The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-03-13 00:00:00

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&dye offered by Mr. Pelham was more favourable. Th.
r• able Marquess had heard no argument against delay.
which might enable persons to make tip their minds
0,1 come to a satisfactory conclusion. Delay would In
the most favonrable conrse not only for the stockholder,
tilt for the public; because no loss could awn.* to th.
pahlic between that time and the 5.11 of July. His
couhts on the other parts of the Jul had been solved by
the Noile and Learned Baron.
The Hill was then read the second time, and com-
mitted for to-morrow.—Adjourned.
HOt:SE OP COMMONS.—Tcasnac, Masten 12.

Sir A. RAMSAY presented a Petition from the land-
holders of the county of Kincardine, complaining of
Agricultural Distress. and praying that economy anal re-
trenchment may be exercised in the ilepartment of public
expenditure.—Ordered to he printed.
I'OUN IMPORTATIONS.
Mr. RICARDO moved for returns stating the amount
of monthly importations of corn into the port of London,
diatinguishine foreign front British, for the yeas 1519,
1320. and 1521.—Ordered.
LAND TAX RILL.
The Order of the Div for coins into a Connuittee ea
the Land Tax Commissioners-names Bill was postponed
to Thursday next.
DISTRESSRD tanocn SRL
Mr. BENNET presented • Petition from a lumber of
poor labourers -tf Stratliam, in the cosily of Northansp-,
ton, complaining of the distresses of the times. which
rendered their lives a barthen, and death acceptable. aed
nr•iving that the ionise would devise some means of re.
lief.--Ordered to Us on the table.
FDINROROII roues Btu.
Mr. J. SMITH presented a Petition from *body of ie.
dividuais, incorporated by Royal charter at &filatures,
assin4 the FAinburgh Police Bill. This body was
. most retipectable one, by the name of the Chamber of
Commeree, and they represented the sentiments of the
great utiajority of the inhabitants of this city. This MI
was considered universally as most injurious and most
oppressive.
Mr. KENNEDY spoke to the respectabi:itv of the pr.(
titioners, anal byzed to say he considered the Bill as •
most unwarrautable attempt to infringe on the rights of
private indivi•lnAs.
Mr. DUNDAS said, this body of Petitioners against
his Bill was one of very few numbers; whilst be hail re-
vivid the assent of the greater pert of the inhabitants.
Mr. HLTME begged to correct the lion. Member, by
reminding him that every corporate body in Etlialmrsti
had- petitioned against this Bill. It was most obnoxious;
and be hoped the house would treat it as it should be
when it came again before it.
The Petition was then ordered to be printed.
Imes WINDOW TAX.
Mr. ROBERT SHAW postponed his motion for the
repeal efthe Irish Window Tax, from the 7th to the
24th of April.
MALT TAX.
Mr. LUSHENOTON brought in a Bill for the repeal
of the Malt Tax, which was read a first time, and ordered
fur a second reading to-marrow.
TAGIL tNT LAWS.
Mr. CHETWYND called the attention of the house
to the subject of a notice he had given for that day, to
move for a Bill to consolidate all the existing laws re-
lating to the apprehension, punishment, and treatment
of vagrants. Of the necessity of having this class of et
tentless under the correction of the law there could be es'
doelot,olad the itiefAcient ease of the laws relating to
them. chiefly owing to their multiplicity and intricacy.
too many instances bad come under the knowledge of
the house not to spew the necessity of some new arrange.
rents. He had intended to bring theauhject before dm
1 ()nee last Session, and althongh-tie had been prevented.
1 e did not.make it cause of regret, having had so mach
the more leisure for acquiring information mot euiterleg
his plan; and "row the assistance of the Afendicity So-
ciety he bad derived the meat important hints. The ob-
ject of the Kill be desired to bring in would be, first, to
consolidate all. the Imes on the subject; and nest to de-
fine the precise offences which were to subject any per-
son to the operation of the Statute. He wished to sepa-
rut* the cases of the criminal from the idle and disor-
derly •-the dissolute and sturdy from those that were
remparatively innocent, having been driven to a state of
vagrancy from necessity, than betaking themselves to it
f-ow choice. Of the utility of such arrangement and
trisasification, there could be no question, when it was re-
. membered that the law made no distinction between
prostitutes, ballad-singen. prize-fighters, anal the plate
• tolders for a charitable purpose, at a church door. It
was highly desirable that there should be an uniformity
of practice among Magistrates throughout the kingdom,
tied for that purpose it was that he wished to see the
law, placed within a short compass. The third object
of the Bill would be to specify the punishments of va-
grancy, and to adapt them to the present state of so-
ciety. lie would not go through the old statutes to
chew the different punishments enacted, such as brand-
ies and bnrning vagrants, which being now obsolete, it
became necessary to change the nature of this punish.
agent with the changes in society. In acting thus, he
should be guided by the opinion of that enlightened
Magistrate, Mr. Colquhouu. He had this meriting re-
cetve4 a letter from a Magistrate, who informed iiiin
that the simple expenses of passing vagrants for one
year. for the counttes of Berkshire and Wilts, was up-
wards of two thousand pounds. It was plabm therefore,
that the interference of legislation was required here.
The next point to which this Bill would be directed
was, the common lodging-h for vagrants, which
swarmed in some parts of the metropolis, and were ac-
tually hot-beds for vice. These he should propose to he
pot under the surveillance of the Police. The Honour-
*We Gentleman concluded by moving for leave to bring
is a Rill to facilitate summary proceeding* by Justices
of the Peace and others.
Mr. GIPPS seconded the motion, but hoped the Bill
would not be hurried through the house.
Sir I. COFFIX thought such a Bill would be highly
useful.
Leave was then given.
Mr. CHETWYND then moved for leave to bring INA
Ell to regulate the form of conviction in all cases of de-
linquency under the Vagrant Act. The necessity If,
such a Bill would be felt where it was known that it am
• matter of difficulty even with the great lawyers to
dm* up the right form of conviction in cases nearly
similar. The object of his Bill would he to establish
the 'same form to meet all convictions of the same class.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR thought the lion. Gentleman
was entitled to the Thanks of the House, for his praise-
worthy intentions and exertions. He feared, however.
he would not he able to frame a statute for the proposed.
end, that some rognish attorney should not discover a
loop-hole by which to evade it.
Leave was then 'given, • '

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