The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-03-26 00:00:00

.*J4IPERIAL MMtLFAIIENT.

RjSF. OF UMNlFL.or—Tcsaval.
osTioslittriesnef NOKTIIII.II4OItIMMIND presented a pe-
tition from Newcastk•upon-Tyne, against the Insolvent
Debtirrn* Act.
Mr. Walpole from-the Treurtry, presented Accounts
of the Seeded nail Unfunded Debt.
Lora KINOWIVN moved fur a Return of the, Number
gfl'oucic'tit•us under the Insurrection Act, in Ireland.—
thilorcti:—Atijoorited.

-';r~

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—Toriiiitme.
The Inspector-General of Exports anti Imports pre-
sented the Anneal Accounts.
Mr. KTundel, from the Office nt Chief Secretary for
Ireland, presented the Annual Accounts.
A Clerk, from the Treasury, presented Excise Returns.
A new Writ was issued for tlo Borough of Leaming-
ton, in the room of Sir IL Neill, vitro has accepted the
' Chiltern linudreds.
Col. WOOD adjourned his motion rrlAtice to the Game
Laws to {he 30th of April.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the Inn-
keepers and Publicans of Buckwood, county of Lancas-
t •r, complAining of the extreme difficulties of obtaining
Liceuses.-,-Ordered to be printed.
Mr, CRI PPS obtained ledve to bring in a Bill for in
creasing the power of Magistrates in cases of apprentice-
ship—Bead a first tithe.—To be read a pecouil time the
14th April.
Mr. bI:VgNING presented a petition from the Mayor
of Leamington, against the Coal Ditty. •I•he lion. Mem-
ber presented another from the Isl rn.cof Antigua,ageinst
the Sugar Ditties.—Both ordered to he piiUtid.
Mr. URENFELL gave notice that he e °Act move, on
Wednesday, the 16th of April, for taunts of papers
rela-
tive the Bank of Ireland.
Mr. DAWSON noted for copies of Reports of Com-
alitteee relative.to Gas•Lights.—Agreed to.
PITITION FROM CAPE BRETON.

Mr. HUME quid that be ruse to present a petition from
the Freeholders of Cape Breton, which he conceived to
be of the gtea'elit importance, not only .as it related to
the Culont of Cape Breton, but all other British Colo-
uiem He regeetted that i; had not falleu into the bands
of Ida ltightlion. Priem', the Member for Knareslio-
roads. as 'ma bgen originally intendeklAhO could hare
• tliden-ise was expel& of. 61;63
the Cote of CeDe darns. was ceded to this country,
and wasp • d under the Gaye' nment of the Governor-
General of Nova Scotia. hut will a Leei-lature of its
own, in the saute manner us the Islands of Dominica
liarhadoes were under the controul of the tiovernor-tie-
nerd! of Grenada, but with Legislatures of their own to
regulate their intermit affair's. , On the cession 'of Cape
Breton, it received a distinct and independent Legisla-
ture from his Majesty, and when ogee his Majesty di-
vested himself of his prerogative in ioterfering in the in-
terne! concerns of a Colony, by granting it an indepeod-
eut Legislature, it was held by Lord Mansfield that be
bad no power to make any alteration without the sanction
of Parliament. Cape Breton was ceded tons in Oct. 1.70.3 f
and in the same month his then Majesty addressed a pro-
clamation; livestilig himself of the prerogative of inter-
feripg is the affairs of that country, in violation of which
it was • now deprived of its independence, sod made a
county of Nova Scotia. But when first it was ceded, the
number of its inhabitants being only 1100, though it was
pieced under the superintendence of the Governor-Gene-
ral of Nova Scotia, yet it was particularly stipulated that
in any regalation which the Government of Nova Scotia
were to adopt towards Cape Breton, they were not to in-
terfere in any way in the internal regulations of Cape
Breton, ell of which should be cOnsonant to the laws of
Engles:it, while in Nova Scotia there were many laws
founded upon ancient custom, and quite dissimilar to the
laws of this country. By such regulations the population
of this colony so increased, that it now amounted to xO,OOO
inhabitants; but to the r great a,stonistiment, they found
that, in IS-20, General Kemp, the Governor-General of No-
va Scotia, issued a Proclamation for annexing Cape Bre-
t.. to, hat colony, and tanking an integral part of it, and
flambe that this was done by the advice of his Majesty's
.Council, lie contended, that in with commission sent to
the Governor-General, or other authority, there was a
distinct and separate recognition of Cape Breton, clearly
proving that Government then acted upon the principle that
this Colony had a Legislature to make laws. impose du-
, tiee..endmanege its Internal affairs distiuct from that of
Novi/ Retitle. Be particularly instanced the Commission
'to Mr. Gibhon, the Chief Judge of the Island, in which
it was stated, that he should see justice administered ace
cording to the laws of England, and those enacted by the
Legislature of the Colony. But what must the astonish-
ment of the inhabitants of Cape Breton have been, en see-
ing all the regulations of Nova Scotia extended to thetn•
sieves, and a complete studiedly of legislation instituted ;
that all questions relating to the revenue, laws' and usage
of the island should he decided according to the principles
already established in Iciova Scotia I The laws retaiing
to remedy werepar icularly severe upon tile inhabitants
of Ceps Breton. In that island, they have hither:o been
founded upon the principle of primogeniture. as in En-
gland; hut now, being assimilated to those of Nova Sco-
tia, there is a general division of property, as in France,
which has so much decreased its value, that a property for-
merly worth 10,00i1. wee now worth only 3,000 f. If Par-
liament could possibly sanction such a violation of their
rights, they at least hopod that its justice will alford them
some reutuueratlon for their losses, and enable them to re-
move to the United Stater, where they may live under
more fixed and determined laws. This annexation of Cape
Melee to Nova Scatla was even injurious to the interests
of this country. for in DIV a tie of git per cent. was im-
posed on British goods exported to Nova Scotia, whims
was got only extended to Cape Breton, bps even increased
to Sf per cent. This, ho maintained, was contrary to the
pledge of his Maj sly to that 'stead, It was ro flit Hint.
ter that our innitu!settires shoal! be thus excluded, whim
the colony was treated with manife • injustice. Time lion.
Member then adderted to the Royal Proclamation of the
7th October, 1763, whirl annexed Cape Breton to the blo-
vernee-seneralship•of Nuts Scotia, but with separate law,
and distinct interests 'Mere was a considerable debt in
the Province of Nova Scotia, and the Government there
issued paper money to the amount of 30,0001. which was
ant to be redeetaed for a certain number of years. The
consequence of this oleasure'wai, that act the bullion was
taken out of the Colony of Cape Bret The Petitioners
were reduce I to a shuation by which they themselves
were degraded, smith& !Toady detemrsted. The only
plea iu supped of this grievance was, that upon groonds
of ecnerony It would he extiedleat t Noya Scotia and
Cape Ureton-stiotitt -be-under Ow system of adasinistra-

• PRICE SEVEN PENCE.

lion. But We plea was not tenahlei at the petitioners had
ample feeds to support their own Weal Government:—
The Hoe. lifeMber concluded by moving for leave to bring
up the Petition, after baling previously reed *owe extract'
from It. The notion beteg weed to, the petition was
then read by the clerk, and itwent oa to coutplain of the
grievances itated,by the Hon. Member.
• Mr. WIAIOT thrn rose and observed, that however
important the lion. Member might imagine the subject
to which tbe petition. referred, he bad chosen a veryin-
sonvenieet time fnr discussing it. if he (Mr. Wilmot)
recorded Mit it's a cisnstitutional question, he would cer-
tainly have rinpsested that the attention of the Howie
might be called to it on some future day after due no-
tice had been given. But in his opinion the lion. Meas-
lier who had introdticed it in that lig le, totally whom-
derstood the grnituds of his subject. The pre,ent subject
might be divided into two parts. lie one involving a
question of policy and the oilier a question of constitit•
tonal tiglyt. When the lion. Member itatvi that the
Petition as. numerously Signed, be (Mr. W.) was pre-
pared• to maintain that such was not the fact ; for be un-
derstood it contalititi only 250 names out of a population
of 20.080 souls. It was also remarkable that not one n -
monstrinee bail been sent to the Colonial Departinent on
the subject in question. Ile was prepared to assert, ou
the authority of the tioverncir, that the lru tjority of the
Colonists of Cape Breton, Co far from believing them,
selves injured by being subject to theinristliction of Neva
Scotia, thought, on the con ran, that they were greatly
benelitted by it. The present petition had been faot tip
by an individual under orcumstances whichelie (11r.W.)
would state to the House. TM person to whom he ar
laded tried, in the first instant', to obtain signatures, but
to no purpose, and then.a piper was circulated by hit&
purporting to be from certain individaalenhoritered Unto
his views. It was to the following effect—" te,whose
names to a petition to seaarate this • Island from Neva
Scotia." It was quite certain that the petition had nevelt'
been drawn up iu its preient form in the Island: Tan
800. Member then referred to the order fir annexime
Caps Breton to Nova Scotia. The object of the orightel
Proclamation was to erect the ceded Colonies into fn•-t•
thivernments. nimelv, East Florida, West Ploritta, Que.
her, and Grenada. 'Nova Sc-&a was not included, for it
had at the time a legislative Assembly. He neat went
into some details to show that the Colonists of Cape Br.. .
ton had recognised the legislative antlinrity of Cape. Bre.
too, and bad, on a certain occasion, elected two
duals named Gregory Townsend and John Grant to the
House of Assembly, though t .e el-ct'on was afterwards
declared informal in consequence of the freeholders nut
bei og duly qualified. in 1;66, an Act for recovering the
King's dues passed in Nova Scotia, wbieb directly
re-
fered to Cape Breton and St. John's, as places subject to
its provisions. lie contended Mat the Hon. Member
(Mr. flume) was wrong in maintaining.-that the' Proclai,-
ligation of 1;63 entitled Cape Bretob to a Logislativs s.
sembly : and he was equally wrong in stating Abet the
Colonists desired it, for the great majority of them .wetse
influenced by a contrary feeling. ;lie aosthl now beg
leave to advert to a circumstance not connected with this
subject, but upon which he was -aoxions mot to
understood. He was aware that suhn:epresenfatiose frra
queotiy occurred,' and be ribioujLilA, the laitrguts
would intrude LiaiseitTra
. •
rectifying them in his own case, if he did not febl himself
imperiously called upon to do so by a sense of duty. .11s•
reference to the lonian Islands, lie lied been made t s
argue as if he questioned the polity of disarming a hos—
tile population ; whereas he had never said auy tbirs4 •
that could bear such a con traction.
Mr. BERNAL sopported Ike petition, and said that th•
inhabitants of Cape Breton were, as linglistrasee. •eatittril
to the same rights as other English Colonists enjoyed. In
the year 1758, when the Colony was first taken, the French
civil inhabitants were removed, and the Kine, by his Pro-
clamation, gave to the British settlers such immunities- as
British subjects had a right t 3 demand. He contended
that his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hume) was neither mistaken in
his view of the Royal Proclamation, nor of the secret in-
structions sent out to the Colonial Authorities. The In-
habitants of Cape Breton had never aegulated in the kids"-
lative jusisdiction of Nova Scotia ; fur e ithin the lett
three years they had seat remonstrances to the Home of
Assembly lo Nova Scotia. and petitions in IMS country. .
Mr. BRIGHT followed on the same side. lie maintained
that this was a question of great importance, so f..r as it
regarded our colonial interests. It was a fact not to ha
disputed, that the Government had sent out instructions I>
its officers, on which the people had not been eon:tilted.
Mr. HUME briefly replied. He said lie had given se:-
6NA notice of his intention to bring forward the subject.
It was not till the Agent of the Colony had understood that
nothing was to be done, that he came to him (Mr. Hume)
to request he would present the petition, as the lionourahie
Member for Kearesborough (Sir James Mackintosh) who
had been solicited to do so in the first instance, did not
Ond it convenient to comply. He hoped, however, that
that lion. Member would bring forward the subject is a
distinct form on some future occasion. In a meeting wt,icti
was held in the Colony in the month of December, laitsl,
there were two opinions, one of which was in approbsttql
of presenting a petition to the King in Council. as was the
ease with Grenada. The other opinion recommended a
trial of the question by law. An agent was acaordingly
employed in England to take the opinion of Mr. Brougham,
or some other eminent lawyer on the subject. It was after-
wards judged more ads isa:de to apply to the Colonial
Office. An indit Hunt was rismardiwrg sent over to thie
country and applied at the thrice of the Colonial Depart-
ment, but received no satisfactory answer. lie would not
then say what measure lie would take on the petition, ridt
would he pledge himself to take say measure ; but in ass.
no other permit in authority, or more competent than him-
self, took up the subject, he certainly would introduce some •
motion on
The petition was then ordered to be printed.
BRITISH MUSEUM.
Mr. CROKER gave notice, that he would to-morraw
(this day) submit to the House a motion relative to the Bri-
tish AI