§ The Duke of Richmondstated that he had sixteen petitions to present from parishes in Sussex, praying that their Lordships would not sanction any measure for the repeal or alteration of the Corn-laws. He need not say that is 845 cordially agreed in the prayer of the petition; and he hoped that the farmers of this country would lose no time in forwarding to both Houses of Parliament petitions embracing the same opinions on the subject; for they must be aware that persons were going through the country lecturing on this question, and getting persons to sign petitions who in reality knew very little about what they were signing. He trusted, therefore, that the farmers would immediately do as they had done last Session—humbly petition both Houses of Parliament not to accede to the wishes of those who were desirous of repealing the Corn-laws. That was the wise and proper course for them to pursue, and he was confident that if they adopted it, their efforts would produce the same result which had attended them last year.
§ Petition laid on the Table.