House of Lords Journal Volume 63: 1 March 1831

Die Martis, 1°Martii 1831.

DOMINI tam Spirituales quam Temporales præsentes fuerunt:

PRAYERS.

The Lord Wynford sat Speaker by virtue of a former Commission.

J. & W. Dixon v. The Monkland Navigation Co.

The Answer of the Company of Proprietors of the Monkland Navigation to the Petition and Appeal of John and William Dixon Esquires, of the Calder Coal and Iron Works, Sons and Disponees and Representatives of the late William Dixon Esquire, of the Calder Coal and Iron Works, was this Day brought in.

Galbraith v. Galbraith:

After hearing Counsel, as well on Tuesday the 14th and Wednesday the 22d Days of December last, Friday the 18th and Tuesday the 22d Days of February last, as on this Day, upon the Petition and Appeal of James Galbraith, eldest lawful Son of the deceased Archibald Galbraith, late Farmer in Honeyholm, and John Galbraith senior, Cloth Merchant in Glasgow, Administrator in Law to the said James Galbraith, with Concurrence of Sir William Rae of St. Catherines, His Majesty's Advocate; complaining of Three Interlocutors of the Lord Ordinary in Scotland, of the 25th of November and 20th of December 1823, and of 18th of May 1824; and also of Three Interlocutors of the Lords of Session there, of the Second Division, of the 28th of January 1825, and of 20th of June and of 4th July 1826; and praying, "That the same might be reversed, varied or altered, or that the Appellants might have such Relief in the Premises, as to this House, in their Lordships great Wisdom, should seem meet;" as also upon the Answer of Richard Galbraith Esquire, of Cappahard, in the County of Galway in Ireland, put in to the said Appeal; and due Consideration had of what was offered on either Side in this Cause:

Interlocutors Affirmed.

It is Ordered and Adjudged, by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, That the said Petition and Appeal be, and is hereby dismissed this House, and that the Interlocutors therein complained of, be, and the same are hereby Affirmed.

The House was adjourned during Pleasure.

The House was resumed by The Lord Chancellor.

Reform of Parliament, Petitions in favor of: (Basingstoke:)

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town and Neighbourhood of Basingstoke, in the County of Southampton, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to concur heartily with His Majesty's Ministers in repairing the Defects of the British Constitution, and especially in accomplishing such a Reform of Parliament as will satisfy the Wishes of all reasonable Men, and meet, or at least approach towards meeting, the vast Alteration which Time and the Diffusion of Knowledge have produced in the Political Opinions and social Condition of the whole civilized World:"

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

Cork:

Upon reading the Petition of the Citizens of Cork, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "for the utter Abolition of the System of Borough Representation, the Extension or considerable Reduction of the present Qualification of Members of Parliament as to Property, a very considerable Extension of the Right of Suffrage, the Introduction of the Method of voting by Ballot, the Substitution of frequent for Septennial Parliaments, and the Grant of a suitable Sum out of the Public Treasury to each Member of Parliament, while on his Way to and returning from the House of Commons, as well as during his Attendance in performing his Parliamentary Duties:"

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

Headcorn:

Upon reading the Petition of the Farmers and other Inhabitants of Headcorn, in the County of Kent, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "for a full, free and effectual Reform in the Commons House of Parliament, a Reform that will satisfy the just and anxious Expectations of the Country: That, in order to get rid of the enormous National Debt, all that Public Property which is commonly called Church Property and Crown Lands may be appropriated for that Purpose: That their Lordships will fully and entirely restore those great Constitutional Rights which the People of this Country formerly indisputably possessed; (viz ^t.) the Right of having Triennial Parliaments, as recognized by the great Constitutional Act, the 6th of William and Mary, Chap. 2d; the Right of having all Placemen dismissed from the Commons House of Parliament, agreeably to the great Constitutional Act of Settlement, which placed the present illustrious Family on the Throne; and also the Right of having the large Towns and populous Districts of the Country represented in the Commons House of Parliament, in the Place of all the decayed Boroughs; and that their Lordships will secure to the People the Freedom of Election, preventing Bribery and Corruption, preventing the wealthy and powerful from evading and usurping the Right of the People in choosing their own Representatives, by a well organized System of voting by Ballot:"

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

Western Division of Sussex:

Upon reading the Petition of the Farmers, Agriculturists and others holding and occupying Lands and Premises within the Western Division of the County of Sussex, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "for a thorough and effectual Reform in the Commons House of Parliament; and that their Lordships will take the Law of Tithes under their most serious Consideration, and devise Means to remedy so great an Evil, and which the Petitioners believe might justly be done by a Commutation of Tithes proportioned or valued by the Ratio of Rents:"

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

Stoke Holy Cross:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of Stoke Holy Cross, in the County of Norfolk, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to abolish the Tax on Malt, Hops, Soap, Candles, Coals, Sugar and Windows, and on all other Articles necessary for the Use of the Middle and Working Classes of the Community; to repeal the Game Laws; to commute the Tithes; to apply the superabundant Wealth of the Church to the Exigencies of the State; to place Manorial Rights on an equitable Basis; to remove all Clergymen from the Offices of Justices of the Peace; and lastly, to adopt such Measures as will ensure to the devoted Inhabitants of these Realms such a Commons House of Parliament as the Laws of this Country declare to be the Right of Britons:"

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

Warwick:

Upon reading the Petition of the Burgesses and Inhabitants of the Borough of Warwick, in the County of Warwick, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships, "That they may be spared the further Misery of the following Abuses; the wasteful Expenditure of the Public Money; the enormous Expences incurred for Wars carried on against the Rights and Liberties of Mankind; the Expence of supporting unnecessarily a large Standing Army during Fifteen Years of undisturbed Peace; and the extravagant and unmerited Salaries, Sinecures and Pensions paid to Public Men, their Wives, their Daughters and their Relations; and protected against similar Inflictions for the future by such an effectual and substantial Reform in the Representation, as shall give to the People their due Influence in the State, and which, in the Opinion of the Petitioners, can only be obtained by the Vote by Ballot:"

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

Manchester:

Upon reading the Petition of the Merchants, Manufacturers and other Inhabitants of Manchester, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships for a Reform in the Commons House of Parliament, including such an Extension of the Elective Franchise as shall render the Members of the House of Commons not merely the nominal but the real Representatives of the People; that the Duration of Parliaments may be shortened, so as to give the Electors a frequent Opportunity of confirming or altering their Choice of Representatives, according to the Manner in which those Representatives may have fulfilled the Duties of their important Office; and that, for the Purpose of putting an End to the shameful Corruption which is notoriously practised in the Election of Members of Parliament, and of securing to every Voter the free and unbiassed Exercise of his Right of Choice, the Mode of Election may in all Cases be by Ballot:"

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

Salford:

Upon reading the Petition of the Boroughreeve, Constables, Clergy, Churchwarden, Overseers of the Poor, and other Inhabitants of the Borough of Salford, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships, "That there may be conferred on the Inhabitants of Salford the Right of electing Members to represent them in the Commons House of Parliament:"

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

Halifax:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town and Neighbourhood of Halifax, in the West Riding of the County of York, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships, "That where the Elective Franchise is vested in the Members of close Corporations it may be abolished, and conferred upon large Commercial Towns and populous Manufacturing Districts which are unrepresented except through the Members of their respective Counties, and that where such Franchise is confined to a comparative small Number of the Inhabitants of large Towns, the Municipal Rights may be enlarged and extended so as to include the general Body of those who contribute to the Support of the State; that in any Distribution of the Elective Franchise which it may be thought advisable to grant to large Towns and Districts now unrepresented, the Town and Parish of Halifax, containing a Population of upwards of One hundred thousand Souls, may be deemed entitled to this distinguished Privilege; that the Efficacy of the Vote by Ballot may be put to the Test of Experiment in any Reform which the Legislature may think proper to introduce into the Mode of taking the Polls in large Towns already represented, and in those to which the Elective Franchise may be extended; and that in the Election of Members for Counties, and more especially for the County of York, where many of the Freeholders are now obliged to travel from Fifty to Sixty Miles, (operating as a virtual Disfranchisement,) the Votes may be taken as near as practicable to the Places of their respective Abodes, and on one and the same Day throughout the County:"

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

Elland-cum-Greetland:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Township of Elland-cum-Greetland, in the Parish of Halifax, in the West Riding of the County of York, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships for such a Reform in the Commons House of Parliament as shall put the People in Possession of their just and constitutional Right in the Choice of their Representatives; that their Lordships may place them in such Circumstances as shall enable them to exercise their Elective Franchise in such Manner as may least expose them to the Influence of Corruption and Risk of Loss; for the Abolition of all Sinecures and unnecessary Pensions; for the Reduction of those Taxes. which press most heavily on the productive Interests of the Country; and for the speedy Extinction of all Monopolies, but more especially of that on Corn; and that in any Distribution of the Elective Franchise which their Lordships may think it advisable to grant to large Towns or Districts now unrepresented, the Parish of Halifax, containing a Population of upwards of One hundred thousand Souls, may be deemed entitled to this distinguished Privilege:"

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

Wakefield:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of Wakefield and its Vicinity, in the County of York, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships to render the House of Commons in Fact what it is in Theory-the real Representative of the People, having the same Interests and actuated by the same Feelings; and that, in order to accomplish this, the Duration of Parliaments may be shortened, the close and rotten Boroughs annihilated, the Elective Franchise extended to as large a Body of the People as can constitutionally be done, the Modes of Election so arranged that every Voter may have the Opportunity of giving his Suffrage near the Place of his Abode, that every Election in the United Empire may be begun and ended in one and the same Day, and that the Vote be by Ballot:"

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

Haslingden:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town and Neighbourhood of Haslingden, in the County of Lancaster, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to use their best Endeavours to forward the laudable Intentions of His Majesty's Ministers to pursue Measures of unsparing Retrenchment and rigid Economy, in husbanding the Public Resources, to submit a Plan of Reform in the System of National Representation, and to adopt such Measures as will speedily admit the People to a full, free, fair and equal Participation in the Elective Franchise, and so to frame, shape and arrange such Measures that Bribery, Corruption and other Abuses may, as far as possible, be prevented, the Public Welfare generally consulted, Retrenchment and Economy effectually secured, and Confidence in the Legislature fully restored:"

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

Lymington:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of Lymington, in the County of Southampton, and its Environs, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships, "That not only the Elective Franchise may be placed on a more extended and equitable Basis, but that also the Freedom and Purity of Elections may be better secured by adopting the System of Vote by Ballot:"

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

Luton:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town and Parish of Luton, in the County of Bedford, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to use their constituted Power for the Suppression of the Evils accruing from the defective Representation of the People in Parliament, and from Corruption, Bribery, Coercion and Tumult consequent upon the present System of Elections; that the Vote may be by Ballot; and that a Restoration of the ancient Right of Triennial or more frequent Parliaments; may be secured to them; that their Lordships will seriously investigate the present System of Tithes, and substitute some other and more equal Method of supplying the Means of supporting the Ecclesiastical Establishment, and that their Abolition may be effected so far as it is compatible with the Safety of the State; and that such a Reduction of Pensions and Sinecures may be made as to allow, at least, of a partial Repeal of the Duties upon Sea-borne Coals, Malt and the Assessed Taxes, pressing so heavily upon the poorer Classes of the Community:"

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

WottonUnderedge:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Wotton-Underedge, in the County of Gloucester, and its Vicinity, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships, "That such Alterations may be made in the present State of the Representation of the People as shall restore to them a proper Voice and Interest in the Legislature; and that the Vote be taken by Ballot:"

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

Penzance.

Upon, reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Penzance, in the County of Cornwall, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to support and assist His Majesty's Ministers in effecting a thorough Reform in the Representation of the People in the Commons House of Parliament, including the Vote by Ballot, in making all practical Reductions in the Public Burthens, and in securing the most rigid Economy in every Department of the National Expenditure:"

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

Parliamentary & Scotch Burghs Reform, &c. Petitions from Banff & Auchtermuchty in favor of.

Upon reading the Petition of the Burgesses, Freemen and Householders of the Royal Burgh of Banff, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships to take the State of the Representation of the People of Scotland into Consideration, and to take such wise and temperate Measures for improving the Municipal Government of the Burghs, and extending the Elective Franchise, as will secure to the People a full, fair and free Representation in Parliament, and preserve at the same Time the Genius and Spirit of the Constitution inviolate:"

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

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Royal Burghs of Auchtermuchty and its Vicinity, composing the Auchtermuchty Political Union, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to lessen immediately, as much as possible, the Burthen of Taxation, to introduce a real and rigid Economy into every Department of the Public Expenditure, greatly to extend the Elective Franchise, to shorten the Duration of Parliaments, and grant the Privilege of voting by Ballot; and also to confer on all Householders, at least of the Scottish Royal Burghs, the Power of Annually electing their own Town Councils and Magistrates; and to render all the Elections of Members of Parliament and Magistrates of Burghs direct:"

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

Malt Duty, Petition from Faringdon, &c. for Repeal of, & for Retrenchment.

Upon reading the Petition of the Proprietors and Occupiers of Land and other Inhabitants of the Hundreds of Faringdon, Shrivenham, Ganfield and Wantage, in the County of Berks, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to pass a Law for the early and total Abolition of the Malt Tax; and that their Lordships will consult the best Interests of the Throne, the Altar and the People by careful Retrenchment, by the most rigid Avoidance of the smallest unnecessary Expence in the Public Expenditure, and by reducing Taxation to the narrowest possible Limit consistent with the Well-being of the Country:"

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

Slavery, Petitions for Abolition of: (Donegal:)

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Donegal, in the County of Donegal, whose Names are thereunto subscribed:

Inner:

Also, Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Parish of the Inner, in the County of Donegal, whose Names are thereunto subscribed:

Killybegs:

Also, Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Killybegs, in the County of Donegal, whose Names are thereunto subscribed:

St. George's, Dublin:

Also, Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Parish of St. George, in the City and County of Dublin, and others, whose Names are thereunto subscribed:

Skibbereen:

And also, Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Skibbereen, in the County of Cork, and its Vicinity, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; severally praying, "That their Lordships will take decisive and effectual Measures for the immediate and total Extinction of Slavery in the British Colonies:"

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

Sutton Coldfield:

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town and Parish of Sutton Coldfield, in the County of Warwick, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to take the Subject of Slavery into their earliest Consideration, for the Purpose of providing an effectual Remedy for Evils which ought never to have existed in British Dependencies, and of bringing, by legal Enactment, such a State of Oppression and Bondage to an immediate Termination:"

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

St. Alkmond's, Shrewsbury.

Upon reading the Petition of the Minister, Churchwardens and Parishioners of St. Alkmond's, Shrewsbury, and others, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to take immediate Measures to put the speediest possible End to so manifest, so intolerable and so unchristian an Injustice as Slavery:"

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

Sugar produced by Free Labourers, Petition from Skibbereen to take off Duty on.

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Skibbereen, in the County of Cork, and its Vicinity, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to take off the Duties now levied upon all Sugar imported from British Colonies and other Places where it is produced by free Labourers, protecting Sugar produced by Slaves; and to remove all other Impediments to the free Introduction into Great Britain and Ireland of that Commodity:"

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

Idolatrous Practices in India, Petition from Coventry for abolishing.

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the City of Coventry, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to adopt such Measures as may speedily abolish the Murder of Infants in India, the Exposure of the Sick, the pernicious Connexion with and Support of Idolatry existing in the East, and the Alteration of such Laws as now affect the Religious and Civil Liberty of Converts from Islamism and Hindoism, and thus remove the Stigma now attaching to our National Character by tacitly sanctioning and perpetuating those Evils; and that whatever Regulations it may be expedient to adopt at the present Period for the future Intercourse of British Subjects with China, no Steps may be taken which shall in any Way prevent Christians of every Denomination from directing their benevolent Attention to the Introduction of Christianity into that Idolatrous Empire:"

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

Galway Elective Franchise, Petition from Bottermore for Extension of.

Upon reading the Petition of the Roman Catholic Inhabitants of the Parish of Bottermore, in the County of the Town of Galway, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying, "That their Lordships will equalize Civil Rights in Galway, by extending to the Roman Catholic Mercantile and Trading Classes the Elective Franchise in as full and ample a Manner as the same is now enjoyed by Protestants:"

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

Vote by Ballot & Universal Suffrage, Petition from Bristol against.

Upon reading the Petition of the Magistrates, Clergy, Merchants, Bankers, Householders, Freeholders, Free Burgesses and Inhabitants of the City of Bristol and its Vicinity, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships, "That in the Measures to be adopted for effecting any Amendments in our Representative System, which Lapse of Time or a Change of Circumstances may render expedient, the utmost Care may be taken by their Lordships to avoid the Admission of any novel and visionary Principles opposed to the Spirit of our Constitution, and dangerous to its Stability; and more especially that all Attempts to introduce any new Laws for the Establishment of Vote by Ballot or Universal Suffrage may be met by a firm and decisive Rejection:"

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

One Shilling Duty on Coals carried Coastwise, Petitions for Repeal of: (Coal Traders of Newcastle upon Tyne;) of the Tyne; and of South Shields.

Upon reading the Petition of the Coal Owners, Ship Owners, Merchants and other Persons interested in the Trade of the Port of Newcastle upon Tyne, whose Names are thereunto subscribed:

Also, Upon reading the Petition of the Merchants and others interested in the Trade of the River Tyne, whose Names are thereunto subscribed:

And also, Upon reading the Petition of the Ship Owners and others interested in the Coal Trade between the Port of Newcastle and the Southern and Western Ports of the Empire, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; severally praying their Lordships, "That the Duty of One Shilling per Newcastle Chaldron on Coals sent Coastwise by Sea from the Port of Newcastle, called the Richmond Shilling, may be forthwith repealed:"

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

Canada Lands Bill.

The House (according to Order) was adjourned during Pleasure, and put into a Committee upon the Bill, intituled, "An Act to explain and amend the Laws relating to Lands holden in Free and Common Soccage in the Province of Lower Canada."

After some Time, the House was resumed:

And The Earl of Shaftesbury reported from the Committee, "That they had gone through the Bill, and directed him to report the same to the House, without any Amendment."

Ordered, That the said Bill be ingrossed.

Dartford Road Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for repairing the Road leading from Dartford to Sevenoaks, in the County of Kent."

Ordered, That the said Bill be committed to the Consideration of the Lords following:

Their Lordships, or any Five of them, to meet Tomorrow, at Ten o'Clock in the Forenoon, in the Prince's Lodgings, near the House of Peers; and to adjourn as they please.

Birmingham Grammar School Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act to enable the Governors of the Possessions, Revenues and Goods of the Free Grammar School of King Edward the Sixth in Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, to erect a School House, Masters Houses and other suitable Accommodations for the said School on a new Site in the Vicinity of the Town of Birmingham, and to extend the Objects of the Charity; and for other Purposes."

Ordered, That the said Bill be committed to the Consideration of the Lords Committees aforenamed:

Their Lordships, or any Five of them, to meet on Monday the 14th of this instant March, at the usual Time and Place; and to adjourn as they please.

Maddison's Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for rendering valid the Supplementary Award of the Commissioners under an Act of the Fifty-ninth Year of King George the Third, intituled, "An Act for inclosing Lands in the Parish of Alvingham, in the County of Lincoln."

Ordered, That the said Bill be committed to the Consideration of the Lords Committees aforenamed:

Their Lordships, or any Five of them, to meet on the same Day, at the same Place; and to adjourn as they please.

Exchequer Bills Bill.

Hodie 2^a vice lecta est Billa, intituled, "An Act for raising the Sum of Twelve Millions by Exchequer Bills, for the Service of the Year One thousand eight hundred and thirty-one."

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 To-morrow.

Poor Rate Returns 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 procuring Returns to Parliament Annually of the Amount and Application of the Monies collected by the Poor Rates in the several Parishes in England and Wales."

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

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

Sir M. P. Stewart v. Porterfield, Respondent's Petition to lodge his Case, referred to Appeal Com ee.

Upon reading the Petition of James Corbet Porterfield Esquire, Respondent in a Cause depending in this House, to which Sir Michael Porterfield Shaw Stewart Baronet is Appellant; praying, "That their Lordships will grant him Leave to deposit his Case:"

It is Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the Committee appointed to consider of the Causes in which Prints of the Appellants and Respondents Cases, now depending in this House in Matters of Appeals and Writs of Error, have not been delivered, pursuant to the Standing Orders of this House.

Lunatics Bill.

The Order of the Day being read for the House to be put into a Committee upon the Bill, intituled, "An Act to diminish the Inconvenience and Expence of Commissions in the nature of Writs De lunatico inquirendo; and to provide for the better Care and Treatment of Idiots, Lunatics and Persons of unsound Mind, found such by Inquisition;" and for the Lords to be summoned;

Ordered, That the House be put into a Committee upon the said Bill To-morrow; and that the Lords be summoned.

Frauds on Creditors, Petition of J. Smyth respecting.

Upon reading the Petition of John Smyth Esquire, praying their Lordships, "That some Means may be adopted to compel Debtors, who abscond and remain out of the Country, to give up their Property to their Creditors; and that those who are in Receipt of large Government Allowances may also be compelled to give up the same, or a Moiety of the same, to the Payment of their just Debts; and that Creditors whose Debtors abscond be not barred by the Statute of Limitations:"

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

Conduct of Attornies & Forms of Law, Burt's Petition respecting.

Upon reading the Petition of John Burt, late of Stonehouse, East Grinstead, County of Sussex, now of Bankside, in the Borough of Southwark, complaining of the Conduct of Attornies; and praying, "That their Lordships will be pleased to amend and correct the Forms of the various Courts of Law, as well as the Law itself wherever it is deficient; and particularly that their Lordships will be pleased to empower the Courts to investigate the Conduct of Solicitors drawing Wills for their Clients in their own Favor, on the simple Statement of Facts made by the suffering Clients themselves, in order that the Petitioner and his Family, and all other similar Sufferers may obtain Redress, and that His Majesty's Subjects may no longer be imposed on and defrauded of their Property by such demoralizing Abuses so contrary to the true Principles of Liberty and Justice:"

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

General Register Office, Petition from Beverley against Establishment of

Upon reading the Petition of the Freeholders of the Town and Neighbourhood of Beverley, in the East Riding of the County of York, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships, "That the proposed Bill for the Establishment of a General Register Office in London may not pass into a Law; but if their Lordships shall determine otherwise, then a Clause may be introduced into the Bill, exempting from its Operation the Three Ridings of the County of York and the Town and County of the Town of Kingston upon Hull:"

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

Education, (Ireland,) Petition from Stradbally, &c. for regulating Grants for.

Upon reading the Petition of the Roman Catholic Clergy and Laity of the Parishes of Stradbally and Ballylaneen, in the County of Waterford, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships, "That all Grants for Education in Ireland may be withdrawn from all Societies that require by their Rules certain Observances of a Religious Nature, at variance with the Principles of the major Part of the Community, and placed in other Hands; firstly, because their Acts are totally at variance with the Intentions of the Legislature in making such Grants, by having the Effect of confining those Grants to a Sect; secondly, because their Acts tend to keep up Religious Discord in this Country; and thirdly, because they monopolize the Public Money, and, instead of benefiting the Public, tend to paralize the Efforts of many well-meaning Individuals who are anxious to assist in the Education of the People:"

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

Poor Laws, Petition from Sherington for Repeal of.

Upon reading the Petition of the Rector, Churchwardens, Overseers, and other Proprietors and Occupiers of the Parish of Sherington, in the County of Bucks, whose Names are thereunto subscribed; praying their Lordships "to take Measures for the gradual Repeal of the Laws of Settlement and Employment of the Poor; and, for the Promotion of this Object, that voluntary Colonization on an extensive Scale may be resorted to and encouraged, at once affording Scope for a superabundant Population, replenishing fruitful and healthy Settlements, and ensuring the internal Peace and Prosperity of the United Kingdom:"

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

Drummond's Petition claiming the Earldom of Perth, &c.

The Lord Melbourne (by His Majesty's Command) presented to the House A Petition of Thomas Drummond of Biddick, in the County of Durham, to His Majesty; praying, "That His Majesty will be pleased to declare the Titles and Dignities of Earl of Perth, Lord Drummond, Stobhall and Montefex, to belong to the Petitioner;" together with His Majesty's Reference thereof to this House.

Which Petition and Reference were read by the Clerk, and are as follow; (viz ^t.)

"To The King's Most Excellent Majesty.

"The Petition of Thomas Drummond of Biddick, in the County of Durham, lineal and nearest lawful Heir Male to the Title and Dignity of Earl of Perth, in the Kingdom of Scotland;

"Humbly sheweth,

"That the Family of Drummond is One of the most ancient and illustrious in Scotland. It was nobilitated in 1487, when Sir John Drummond of Drummond was by His Majesty King James III. created Lord Drummond, and sat in the Parliament of Scotland accordingly as a Peer of that Realm.

"His Descendant and Heir Male James, the Fourth Lord Drummond, was, on the 4th of March 1605, created by King James VI. (I. of England,) Earl of Perth, Lord Drummond and Stobhall, with Limitation of those Titles to his Heirs Male whatsoever. He died shortly afterwards, viz. in 1611, without Issue Male, and was succeeded, conformably to the aforesaid Limitations of the Honours, by his only Brother John, who thereupon became the Second Earl of Perth, &c. He died in 1662, leaving James his eldest Son, the next and Third Earl, who deceased in 1675, and was succeeded by James his eldest Son, the Fourth Earl, a Person who in his Time was very prominent in the Affairs of State, and was constituted Justice General and High Chancellor of Scotland.

"That this Nobleman, James Fourth Earl of Perth, on the 11th of October 1687, executed a Settlement and strict Entail of his Estate; and soon after, viz. on the 17th November (1687,) a Charter of Novo damus was granted to his Son the Lord Drummond, in Terms of the aforesaid Entail; and thereafter the Estate together with the Family Titles were again limited by another Patent or Charter of Novo damus, dated the 7th December 1687, which Charter conferred on him the Titles of Earl of Perth, Lord Drummond, Stobhall and Montefex, and confirmed the Honours and Estates aforesaid to the Earl and his "eldest lawful Son and his Heirs Male; whom failing, to the Earl's other Issue Male procreated or to be procreated; whom failing, to the Earl's Brother German, John Earl of Melfort, and his Heirs Male; whom failing, to the Heirs Male of John the Second Earl of Perth."

"That by another Charter, dated 13th July 1688, confirmatory of the previous Provisions and Destinations of the Perth Honours and Estates, there was contained a Prohibition to alter the Course of Succession, sell, alienate or dispose of the Lands, a Prohibition to commit Treason, with divers other irritant and resolutive Clauses to protect the Honours and Estates from Forfeiture or Eviction.

"That the said James Fourth Earl of Perth, died in 1716, leaving James his eldest Son and Heir, intitled to be the Fifth Earl, who died shortly after his Father, viz. in 1717, leaving James his eldest Son and Heir, the Sixth Earl.

"That the said James, the Sixth Earl, who was reported to have died of his Wounds received in the Battle of Culloden in 1746, did not so die at the Time propagated, but lived in Obscurity, and resided at Biddick, in the County of Durham, where he died in June 1782, and was buried, on the 12th of the same Month at the Chapel of Penshaw, in the Parish of Houghton-le-Spring. He married in England, and had Issue James his eldest Son and Heir, who died in 1823, leaving Thomas Drummond, Your Majesty's Petitioner, his eldest Son and Heir.

"That whatever Circumstances hitherto predominated to restrain Your Petitioner or his Father from laying Claim to their Family Inheritance, having now, as it is considered, ceased, Your Petitioner is advised, that whether in the Character of Heir Male lineal and immediate of James Fourth Earl of Perth, or as Heir Male collateral to John Earl of Melfort, the Remainder Man in the Patent or Charter of 1687 before mentioned, or as Heir Male of Line and Provision to John the Second Earl of Perth, the ultimate Remainder Man in the said Patent or Charter, he is now the nearest and lawful Heir Male intitled to the Succession of the Titles and Dignities of Earl of Perth, Lord Drummond, Stobhall and Montefex.

"Wherefore Your Petitioner humbly prays, That Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to declare the said Titles and Dignities to belong to Your Petitioner; or that Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to refer this Petition to the House of Lords, that Your Petitioner may prove before their Lordships his Descent and Right to the same accordingly.

"And Your Majesty's Petitioner will ever pray, &c. &c. &c.

"12th February 1831."

"Thomas Drummond."

"Whitehall, 22d February 1831."

"His Majesty, being moved upon this Petition, is graciously pleased to refer the same to The Right Honorable the House of Peers, to examine the Allegations thereof, as to what relates to the Petitioner's Title therein mentioned, and to inform His Majesty how the same shall appear to their Lordships.

"Melbourne."

Ordered, That the said Petition, with His Majesty's Reference thereof to this House, be referred to the Consideration of the Lords Committees for Privileges; whose Lordships having considered thereof, and heard such Persons concerning the same as they shall think fit, are to report their Opinion thereupon to the House.

Adjourn.

Dominus Cancellarius declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque ad et in diem Mercurii, secundum diem instantis Martii, horâ undecimâ Auroræ, Dominis sic decernentibus.