shewn to them, which is extended to others in similar unfortu-
nate circumstances, by the wisdom of die Legislature.--And your
Petitioners, as in duty bound, shailkever pray," &c.