§ Mr. Bollingpresented a Petition, signed by 7,500 persons, inhabitants of Great and Little Bolton, praying for a reduction of Taxation, the removal of the Corn-laws, the duties upon Tea and Sugar, the House and Window duty. Vote by Ballot, Universal Suffrage, and Annual Parliaments. The hon. Gentleman begged to say, that there were many topics contained in this petition with which he could not agree. He would be as willing as any man to support any plan which might be devised for the reduction of taxation or the removal of unjust burthens from the people, but he at the same time never could sanction either Universal Suffrage or Annual Parliaments. He was glad to see the noble Lord (Lord Althorp) in his place, as he wished to remind him that the county of Lancaster, that great mart for cotton, had strong claims upon his attention. The people of Lancashire felt the tax upon raw cotton a great and grievous injustice towards them, and they entertained the most sanguine expectations that the noble Lord would repeal it. He trusted that they would not be disappointed.
Colonel Torrenssupported the prayer of the petition, with the exception of that part of it which related to Universal Suffrage and Annual Parliaments. These he could not advocate.
§ Mr. Gillonsupported the petition as it stood, and complained that a petition of the people should have been received with so little respect. If petitions were to be laughed at in this manner, the people would not trouble them with their complaints of grievances in future. He for one should regret that, for he saw no method by which anarchy would be so certainly brought on the country, as by that House entirely separating itself from the people.
§ Mr. Bollingdenied, that the petition had been received with indecorum. The laugh to which the hon. Gentleman bad alluded, arose altogether from the manner in which he had stated the objects of the petitioners, and had no reference whatever to the petition itself.
Petition to lie upon the Table.