House of Lords Journal Volume 62: 22 June 1830

Die Martis, 22 Junii 1830.

DOMINI tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

E. of Shaftesbury chosen Speaker pro tempore.

The Lord Chancellor not being present, and The Lord Tenterden and The Lord Wynford, appointed Speakers by His Majesty's Commissions, being absent, the Lords unanimously chose The Earl of Shaftesbury to be Speaker pro tempore:

And his Lordship took his Seat upon the Woolsack accordingly.

PRAYERS.

21st & 22d Reports concerning Charities delivered.

The Lord Speaker laid before the House, pursuant to an Address to His Majesty of Friday last,

"The Twenty-first and Twenty-second Reports of the Commissioners for inquiring concerning Charities in England."

And the Titles thereof being read by the Clerk;

Ordered, That the said Reports do lie on the Table.

Ordered, That the said Reports be printed.

Bankers (Ireland) Bill.

Ordered, That the Bill, intituled, "An Act to explain Two Acts of His present Majesty, for establishing an Agreement with The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland, for advancing the Sum of Five hundred thousand Pounds Irish Currency, and for the better Regulation of Copartnerships of certain Bankers in Ireland," be read a Second Time To-morrow.

Transportation of Offenders Bill.

Ordered, That the Bill, intituled, "An Act to amend an Act passed in the Fifth Year of His present Majesty, for the Transportation of Offenders from Great Britain; and for punishing Offences committed by Transports kept to labour in the Colonies," be read a Second Time To-morrow.

Insolvent Debtors Bill.

Ordered, That the Report of the Amendments made by the Committee of the Whole House to the Bill, intituled, "An Act to continue for Two Years, and from thence to the End of the then next Session of Parliament, and amend, the Laws for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors in England," be received To-morrow.

Forgeries Bill, Petitions in favor of: (Baptist Chapel, College St. Northampton:) Dissenters, Uxbridge:

Upon reading the Petition of the Protestant Dissenters who meet for Religious Worship at the Baptist Chapel in College Street, Northampton, and others, whose Names are thereunto subscribed:

Also, Upon reading the Petition of the Protestant Dissenters residing at Uxbridge and its Vicinity, whose Names are thereunto subscribed:

Norwich:

Also, Upon reading the Petition of the Magistrates, Clergy, Merchants, Bankers and other Inhabitants of the City of Norwich and its Environs, whose Names are thereunto subscribed:

Uxbridge:

And also, Upon reading the Petition of the Members of the Established Church of England residing at Uxbridge and its Vicinity, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; taking notice of a Bill depending in this House, intituled, An Act for reducing into One Act all such Forgeries as shall henceforth be punished with Death, and for otherwise amending the Laws relative to Forgery;" and severally praying their Lordships, "That the same may pass into a Law:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petitions do lie on the Table.

Baptists, Northampton.

Upon reading the Petition of the Protestant Dissenters of the General Baptist Denomination, Northampton, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; taking notice of the last-mentioned Bill, and praying their Lordships "for ever to abolish the Capital Punishment for Forgery, except in reference to Wills:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Criminal Laws, Petitions for Alteration of: (Bury Street Chapel, St. Mary Axe, London:)

Upon reading the Petition of the Minister and Congregation assembling for Divine Worship in Bury Street, Saint Mary Axe, London, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to repeal the Punishment of Death in all Cases of Crimes against Property, but especially on the Crime of Forgery:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Baptists, Bristol:

Upon reading the Petition of the Members of the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters of the Baptist Denomination meeting in Broadmead, Bristol, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships to take into their Consideration the Propriety of abolishing the Punishment of Death altogether for the Offence of Forgery, and of substituting such other Penalty as to their Wisdom shall seem meet:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Cheltenham:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of Cheltenham and its Vicinity, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to adopt such Measures as in their Wisdom shall seem meet for the Removal of that sanguinary and self-embarrassing Feature, the Punishment of Forgery by Death, from our Penal Code, and for the Adoption of such in lieu thereof as shall be at once found more in accordance with the Principles of Humanity and sound Policy:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Independents, Croydon:

Upon reading the Petition of the Members of the Independent Congregation at Croydon, in the County of Surrey, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying, That their Lordships will permit the Substitution of some other Penalty for that of Death in Cases of Forgery, the Petitioners being convinced that such a Measure is best calculated to secure the Punishment of Offenders, and thereby prevent the Commission of the Crime:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Bridgwater:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of Bridgwater and its Neighbourhood, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships, "That the Penalty of Death for the heinous Offence of Forgery may be commuted in such Manner as may appear to the Legislature best adapted to effect the better Protection of Property, and the Diminution of Crime:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Nantwich:

Upon reading the Petition of the Magistrates, Clergy, Gentry, Bankers and others of the Town of Nantwich and its Vicinity, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying, "That their Lordships may be induced to try the Operation of a Penal Code, which, while it touches Life with a very sparing Hand, and never in Cases of Property, shall visit Crime with wholesome Penalties, and correct by such a merciful Discipline as the humane Executive can unhesitatingly inflict, but which will, in the Belief of the Petitioners, be more dreaded by the ill-disposed, and thereby more effectually deter from the Commission of Crime, than all the Rigours of the present System:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Bartholomew Street Chapel, Exeter:

Upon reading the Petition of the Members of the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters assembling for Religious Worship in the Baptist Chapel, Bartholomew Street, Exeter, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying, "That their Lordships will take into their serious Consideration the Laws relating to Forgery, and make such Alterations therein as they may deem fit, so that the Punishment of Death may cease to be the Penalty inflicted on those unhappy Subjects of His Majesty's Dominions who are guilty of that Crime:"

"It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Leeds:

Upon reading the Petition of the Members of the Society of Friends, and others professing with them, in Leeds, in the County of York, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships, "That in revising the Laws relating to Forgery they will seriously weigh the various Objections which may be urged against the Punishment of Death, and abolish it altogether for that Offence; and whilst the Petitioners rejoice at the Progress recently made in lessening the Severity of the Penal Code, they ardently desire that their Lordships may persevere in its further Amelioration, and whilst legislating for a Christian People, consider the important Subject of taking away Life in any Case whatever, which the Petitioners believe to be solely the Prerogative of Him who gave it, and enact such other Modes of Punishment as may be more proportionate to the Nature of Offences, more calculated by their certain and uniform Infliction to prevent Crime, and more in accordance with the Doctrine of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Stockport:

Upon reading the Petition of the Magistrates, Clergy, Merchants, Bankers and others, Inhabitants of the Town of Stockport and its Environs, in the County of Chester, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to affix to the Crime of Forgery some Punishment short of that of Death; the present Laws being found unavailing for the Protection of Property, and numerous Instances of detected Forgery being passed by without Prosecution, the tender Consciences of the injured Persons preventing their taking the Life of the Offenders:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Colchester:

Upon reading the Petition of the Members of the Church of England, Inhabitant Householders of Colchester and its Vicinity, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to take that Part of the Criminal Law relating to Forgery into their immediate and serious Consideration, and repeal such Part as enacts Death for that Crime, and substitute a Punishment free from Objection on the Part of Prosecutors, and consequently more certain of following the Commission of Crime:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Bankers in various Places.

Upon reading the Petition of the Bankers established in the Cities and Towns of Edinburgh, Dublin, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, Belfast, Birmingham, Lichfield, Wednesbury, Bilston, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Bristol, Bath, Leith, Huddersfield, Merfield, Wakefield, Dewesbury, Leeds, Plymouth, Devonport, Tavistock, Portsmouth, Norwich, Sheffield, Rotherham, Nottingham, Sunderland, Newcastle on Tyne, Durham, Darlington, Stockton, Richmond, Leyburn, Ripon, Knaresborough, Borough-Bridge, Thirsk, Aberdeen, Paisley, Tiverton, Collumpton, Honiton, Barnstaple, Ilfracombe, Bideford, Torrington, Totness, Newton Abbott, Exeter, York, Yarmouth, Beccles, Stockport, Wigan, Worcester, Evesham, Ipswich, Needham Market, Woodbridge, Hadleigh, Manningtree, Banbury, Shipston, Bicester, Oxford, Carlisle, Brighton, Lewes, Reading, Maidenhead, Henley, Windsor, Lynn Regis, Canterbury, Lancaster, Chelmsford, Winchester, Southampton, Bury Saint Edmunds, Guildford, Kendal, Chippenham, Salisbury, Ringwood, Poole, Bradford (Yorkshire,) Halifax, Wakefield, Pontefract, Doncaster, Barnsley, Derby, Inverness, Burton on Trent, Leighton Buzzard, Newport Pagnel, Burslem, Hitchin, Bedford, Newbury, Avingdon, Wallingford, Uxbridge, Farringdon, Wisbeach, Truro, Falmouth, Penzance, Helston, Penrith, Kerkby Thuce, Workington, Chesterfield, Teignmouth, Kingsbridge, Dartmouth, Bridport, Yeovil, Dorchester, Blandford, Harwich, Saffron-Walden, Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Cirencester, Tetbury, Burford, Dursley, Romsey, Basingstoke, Odiham, Hereford, Ross, Dickenfield, Leominster, Ledbury, Royston, Hemel Hempstead, Gloucester, Stroud, Dartford, Ramsgate, Margate, Deal, Boston, Spalding, South Spilsby, Horncastle, Staines, Newport (Monmouthshire,) Monmouth, Chepstow, Diss, Northampton, Towcester, Wellingborough, Daventry, Wellington (Shropshire,) Shiffnal, Coalbrookdale, Bridgenorth, Wenlock, Trowbridge, Wells, Frome, Wiveliscombe, Wellington (Somerset,) Taunton, Leek, Congleton, Halesworth, Sudbury, Stow Market, Reigate, Croydon, Dorking, Rye, Hastings, Kirkbylonsdale, Swinden, Malmesbury, Marlborough, Melksham, Devizes, Stourbridge, Skipton, Settle, Selby, Howden, Scarborough, Malton, Whitby, Ponty-pool, Abergavenny, Brecon, Carmarthen, Swansea, Neath, Haverford West, Annan, Cupar, Auchtermuchty, Dumbarton, Elgin, Forfar, Galashiels, Jedburgh, Kirkaldy and Wigtoun (Scotland,) whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying, "That their Lordships will not withhold from them that Protection to their Property which they would derive from a more lenient Law than that inflicting Death for Forgery:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Vestry Act, (Ireland,) Petition from Borris for Repeal of.

Upon reading the Petition of the Roman Catholic Inhabitants of the Parish of Borris, County of Carlow, Ireland, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to repeal the Vestry Act, Ireland, and by so doing remove the Cause of angry Strife and perpetual Contention from amongst the Roman Catholics and their Protestant Brethren:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

East India, &c. Trade, Petition from Paisley for opening, referred to East India Com ee.

Upon reading the Petition of The Provost, Baillies and Counsel of the Burgh of Paisley, in Council assembled, under their Common Seal; praying their Lordships, That, on Expiry of the Charter of The East India Company, such Measures may be adopted as shall be consistent with the Safety of our Eastern Empire, secure to His Majesty's Subjects an unrestricted Right of Trade with China and the East Indies, and full Liberty of Residence in India:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition do lie on the Table.

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Select Committee appointed to enquire into the present State of the Affairs of The East India Company, and into the Trade between Great Britain, the East Indies and China.

Woollen Rags, & Wool, Accounts respecting, Ordered.

Ordered, That there be laid before this House, "An Account of Woollen Rags imported into this Country, from the Year 1828 to the Year 1830, both inclusive; also, An Account of the Duty paid on the above:"

Also, "An Account of the Quantity of Sheep and Lambs Wool annually imported from the Year 1828 to the Year 1830, both inclusive, distinguishing the Country from which it has been imported, and each Year's Importation; also, The Amount of Duties levied on the above, distinguishing the Year:"

And also, "A Return of the Quantity of Sheep and Lambs Wool that has been exported from the Year 1828 to the Year 1830, both inclusive; distinguishing the Country to which it has been exported."

The House was adjourned during Pleasure.

The House was resumed by The Lord Chancellor.

Parochial Registers (Scotland) Bill.

The Earl of Shaftesbury (according to Order) reported the Amendments made by the Committee of the Whole House to the Bill, intituled, "An Act for the better Regulation of Parochial Registers in Scotland, and for the general recording of such Registrations in the Office of The Lord Clerk Register in Edinburgh."

Which Amendments, being read Twice by the Clerk, were agreed to by the House.

Then several Amendments were made by the House to the said Bill.

Ordered, That the said Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed.

East Retford Election Bill, 6th Report from Com ee on Expences of Witnesses.

The Earl of Shaftesbury reported from the Lords Committees appointed a Select Committee to enquire respecting the Expences of the Witnesses on the Bill, intituled, An Act to prevent Bribery and Corruption in the Election of Burgesses to serve in Parliament for the Borough of East Retford;" and to report from Time to Time as to what it may be proper to do therein; "That the Committee had again met, and had inspected an Account delivered in by The Serjeant at Arms of the House of Lords, of Charges and Expences attending the serving of the Witnesses on the said Bill with the Orders of the House; which Account amounts to the Sum of Four hundred Pounds Five Shillings and One Penny; and the Committee are of Opinion, That it is proper that the said Account should be allowed."

Which Report, being read by the Clerk, was agreed to by the House.

Bogs Draining (Ireland) Bill, Lords added to Com ee on.

Ordered, That The Marquess of Salisbury and The Earl De Lawarr be added to the Select Committee appointed to consider of the Bill, intituled, "An Act for the draining and allotting the Bogs of Ireland."

J. Sheehan's Petition respecting the Loan to the Corporation of Derry, withdrawn.

A Petition of John Sheehan, praying their Lordships to institute an Enquiry into the Circumstances attending the Loan from Government to the Corporation of Derry, towards building a Bridge," being offered to be presented to the House;

The same was (by Leave of the House) withdrawn, being irregular.

Forgeries Bill.

The Order of the Day being read for the Second Reading of the Bill, intituled, "An Act for reducing into One Act all such Forgeries as shall henceforth be punished with Death, and for otherwise amending the Laws relating to Forgery;" and for the Lords to be summoned;

It was moved, "That the said Bill be now read a Second Time."

The Question was put thereupon?

It was resolved in the Affirmative.

Then the said Bill was read a Second Time.

Ordered, That the said Bill be committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Ordered, That the House be put into a Committee upon the said Bill on Monday next; and that the Lords be summoned.

East Retford Election Bill.

The Order of the Day being read for the further Consideration and Second Reading of the Bill, intituled, "An Act to prevent Bribery and Corruption in the Election of Burgesses to serve in Parliament for the Borough of East Retford;" and for the Lords to be summoned; and for hearing Counsel on the Petition of the Burgesses of the Borough of East Retford, in the County of Nottingham, whose Names are thereunto subscribed, praying their Lordships, "That the said Bill may not pass into a Law;"

Counsel were accordingly called in.

And the Counsel for the Petitioners against the Bill requesting further Time to adduce Evidence on their Behalf;

The Counsel were directed to withdraw.

Ordered, That the further Consideration and Second Reading of the said Bill be put off to Friday next; and that the Lords be summoned.

Adjourn.

Dominus Cancellarius declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque ad et in diem Mercurii, vicesimum tertium diem instantis Junii, horâ decimâ Auroræ, Dominis sic decernentibus.