The Marquis of Lansdownsaid, he had two petitions to submit to their lordships, which came from a part of the country with which he was not connected, but which related to a subject that, from the unhappy situation of the petitioners, was calculated to attract the serious attention of their lordships. It was, however, his duty to state, that, the petitions were of such a nature that they could not be laid on the table without approbation being previously given to them by the king's government, as the petitioners prayed for pecuniary assistance to transport themselves to the British colonies in North America, or to some other part of the world, in which they might find means of maintaining themselves by their labour, instead of remaining in a country in which they could not obtain subsistence. It was an affecting circumstance, and one which could not fail to recommend the petition to the consideration of their lordships, that they came from persons who were not desirous of leaving their native land from any love of change, or any spirit of discontent, but solely from the unhappy circumstances into which the manufacturing districts had recently fallen, and 318 which, however contrary to the habits to which they had been accustomed, induced the petitioners to seek in foreign climes the means of maintaining their families in some degree of comfort. It was not his intention to offer any decided opinion as to how far it would be proper for the government to promote emigration. At the same time, he must say, that there was no period in any country, under any circumstances, and more especially in this country, which appeared fitter for inquiry; than the present. But it was for the king's government to consider well how such a measure ought to be carried into effect; on how great a scale, and under what regulations it would be right to proceed. Here, two considerations would present themselves; first, as to what extent emigration could be carried, consistently with the degree of expense which might be borne by this country in transporting a multitude of people to colonies, and with regard to the safety of the colonies themselves; secondly, to what extent any plan could be carried, so as to afford relief to the starving part of the population. In thus stating the question, he must add, that he had not been able to satisfy himself that it would be possible to administer relief by emigration, to that extent which some persons seemed to suppose could be accomplished—that was, to the extent of providing subsistence for the large body of manufacturers now suffering under great distress. Now as to the means, the question for the consideration of the government and the House would divide itself into two parts; first, what would be the expense attending such an operation on a large scale; and next, whether that expense was one which could be recommended. If it should be found that the expense was one which could; not be recommended, it would then fall to be considered, whether an emigration; of a more limited nature, which would, take out of the country that description of persons who, having some small capital, were capable of contributing to the expense of their removal, should be encouraged. He was not prepared to say, that some plan of emigration might not be; safely carried on, under the direction of I the government. He was afraid, however, that if any plan were adopted for relief in this instance, it would be impossible to tell how far the House might afterwards be called upon to go. However deep the 319 distress of the petitioners, he could not but feel that there were other parts of the empire in an equally unfortunate situation; from which, therefore, similar applications might be expected to come. It was extremely difficult to see to what consequences such an opening might lead. All, then, that remained for him to do, was to express his satisfaction, in knowing, that this important subject had engaged the attention of his majesty's ministers. He trusted that means would be found of doing something at once practicable and consistent with sound principles of policy.
§ Earl Bathurstsaid, that as the consent of the Crown was necessary, before the petition could be laid on the table, he rose for the purpose of giving that consent; but in doing so, he wished to be understood, that the government pledged itself to nothing on the subject. That consent was given purely for the purpose of enabling the petitioners to express their sentiments to their lordships. Those petitioners were labouring under a degree of distress which it was impossible to think of without sympathy; and they had borne their sufferings with patience. He wished he could add that the distress was confined to the district whence the petitions came. Unhappily, it was very general. He believed, however, that there was scarcely ever a period, in which sufferings had been endured with such forbearance and obedience to the laws. At the same time he must observe, that he believed there never was a time when the public had stept forward so readily to relieve those sufferings by liberal pecuniary assistance, and in forming committees to manage and distribute the aid raised by subscription. It must also be added, that there never was a time in which so few instances were known, of persons ready to aggravate the distress, by using inflammatory language, and exciting the suffering multitude to acts of violence. All this was not only very creditable to the country, but also to the sufferers, who were entitled to every regard, for their unshaken loyalty and obedience to the laws of their country. With respect to the particular case of the petitioners, they prayed for pecuniary assistance to forward themselves to a settlement in those possessions which belonged to the Crown in North America. Their lordships were aware that, these possessions consisted of 320 immense tracks of lands, on which no house was erected, and which were covered with immense forests. It would, therefore, be very hazardous to place large numbers of any description of people in those trackless lands, in the hope that they might be able to support themselves; and it would be much more so to send there persons born and brought up in cities. He did not wish the observations he had just made to be understood as implying, that the relief which the petitioners prayed for ought not to be given. It was not his intention that they should be so understood. He had made them for the purpose of showing to their lordships, the necessity of great consideration, before that species of relief which was prayed for should be granted. With that object, in the course of last session, a committee had been appointed by the other House of Parliament. That committee had made a report on the subject, and it was his intention to move, that a message be sent to the Commons for a copy thereof. Should any measure for encouraging emigration be adopted, great discrimination must be employed in the choice of persons to be sent abroad. The aged, the sick, and the infirm must be excluded; not because they were unworthy of relief, but because the particular species of relief called for was not applicable to them; for to send out to a foreign country those who were rendered helpless from infirmity, would be only to expose them to unspeakable calamities.
§ Ordered to lie on the table.