Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-04-18

T'bePetIiion was then read nv the Clerk.
Ii lamented that The former Petition pre-
senied from the same County, in favor of
rctrenchmant in the public expenditure,
had not been attended with the desired
influence. II complaiued OF The detective
state of the system OF representation, and
remarked, that had the original purity of
the Constitution been preserved in the
House OF Commons, the national Debt.
which al the death ol King W ilIiam auno sn,-
eel ohiy 10 seventeen millions, IL would net
now exceed eleven hun0rcd mill ons nor
would the Standing army which nj the
conciurion o! 'he Treaty Of Ryswich d
mounted only to 1000 men, be nOw extend
eel to 10000. ii concluded by pra, ing
generally ior The abolition OF SMecIrVs.
&c. and for Reform IN theCommous House
ofParlamen,
MIR. Brand stated, that lie had been
requested 10 give his support in pariia-
ment 10 The petition they presented. and
THIS duty he was willing 10 prrform.-
lie spoke OF the public meeting i'm Corn
wall where the Petition had been pre-
pared, and complimented The persons
VINO had appeared aCii,c at it, for
! their prudence, learning, and cloquence.
| The language OF HE Petition itself. lis
| good sense, sound reasoning, and sim
| pie eloquencc, struck him most forcibIv.
when compared with the larTc 20 of nm
| connected absurditiss Which the House
! had Witnessed on the preceding evening.
| He lamenied, that the COrnw all Meetings
| th;ic had taken place ciseU hesc, ON Tie
subje. OF Parliamentary Reform; Tor ue
was convinced, that their Petition would
have contained some strong protest d.
galnSt The will and dangerous do hines
that TOO generally prevail throughout The
| country.
Mr.. Elliott observed, that the question
OF d reform, in Parliament had become
one OF such general interest, that he
could not abstain from expressing an
opinion Oh the subject. lie lIusted that
III taking up question OF Reform, the
House, and he would address himself
particularly 10 The gentlemen " 10 auVu
Gated that measure, he noprd th,y toO
'rould pause Gefore they toUcked tie uene7a5Ie
frame IF tie Constitution. lie trusted tie
House would not overlook tie quarter
whence TINS project proceeded, that they
| would examine milo The nature and ten
dency OF the plans connected with IT, and
Tie character OF the wrIT:Dgs by winch
they are supported, before they would
open tic Constitution 10 those StaieAr-
chItects, who have no speculation but pri-
vaie interest, no principle but indIy dual
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. lie had little doubt
but that agIiaiing tue question at pres. ut
| tended materially 10 assrlvale the public
| distress, and that # a.IN Dae Of Ike theories
acei'e adOpted, Il ,0Omid tsI7n,MGte an tuireyyat
d,sf'TctsOM.-( Hear heariJ
Inc Petition was ordered TO lie on the
| table.
Sir +. Burdctt rose TO present petition
upon tie subject of parliamentary reform.
from the inhabitants OF Wakefield and
( r. 10. l,.,J 81
the same part of the country, upon HE
same subject. and he took that Opportuni-
t. OF protesting against doctrine, with
respect 10 the presenting petitions which
had recently been urged. He considered
II as throwing an unfair Onus upon the
shoulders OF members III that house. who.
III the exercise of their duty, rccei, ed
petitions from tile people, and presented
them there: it formed likewise an inpe-
diment to the exercise Of that right OF
petltioniDg which ever Ensli~ hman pos
sessed. lie begged leave distinctly 10
state, that he al not thought il lis duty
10 read the petition he then held in his
hand. lie had merely locked 10 what
was IFS prayer, ami lis general ,lnpori
he nad not examined whether ihe Ian
guage was suchas the house might deem
offensive: nor, indeed, did he think he
should be acting fairly, If he presumed 10
intercept, by any exercise OF his private
Judgment and discretion. the right OF fhe
petitioners TO appeal 10 that house il,
whatever way they thought most likely
to obtain their end Ii Was the dut, o,
mbers to present petitions when then
fellow subjects requested it, and 10 Icat,
, II TO the house TO determine whethel
they should he received or not. At1ht
same time, however, he must observe
that he thought the right of rejecting
petition, as exercised by the house, d
very questionable PR, Hedge.
The speaker stated il TO be the csfa
r bllshed custom OF the Louise, lhat mem.
bers should read the petitions they pre-.
scnted, and see that their language was
respectful.
Sir F. Burdctt said he had read the
prayer ofihe Petition, and was moi aware
ofany thing disrespectlul in The language
oft.
The Speaker" Tic Hon. Baron,f lac
Sd d c,rr' thing required by tire u 5u~
lie has stated the substance of the Pc.
tiiiou, and that to the best Of ms iud,r
ment, It contains nothing disrespccttuI.
Sir +. Rmdett-" dO.not mean 10 sd,
that | have read all these Petitions tina
would indeed be severe task. for So ma
ny of them have been trusted lo nv care
that tho readingof Them all would occu
py the whole fine OF the Session"