§ The Marquess of Lansdowne,in presenting a petition from protestant dissenters of Hackney, praying the House, without additional delay to relieve the distress of the manufacturing districts and stop what the petitioners believed to be impending national misery and irretrievable ruin, observed that he had seen with great concern that her Majesty's Ministers had not requested the attention of the House to that important inquiry which the people of this country had a right to expect, and for which the address lately agreed to by their Lordships had prepared them; because he believed that it was the duty of Parliament to go into the inquiry, if it had been proposed. As it had not been proposed, however, by her Majesty's Ministers, it was not his intention or the intention of any other noble Lord near him, to press the subject upon Parliament, but they would wait earnestly and anxiously for that declaration of opinion which must, sooner or later, proceed from her Majesty's Government.
§ The Duke of Wellingtonthought that if the noble Lord had reflected he would have been of opinion that it was impossible to enter upon any inquiry that could have been brought to a close between this and the probable termination of the Session.
§ Adjourned till Monday.