Mr. Maxwellrose to present a petition from the distressed mechanics of the town of Paisley, who prayed the House to afford them the means of emigration to one of the colonies. The petitioners preferred Canada. One observation suggested by the petitioners was well worthy of the attention of the House. They deprecated poor-rates as degrading to themselves, and an evil to their country. It was manifest that what was given to support the poor, who had no employment was taken from the capital of the country. If they were not employed, they consumed without re-producing, and were thus useless in the community. They increased, therefore, the proportion of population beyond the proportion of produce. He was sorry that his majesty's ministers had not applied to that House for means of giving effectual support to emigration. The distress of the petitioners, like that of many others, was not owing to variations of the market, but to the annihilation of their trade. When England had been the only country which afforded security for the employment of capital, and when the decrees of Milan and the orders in council had put an end to all neutral commerce, the natural consequence had been, that those who felt no security for capital, and found no scope for their industry and skill elsewhere, should come to this country, and employ here their capital and their skill; but when this state of things was entirely changed, those who had come to this country became unprovided for. They, therefore, set up or revived manufactures in their own country. When he heard particular cases of distress urged upon the attention of the House; when he heard the distresses of agriculturists discussed, as they had been last night, he thought some alleviation might be provided. But it was impossible to give 745 such relief to those whose trade was altogether gone. Their case was like that of I a man who had lost his arm; he could work no longer as he had done before. They who had fought and exposed their lives by sea and land for the institutions of the country naturally complained, that they could now obtain no assistance from those institutions. They saw, indeed, that I they had a House of Commons, but they must lament that it felt no interest for the distressed classes of society. He did think that something ought to be given by the wealthy portion of society, some part of the rents of proprietors, in order to provide the means of emigration to those whom failure of employment rendered destitute. He conceived it sound policy, as well as humanity, to take a small proportion from the great wealth of the nation for this purpose. This he considered a matter of justice, a measure of precaution, and an act of humanity becoming a Christian country, in order to prevent suffering and crime. He implored his majesty's ministers to use their exertions to give effect to the prayer of the petitioners. It was dreadful to see 400 persons in every square mile without any adequate means of subsistence. In making these observations, he was not influenced by any motives of interest. The petitioners had no political weight. He acted only from a feeling of humanity. Yet it was politically prudent as well as humane to pay attention to their distress. In their misery they might be operated upon to engage in plans of reform, and even risings to any extent. Ordered to lie on the table.