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The bill for building a new jail in the city of Waterford, was read a fecond time, and committed for the 8th day of March. The bill for regulating the qualification of electors, read a fecond time, and committed for Monday.

The bill for procuring a provifion for the widows and children of deceafed clergy, read a fecond time, and committed for Tuefday next.

The bill for regulating the inland fisheries of Ireland, was read a fecond time, and committed for Tuesday next.

The bill for the more effectual regillering of freeholders, and the explanatory election bill, were read a fecond time, and committed for Tuesday next.

The bill for the relief of infolvent debtors under a certain defcription, different from the bill now pending in the House for the relief of debtors in cuflody, was read a fecond time, and committed for Wednesday.

A committee was ftruck to take into confideration the ftate of the fisheries in Ireland, and to call for perfons and papers, and to fit on Monday next.

MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1784.

The Right Hon. Mr. Gardiner reported to the House, that his Grace the Lord Lieutenant had been attended with the congratulatory addrefs of this Houfe to his Grace, and that thereupon his Grace was pleased to return the answer following :

"I fincerely thank the Houfe of Commons for their congratulations, and for the juft opinion they entertain of my earnest desire to promote the profperity and happinefs of Ireland."

Ordered, That his Grace the Lord Lieutenant's anfwer be entered on the journals of this House.

Mr. Chatterton faid, that actuated by humanity alone he begged leave to prefs one word in favour of the infolvents, a fet of men who called aloud on the feelings, and he trufted would therefore excite the humane attention of the House.-He said, that his humble motion was, that the committee of the whole House, appointed to take into confideration a bill for the relief of infolvent debtors, be impowered to receive a claufe, that any perfon applying for the benefit of the act for the relief of infolvent debtors in actual cuftody, fhall not be obliged to pay any fee or fees to the officer of any court, or to any perfon, either for his discharge in purfuance of this act, or for any petition, affidavit or other proceeding to be had preparatory thereto; nor that fuch discharge or

fuch petition, affidavit or other proceeding, be required to be stamped, or be liable to any duty payable to the crown. The Provoft feconded the motion.

And the queftion being put, it was carried in the affirmative, unanimously.

It was alfo ordered, that the faid committee be impowered to receive a claufe to compel all perfons who are prifoners for debt, and who chufe to continue in prifon, to deliver up to their creditors their eftates and effects upon oath, in order to fatisfy their juft debts.

Mr. Chatterton prefented a petition from Felix Pritchard. This unfortunate gentleman's cafe was verified by affidavit, he had been a prifoner for debt only, in the gaol of Philipstown, for three years paft, where he had fuffered many hard/hips, for a confiderable time paft, loaded with irons of at leaft eleven pounds weight, often deprived of the ufe and benefit of fire; and when in the late inclement feafon he procured firing for his victuals, it was at the peril of his life a fire could be lighted up in the place of his confinement for want of ventilation, by which he was in great danger of fuffocation. Mr. Chatterton pathetically appealed to the feelings of every gentleman, and called on their fenfibility in favour of this unhappy object of their pity and commiferation.

Ordered, That the faid petition be referred to the committee of the whole Houfe, appointed to take into further confideration a bill for the relief of infolvent debtors.

He then moved, That the gaoler of Philipftown do attend this Houfe, on Monday morning next.-Ordered accordingly.

Mr. Chatterton, according to order, prefented to the House a bill for the better regulating elections of members to ferve in parliament, for counties, cities and towns corporate, where the right of voting is in freeholders only, or in freeholders and freemen; and for afcertaining the qualifications of perfons to vote at fuch elections, and to direct the proceedings of fheriffs and other officers in the electing and returning fuch members; which was received and read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time on Saturday next.

Right Honourable William Brownlow prefented a petition of the gentlemen, clergy, freeholders and inhabitants of the county of Armagh, praying a reform in the prefent ftate of the reprefentation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom.

Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members.

Sir Richard Johnston wished to be informed by the Right Honourable Member (Mr. Brownlow) whether the Armagh petition

had been figned by the freeholders exclufively, or alfo by those who were not freeholders, and by what number? As he was informed the freeholders of the county of Armagh did not far exceed the number of 2000; this would throw fome light on the matter. However, if others as well as freeholders had figned it, he thought the country much obliged to them for this intance of their care to the conftitution.

Mr. Brownlow informed the Honourable Member, that the freeholders were 2500 in number; of these 1440 had figned the petition. It had been figned by near 5000 others, who were perfons of character and property, fufficient to be freeholders, and who therefore ought to have votes.

Right Honourable Hercules Langford Rowley, prefented a petition of the gentlemen, clergy, and freeholders of the county of Meath, praying a reform in the prefent ftate of the representation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom.

And the queftion being put, that the faid petition be read.It was carried in the affirmative.

And the fame was read accordingly.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members,

Right Honourable Edward Cary, prefented a petition of the freeholders of the county of Londonderry, praying a reform in the prefent ftate of the reprefentation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members.

Mr. Travers Hartley, prefented a petition of the freemen and freeholders of the city of Dublin, praying a reform in the prefent ftate of the reprefentation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members,

L

Sir Hercules Langrishe faid, on Mr. Hartley's prefenting the Dublin petition, that doubtlefs the citizens were actuated by the moft friendly motives to their neighbours, when they made fuch heavy complaints of their grievances. They could have no intere e themielves in redrelling hardships they did not feel. That they did not feel them was manifeft from the proper choice they had made of their prefent members. However, as he was a friend to the rights of the fubject to petition, he would give his confent to receiving the petition, though he was convinced, it would be found on rigorous examination, fubverfive of the conftitution and government.

Mr. Hartley thought the citizens of Dublin had abundant reafon to complain of the present state of reprefentation. The elec

tors of Dublin, among whom were many of the first and most refpectable characters in the kingdom, amounted to 4000, and had but two reprefentatives, when the moft infignificant and depopulated borough returned the fame number.

Sir Richard Butler prefented a petition of the gentlemen, clergy, and freeholders of the county of Carlow, praying a reform in the prefent ftate of the reprefentation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members.

Right Honourable John Fofter, prefented a petition of the gentlemen, clergy, and freeholders of the county of Louth, praying a reform in the prefent state of the representation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom.

Sir Edward Newenham faid, he could not help noticing the manner in which the petition of the refpectable electors of the county of Louth was delivered; until it was read, he did not think it was more than an infolvent petition, for the manner it was thrown on the table appeared to him very ungraci

ous.

Mr. Fofter faid, he had been informed that fome member had made obfervations on his manner of delivering the petition; he might not deliver a petition with that degree of elegance the Honourable Knight did, but no man could accufe him of want of refpect to the electors, as thofe of the county of Louth; and that they were entitled to refpect, equally with those of any other

county.

Sir Edward Newenham replied.-Mr. Speaker, I am the member alluded to, therefore, I repeat my words; that the manner of delivering the petition was ungracious.-I refented it on behalf of thofe refpectable electors who figned the petition, and I maintain it was indecently offered to the Houfe-I am as much the friend of that refpe&table county as the Right Hon. Member. I ftood up for their character and confequence.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members.

Sir Edward Newenham prefented a petition of the fheriff and freeholders of county of Dublin, praying a reform in the prefent ftate of the reprefentation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom; he added, he never made a motion or tendered a refolution with more zeal or warmth, than he did this unanimous defire of his conftituents-it was penned with moderation, and founded in juftice.

Ordered, That the faid peti.ion do lie on the table for the perufal of the members.

The Right Honourable the Provoft prefented a petition of the freemen and freeholders of the county of the city of Cork, praying a reform in the prefent ftate of the reprefentation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members.

Mr. Sackville Hamilton being chofen a burgess for the city of Clogher, in the county of Tyrone, and alfo a burgess for the borough of Rathcormuck, in the county of Cork, made his election to ferve for the faid city of Clogher.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do iffue his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new writ for electing a burgess to serve in this prefent parliament, for the borough of Rathcormuck, in the county of Cork.

Mr. William Ogle prefented a petition of the gentlemen, clergy, freemen, and freeholders of the county of the town of Drogheda, praying a reform in the prefent ftate of the reprefentation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members.

Colonel Gore prefented a petition of the gentlemen, clergy, and freeholders of the county of Longford, praying a reform in the prefent ftate of the reprefentation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members.

Mr. Peter Latouche prefented a petition of the freeholders of the county of Leitrim, praying a reform in the prefent ftate of the reprefentation of the people in the parliament of this king

dom.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members.

Right Honourable Owen Wynne prefented a petition of the gentlemen, clergy, and freeholders of the county of Sligo, praying a reform in the prefent flate of the reprefentation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the pe

rufal of the members.

A petition of the inhabitants of the corporation of Newtownardes, praying a reform in the prefent flate of the representation of the people in the parliament of this kingdom, was presented to the

Houfe.

Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table for the perufal of the members.

Mr. O'Hara prefented a petition from the county of Sligo.-He faid, it was conveyed in language the most respectful to parlia

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