Lord Broughampresented a petition from a great number of householders in the City of London, who were non-freemen, setting forth that they were threatened with proceedings by the Corporation of the City of London to compel them to take up their freedom, which would be attended with a cost of not less than 11l. 6s. 4d. This applied not only to eminent wholesale dealers, but to the smallest shopkeepers, and even to porters, carters, and the lowest artizans. It was considered a grievous and oppressive monopoly. It formed a remnant of the feudal times, when a distinction existed between bondmen and freemen. The petitioners prayed relief. He begged to inform their Lordships, that as soon as the petition should be received, he would present a Bill to their Lordships to remedy the evil complained of, by extending to the City of London the 14th section of 5 and 6 William IV., which abolished all these rights of freedom in every other city, town, and borough in the kingdom.
§ The petition having been received,
Lord Broughambrought in a Bill, entitled "A Bill for enabling all Persons to trade and work within the City of London," which was read 1a.