Star.
London, England, 1818-02-18 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Lord FOLKESTONE presented a Petition from J.
Leach, weaver, of —, in Lancashire, which being
read, complained of the harsh treatment he had re-
ceived during his detention under the Habeas Corpus
Suspension Act. The tenor of the Petition was si-
milar to those of the other persons lately discharged.
Ordered to lie on the table and be printed.

Mr. BROUGHAM said he had io intreat the at-
tention of the House to a Petition from another of
these persons, the victims of arbitrary power, and
he trusted the statement he had to make would be
listened to and deemed worthy of investigation. It
was from John Scholes, lately the keeper of a re-
spectable public-house at Wakefield, who, in July,
was arrested under a warrant from Lord Sidmouth,
and conveyed to the Castle of Cambridge, whew he
remained till January. when he was liberated without
learning any cause for his detention. By this pro-
ceeding, the unfortunate person had been completely
ruined. He had a certificate from a surgeon, stating
that his confinement had been the cause of a serious
illness. Now it would appear, that the only cause
this poor man had been able to discover for the
treatment he had experienced, was, that he had been
charged by Oliver and Bradley, with having been
concerned in public meetings. He, however, only
knew Oliver by coming to his house with Mitchell,
and their representing themselves as two delegates
from London, engaged to promote Parliamentary
Refor m ; he stated in the Petition, that Oliver was
exceedingly active in stimulating these proceedings ;
and be told the Petitioner, that it was in vain to con-
tinue petitioning, for nothing would do but having
recourse to physical force. His answer, on hearing
such language was, that he was disgusted with it,
and he threatened to inform against Oliver. Hence
(said the Honourable Gentleman) his arrest—(hear,
Jules,)—for Mr. Oliver no sooner found himself in a
state to be informed against, than he called a meet-
ing at Scholes's house. The Petitioner, hay. ever,

denied that such a meeting had ever been held there,
or that his appointment ever had his approbation—,
and it would be found that information hail bees
obtained of Oliver himself; complaining to others of
the slackness of Scholes, in refusing to hold this
meeting. He denied that he was ever at any meet-
ing, except one for obtaining Constitutional Reform.
The Honourable Gentleman continued to argue that
this man's account ought to be listened to, as he had
filled the responsible situation of Deputy Constable
for three years, and also a Collector of the Assessed
Taxes, and was extremely active in apprehending
the persons charged with Luddism, insomuch that
the provisions of the Watch and Ward Act were not
deemed necessary to be put in execution. For this
he received the thanks of the Magistrates and the
Deputy Lieutenant—(hear, hear.) He, Mr. Brougham,
had further to state, that he had communicated on
this man's case with a most loyal and respectable
Magistrate, who said that he had made enquiry into
it, and though he was at first prepossessed with an
unfavourable opinion of him, on account of his
having been apprehended, yet he was now tho-
roughly convinced that he no more entertained de-
signs unfavourable to the State than Mr. Wilber-
force—(Loud pals of laughter,)—or the most inno-
cent man in the kingdom. He, Mr. Brougham, had
only to add, that this poor man was exceedingly mo-
derate in the prayer of his petition, for he only prayed
that they would take his hard case into considera-
tion, and give him such redress as they might deem
ft ; and also that the House would interpose to get
returned to him the papers and an old memorandum
book, which had been taken from him at the time
he was apprehended, and which last contained the do-
cuments to prove a debt of 17/. due to a poor widow,
without which she could not recover it--(laughing.)
He was far from regarding the case with such sort
of levity, a case that exposed such abominable treat-
ment, and was so moderate in its prayer. The Pe-
titioner did not ask for any investigation; he called
for no vengeance on his persecutors ; but this was
no argument why he (Mr. Brougham), should not
entreat the House to pay just attention to the whole
of its convents.—The Petition was then brought up,
read, and ordered to lie on the table, and be printed.
Mr. DOUGLAS gave notice, that on Thursday he
would move for an Account of all Fees and Emolu-
ments received for Pardons under the Great Seal.