"GEORGE, P. R." HOUSE OF LORDS. the title of baron Exmouth, of Canon-petitioners was too well known to render teign, in the county of Devon, shall de- it necessary for him to impress it on their scend, in such manner as shall be thought lordships. It had at various times obmost effectual for the benefit of the said tained for them legislative indulgencies, lord Exmouth and his family. to which no other members of the community were entitled; and he was persuaded that nothing could be further from their intention than to do any thing derogatory from the dignity of their lordships. They had substituted for the word "peers,' which originally stood in the Petition, the word "lords," a term which the noble and learned lord on the woolsack had declared, seemed to him sufficiently comprehensive. He trusted, therefore, that their Petition would be received. Wednesday, July 6. PETITION OF THE QUAKERS RESPECTING THE SLAVE TRADE.] The duke of Gloucester presented a Petition from a number of the Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers, resident in the metropolis and its neighbourhood, against the continuation of the Slave Trade. The Lord Chancellor again explained the circumstances attendant on the original presentation, and on the subsequent withdrawing of the Petition, for the purpose of making the alteration which had been introduced in the address. He repeated his opinion, that the general word "lords" comprehended the two species," spiritual and temporal." The fact was, that many acts of paliament had passed in which that "the House was simply described as lords," and even in the commissions, by which the royal assent was given to any legislative measures, they were so designated. That the term "lords," therefore, was sufficient, was evident. It was 'questionable, however, whether the petitioners meant it to convey that sense in which alone it could be listened to by their lordships; namely, as meaning "the lords, spiritual and temporal.". The Lord Chancellor called the attention of the House to some circumstances connected with this Petition. When the Petition was first presented, it was addressed "To the peers in parliament assembled." Now, their lordships knew that that was not the proper designation of that House, the learned and reverend bench being lords, but not peers. The Petition was, in consequence, taken back, and the address now stood, "To the lords in parliament assembled." The usual designation of that House was "the lords spiritual and temporal, in parliament assembled." If in the general term "lords," the petitioners intended to include the particular description, their lordships would probably consider the Petition as admissible. Lord Arden protested against any innovation on those established forms, by an attention to which, the respect due to all Earl Stanhope, expressed his surprise that the members of that House was best main- any hesitation had taken place with retained. He was persuaded that no disrespect to the reception of the Petition. As spect to the episcopal part of the House was intended by the illustrious presenter of the Petition, than whom, on the contrary, he knew there was no one more disposed to pay the reverend bench all the deference that was due to them; but conceiving that the petitioners ought to comply with the established usage, and to give to that House its proper designation, he felt it his duty to oppose the reception of the Petition. The Duke of Gloucester returned his thanks to the noble baron, for having done him so much justice with respect to the sentiments which he entertained towards that part of the House, which the noble baron (erroneously, in his opinion) thought would not be treated with due deference, if the Petition were received in its present form. The general good character of the (VOL. XXVIII.) to the last observation made by the noble and learned lord on the woolsack, he would say, that he did not know what the "spiritual" lords might be able to do, but he was sure that the "temporal" lords had not the power to dive into men's breasts, and ascertain their intentions. Their lordships were bound to take words in their ordinary acceptation, and it was evident that the word" lords" alone, sufficiently described their lordships' House. Lord Erskine hoped their lordships would not extend formality too far towards persons to whom great indulgence had been shewn by the legislature, even in oaths and the administration of justice. They were a meek race of Christians, and they entertained religious scruples as to their use of titles. He should vote for the reception of this Petition, though there (2R) was no man more anxious than himself to | Exmouth and lord Combermere, were support the dignity of the House of Lords. ordered to be taken into consideration. Lord Ellenborough thought that prece- The noble earl moved an Address to his dent, and the indulgence ever shewn to Royal Highness, assuring him that that this particular sect of Christians, should House would cordially concur in the meainduce the House to receive this Petition. sures necessary to carry his Royal HighLord Redesdale was also of opinion, that, ness's most gracious recommendation into under all the circumstances, the Petition effect. ought to be received. The Earl of Lauderdale contended, that if any disrespect was to be attributed to the use of the word "lords," it might as well be argued that it was meant to exclude the temporal, and not the spiritual Lords. Lord Holland referred to acts of parliament, and their lordships' standing orders, where the word "lords" included both Jords spiritual and temporal. The noble and learned lord on the woolsack had spoken of the motive, but they were called upon to judge of the words only; and though he could not speak so certainly of the spiritual lords, yet he was confident no temporal lord possessed the art or power of diving into the breasts of mankind, and finding out their motives. The Archbishop of Canterbury considered the question as that of a matter of form only; and if their lordships were of opinion that the address, though not the usual one, was one which might be received, he did think, where a petition proceeded from so large and respectable a body of people, their Petition ought to be received, and not rejected. Lord Arden was not inclined to persist in his objection, but still he thought the House ought not to forget those forms in which they had been accustomed to be addressed. The Petition was then ordered to lie on the table. PUNISHMENT OF TREASON BILL.] The House having resolved itself into a com mittee on the Punishment of Treason Bill, several amendments were suggested by the Lord Chancellor and lord Ellenborough with respect to the terms in which the proposed change in the punishment should be described, so as to prevent any legal misapprehensions. It was understood that the debate on this and the Corruption of Blood Bill, which passed through a similar committee, should take place on the reception of the Reports on Monday. LORDS EXMOUTH AND COMBERMERE.] On the motion of the earl of Liverpool, the Prince Regent's Messages respecting lord The Earl of Galloway lamented that an interesting occurrence elsewhere had prevented his attendance yesterday evening, when the thanks of parliament were voted to the army and navy for their services during the war; as it would have afforded him heartfelt satisfaction to have joined in the vote; but he took the present occasion to express his sasisfaction at the conduct of government, and especially at the desire manifested by the commander in chief and the first lord of the Admiralty, to reward the exertions of all the officers of the two services. With respect to the navy, he was aware of the silent but not less effectual improvements that were introducing under the auspices of his noble friend at the head of that department; and he only had to express his sincere hope that he would extend his intended rewards to that most valuable class of men the warrant and petty officers; and thereby diminish, as much as possible the effect of American seduction-the only evil that could be contemplated as a source of prejudice to the future prosperity of the navy. The Address was then carried nem. diss. The earl of Liverpool, in moving an Address in answer to his Royal Highness's Message respecting lord Combermere, entered into an expla nation similar to that given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the House of Commons. The Address was carried diss. nem. HOUSE OF COMMONS. ALIEN ACT.] Mr. Bathurst moved, that the Act 42 Geo 3, c. 92, for esta blishing regulations respecting Aliens arriving in this kingdom, or resident therein, in certain cases, might be read. The same being read accordingly, the right hon. gentleman moved, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to repeal the said Act, and for substituting other provisions in lieu thereof. Mr. Whitbread was rather astonished to hear that an act affording such room for oppression and injustice, was about to be renewed in a time of peace. He certainly expected, after the charges which had been brought forward against the proceedings under the Alien Act, that an enquiry into those proceedings would have taken place before any proposal was submitted for a renewal of it. He had to complain of so long a time having been suffered to elapse, without giving any notice of the renewal. The quarter sessions would next week draw a number of members to the country; he hoped therefore the hon. member would not move the second reading of his Bill in their absence. The Bill was then brought in, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Friday se'nnight. PETITION FROM MANCHESTER RESPECTING THE COTTON TRADE.] Mr. Blackbarne presented a Petition from the merchants, manufacturers, spinners, and others interested in the Cotton Trade of the town and neighbourhood of Manchester, setting forth, "That, since the happy re-establishment of peace in Europe, the nations on the continent, rivals in the cotton manufacture to Great Britain, can obtain their supply of the raw material of cotton wool with equal facility as the British, and duty free; and that the cotton grown in all the West India islands henceforth to remain under the sovereignty of Great Britain, and nearly the whole that has hitherto been imported from the East Indies, is very small in quantity, and very inferior in quality, to the growth of the states and colonies of foreign nations; and that, by an Act of 49 Geo. 3, c. 98, a duty was imposed upon cotton wool equal to 2d per pound weight, if imported in British-built ships, and 3d. per pound weight if imported in foreign-built ships; and that no duty is paid if such wool is bonded, and exported from this country in its raw state; and that the operation of this law has already been severely felt, being equal to 30 per cent. upon the whole average labour of cotton spinning, and as much upon a large part of the manufactures of piece goods, and has given an undue preference to the rival manufactures of linen, and to the importation of East India piece goods, to be re-exported for the supply of foreign markets, in a degree highly prejudicial to the interest of the petitioners; and that, during the last five or six years of the war, the spinning and finished manufacture of cotton has been increased and improved in an extraordinary manner abroad, in consequence of the adoption of the continental system by the principal nations of Europe, to exclude British commerce and that the machinery and skill at present used in the cotton manufacture abroad are but little inferior to the British, and labour there is universally at a far lower rate than in the United Kingdom; and that, under such circumstances, and knowing that many of the principal cotton manufactures of the United Kingdom are opposed by those of the continent in the principal markets of Europe, any duty on the raw material imposed on the British manufacture, from which the foreign is exempt, acts as a bounty, and gives an undue advantage to the continental rivals of the petitioners, particularly on the common kinds of goods, of which the bulk of the exportation formerly consisted; and that the continuance of such, or any duty, must be highly injurious to the petitioners, and lessen the employ of the very great proportion of the population of these realms dependent on the cotton trade, and in the end be detrimental to the revenue, by decreasing the consumption of exciseable articles; and praying the House to take their case into immediate consideration, and afford them relief whilst it can come seasonably, and before the foreign manufactures obtain too firm possession of the European markets." On the motion that the Petition be laid on the table, Mr. Baring said, this was one of the most important subjects that could come under the attention of parliament. The question was, whether those duties which were laid on during the war, and one part of them before the war, were to be continued on the return of peace? If these duties were to be continued during peace, the right hon. gentleman opposite would probably inform the House of his idea of the means which our manufacturers would then have of meeting their rivals in the markets of the continent. Being aware of the importance of this subject, he had taken pains to enquire into the state of the manufactures of the continent; and from what he had been able to learn, it was his opinion, if this duty were continued, that the cotton manufacturers of this country were in very considerable danger of being soon driven out of the continental market. During the war, the commerce of the world had in a great degree centered in this country. This was a sort of security to the manufacturer, and enabled the country to draw a considerable revenue from raw cotton. He wished to learn from the right hon. gentleman, whether he thought there was any thing peculiar in the present state of things, by which those persons in Manchester, who were paying a duty of onefifth of the value of the manufacturing material, could, in ordinary times in this country, where living was twice as dear as on the continent, and taxes were so high, be enabled to keep up a competition with the manufacturers of other nations with any degree of success? There was no doubt that, from capital and other circumstances, we had long been able to undersell foreign manufacturers, notwithstanding their advantages in other respects; but there was little doubt that in time the persons of this country possessed of manufacturing capitals would emigrate to other countries, where they could be settled more advantageously. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, the 5th of July next year was the period to which the present duties were limited, and he saw no reason why a duty which produced so great a revenue should be repealed before that time. The House were aware of the present blockade of America, which prevented the nations of the continent from obtaining an adequate supply from the United States; and in obtaining a supply from the Brazils, we had at present very superior advantages. He saw nothing, therefore, in a state of peace at which our manufacturers had any cause to be alarmed. With respect to the prophecy of emigration of manufacturers, it had been repeated year after year, for the last hundred and twenty years. Mr. J. P. Grant, for the same reason that he lately wished to prevent the corn trade of this country from being subjected to negative disadvantage, now contended against the impolicy of subjecting the a manufacturer of cotton to positive disadvantage. It was no doubt true, that there were many circumstances which enabled a rich country to sustain a competition with a poorer country possessed of the advantage of cheapness of labour and provisions; but this was the first time, he believed, that it was tried to add to the disadvantages of the richer country, a heavy tax on the raw material. Mr. Philips said, the right hon. gentleman well knew, that contrary to expectation, peace had not brought any advan tages to our manufacturers, and that the manufacturers of this country were at present in a considerable degree of alarm. He had stated the peculiar advantages this country enjoyed in the importation of cotton. This was the first time that he had heard the war with America stated as an advantage to the manufactures of this country. Several gentlemen who had examined into the state of the manufactures of France and other countries on the continent, were surprised at the progress which they had made. In France the lower sorts of yarn were successfully manufactured: and when once the coarser sorts of yarn were established, the step to the finer sorts was easy. After a few words from Mr. Forbes, Mr. Fawcett, sir Charles Burrell, and Mr. Alderman Atkins, the Petition was ordered to lie on the table. the Thanks of the House to the various branches of the public service of the country. When the circumstances under which hostilities had been conducted, with a very short interval during twenty years, and the great exertions this nation had been called upon to make, and had made, were considered, he felt assured that there never was a period when parliament would THANKS VOTED TO THE NAVY, ARMY, Mr. Finlay expected to have heard some AND ROYAL MARINES] Lord Castereagh, reasons from the Chancellor of the Ex-in pursuance of his notice, rose to move chequer, why the raw material of the cotton manufacturer should be subjected to taxation any more than the raw material of other manufacturers. The imposition of such a tax was contrary to every received opinion on the subject of manufacturing prosperity. This manufacture had grown up to an extent unparalleled in the history of the world, without our being in the enjoyment of any advantage with re-express its gratitude with more heartfelt spect to the raw material; and in spite of the tax we had been enabled to maintain our superiority, principally owing to the agitated state of the rest of Europe; but with the continuance of this tax during peace, we should not be long able to support the competition. satisfaction. Through dangers, external and internal, we had been carried with unexampled success. In noticing the various departments of the public service, it would be obvious to all, that if our navy, during the last few years, had not accomplished such mighty achievements as, be fore adorned its history, this deficiency | chiefly those troops were drawn that had was to be attributed, not to any relaxation liberated the continent, and during the of its efforts, or diminution of its zeal, but last seven years it had supplied no less to the pre-eminent success by which it had than 100,000 men: so that all our triumphs formerly been attended. In truth, recently, might, in some degree, be traced to this little or nothing had been left for our navy source. To the local militia the country to perform. Although no such splendid were also much indebted; it had merited victories as those of the Nile or Trafalgar and obtained the favour and confidence of had occurred, the House would feel that the people, and was now to be deemed an its thanks were equally claimed for ser- essential part of our military system. vices that excited less notice, but were Under their protection, the inhabitants of scarcely of less importance. The blockade the country felt themselves perfectly of the enemy's ports was a source of diffi- secure, and by their activity and regularity, culty and danger, and by the vigilance of government had been enabled to render our shipping, the trade of Great Britain more extensively useful other portions of had been carried on with little less inter- the service.-The volunteers, who had so ruption than occurred in times of profound readily stepped forward in defence of their tranquillity. Our army had, of late years, country, had lately been, by the altered run a bright career, which in rapidity or circumstances of the country, greatly reglory had never been exceeded. It had duced in numbers, but those that had now assumed a new and exalted station retired as the danger had withdrawn, were among the warlike powers of Europe, and still ready to step forward on any occasion it was a proud reflection for the House to when they were required: no man could recollect, that all its achievements were look back a few years and not do justice mainly to be attributed to the support by declaring, how much we were indebted given in parliament to the gallant efforts of to the volunteers of the empire for the our military forces. By the Treaty con- happy situation in which it now stood. cluded at Chaumont, singular as it might They had ever been prepared with the seem, the contingent Great Britain was to utmost alacrity to take upon themselves furnish to the continental war, was equal the duties of the interior, to relieve those to that of Russia, Austria, or Prussia, who might be required for other duties. 150,000 men, besides which, she was to His lordship congratulated the House, in provide a subsidy of five millions. Cal- conclusion, upon the perfect state in which culating that each million would provide all our military and naval establishments 70,000 men, the number of troops that she, were now found. Instead of lascitude, on this scale, might be estimated to have the consequence of protracted exertions, in the field, was above 425,000. Splendid nothing but activity and energy, encreasas had been the achievements of our army, ing with our difficulties, was visible to the the noblest triumph and the proudest vic- last moment of the struggle: neither the tory was to have shewn, in the face of the country, nor its resources, had been for a world, that these mighty exertions had not moment exhausted, nor had even a breathbeen made upon any selfish or monopolizing time been required at the hottest period ing system, but for the purpose of protecting and re-establishing the general liberties of Europe. During the last campaign in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the Low Countries, the actual British force in the field exceeded 90,000 men. Such a lofty situation as these efforts had gained us, must draw down the admiration and veneration of surrounding nations upon ourselves, upon our armies, and upon that illustrious individual who had taught our soldiers the art of war on so grand a scale, and had led them to the fruits of their perseverance and discipline, victory and glory. The next division of the service that claimed the gratitude of parliament was the regular militia, which had made the most extensive sacrifices: from the militia of the contest. Undismayed and unwea ried, we had pursued one design, and that design we had gloriously accomplished. He had, therefore, to congratulate the House, not only on the termination of the war, but on the stability and firmness given to every department of the service, by which the character of the country had been exalted, and its glory secured. He moved, therefore, "That the Thanks of this House be given to the officers of the Navy, Army, and Royal Marines, including the troops employed in the service of the East India Company, for the meritorious and eminent services which they have rendered to their King and country during the course, of the war." While the question was reading from |