The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-02-28 00:00:00

PRiCII

IMPISSIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-Tinsel:tat, Fast. 27.
The loyal Assent Was given by Commission to the
Annual Indemnity Bill.
Lord VERULAM presetted a petition from the Arch-
deaconry of St: Albans against the late Marriage Act.
The Surrogates licenses Indemnity Bill was reeds
third time ted passed:
'I he Temporary Marriage Act Bill was reported.
The West India and American Colonies Trade Bill was
contained; and the Report ordered to be received to-
morrow.—Adjodroed.
HOUSE OF COMMONS:...Tiettesnay.
The House met to•day by Commission, and the Speak-
er, with the Members present, proceeded ft the Howe of
Lards.
The SPEAKER having returned; reported that they
had beard the Royal Assent given. by Commission, to
the Ammal indeittnity Bill.
Mt. BROWN. the Wartime/Me hes, brought lip aft
account of the person discharged from that prison.—Laid
on the table.
Papers relating to Ramsgate Harbour were also
presented. and laid on the table.
Mr. CURWEN brought in a Bill for lightingthe toe o
of Darlington with (lan, which was read a first time.
Mr. CU RW EN presented a petition from Certain Ship-
owners of London, engaged in the northern fisheries.
praying for protection against the importation of Tallow.
—Ordered to be printed.
CAMBRIDGE COUNTY PETITION.
Lord F. OSBORNE presented a petition from the
Free-holders of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of
Ely, complaining of agricultural distress, &e., and pray-
ing for relief—by a reform of the House of Commons, by
a repeal of taxes, by the abolition of sinecures, by the
reduction of pensions and salaries. and a reduction of
the interest of the National Debt, by the sale of the
Crown Lands and tithes in lay hands.—Ordered to be
printed.
Lord F. OSBORNE presented a similar petition from
Owners of Land in ,a certain district of the County of
Cambridge.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. MANNING moved that there Im laid on the table
an Account of the Balancesof Public Mooey in the Hands
of the Tru.tses and Commissioners of 14magate Har-
bour on the 24th of June in each year of 1820. 1821, and
1822.
After a few words from Mr. WALLACE, the motion
was agreed to.
Mr. MANNING moved for an Account of the own-
her of ships of above 300 tons burden, that had entered
the Rotal harbour of Ramsgate for the last 3 yt ars.—
Ordered.
The Anneal Deities Bill, the Exchequer Bill's Bill,
and Transfer of Aids Bill, went through a Committee of
the whole house, and the Reports were ordered to be re-
c.ired to-morrow.
A Petition was presented from the Reverend Mr.
Watson against the Marriage Act.—Ordered to Le
printed.
A Petition wit; presented from the lobabitauts d
Ripon subset We Timelveat Debtors' Aae,;....logie is 04
table.
Mr. CHARLES DUNDAS presented a petition frets •
the freeboldess and occupiers of Land in Berltshire.
complaining of Agricultural Distress and praying for
Reform.
Mr. NRVILLE said a few words in support. as we
understood, of the petition.
Mr. F. PALMER supported the petition, and said it
was the intention of the several parishes in the
county to meet and present district petitions, shoo ing to
the house the extent of the distress which prevailed
among them.
Mr. MONCK concurred in the statements containeJ
in the petition, and contended that the petitioners were
right in attributing their present distresses to the wasteful
expenditure of the Government during the last reign.
He thought a Reform of that house necessary. it was
dependent where it ought to be independent, and lode.
pendent where it ought to be respectful. It was dependent
on the Minister, and independent of the people. Those
were the sentiments of the county, and he cordially joined
in them.
The Petition was then read and ordered to be printed:
Mr. PRICE presented a petition signed by upwards of
150 owners and occupiers of land in a district of the
county of Hereford, complaining of Agricultural Dis-
tress, and praying for relief. He was well acquainted
with many of those persons whose names were subscribed
to the petition, and he knew them to be respectable per-
sons. He could not concur in all the allegations of the
petition. He hoped, however, that the house would show
, a disposition to alleviate the distresses of the people by
general retrenchment, and by a reduction of the expenses
of the public establiebinents.
Ott the petition being brought up, Lord FOLKSTON l
said a few words its support of it. One great claim that
it had upon the notice or the house was, that the signa-
tures of 700 persons were deliberately attached to it.—
lie had heard a great deal of abuse against that and simi-
lar petitions, as that at Norfolk was, but he had heard
very little argument. For his part, he considered that
the allegations of the petitioners were not inconsistent
with good faith and public justice; hut that both good
faith and public justice required„something to be done--
He had only further to observe, that it was his intention
to enlarge a notice of his then before the house, to a p: (s-
-position of submitting all these petitions to a Committee
for an equi•ahle adjustment of propertv.
The petition was then ordered to be printed.
Mr. DALY presented a petition f ruin the county of
Galway, complaining of Agricultural Distreas amid pray-
ing for an alteration in the Distillery Laws.
HOP DUTIES.
Mr. CURTEIS presented a petition from a parish in
Sussex, praying a reduction of the Duties on Hops. He
took at the same time, the opportunity of inquiring from
the Hon. Chancellor of the Ex.:beeper, if he meant to
propose any inquiry into the situation of the Hop plant-
ers, or had any intention of lust ering the Duties. •
The CHAN OELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
be had no objection to give the Hon. Gentleman an
answer. He melees:oA him to inquire if there was any
intention on the part of tioyerntment to propose either as
actual reduction of duty or a Committee out the subject.
Ile tt as no' inclined to reel:tam• nd either, as no sufficient
reasons existed, in his opinion, for the reduction of duty
or the appointment of a Committee. The hon. Member
might, tt he pleased, solocit a motion to the house. It
could not he denied that there was a Certain proportion
ut distress fa'l rig upon the growers of hops, bat not arie-
i^g from e muses which a Committee c0..13 remove, or
which claimed the interference of the house. He was aware
that a large extent of fresh land was pnt under the cud i-
ration of bops, at such great expense, that it became
quite unequal to a fair re urn, withoot a considerable ad-
vance in prise. The culture of hops depended so nautili
on climate and sea-on, that there was in different yeats
the greatest satiety in their praidoction. For the la• t
time or Ler Tikes* the trips had Scen 'operant:dant,