Star.
London, England, 1803-04-07 00:00:00

WOOLLIN M•NUVACTURi/t.

The Order of the Day was read for taking into
eonfideration the report of the Committee on die
Woollen Clothiers' Petition; and on the motion of
Mr. DICKINSON, jun. the Honte refolved itfelf into
a Committee of the whole Houfe, Mr. Esrcurer
in the Chair.

Mr. Dicait.son, jun. Rated, that the fubjed was
of the highell importance, and required all the
contideration the Houle could pofribly give it.—
Had it been in any other hands, he was convinced
it would have been better concluded, but it mull
Rand on its own intrinfic merits. The bell way
for him to take, he believed, would be to Rate
what the Bill was not. It was not a meafure to
do away twenty-three Ails of Parliament, but to
amend that number of Afts, which, though they
have been in exiftence, are now become cibfolete.
He would &only enumerate there Ads. Since
the Ratute of Elizabeth, trade had increafed to a
great degree ; and if that wasilbt repealed, eight
perfons out of nine would be reduced to poverty,
in confequenee of the introduilion of the Spring
Shuttles. The import of the raw material will
be much diminifhed ; and the Rate of the trade
will gradually go to ruin. The fecond Racine he
would with to mention was, that of Edwarti VI.
which prohibited the ufing of certain chemical
preparations for purging and cleaning of cloth.—
The next Statute was that of Philip and Mary, re-
lative to weavers. In the infancy of the mans-
failure, perfons having wore looms than one,
were fubjed to penalties. He had Rated the out-
line to the Houk, and was lure the Hoare would
require all the information necetraey before they
paired the Bill into a law. Laws in the courfe of
time are liable to decay and corruption. From
the whole biftory of our Conftitution, it would ap-
pear to be a hiftory of the amendment of laws.—
It was well Paid by Lord Chief Juftice Coke, that
the thip of State would not Beer by the fame means
at one time as at another • nor would the clout's
which fitted him when a child fit him when arriv-
ed at manhood. The manners and adorns of a
country are all liable, in the courfe of time, to
change, and therefore laws mall alter. Laws
were made for the fake of juftice to a country in
general, and not for one private and individual
are. Quick fides and fptedy market. are the few
dations of all trade and commerce. The *voila

trade has now arrived at a pitch of joerf;shion hi-
therto unprecedented. He wined that there laws
should be repealed, in fo far as they tend to injure
the progrefs of that fume& They are Ouch as
have been put into execution from no good motives,
but from the affociation of a fet of men prompted
by views of felf-intereth He would with, however,
to call to the recoUeetion'of loch ifociations, that
it is to the loom in a great meafore that the matt
important interefts of this country are to be mufti.
bused. He, therefore, moved, " That the Chair-
man be inure ted to move for leave to bring in a
Bill, to repeal feveral laws relative to the woollen
manufactures, to be read a firft time to-morrow,
and that a day should be appointed for a fecond
reading after the recefb, in order that Members
should have time to confider it."
Mr. BIAGGI faid, he apprehended the Hon.
Member would not obtain his object, unlefs he
enumerated the Aab he meant to amend and re-
peal ; for a Bill to repeal the Ads relating to the
Woollen Manufactures generally, would create a
very great alarm, which jt would be very wrong
to give rife to at this moment.
Mr. Dice:now, jun. obfcrved, that if the Bill
was allowed to be printed, that would thew com-
pletely the Ails propofed to be amended.
The Cerement-on of the Excnactose faid, it
was abfolutely necetary that the title of the Bill
Mould enumerate the particular Ads propofed to
be repealed or amended. Nay, that it fhould even
defcribe, where parts only were to be amended or
repealed, what fuch pare were that were Co to be
amended or repealed; in order that the Hoofs and
the public in general might and/Aland what was
about to be done. He would, therefore, foggelt
to his Hon. Friend, that the Bill might be read a
firti time to-morrow, with fuck improvements,
if be now moved for e Chairman to report pro-
grefs, and auk leave to fit again, which was ac-
cordingly done. The Houfe fawned, the Chair*
man reported progrefs, and obtained keel to GI
again to-morrow.

COISISITTIS OP SUPPLY.
The Norge having received itself into a Corr:
mittez of Supply,
Mr. DISSIZT 111011,d, that the Petition of Ge.,
Martin, jun. of Lincoln's Inn, Swifter at Law, be
referred to the (aid Committee.---Ordered.
Mr. Ttsarsv obferved, this was not the care nt
an Ametican Loyalilt now prefenting his cafe to
IParlianient ; but one of thole claims which is well
known, having been invcAigated br the Couttia•
(loners appointed to enquire into the tares and
Cervices of ilia American Loyallfts, wbo, mulct
all circanillances, 4id not think thensfelves war-
ranted to allow this claim' without applying to
Parliament. There could be nu doubt as to-Mr.
Marlin's, which amounted to 645t51. The only
qi,eftion was, whether it was to be defrayed the
Government of this country, or that of America!
Mr. Martin Chewing that he had dal all dde di
genes to recover from the United &stet of Am,-
neat at lea* (added bin to ausasioa Wtsag

PPP