The Earl of Lauderdale, adverting to the petition he had presented against this bill, in which the petitioners prayed to be heard against it by counsel at their lordships' bar; and offered to prove that the Equitable Loan Company was illegal, said, he thought a company over which such doubts hung, was deserving of close investigation, before their lordships passed any bill in its favour. He did not think, indeed, that any noble lord would be found to move the second reading of the bill: but, in case any one should, he thought it right that their lordships should be in, possession of the fullest information on the subject. He should, therefore, move, that there be laid on the table, a copy of the deed for regulating the Equitable Loan Company, dated Nov. 6, 1824. He should also move, that there be laid before their lordships, a copy of all prospectuses published by the Equitable Loan Company in any of the newspapers, bearing the names of any of the directors, or of the secretary, which are subscribed to the deed of November 6, 1824. This society professed also to lend money to the poor; and he thought some light might be thrown on it, by comparing it with societies, which had formerly existed for the same purpose. He should, therefore, further move, that there be laid before their lordships copies of all licences or charters granted by any of his majesty's royal predecessors to any companies or bodies for lending small sums of money to the industrious classes. This would enable their lordships to distinguish this from other corporations.—Ordered.