Mr. Wynnesaid, he held in his hand a Petition from Mr. Wright, the informer; but he had some doubts how far it could be received, on account of the allegations of the petition being in print, in a pamphlet attached to it.
§ The Speaker, in explanation, said, that certainly the objection would not be to the papers being printed; but he had never heard of a petition's being received with the allegations attached to it. If such a circumstance was in the recollection of any member, he might state it. Such a circumstance was not in his own recollection. The way was, to present a petition, containing a particular allegation, and begging that the House would hear evidence upon it. The House had then the option either of going into the case, or of dismissing it at once.
Mr. W. Wynneagreed with the doctrine of the chair; but as the petition had been put into his hand just as he was coming into the House, he thought it better to state the circumstance, and leave it to their discretion. He then moved that the Petition might be presented alone.
§ The Speakersaid, that the Petition referred perpetually to the documents annexed, and was in itself incomplete and unintelligible. It would be better for Mr. Wright to take it back, and put it into a more concise form.
Mr. W. Wynnethen presented another petition from William Wright, of Bridge Court, Westminster, in the county of Middlesex, gentleman; setting forth,
"That, in consequence of a letter received from the reverend Saint John Priest, bearing date the 12th day of March 1810, the right reverend the lord bishop of Norwich, on the 5th day of April following, granted licences to permit him to be nonresident for his livings therein mentioned; and that, with the approbation of the lord bishop of Norwich, the petitioner wrote a letter to the said reverend Saint John Priest, requesting to be informed of the state of the parsonage houses on his preferments, in order that he might, if possible, be saved the stamp duties on his said licences; and that, in consequence of the enquiries made by the petitioner, one of such licences was, as he believes, issued for a cause which exempted the same from such duty; and that the said licences, so granted on the 5th of April 1810, continued in force for two years, and remained in the custody of the petitioner, as he believes, until in or about the month of April 1811, when, after repeated applications for the fees due to the petitioner thereon, being at length paid, the same were sent by the petitioner to the reverend Saint John Priest, in pursuance of his directions; and he believes the same were, in due course, received by him, the petitioner not having heard, from that time until the time of his petition being presented to the House, that the same were not regularly delivered; and that the licences so sent to the said reverend Saint John Priest expired on the 5th day of April 1812, and no application was made for their renewal until after the petitioner had commenced an action at law against him for recovery of the penalty to which he had exposed himself, that is to say, in the month of October 1813; and praying, that the reverend Saint John Priest may be called 397 upon by the House to substantiate the allegations contained in his said petition; and that the petitioner may be at liberty to adduce such evidence in opposition thereto at the bar of the House as he may be advised.
§ Ordered to lie on the table.