HC Deb 18 March 1833 vol 16 cc723-5

Mr. Byng having presented a petition from the Baptists of South Street Chapel for the immediate Abolition of Slavery,

Mr. Fowell Buxton

wished to know, whether, in consequence of the understanding that had taken place the other day, he was now to bring up all his petitions on the subject of slavery, as he had a great number.

Sir Andrew Agnew

observed, that the first petition which had been presented by the hon. Member was for the observance of the Sabbath. He submitted to the House, whether, under the understanding alluded to, all petitions on that subject ought not to be presented first?

The Speaker

considered that the course pursued by the hon. member for Middlesex was extremely fair. For his own part, he was not aware of the understanding alluded to by the hon. Member, for presenting no petitions but those which related to the observance of the Sabbath.

Sir Andrew Agnew

certainly understood that when the first petition on any subject was presented, every hon Member who had similar petitions was to lay them on the Table of the House.

The Speaker

observed, that, unfortunately for the statements of the hon. Baronet, the first petition presented by the hon. member for Middlesex was not for the observance of the Sabbath.

Mr. Wilks

considered it would be utterly impossible for the House to comply with the request of the hon. Baronet to receive exclusively petitions of one particular description. He had twenty or thirty petitions on different subjects to present, and if the course suggested by the hon. Baronet were to be adopted, he should be under the necessity of attending day after day, perhaps for months, before he should be enabled to present all his petitions. He thought the House could not do better than to take its old course of receiving: petitions on all subjects.

Mr. Hodgson

concurred entirely with the statements that had been made by the hon. member for Boston, though be had certainly understood that the arrangement mentioned by the hon. Baronet was to take effect.

Mr. Lamb

said, that whatever course the House thought proper to pursue would meet with his approbation. He must, however, frankly state, that he left the House the other day with impressions very different from those of the hon. Baronet opposite. He certainly did not consider that any understanding had been come to on the presentation of a series of petitions on a particular subject; but even if such an understanding had been come to, he begged to remind the hon. Baronet that the petition which was first presented by the hon. member for Middlesex related to the Assessed Taxes. He thought the House could not do better than follow the old course of receiving petitions upon different subjects.

The Speaker

trusted that hon. Members would not occupy the whole of the morning upon a discussion which could end in nothing. He certainly was not aware of the understanding alluded to by the hon. Baronet. All that he understood was, that the noble Lord (Lord Althorp), upon a question being put, stated that he had no objection to any course being pursued which was acceptable to the House; but the discussion of the question at the present moment would only be attended with waste of time.

The subject was dropped.

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