HC Deb 14 April 1812 vol 22 cc325-9

A Petition of several merchants, manufacturers, and other inhabitants of the city of Perth, was presented and read; setting forth,

"That the Petitioners, in common with the rest of their fellow subjects, conceive that they have a right to a free trade with all parts of the British empire, under such regulations as justice and sound policy may require; and that they forbear entering into the discussion of the territorial rights of the East India Company, or the internal government of its possessions, but they humbly confide in the wisdom of the House that, on the expiry of the present Charter, the important interests of the Company will be settled on liberal and fair principles, compatible with the sanction of a free trade to India, under equitable regulations, for the general benefit of the subjects of the United Kingdom; and that the Petitioners humbly apprehend, that the natural effect of throwing open the trade to all the countries beyond the Cape of Good Hope will enable the manufacturers to exert their skill and industry with increased energy and advantage, and not only tend to relieve them under their present hardships, but also the numerous class of suffering operatives, who are, by the calamities of the times, and the tyrannical restrictions of the enemy, deprived of their ordinary means of support; and praying the House to adopt such measures on the expiry of the present Charter as may establish and confirm the sanction of a free trade to the British merchant, under suitable regulations, to the eastern parts of the world, neither cramped by unnecessary restrictions, nor fettered by exclusive monopolies, as at present, nor injured by preferences granted to neutral nations."

A Petition of the iron masters, proprietors of the principal iron works in Shropshire, was also presented and read; setting forth,

"That the Petitioners beg leave to represent to the House, that though they are fully sensible that it is a duty incumbent upon every subject of these realms to submit, and the Petitioners are willing cheerfully to submit, to every commercial regulation and restriction by which the welfare of the state is essentially promoted, yet they apprehend, and beg leave to state, that the principle of restraining the subjects of these realms from trading with foreign nations and our distant possessions, by granting an exclusive exercise of that right to a chartered company, is so far from being essential to the welfare of the state, that it in itself is an obstacle to the increase of our commercial intercourse with those foreign nations and distant possessions; and that the principle of conducting trade with foreign nations and distant possessions, by means of a chartered company, tends to increase the price paid by them for the transport of our manufactures, and to enhance that which the Petitioners pay for their produce, and thereby, instead of being a benefit to this country, is an injury, and consequently an injustice, to both; and therefore praying, that, if possible, the exclusive Charter of the East India Company may be abolished, or that, if, from circumstances not within the knowledge of the Petitioners, it should appear to the House necessary to concede to the East India Company the exclusive privilege of trading to some particular nation situated beyond the Cape of Good Hope, such concession may be as limited as the nature of the case will admit; and the Petitioners earnestly intreat of the House so in its wisdom to protect the rights of his majesty's subjects, as that they may not be restricted from a free intercourse with our Indian possessions, nor, without absolute necessity, from trading with any of those nations which are situated beyond the Cape of Good Hope."

A Petition of several merchants, manufacturers, and other inhabitants, of the town of Manchester, was also presented and read; setting forth,

"That, from the circumscribed state of their trade with the European continent, the Petitioners are more particularly anxious that a free intercourse may be secured to them with all the countries beyond the Cape of Good Hope on the approaching termination of the East India Company's Charter; and the Petitioners beg leave most respectfully to assure the House of their firm conviction that the unrestrained exercise of that right is essentially necessary to the maintenance of the manufacturers, and to the prosperity of the commerce of the United Kingdom; and the Petitioners humbly submit, that their right to a free participation in the commerce with all the prohibited countries, on the expiration of the East India Company's present Charter, is unquestionable; and that the success of the subjects of foreign powers, in a traffic which has been denied to the Petitioners, has made them more deeply sensible of the privation, and completely proved that the trade is within the reach of individual exertion; and praying the House to adopt such measures as may, upon the expiration of the existing Charter, secure to all his majesty's subjects a free trade from any of the ports of the United Kingdom with all the countries situated to the East of the Cape of Good Hope."

A Petition of the cotton manufacturers, bleachers, and printers of the town and vicinity of Blackburn, was also presented and read; setting forth,

"That the Petitioners presume to petition the House not to renew the East India Company's Charter, and, in doing so, they deem it their humble duty to state the causes, as briefly as the importance of the case will admit, of their objection to the exclusive privileges granted to that body; that, to deprive an individual of the free employment of his industry and capital, must tend to discourage enterprize, to repress exertion, and greatly to obstruct the progress of national prosperity: in the early stages of commerce, there might be reasons to justify exclusive monopolies to joint stock companies, the wealth of the community being low, the combination of a number of small capitals may be necessary to form a fund for an undertaking of any considerable magnitude: if the proposed object of adventurers be attended with apparent hazard, it may be wise in government to encourage such adventurers, by allowing them exclusive privileges; and on these, or similar considerations, the Petitioners presume the various privileged companies in England were first formed; of these the East India Company alone has been enabled to prolong its existence: the Petitioners will now endeavour to show, that the reasons for supporting monopoly no longer exist: the capital, commercial spirit, and commercial knowledge of the British merchant are unbounded; free ports of trade to carry off the immense manufactures of the United Kingdom are very limited indeed, and, that they are by no means adequate, is most plainly shewn in the distress which pervades every manufacturing district; and that, when the East India Company's monopoly was granted, almost every port in Europe was open to the independent trader, now almost every one is shut against him; and the Petitioners submit, that it is impossible for any joint stock company to convey our manufactures into many of the ports betwixt the Cape of Good Hope and the Straits of Magellan, that would be resorted to by independent adventurers if they were permitted to make their election; and that the delays and abuses known to exist in managing the concerns of the Company, being prevented by individual attention and economy, will be the means of increasing the ability of this kingdom to undersell all others in foreign markets; but, if the Company can carry on its trade to greater advantage than the private merchant, it will reap its merited benefit by the competition, and, without competition, the Petitioners respectfully contend, that the commerce of Britain neither would have risen to its present standard, nor will it increase to bear the increasing expences of the nation; and that it is a well ascertained fact, that, during the time of the Protectorate, there were men who boldly violated the East India Company's Charter, and carried on the trade with such success, that they were able to sell the commodities of the East in the different markets of Europe on lower terms than had ever been known; and at this day, individual British merchants have traded to India with profit, even under all the difficulties, delays, and taxes imposed upon them by the Company; but the American merchants, unfettered, have embraced the favourable opportunity held out to them by the act 37 Geo. 3, c. 57, and have now deprived the Company of the advantage of supplying principally not only the continental European markets, but also those of South America, the West Indies, those in the Mediterranean, and even Malta: and that this trade, supported no doubt in part by British capital, which the law does not permit its owners to employ directly themselves, has increased with unexampled rapidity, enriching the individuals engaged in it, and yearly adding to the resources of their country, whilst the English trade has become less extensive and profitable; and that, confident the House will form its decision upon this great question from a consideration of the present and not the former situation of the British dominions, the Petitioners humbly hope, that their Petition, according with the sentiments of so many respectable and deeply-interested merchants and manufacturers, will be graciously received, and that their fervent wishes may not be disappointed."

Ordered to lie upon the table.