Star.
London, England, 1819-03-13 00:00:00

PARLIAMEIVT-ARY PROC,EADINGS.

DOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 12.
The Earl of ROSSLYN presented a Petition from Gide-
borough, in thl North Riding of Yorkshire, praying for a Re-
vision of the Mal Code.
Lord (RA hiTLEY presentea a Petition from the Mayor,
Corporation, and Inhabitants of tie Borougb of Guildford, in
the County of Surrey, to a similar effect.
Mr. S. 13ovana and others, brought up the Poor's T.atvs
Amendment Bill from the Cowmons, which Was toad the first
time, and ordered to bo printed.
Earl GROSVENOR. in reference to certain Petitions which
were brought forward yesterday, respecting a Non-extension of
the Poor's Rates to Lead and certain other Mines, observed that
a false impression on the subject was endeavoured to be made
by those vrlie petitioned. Their Lordships must, he thought,
be aware, that the mints to which he alluded, were very dif-
ferently circumstanced from other mines, inasmuch as there was
no visible property of a taxable nature, and that every thing
turned upon the success of the undertakings. Ile repeated there
w-as no tisible property, and he mast say, that he 0: might it ra-
ther an ungrateful part in those who so attempted to,come for-
ward. By such a procedure as seemed to be contemplated by
those persons, a great injury mayike suffered by mines of the de-
scription referred to; and he obkrved, that as far as he knew.
the Poor's Rates had not been increased as stated. lie thought
ft but right not to let such allegations go unnoticed.
Lord BEDESDALE presented a Petition from a nuriher of
Debtors croihncyd ht the King's_ Bench Prison, against the dia..
contisaanee of the Insolvent Debtors' Act.
Earl BEAT CIIA M P presented a Petition frcm the T.•
!tot; of the City, and County of the City of Coventry, pr.e.ing
that no alteration may be made in the Duties upon Inland Coals.
Lotd AUCK L A NI) presented a Petition frori the City of
Drechin, in Scotland, praying for a Reform in the mode of elect-
ing the Magistracy of that City.
Eatl BATIIIIitsT presented a Petition from the Borough of
Cirencester, in Gloucestershire, praying a Revision in the
Code. _

Viscount IVIELVII.LE presented a ntition on :ht. part d.f
the Collieries in Scotland, praying th::: no Tax may he irnrised
on these Coals. The Petitioners alleged el.: a Tar thereon
would be equally- ruinous and unjust : ruinous, aa to its effects
on various manufacture; in that country• ; and unjust, as Scots
Coals Wet not sent to the London 3/arket. _

Viscount tiIItMOVITII laid upon the table, by command of
his Royal IlighnetA the Prince Regent, a variety of further
Documents respecting the State of Prisons, especially those of
Ireland.

A Private Bill was brought up from the Commons by Mr.
Joscen Prrr, and read the first time.•
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a Petition from
the Corporation and a number of Inhabitants of the City of
Norwich, praying that measures might be taken for establishing
two Jail Deliveries in the year in that city; and setting forth
some injuious and oppressive consequences which there resulted
tram the want of such a regulation.

The Noble Marquis also presented two other Petitlors .
front the Corporaeisn of Clainsenhaen, in the County of Wilts ;
and the second, (torn Bridge Ward, in the City of London,
against the continuance of the Insolvent Debtors Act.—TAie
Petitions were severally ord:red to lie on the table.—Ajourned
till 'Monday.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. LITTLETON presented a Petition front the Inhabi-
tants of Skipton, agsint.t the equalizatibn of the Duties on Coals.
Ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. HUMP. presented a Petition from the Inhabitants of
Ediaburgh, praying for a Reform in the Royal Scotch Burghs.
l'he Pesition he stated to have been voted at a meeting that was
askinermsly attended- It was unanimously agreed to. and the
same might be said for an the other Petitions which had come
or which were about to come before the Howse od this subject.
In this instance a rational reform was called for, which ail felt
to be necestary, and which he should hope it would be thought
wise to concede to the wishes of the Peutioners—The Petition
was ordered to lie on the table.

Mt. S. BOURNE postponed the Motion of which hrt hr.d
given notice, re petting the Poor's Settlentot 111, tiff Thursday
the 11.5 th Instant. _ _

A Petition was presented from 'Fain, praying for a Rao, in in
the Royal Burghs of Scotland.—Ordered to lie cm the table.
A Petition was presented from the inhabitants of Brisigemorth,
praying that there may be no alteration in the Coal Duties.—
Ordered to he on the table:
CURWEN presented s. Petition from the IMe‘bitants
of Workington, playing that the Duties on Coals ma 7 not be
extended to them. They had no wish that these ditties sheuld
press heavy o. others. All they required was, that that rater).
sivn of die duties which had been oniinenderl should net take
plate.—'lle Petition was ordered • he printed.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR presented a Petition front the Inhabi-
tants of Martin in the Fields, praying that the Insolvent
I)ebrors' bill may not be renewed. A sul.),rription, he thought
it right to state, had been set on foot by thest. Petitioners to
corer the expetetes of this appliration to Parliament ; and so far
were they trout wishing to press hard on poor Debtor.. that a
surplus which remained after defraying their necessary expenses,
they had actually sent to the. Society for relieving persons in
confinetnent for small debts.—Ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. 11. DAVIS pecgotitcd Petitions frpm the Mayor, Alder-
tu^n, and Common Council of Bristol, It.,.ainst the reorvnil of
the biselvent Debtors Act, and a•-aii.st the equalization of the
Coal itutiee:—Or.lerel! tet lie on the' rible.
Mr. Alderman WOOD preset.red a Petition from Bridport,
praying for an equalization of the Duties or. Cr..as.--Ordered to
he on the table. •

Mr. DAVENPORT presented a Petition irom the Manu-
factltrers of Salt in the Comics of Cheshire and Lancashire,
praying that no alteration should take place in !he Duties on
Coal., and not fur an alteration of the Salt Duties, as represented
by mistake in the Papers of yesterday.
Mr. LYTTLETON -presented Petitions from Baylen, in
Salop, and from th 4 Town of Ross, in lierefordshire, in favour
of n revision of the Criminal Code.—Ordered to lic on the table.
Ile then presented two Petitions from Stourbridge, and an-
'either place in Woreestersidre, in the co•taty nF Wt.rcester, pray-
ing that no alteration may be made in the Coal Duties.
The Honourable Siemher also presente-I a Petition from the
Inhabitants of Stcurbridge, Ilainst the renewal of the Insolvent
Debtors Act.—Theic Petitions wire ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. Alderman TIIORP presented a Petition from tke Vat
of Aldgate, praying for an equalization of the Duties nn Coals.
Ordered to lie on the table.

$I J. NEWPORT presented a Petition from the Catholics
of the flaunty and City' of Waterford, complaining of the stye.;
city of the Statutes affertiag the ROMILII Catholics of Ireland,
and chewing that these, enzeted at a time when the Ci.wernment

was new and unsettled, were ro longer Lecessarynow, and ought
to be repealed.—The Petition was read, ordered to'lie on the
table, and to be printed.
• On the motion of 34r. ORBNFELL, further papers relative
to the public balances it the hands of the Bank, were ordered
to be laid before the liaise.

Mr. S. WORTLEY presonted Petitions from Ituddersfieid,
agair,st the renevral of the Insolvent Debtors' Art, and against
the propored alteration of the Coal Duties.—Ordeted to lie on
the table.
Mr. BROUGHAM presented a Petition from terrain per-
sons cont. :1.4 in the Fleet Prison, not in favour of the Insolvent
Debtors' Bill ; but praying, that before it was itiered to expire
an tatiuiry might' take plac► it:to the state of the law, as it af-
f:ctori creditors and debtors.-i-Ordered to be printed.
rilessage from the Lords announced their Lordship,: assent
to the Smugglers' Apprehension Reward till, and other .Bills,
(foe which see the Lords.;
NEWGA Tt.
The Sheriffs of the City of London presented a Pe-
tition horst the Lord Jtayor, Arderrnerl, and Common
• Council of London, on the present crowded state of
Newsatc, arising out o the cncamstauce of mall),

of the County of Middlesex offenders being sent to,
the City prison,_ to be confined and maintained at the
expense of the City, and praying that the case might
be referred to the Committee on the State of Prisons..
Mr. Alderman WOOD said, the Petitioners did ,
not complain so much of the expense thrown upon the
City of London, by their being compelled to main-
tain the prisoners of the. County of Middlesex (though
that created an annual expense of 5 or 6001.) as of
the crowded state of their jails, from the number of
Middlesex offenders committed to them. At that
moment there were in Newgatc 4,7 prisoners, under
, sentence of death, and there were only fifteen cells
to contain them. The sixteen prisoners sent to New-
gate from Clerkenwell, who had been convicted of
unnatural offences, were, it was known, confined in
one room. It had been in contemplation to put them
in these cells, but had this been done, there would,
have been no fit place to receive those who were
under sentence of death. There was no room for the
accommodation of State Prisoners. Those who might
be committed by that Ilouse, could not
.be kept by
themselves ; they must, of necessity, be permitted to
mix with felons. Ilc hoped the prayer of the Peti-
tion would be granted, and that it would be referred
to the Committee on the state of Jails.
Mr. WILBERFORCE thought it was impossible
for the House to lend a deaf ear to statements like
those which they had just heard. Adverting to the
fact alluded to by the last speaker, of sixteen persons
conimitted of certain practices being confined in one
room, he asked if it was to be endured that such
persons should be so kept together, while they, suf-
fering all this talked of such offenders being confined
by public wisdom and public
4justice / Some re-'
•
medy or other ought to be .applied without loss of
time. He could wish the Petition referred to a se-
parate Committee, in the hope that some immediate
remedy might be supplied, if it were only of a tem-
porary nature, before the result of the deliberations
of the other Committee could be ascertained.

Mr. Alderman WOOD said, every effort had been
made to prevent that which he had mentioned, but
in the present state of Newgate, it had been found
impossible to make a better arrangement than that
which had been mentioned.

Mr. BROUGHAM was sorry that such a Petition
as that which had just been brought up should have
hen: presented, as he was sure that nothing but the
rnoq imperious necessity could justify the City of
London in sending it to that House. In the first
place thee, he must take it for granted, that the
City of London had not the means of removing the
evil themselves. Had it been otherwise, they could
never have thought of troubling the House on the
subject, but being utterly destitute, they of necessity
had been reduced to the most lamentable alternative
of attempting to force the task of removing the evil
complained of on the country. That the City had!
it not in their pow:•er, notwithstanding the funds at
their command, to alter Newgate so as to make it
furnish the requisite accommodation, he could not
but suppose they had ascertained, by inquiry n:ade,
for he would not believe that they had had recourse
to the desperate expedient (soch he must scan it) of
provoking a discussion on this question, till an in-
quiry, after the means of doing without it, had been
made, and had failed. As the matter was now be-
fore them, the course recommended by the Member
for Bramber seemed to be that which it would be
most proper to take. Not only was it the most ex•
pedient ; but it was the only one they could with pro-
priety adopt. Since it had come to them, they must
deal with it, and the sooner they did so the better.

Mr. Alderman WOOD, in explanation, repeated
part of his former stateingnt, to shew that it was im-
pot:sible to make a better arrangement in Newgate
than that which had actually been made. The punish-
ment of the pillory having been discontinued since
he had exposed certain offenders some 'years ago in'
the Haymarket, they were now sentenced to impri-
sllnment in Newgate. The whole fault lay with the
Magistrates who sent thorn to the City prison for
rise offences they had committed in the County of
`•liddlescx.—Petition ordered to lie on the table.