§ Mr. Benettpresented a Petition from Wiltshire, signed by 14,000 persons, in favour of Reform. The prayer of the petition was generally for Reform, without specifying any particular measure. The hon. Member expressed a hope, that whenever the Reform measure of Government should be brought forward, he should be able to support it, and that it would prove a plan of full and efficient Reform. He was sure that, in the present state of the country, they who opposed all Reform would attach to themselves a serious responsibility. The petition was signed by thirty Magistrates, and a great number of clergymen, yeomanry, and shopkeepers. The hon. Member hoped that county meetings for Reform would be held all over the country.
§ Mr. Huntpresented Petitions from Wigan, Oldham, Butterworth, a district in Manchester, and a parish in Ireland, praying for Annual Parliaments, Universal Suffrage, and the Vote by Ballot; also from some inhabitants of London, praying that the forest of Epping might be given to the poor, to be cultivated by them; likewise, four Petitions from owners and occupiers of land in Hampshire, stating, that the labourers had been driven by necessity to congregate together, and demand a rise of wages. They attributed this circumstance to the pressure of taxation, and prayed for Reform. The hon. Member read copious extracts from these petitions.
§ Mr. Beaumontsaid, as the hon. Member gave notice of his intention to move the adjournment of the House at twelve o'clock every night, he should not occupy so much time in presenting petitions.
§ Mr. Huntsaid, that if it were made a rule that no petition should be read or observed upon, but put at once into the Clerk's bag, it would save him a vast deal of trouble, as he had hundreds of petitions at home, and thousands more were coming to him from the country. If the Vote by Ballot should be conceded by the House, he believed that the House would be troubled with very few petitions more; but if it should not, every town and village in the kingdom would meet to petition for it. He thought that the people could not do better than meet on the day appointed for the general fast, for there could not be a more acceptable act, in the eyes of God and man, than an attempt to re-establish the just rights of the people.