Mr. Fonblanque prefented a petition, on the part of Sir Thomas Turton, against the return of George Tierney, Efq. for the borough of Southwark. The petition ftated, that the fitting member had committed several acts of bribery and corruption, and had, by undue influence, prevented votes being poled that ought to have been received; and that, upon the fcrutiny, he had induced the parish clerks to withhold the раrish books, by which many of his bad votes would have been detected. The petition was ordered to be taken into confideration on the 24th of Auguft.

A new writ was ordered for Tiverton, in Devonshire, in the room of the right hon. Dudley Ryder, now Lord Harrow by

The report of the Bell Rock light-houfe was received, and ordered to be printed.

A meffage from the Lords informed the Houfe, their Lordships had agreed to the Irish Parfonage House bill.

CLERGY RESIDENCE BILL.

The order of the day was moved for the further confideration of the clergy refidence bill.

Sir William Scott ftated, that, in confequence of the late bill having been loft, a number of penal actions had been brought upon the ftatute of Henry VIII. for non-refidence ; it was therefore of the utmost importance that the prefent bill fhould be forwarded with as much expedition as poffible.

The bill was re-committed. The report was received, and the bill was ordered to be read a third time next day.

WOOLLEN CLOTHIERS' BILL.

Mr. Dickinson moved, that the woollen clothiers' bill. fhould be now read a third time.

Mr. Brookes moved, that the words, "three months" fhould be fubstituted for the word " now.

Mr. Hurst expreffed him felf friendly to the prefent bill, It was founded on the free fpirit of trade and commerce, that the old ftatutes from Richard II. to George II. fhould be repealed. They had been enacted on the then exifling state of the trade, and were totally unneceffary at prefent. He obferved, that one year's apprenticeship was fufficient for a lad

who

who was capable of learning his bufinefs. There were fufficient hands already to work the machinery, and the numbers ought not to be increased while foldiers were wanted for the army, and failors for the navy. Surely if these could be fpared for any purpose of industry, thofe employed in agriCulture were moft in request. He thought the flatutes-books, had been well cleared of the rubbish with which they had been filled upon this fubject; they were of no fervice, but to give practice to attornies, who were but too ready to take advantage of them. He was decidedly in favour of the bill.

Mr. Peter Moore faid, he oppofed the bill for the fame, reafons the hon. Gentleman fupported it. It seemed to be confidered, that there were only two parties concerned in. the meafure, but he conceived there was a third, whofe interefts were material. He referred to that period of the fixteenth century at which the woollen trade had been intro duced into this country, and contended that it had been ow ing to the fyftem of apprenticeship we owed its profperity. He fupported his opinion by reference to the fentiments of Dr. Adam Smith. It was, he faid, a productive fyftem, that yielded 24,000,000l. to the country. He objected to the repeal of the old laws, unless better ones were fubftituted for them. He thought it was a fubject of great importance to the ftate.

Mr. Brookes faid, he hoped the foldiers and failors that were wanted, would be provided by more conftitutional means than taking them from our manufactures.

Mr. I. Hawkins Brown propofed that this should be merely a bill of experiment, and that it fhould be limited to two years; if this was agreed to, he fhould give his vote for the meafure.

Mr. Wilberforce alfo wished for fome compromife; he had not brought his mind to a conclufion, but he was rather inclined to its being a bill of experiment.

Admiral Zerkeley fupported the measure; he entreated the Houfe to pass the bill, obferving, that if it was not paffed, they might be perfuaded, from what had been faid relative to the clergy bill, how merciful the attornies would be; there would no doubt be an hundred actions. With regard to regulations, the workmen fhould find him as zealous in fupporting thofe for their benefit, as for their masters. He did not find that any regulations whatever were introduced, confequently he was for the bill going on.

Dr.

Dr. Laurence contended, that the bill was neceffary upon the evidence of the petitioners themselves. He argued, that in a commercial country, the ufe of machinery was neceffary. Their own evidence proved, that the ufe of machinery rendered the manufactures cheaper. It was by the adoption of fuch machines the woollen manufacture of this country had arrived at its prefent height. It was neceflary the ftate of enmity and irritation which pervaded this branch of our manufactures should be put an end to, by the Legiflature putting an end to the laws which referred to a period when it was in its infancy. He referred to a pamphlet and a letter, which had been tranfmitted to him by the petitioners, the contents of which he conceived disrespectful towards the House, and generally fupported the bill.

Mr. Sheridan faid, he did not rife to enter into the merits of the question, fuch arguments had been used on both sides. Something had fallen from the learned Gentleman, which was rather injurious to the petitioners. He had ftated, that his intention had been first called to the fubject by a pamphlet and a letter. Now the petitioners had alfo fent him the fame pamphlet ; it was a common practice for perfons concerned in bills before the Houfe to do so, and was perfectly right. The letter contained nothing more than a complaint that the House was going to pafs the bill without knowing precifely the queftion. The evidence taken before the Committee had been ordered to be printed, and before a man in the House had seen a page of it, the bill was propofed to pafs. These petitioners had a right to state their disapprobation of a proceeding they confidered precipitate. The learned Gentleman had faid, that all he knew of the fubject was from the evidence, confequently if he had not had an opportunity of feeing the evidence before the bill palled, the Houfe would have loft the benefit of his speech.

Mr. Bragge faid, there was no occasion to add arguments to those which had not been answered; nor was it neceffary to enter into details of that which lay in a narrow compass. This bill did no more than repeal the statute of Henry VI. relating to a machine, which was fuppofed no longer to exift-he meant the gig-mill, to which that ftature referred. It had been proved before a jury at Salisbury, and a very able judge, that the gig-mill meant by that statute was out of ufe a perfon had been indicted for using a gig-mill, and had been acquitted. The ftatute did not relate to machines in general. The gig-machine was fcarcely used in Gloucef

tershire,

tershire, very little in Yorkshire, and principally in Wiltthire and Somerfetfhire. He was of opinion the House could not do better than pass the act in its prefent ftate. It would not prevent difcuffing the fubject in the enfuing Parliament. Enough had been faid to fanétion the prefent meafure, and the Houfe was not pledging itfelf to the making it pe rennial.

Mr. Sheridan afked, whether, when the bill paffed, it was intended to preclude the adoption of a refolution for reviving the subject next feffion.

Mr. Bragge faid, he should be forry to pledge himself. He did not wish to make it a condition, but he was not aware that there would be any objection to reviving the fubject next feffion, if any hon. Gentleman gave notice of a motion to that effect.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer fubfcribed to all the fen timents of his right hon, Friend, but he could not confent to what had been fuggefted by an hon. Gentleman (Mr. Sheridan). The Houfe never paffed a refolution after a bill fo definitive. Its difcretion ought not to be fettered, nor would it commit itself with a declaration upon the fubject. It was of importance to guard against the difquiet and irritation, which, in manufacturing towns, would be produced rather than allayed, by fuffering the queftion to continue unsettled. He altogether objected to fuch a refolution. It was of the utmost importance the workmen fhould be convinced, that it was not by turbulence, difturbance, or cabal, this House would be influenced. The Houfe would ever be actuated by a difpofition to redrefs their grievances, but they ought to understand, that fuch a difpofition would not be quickened by any conduct which is inconfiftent with their duty to their matters. He gave his confent to the bill, but he did not confider himself committed to an definitive arrangement.

Mr. Wilberforce juftified the conduct of the workmen of the county of York.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, his obfervations did not apply to Yorkshire, but to the Western counties.

After a few obfervations from Mr. Lafcelles, strangers were ordered to withdraw, but the bill was read a third time and paffed without a divifion.

COM

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

421

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, it would be recollected, that, in ftating the ways and means, he had given notice of his intention to move for 5,000,000l. of exchequer bills, to replace thofe which were raised last year, and charged on the fupplies of the prefent year.

He moved that the fum of 5,000,000l. fhould be granted to his Majefty, to enable him to difcharge the exchequer bills made out by virtue of an act of last sellion, for the fervice of the year.

He alfo moved a grant of 16,000l. for repairing the forts on the coast of Africa.

Also, 12,000l. for fums granted in confequence of addreffes.

Alfo, 171,4311. 11s. 1d. for fums in the difpofition

paper.

The report was ordered to be read the next day, and the Committee ordered to fit again on Monday.

The House went into a Committee of ways and means, in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the fums voted in the Committee of fupply.

The report was ordered to be read the next day, and the Committee was ordered to fit again on Monday.

SCOTCH ARMY OF RESERVE.

The Secretary at War moved the third reading of this

bill.

Mr. Charles Grant wifhed to know upon what fcale the Secretary had calculated the proportions for the counties of Scotland.

The Secretary at War replied, that at first the proportion was calculated at 34 for 1000 of the population of the country; but after confulting with very able men who had affifted in forming the tables of population, the old calculations were found to be very imperfect, and the conclufion was, that 84 to 2,000 fhould be the average: but on account of the incorrect returns in fome counties, there fhould be added to the average of 84 a number not exceeding 16; and in other counties, a number should be taken of the average, not exceeding 16.

Mr. Grant faid a few words in explanation.

Mr. McDowell was for the bill being adopted exactly as it ftood, because the men might in that cafe be raised immediately; but if the change which had been propofed should VOL. IV. 1802-3.

3 F

be