Sitting of 2 April 1818

COTTON FACTORIES BILL.
Mr. W. Smithpresented a Petition from 400 persons engaged in cotton spinning, of Herod, in Ashton-under-Lyne; and another from Staley-bridge, signed by 4,000 persons employed in cotton manufactories, praying, that the Bill before the House, for regulating the hours of labour in the several branches of the cotton factories might be adopted. The hon. member boro testimony to the temperate and respectful language of the petitioners.
Mr. J. Smith, in presenting a petition to the same effect from the workmen employed in the cotton factories at New Lanark, took occasion to observe, that he had had an opportunity of seeing the individuals who signed this petition at

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the manufactory where they worked, in the absence of their employer (Mr. Owen), and he could say that he never met with a more moral, well-conducted, or cheerfully industrious set of people, than they evidently were. These petitioners deprecated the system which prevailed in other factories of employing people for fourteen or fifteen hours each day, with only an interval of forty minutes to take their meals. They stated that they themselves, under a more humane and benevolent system, worked only for ten hours and a half each day, and were allowed two hours for their meals; adding that they did more work within the time they were employed, than those who were compelled to work for two hours longer every day, because they proceeded in their work with more zeal and activity for the benefit of the employer, from whom they experienced such kindness. Having seen those petitioners, he could declare that they were, without exception, the most respectable and intelligent individuals he had ever observed in the same walk of life.
The Petitions were ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed.

REFORM OF PARLIAMENT.
Mr. Protheroepresented 286 petitions from Bristol, praying for annual parliaments and universal suffrage. The hon. member observed, that he had conversed with several of the petitioners, upon the subject to which their petitions referred; and although they had not been able to persuade him that he ought to adopt their opinions, he felt it due to their character to declare, that they did not appear to be actuated by any improper design—but to act from a conviction that the establishment of annual parliaments and universal suffrage was the best mode of restoring and preserving the purity of that House.
Ordered to lie on the table.

STOCK DEBENTURES.
The Earl of Lauderdale The Earl of Lauderdale moved for accounts of the Gold and Silver Coinage, from the commencement of the present reign, which were ordered; and, with reference to the motion of which he had given notice for the 14th instant, observed, that since he had intimated his intention of bringing the subject forward, reports had gone abroad which, if true, would materially affect the question. He did not mean to go into the minutiae of these rumours, but should shortly notice that there was said to exist an intention on the part of government of issuing Stock Debentures, upon the security of stock to be deposited in the hands of commissioners; as if this were true it would very materially alter the nature of the question as to the currency of the country; and as he did not wish to come there upon a non-entity, upon a question, the circumstances of which would be altogether changed from those that now existed, he wished to know whether there was actually an intention of issuing any debentures of the description alluded to?
The Earl of Liverpoolsaid, he had also heard, as well as the noble lord, a variety of rumours relative to the subject alluded to; but all he could say was, that whatever measures it might be thought expedient by government to bring forward, would be explained at the proper time. It was
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for the noble lord, however, to consider, whether it was advisable to give credit to a mere general rumour.
The Earl of Lauderdaleobserved, that it was something more than a general rumour, as it appeared that, like the lords of the Articles, who formerly in Scotland considered what subjects should be brought before the legislature, the monied men in the city, were now considering this very subject, with a view to the question, whether any bill respecting it should be laid before parliament? Under these circumstances, he thought himself entitled to ask for information, particularly as the question so materially involved the subject of his motion. The noble lord had talked of future explanation; but the mischief was, that these financial measures had of late come up to that House at a period of the session when it was impossible properly to discuss them.
The Earl of Liverpoolsaid, that whatever measures might be in the contemplation of government, due notice would be given of their being brought forward, and they would be properly explained. He agreed with the noble lord, that financial measures ought to be brought under discussion at a period sufficiently early; but it' would be evident that he could not, consistently with his public duty, enter into farther explanation.
The Earl of Lauderdalethen stated, that the bringing forward the motion of which he had given notice, must be considered to depend upon the circumstances that occurred in the mean time.