Ordered, That Mr. Wharton do make the Report from the select committee appointed to try and determine the merits of the Petition of James Buller, esq. Arthur Champernowne, esq. Matthew Russell, esq. the rev. John Buller, clerk, John Evans, gent. John Stephens Croft, and Isaac Toby, each of whom are seised of an entire ancient Burgage Tenement, situate Within the Borrough of Saltash, whereon an ancient Welling house now stands or formerly stood; and also of the Petition of W. Henry Fremantle and Tho. Francis Fremantle, esquires, respecting the Right of Election for the said borough.—.Mr. Wharton accordingly from the Said committee informed the:house, That 'the. said committee required the counsel for the several parties to deliver to the clerk of the said committee statements, in writing, of the Right of Election for which they respectively contened: That, in consequence thereof, the counsel for the Petitioners James Buller, esq. arthur Champernowne, esq. 692 Matthew Russell, the rev. John Buller, clerk, John Evans, gent. John Stephens Croft, and Isaac Toby, delivered in a statement as follows: 'The petitioners contend, that the Right of Election of members to serve in parliament for the borough of saltash, is in every Person seised of an estate for life, or some greater estate, in an entire ancient burgage tenement, situate in the borough aforesaid, whereon an ancient dwelling house now stands or formerly stood, and in no other persons.'—That the counsel for the petitioners W. Henry Fremantle and Tho. Francis Fremantle, esquires, delivered in a statement as follows: That the Right of Election for members to serve in parliament for the borough of Saltash is in the mayor and free burgesses of the said borough, being members of the corporation within the same, and in no other persons:' —That upon the statement delivered in by the counsel for the petitioners, the said W. Henry Fremantle and Tho. Francis Fremantle, esquires, the said committee have determined; "That the Right of Eiection, as set forth in the said Statement, is not the right of election for the said borough of Saltash:" That upon the Statement delivered in by the counsel for the Petitioners James Duller, esq. and Others, the said committee have have determined; "That the Right of Election, as set forth in the said Statement, is the right of election for the said borough of Saltash, so far as. the said right is therein described:" That the said committee having duly Considered the said statements, and the evidence adduced before them, touching the right of election for the said borough of Saltash, have determined; "That the Right of voting for members to serve in parliament for the borouhgh of Saltash is in every person seised of an estate for life, some greater estate, in an entire antient burgage tenement, situate in the borough aforesaid, whereon an antient dwelling house now stands or formerly stood, and in no other persons." And the said determinations Were ordered to be entered in the Journals of the house.
PETITION FROM BOLTON FOR PEACE.) Col.Stanleypresented a Petition from the inhabitants of Bolton in Lancaster, setting forth, "That the petitioners suffer great privations on account of the depressed state of the manufactures, whereby the price of labour is reduced in the most unprecedented degree, and thousands of the petitioners threatened with the want of 693 employment: that, in the judgment of the petitioners, the great suspension of commerce arises,chiefly from a want of the customary intercourse with the continent of Europe; and that the depressed reduction of trade reduces thousands of the petitioners to the most extreme distress: that Many useful enterprising and ingenious manufacturers, have been reduced from afluence to complete poverty, the consequence of which is, that number of the petitioners have been reduced to the absolute want of the necessaries of life for themselves and helpless offspring; and that the present situation of affairs still threatens the petitioners with additional sufferings to those they now experience: that, in the opinion of the petitioners, the present evils under which they so severely suffer, are owing to the continuation of the present war, which causes the extensive depression of foreign commerce, which the petitioners humbly presume can only be restored by the blessings of Peace: that the petitioners are not induced to petition the house on the subject of Peace from any dread of the enemy, but from a desire that no opportunity may be omitted to enter into negociations for that purpose; and that the petitioners, should the enemy, from ambitious motives, be induced to make demands inconsistent with our national honour and independence to grant, will ever feel it to be their duty, with one heart and mind, to think no sacrifices or privations too great when made for the honour and security of their king and country; and therefore praying, that the house would, in its great wisdom, recommend to his majesty, that no means be omitted, consistent with our national honour and security, for restoring to his faithful subjects the blessings of Peace."—On the motion, that the Petition do lie on the table,
Mr. Secretary Canning said,—"Sir, I do not rise to object to the motion, satisfied as I am of the propriety of the terms in which the petitioners have claimed the attention of the house to a subject so highly interesting to the whole country; although I cannot but, at the same time, feel that it is a subject which must always be in the contemplation of this house, and of those whose duty it is to advise his majesty. I trust, sir, 1 shall not be considered as deficient in feeling for the situation of the petitioners, if I express my sincere opinion and conviction, that even were peace to be the immediate cure of the evils 694 of which they.complain, the mode of obtaining that cure which they have adopted, must necessarily retard its acquisition. While I allow that it is perfectly natural for the petitioners, experiencing the privations which they do experience, to look eagerly to any remedy that appears to promise them relief, yet, on the part of those who ought to take a more extensive view of the subject, I must deprecate any accusation of hardness of heart, if they declare their firm opinion, that, should they be driven to a negociation under circumstances in which they must feel fettered and embarrassed, such would unquestionably not be the mode of obtaining the object prayed for by the petitioners; namely, a peace, consistent with the security and honour of the country. In expressing these sentiments, sir, I am speak those of my colleagues. We are anxious to avail ourselves of the best means to accomplish this desirable end. Our duty and our interest, unite to induce us, if possible, to obtain a peace consistent with the security and honour of the country. We have missed no fair opportunity for that purpose. Sir, I am anxious to repeat, that we feel most strongly the distress of that situation from which the petitioners, wish to be relieved; but we are bound to advise his majesty conscientiously to the best of our judgment, and we are satisfied that, by a premature negociation, or one commenced on any grounds but those of perfect equality and independence, not only would the object of the petitioners fail of being realized, but any subsequent hopes which they might be led to entertain would be disappointed, in a manner the most injurious to them, and to the country at large."—The Petition was then ordered to lie on the table.