§ Mr. R. Martinpresented a petition from the inhabitants of Manchester, praying for the abolition of bear-baiting, badger-baiting, dog-fighting and monkey-fighting. The petition, he observed, was most numerously and respectably signed, and he felt proud of the honour of having been selected as the individual to present it to the House. He had observed, on a former night, that bull-baiting was already abolished; happily, no man could now bait a bull without exposing himself to the penalties of a misdemeanour. The petition was signed by upwards of 700 most respectable individuals, and particularly by the class of persons belonging to the Society of Friends. It set forth, "That the petitioners, strongly impressed with a sense, not only of the cruelty which is inflicted on the unfortunate animals who are made 369 the subjects of various barbarous sports, such as bear-baiting, badger-fighting, dog-fighting, and so forth; but being also persuaded that the habit of beholding and promoting such spectacles has a mischievous effect upon the moral nature of man, and often leads to offences of an atrocious nature; humbly pray, that the House may be pleased to take the same into their consideration, with a view to suppress such sports."
§ Ordered to lie on the table.