The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-05-05 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAT 4.

Some Members took the oaths ; amongst whom were
Lord Folkestone, M. Coke of Norfolk, Sir Thomas
Mostyn, and Sir W. De rrespigny.
The SPEAK 144 .pn
. communicated to the House, that
he understood a misunderstanding prevailed amongst
the Agent ato Private Bills. They had supposed that
the UiP.s were to be retaken np at the particular stage
in wiitelt they were dropped at the period of the elisso-
!11;ton. This was a mistake; for though it was or-
dered that no increased expense was to he incurred,
and that the evidence then taken would be allowed,
yet it was essential that every preliminary step should
be again gone through. He mentioned the subject
particularly, as to-morrow was the last slay for re' eiv-
ing petitions on Private Bills. It would he for the
consideration of the House to say, whether, under
the circumstances of such a usisconcept* ,it w 'uld
not be proper to extend the period for a week --(Ilear!)
Mr. HOUSE SUMNER, acting upon the sus-
gestion of the Chair, moved that the existing Resole-
lion of the House, as to the receipt of the petitions on
Private Bills, he rescinded.---44sler.A.—The extension
of time for one week was agreed to.
Mr. K. FINLAY moved for an Annual Return of
the Number of liallons of Spirit distilled in Scotland.
from the year 179 S to DAN from Grain and Sugar,
distinguishing the same.
Mr. WHITBREAD presented a petit' from the
Middlesex Watermen of the River Thames, complain-
lug of the great insecurity of Loudon-bridge, the
'danger that attinsled life and property, and the inter-
ruption it gave to the navigation of the River.
Sir W. Cr RTIS admitted, that after she presents
tion of the petitions souse inquiry into the state vf the
bridge was necessary, although he beiierett it was not
in the state of danger sleveribed.
Mr. F. LEWIS said it was high'y necess:ay either
that tl.e Worthy Baronet or some other Mensin r should
bring the subject before the House, as unless some-
thing was promptly introduced a most serissos damage
would be done to the navigation of the river below tile
bridge.--(Hear, hear!)
Sir W. CI•R'FIS said he should consult with the
Trustees and other parties interested, and bring the
sabjett subsequently under the consideration of Par-
' Lament.

Mr. Alderman WOOD said an inquiry had been
going on for stone time by the Trustees but hr
thought his Hun. Colleague had beet ;care the intro-
duction of the subject of bringing it before Parliament
to one of the tientlemen who presented petitions
against the present state of the bridge. As one of the
, Trustees of the bridge i:t right of his cu por.ite cha-
racter, he declared himself tuite prepared for inquiry.
Mr. CALVERT thought something that essuentially
affected the fact was kept out of sight. The Corpora-
tion of London had an interest in the Water-work..
with which the taking down of London-brl,:;e• would
interfere. As an Hon. Frit nd of his (Mr. I ati.,r) was
labont make stcaur-engihes C.lnaunie their o w.t.e:notte,

PRICE SEVEN PENCE.

he might also extend his motion to have the Ovate:
there worked by engines on the 'nolo:tied new construc-
tion, rather than by wheels.
Mr. Alderman WOOD assuol his Hon. Friend,
that the City hail no interet in the Water-works, ex-
cept a sntall rent, which they would not hesitate to
give up.—l he petition ryas orala•real to he on the table.
Em it:l6N Wool. Dui. —Mr. WILSON (I ondon)
stated, he held in his hand :a Petition front the Wool-
len 31anufarturt•rs of the t ity of London, against the
Duty imposed upon the inapa.rtatia.n of Foreign Wool
during the last Parliament. When I.e considered the
great distress that existed in the manufacturing dis-
tricts. the nuitaher of persons out ~f emplov non, h •
regretted sincerely that studs a duty was imposed, for
in Itis opinion, the imposition of a duty on the raw ns o
terial of a manufacture could not be justified, unless
that mauufacture was in a most flourishing state. It
a tax attended tvitb auth effects was not repealed, it
was impossible Tout that the manufacturer on the Con-
tinent must undersell us. He could assure the House.
that in elmseapoosce of that duty, the contracts fr,.ni
Russia, as stated by a Noble Lord (Milton) last night.
were lost to the country. lie, therefore, dial implore
his 3lajest3's Ministers, tailing the state of the Coll7i-
try into their consideration, to consent to the repeal of
that impolitic duty, rather than wait until the aggra-
vation of that distress made the repeal imperative.—
The Petition stated the inipulit-v of the duty—its hos-
tility to the aucient and fundamental policy of the
kingdom, which had ever encouraged the woollen I.:a-
-notation. ; anal prayed to be heard by Counsel in
support of its repeal.
Mr. A. BA lIINH said, that before the question fur
disposing of the Petition was put, he was anxious to
make a few observations on one of the most important
subjects that could he submitted to the consideration
of the Legislature.—(llear, hear:)—Hr felt it, boa -
ever, necessary to premise, that he himself had neither
influenet• nor count trims whatsoever with the wooll it
manufacturers, save that connexion and interest whir:,
every man must have with the prosperity of the tiro-•
important and ancient manufacture that reisteil in Hai •
country, and which he felt was at this moment phre i
in the most imminent danger. From his little ..a.-
quatietance with the state of that manufacture, he di.'
not pretend to say whether it could or could not .c
an additional duty of Gd. per pound tan the iinpor;d-
lion of foreign wool, but he would state, without le..r
of contradiction, that whatever was the state of the
utantsfacture, the new ditty was laid on without in-
qniry, and without the nte-essary information. That
tax, said to be for revenue, was imposed really for the
I purpose of rt,nriliatiwq another class of Hewletto it
whose interests were affected by other duties imposeat,
partieniarly that on malt. Ti* How, and- the :Gen-
tletnen to I whom it was introduced, hail now
to consider what the 'Gets must be, if such a tax lest.
suffered to continue for two years. In that interval
manufacturing estainishestents would be formed in fo-
reign countri. s, which would so get the better of Bri-
tish estahlishments, that neither the efforts of tit.
Manse, our the tardy repeal of the impolitic tax its.
eitoll then afford relief—(hear, hear:)—How tiro
%iambi the nericnltitral interest, an interest with whi, it
es try tia.•ll who heard hies was connected, be circu+n-
at•uireil If by the foreign duty the safety of tt:.•
woollen manufacture was risked, where could they loa
to for the price of their own wool 1---(llear, heir
---
It was his full conviction that both these interest' were
at stake. unless they repealed the recently impost II
tax. Ile repecteal that it was a st important gm %-
thin to the best interests of the country ; and that in
vatting such a tax its the haydy manner they dial, there
never sae P -rho:swat more guilty of a ri.nsissitess td
duty than the last.--(Bear, Ite.sr:)--11e took the oppor-
tnnity of stating-, though a notice on such an us-Casio:a
was not usnal, that on Monday next he would 111.,%.•
toe Immune to pr..sent a most important Petition L. • is
! the Mereitants of London against the genrra.l
tion• tinder tlw commerce of therms:dry laletartai.
Mr. WILSON stated, that it was Isis intention :o
follow up his tuotion for revising the Pt•tition, i.
moving; that the Petitioners be heard by Coativel is
support or the repeal. Ile did not wish to tale the
num-ron- persons from the country, who were iute-
rested in the question, at the present moment.. until at
letatt the numerous Petitions which were in the coerce
of sieliantre %tyre •seated to the House.
The Petition was then ordered to be printed.
tin tit' motion of 11r. HooTLE WILBIL%HAM,
leas. was e'a.vess to bring in a Bill to extend the Powers
of. certain Axis for the encouragement of the Arts of
I se•ieti its the Printing of Calitanna.
Mr. I ENNYSON save notice of a motion for the
of May, to (-liable Landlords more easily to ob-
tain possession of their Lallus.
MA.lllati.o At T.—%ir M. W. RIDLEY presented
Petitions from the Dissenters of Newcastle-u 1 on-Tyne,
Blythe, ft' l'utui.er;atitl, and Tyist mouth, praying fur
an alteration in the Marriage Act.—Or lered to be
printed.
Mr. CAMPRHIL wished to know whether, as the
I iratit of the Office of Cont:tounder in the Lanni of
Brest Sessions of South Wales, now terminated by the
tit.ath of tie Drantee, it was the intention, which he
hoped it was not, to eir!ifer that office in a similar
ma... ere He :rusted it would undergo first the con-
sideration of the snpetior l.rataeh of the t'roun Land
Bet enae, and have its inequalities tor.ected.
Mr. lICSKISSIIN replied, that the Office hvii•tg
become vacant, it na- not intena:tel to !emu- it in tie
shape of a grant. I tie proe.etis weuld in Inteat•
accounted fur to tile rs of the Land Ite..ento .
A Petition for an omit... return 1% as prei • I
BCTUlgilbriage. ered to bet ais .1 :,,:o
cousitieration on 0.. e lit of June.
Stoic ik Rtill Rif ord A. HAMILTON
that ha4inor kint gives •o understand tha:
would be no oh:ectitin tit his motion for t re-a. p••itst-
. meat of a Select Committee, to tie into t. nett. ratica
I the various Petitions presents. from ti.e Ito) al 'Swill:oil

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