bail. He had then no option but to expose himself to the mortification of a refusal, or to lie in gaol, or to pay the debt, which he felt to be unjust. The latter measure, however hard, the debtor frequently adopted, rather than expose his feelings to mortification, or his person to imprisonment. The society of the Thatched House Tavern, for the relief of insolvent debtors, his lordship considered as an institution which did honour both to the age, and to the members who composed it. Their reports were founded on strict inquiries, and on the most authentic documents. They had acted upon the grand combined principles of justice and benevolence; and what was the result of their inquiries? Why, that the far greater part of persons arrested in this country during the course of the year, were arrested for debts under twenty pounds; and that of two thousand now languishing in prison, in the different gaols in the country, thirteen hundred had wives, and four thousand children; being helpless and unprotected; exposed to calamity, which neither their guilt had incurred, nor could their feebleness avert. One hundred and fifty of them, upon an average, were every year doomed to linger in the dungeons of confinement, not because they had not paid their creditors the debts which were due to them, and for which they had been originally arrested, but because they had not money sufficient to pay the fees of office, which were necessary for their enlargement. These men were, for the most part, either tradesmen, artificers, or seamen; men engaged in the humble and laborious, but honest and useful cal lings of life; who fought the battles of their country in time of war, and who administered to its comforts in peace. The persons confined, of this description, had only, it is true, between two and three pounds to pay; but that sum, though inconsiderable in their lordships' opinion, was still great to those, who neither had the sum itself, nor the means of obtaining it. His lordship then proceeded to explain the different clauses of the bill.-They were to prevent all arrests for less than twenty pounds, which was merely a clause of the old law, as it subsisted before the reign of George the First; to remedy abuses to which lock-up houses were subject; to prevent excessive bail from being required; and to enact that the prisoner should not be hurried to jail, as he now may be, in a state of sickness and insanity; and to publish in the Gazette, every month, the names of persons convicted of fraudulent transactions. His lordship having concluded his exposition of the principles contained in each clause of the bill, begged the House to recollect that he had not attempted to influence their passions, but to convince their reason. He had not produced to their view any of those pathetic instances of distress that were to be found in the report of the committee of the House of Commons of last year. He had discussed the subject calmly and temperately, convinced that calm and temperate inquiry were alone necessary to produce in the minds of every one of their lordships a full conviction of the propriety of adopting the measure he had the honour to propose. This bill was seriously discussed at at several successive periods; but was opposed by the law lords, as striking at the whole system of the law of England. Lord Rawdon continued most zealously to defend it, even after its great objects were rendered impracticable by the many alterations it had undergone. His lordship lamented that, from the present practice with respect to actions, execution, and imprisonment for debt, such bills as he had proposed, must ever meet with determined opposition from professional men, who were so interested in the advantages of the present system of law proceedings, as to render success very doubtful in any measure similar to that which he had proposed. On the 31st of May, after a short debate, this bill was finally lost. On Monday the 22d of April, the lord advocate of Scotland stated, that his majesty's catholic subjects in Scotland are at present incapacitated by law either from holding or transmitting landed property, and are liable to other very severe restrictions, which could not now be justified by any necessity or expediency, and therefore moved, That leave be given to bring in a bill to relieve persons professing the Roman Catholic religion from certain penalties and disabilities imposed on them by acts of parliament in Scotland, and particularly by an act of the 8th of king William ;" and on the following day the lord advocate proceeded to obaerve, that the Roman Catholics of Scotland laboured under many hardships and disabilities on account of their adherence to their religion. By one law an oath, called a formula, or solemn declaration, was imposed upon them, which they could not take without renouncing the religion which they professed; and if they refused to take it, their nearest protestant relation might deprive them of their estates. His lordship stated, that it was repugnant to justice and humanity, that a subject should be deprived of his estate for no other reason than that he professed the religion most agreeable to his judgment and his conscience, or that he should be placed in the wretched situation of holding his estates at the mercy of any protestant relation, who might be profligate enough to strip him of it, by enforcing this penal law. The liberality which had induced the House last year, and, on a former occasion, to grant relief to the Roman Catholics of England, would, he was persuaded, induce them to extend relief also to the Roman Catholics of Scotland, whose loyalty and conduct gave them an equal claim to the indulgence of the legislature. He admitted that the particular law to which he referred was too odious to be often carried into execution; but if it was not fit that it should be executed at all, it ought not to be suffered to remain, merely as a temptation to the profligate to strip honest and meritorious people of their property. He said he was extremely sorry to inform the committee, that there was at this moment a suit actually depending in the courts of law in Scotland, founded on this particular statute. A Roman Catholic gentleman, as respectable and amiable in character as any man in this or any other kingdom, was possessed of an estate of 1000 1. a year, which had been in his family for at least a [L 2] century century and a half; this gentleman, loved and respected by all who knew him, was now on the point of being stripped of his property by a relation, who could have no other shadow of claim to it than that which he might derive from this penal law, which he was endeavouring rigidly to enforce. In the courts as much delay as possible was thrown in his way; but it was to be feared that he must succeed at last, and reduce to beggary a gentleman in every respect a most meritorious subject. If it was too late to save him from such a misfortune, the legislature, he trusted, would interpose, and take care that he should be the last victim to a cruel law, and that it should never operate in future to the destruction of any other person; for surely it was no longer to be ment. endured that a man should be placed in the horrid situation of either renouncing the religion of his heart, or by adhering to it conscientiously, forfeit all his worldly substance. His lordship concluded by moving, "That the chairman should be directed to move the House for leave to bring in a bill requiring an oath of abjuration and declaration from his majesty's Roman Catholic subjects in that part of Great Britain called Scotland." Colonel Macleod having declared his ready concurrence in the measure proposed, the question was unanimously carried; and the bill having passed through all its stages without opposition, it received, in due course, the confirming sanctions of the other branches of the legislature. CHAP. IV. Petitions delivered to the House of Commons respecting a Reform in ParliaPetition of the Association, called the Friends of the People. Mr. Grey's Motion thereon. Petitions of the Cities of London and Westminster relative to the Tax upon Coals. The North of Scotland relieved from the Duty upon Coals carried coastwise. The Board of Agriculture established. Farnham Hop Bill. Proceedings in the Parliament of Ireland. Several Acts passed therein. Prosecutions for Sedition in Scotland. An Associ tion established there under the Title of the British Convention. Sir C. Bunbury moves Resolutions respecting Convicts for Transportation. Mr. Wharton's motion on the Executive Power. Lord Rodney's Pension continued to his Family. Monuments voted to Lords Rodney and Heathfield. Petitions of the Royal Burghs. Mr. Sheridan's Motion thereon. Compensation granted to Mr. Mudge. Report concerning Salaries and Fees of Office. Scotch Militia. Motion of Mr. Fox for procuring Peace. Speech from the Throne. Observations. TH tion of parliament. HE attention of the House of Commons was now called to On Thursday the 2d of May, Mr. the important subject of parliamen- Duncombe presented a petition tary reform, which, at different on behalf of the inhabitants of times, and from various distinguish-Sheffield, signed by eight thousand ed persons, had been proposed, but persons, praying for a reform in without success, to the considera parliament. Mr. Duncombe stated, that that although he presented this petition, he did not approve of the manner in which it had been worded; for though he was friendly to a temperate reform, he would not go the length which seemed to be the object of this petition; a representation from population alone. We had too much reason, he said, to dissent from such a plan, from the confusion and anarchy of France. On his moving that the petition be brought up, Mr. Ryder opposed it, on the ground that it was worded in a manner disrespectful to the House. After some debate the House divided, for receiving the petition 29, against it 108. On the same day Mr. Whitbread presented a petition from the inhabitants of Birmingham, signed by 2720 persons, praying for a parliamentary reform. On a division, it was received by a majority of 102 votes against 24. A similar petition was presented by Mr. Lambton for the city of Durham and its neighbourhood, which was also received. On the 6th of May, lord George Henry Cavendish presented a petition from certain inhabitants of the town and vicinity of Derby, praying for a reform of the representation of the people in parliament, which was brought up, and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Browne presented a petition to the same effect from a number of the inhabitants of the town of Poole, in Dorsetshire. Mr.Wharton presented a petition of the same nature from certain inhabitants in or near the parish of Aldgate, in the city of London. Mr. Hobart stated, that he held in his hand a petition signed by upwards of 3700 inhabitants of parishes in the vicinity of the city of Norwich; but he doubted whether it would be received, as the names were subscribed to a printed copy of the petition, in breach of the orders of the House. After some conversation respecting the propriety of receiving this petition in its present state, it was proposed by Mr. Sheridan, that (in order to prevent the important business to be brought on by Mr. Grey from being delayed) the motion for bringing up the petition should be withdrawn, which was accordingly done. A petition from certain inhabitants of the town of Warwick, and its neighbourhood, was presented by Mr. William Smith; one from about 1000 inhabitants of Huddersfield, in Yorkshire, by Mr. Erskine; one from a number of inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Dundee, by Mr. Sheridan; one from a number of inhabitants of the town of Paisley, by Mr. Whitbread; one from certain inhabitants of the burgh of Montrose, by Mr. Curwen; one from certain inhabitants of the town of Kilmarnock, another from certain inhabitants of the burgh of Kilmarnock, and another from certain inhabitants of Newmills, in the parish of Loudoun and shire of Ayr, by Mr. Wharton; one from certain inhabitants of the county of Perth, by Mr. Lambton; one from a great number of inhabitants of the city of Edinburgh, of the whole length of the floor of the House, and praying for a thorough reform in the representation, by Colonel Macleod; one from certain inhabitants of the town of Dumbarton, by Mr. Whitbread; one from certain inhabitants of the burgh burgh of Irvine; another from certain inhabitants of the town of Strathaven ; another from certain inhabitants of the burgh of the county of Roxburgh; another from certain inhabitants of the burgh of Linlithgow, and another from certain inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Anstruther, by Colonel Macleod; and one from a number of inhabitants of the town of Nottingham, and neighbourhood thereof, by Mr. Grey. Mr. Grey then presented a petition, purporting to be the petition of certain persons whose names were thereunto subscribed, which was brought up, and read by the clerk. The petition was of such length, that the reading of it employed nearly half an hour. It stated, with great propriety and distinctness, the defects which at present exist in the representation of the people in parliament. It took notice of the division of the representation, or the proportions in which the different countries contribute to the total number of the representatives; shewing, under that head, the absurd disproportion which takes place in a variety of instances; insomuch that the county of Cornwall alone sends more members to parliament than the counties of York, Rutland, and Middlesex, put together, &c. It proceeded to take notice of the distribution of the elective franchise, or the proportional number by which the different representatives are elected; stating, under that head, that a majority of the whole House of Commons is elected by less than 15,000 persons; or, in other words, by the twohundredth part of the people to be represented, supposing that they consist only of three millions of adults, &c. It went on to take notice of the right of voting, or the various restrictions and limitations under which the privilege of a vote for the choice of a representative is bestowed; stating the great evils and inequalities that prevail in that respect. It afterwards took notice of the qualifications to be possessed by candidates and those elected ; and then considered the evils arising from the length of the duration of parliaments. It went on then to detail the mode in which elections are conducted and decided; and, under that head, shewing the evils arising from the length of time to which polls are protracted, from the influence of corporations, by the powers entrusted to returning officers, and from the appeal to the House of Commons under the operations of the acts 10th, 11th, 25th, and 28th of Geo. III. as far as the same relate to expence and delay. The petition proceeded to take notice of the mischief resulting from the defects and abuses which it had previously pointed out, particularly by the system of private patronage and the influence possessed by peers and wealthy.commoners in the nomination of what are called the representatives of the people; shewing, under this head, that, by the patronage and influence of seventy-one peers and ninetyone commoners, the return of no fewer than three hundred and six members of that House was procured, which considerably exceeded a majority of the House. The petition dwelt at considerable length, upon all the points already mentioned, and detailed a variety of other abuses, all which the petitioners offered to substantiate by proof; and it concluded by stating, the |