HL Deb 15 February 1831 vol 2 cc548-9
The Lord Chancellor

said, he had the honour to present a Petition, to which he requested their Lordships' particular attention, as far as regarded the prayer of it, and the body of men from whom it emanated, in which were combined all the powerful bankers, merchants, solicitors, and tradesmen of the City of London. When the petition had been put into his hands, he had naturally looked over the signatures, and he could assure their Lordships, that there was scarcely a name of first-rate importance, connected with the trade and commerce of this great metropolis, which was not to be found amongst them. It was signed by 4,500 persons—though the petition lay but two days and a half for signatures. Had it remained longer open, he believed that every man of the least notice in the City of London would have signed it. The petitioners stated, that the Bankrupt-laws had a most injurious effect on trade, and they called on the Legislature to remedy the whole system, by the removal of the fourteen lists of Commissioners. They set forth many of the evils and grievances to which these laws gave rise, and they contended, that a change was recommended by long experience, and after the subject had been sufficiently discussed. The petitioners proposed that the fourteen lists of Commissioners should be done away with altogether, and that such a Court should be substituted as would answer the ends of justice, and restore the confidence of the people to so important a branch of the public business. It might be supposed, that he had some particular interest in the petition, from the fact of his having presented it, and having moved that their Lordships should be summoned to receive it, but he could assure the House, that he had not had the slightest communication with any person engaged in getting it up, until he was waited upon by a deputation of the leading men of the City, who requested him to present it. He discharged that duty with the greatest satisfaction, and the more particularly, because this was not a theoretical or speculative plan of reform, but because it was suggested by men who had daily and practical experience on the subject.