united kingdom; and they are humbly of opinion that the great object of all legislative regulation in the commercial concerns of the country is the protection of this equal right in the subject, and the further extension of a just and legitimate commerce, and that therefore all monopolies, which exclude the general body of the people from this commerce, are a violation of their natural rights and privileges; and, that, of the injurious consequences attending all attempts at an exclusive traffic, the Petitioners have good reason for concluding the present monopoly of the East India Company affords renewed evidence, it being not only prejudicial to the general interest of the country, but also, if they are rightly informed, unprofitable to the Company itself, whose capital, there is strong reason for believing, is by no means adequate to so extended a trade; and that, in the present depressed state of the manufactures and commerce of that part of the united kingdom, every measure of assistance that the House can afford, ought to be exerted, and the Petitioners look up with confidence, and indulge the most anxious hope, that partial considerations will not be permitted to sacrifice and set aside their most serious and important interests; and that, from these and various other considerations, the Petitioners do humbly and earnestly pray, that the House will adopt measures for the total abolition of the commercial monopoly of the East India Company at the expiration of their present Charter, or at least that such monopoly may not be permitted to deprive British subjects of those privileges allowed to neutral nations; and that the charter, if renewed, may be made subject to such modifications and conditions as may be best calculated for promoting the commerce and manufactures of the united kingdom."

A Petition of the bailies and trustees of the united towns of Port Glasgow and Newark, was also presented and read; setting forth,

"That under the present pressure upon the trade of this kingdom by its inveterate enemy, the Petitioners do conceive that every possible relief should be given to the mercantile and manufacturing concerns upon which depend, in a great measure, the finances of the country; and that a free trade with the British possessions in India, and with the other territories east of the Cape of Good Hope and west of

Cape Horn, offers a very considerable substitute for what the enemy has shut up from this kingdom in Europe; and that the United States of America, and other countries in amity with his Majesty, have long enjoyed the privilege of trading to our India possessions, from which our fellow subjects have been excluded; and that whatever political or other reasons may have heretofore existed for such an exclusion, the Petitioners presume that the present period of distress calls loudly for an effectual removal of that exclusion upon the termination of the present charter of the East India Company; and praying the House to adopt such measures as may give relief in this respect to the subjects of this realm."

A Petition of the trades house of the city of Glasgow, was also presented and read; setting forth,

"That from the present depressed state of the commerce and manufactures of this country, arising from the very limited channels for exportation, owing to the continental restrictions lately laid thereon, the Petitioners have observed with deep regret the shock which the trading and manufacturing interests of the united empire has thus sustained, and the consequent state of distress and poverty which many thousands of their constituents employed in the manufactures of that city and neighbourhood, as well as the manufacturers and artizans throughout the kingdom, have been reduced to without any immediate prospect of being soon restored to their former situation; and that, impressed with these feelings, and being convinced of the baneful effects resulting from whatever tends to cramp the mercantile and trading interests of this king dom, the Petitioners take the liberty of suggesting, and earnestly recommending to the serious consideration of the House, the policy of discontinuing the privilege or monopoly hitherto enjoyed by the East India Company, of trading to all those countries comprehended between the Cape of Good Hope and the straits of Magellan exclusively, to the prejudice of all the other subjects of the empire; and that, as the inhabitants of the United States of America, and indeed the subjects of every other government in amity with this country, enjoy free commercial intercourse with the British possessions in India, the Petitioners consider it a hardship, bordering on injustice, that the subjects of this kingdom should be burdened, to a certain degree, with the expence of the naval and military establishments for defending those possessions, while they are deprived of that free commercial intercourse which is enjoyed by foreigners; and that if, therefore, a free trade with the large proportion of the population of the globe, comprehended under the exclusive grant to the East India Company, were to be afforded to the mercantile talent and capital of this empire, the Petitioners are hopeful that a channel would thereby be opened up, which would not only baffle the attempts of our insidious and inveterate enemy, but give useful and profitable employment to mercantile capital in general, and thereby in a great degree give relief to the labouring and at present distressed state of the manufacturers and artizans of this kingdom; and praying the House to adopt such measures as may render it lawful for any of his majesty's subjects, from and after the expiry of the East India Company's present Charter, to carry on, from any of the ports of the United Kingdom, a free and equal trade with the countries between the Cape of Good Hope and the Straits of Magellan."

A Petition of the provost magistrates and town council of the royal burgh of Kirkaldy, in council assembled, was also presented and read; setting forth,

"That as the Charter under which the East India Company enjoy an exclusive trade to the countries lying to the East of the Cape of Good Hope, and to the West of the Straits of Magellan, will expire at no distant period, the Petitioners are desirous to draw the attention of the legislature to that subject; they feel themselves particularly called on to do this at the present time, when their manufacturing and shipping interests, as well as those of their fellow subjects, are suffering the severest pressure from the Continental restrictions imposed by the enemy, and other causes necessarily connected therewith: and that at this enlightened period the petitioners conceive, that it is unnecessary for them to state at any length the injurious effects and general inexpediency of commercial monopolies, or the advantages that would result to the trading and manufacturing interests of this kingdom, were the extensive and populous countries above-mentioned laid open to the industry and mercantile enterprise of all the sub.

jects of this empire; and they beg leave shortly to express it as their opinion, formed on deliberate consideration, that no monopoly whatever should be granted or continued which may have the effect of precluding the merchants and shipowners of this kingdom, in every port thereof, from enjoying all the benefits of a free trade with every country to which the British Flag is admitted, subject always to such regulations as the government and legislature may deem just and expedient for national purposes; and that the Petitioners hope for further indulgence while they suggest two considerations in relation to this subject, which appear to them to have strong claims to attention: first, that to many of the countries comprehended under their exclusive charter, the East India Company have never traded, and to which their limited capital will never permit them to extend their connections in trade; it seems therefore difficult, if not altogether impossible, to assign any good reason why other persons and other capital belonging to the same country should not be allowed at any rate to do that for which the present monopolists are inadequate; second, the subjects of States in amity with his Majesty, and particularly. those of the United States of America, have for a number of years past enjoyed the freedom of trade with the countries alluded to, while the subjects of Great Britain and Ireland have been excluded from that privilege, or at least the privilege to which the private trade is admitted, is fettered with such restrictions as to render it in a great measure nugatory; and that the Petitioners are totally unable to reconcile this arrangement with any principle of justice or good policy, and they cannot for a moment doubt the readiness of the legislature to remove so just a ground of complaint, while the removal of it would tend to greatly promote the commercial and political interests of the kingdom; and praying the House to take this subject into serious consideration, and to adopt such measures in respect thereof as shall most effectually serve to open new markets for the decaying manufactures and commerce of the nation."

A Petition of the magistrates and council of the town of Kilmarnock, in the county of Ayr, was also presented and read, setting forth,

"That the inhabitants of Kilmarnock, in common with those of other manufacturing towns, have for some time past experienced much inconvenience, and been subjected to many and severe privations, from the stagnation of trade; and that, considering this stagnation to arise in a great degree from the unprecedented measures resorted to by the government of France, for excluding our commerce from the continent of Europe, and believing the war in which the country is engaged to have been forced upon it, and that the government of the United Kingdom has no alternative but to persevere, and bring it to an honourable conclusion, the Petitioners have hitherto submitted, and will continue cheerfully to submit, to those privations; and that, whilst this is their determination, and whilst they observe that France is about to extend her anticommercial regulations, the Petitioners can

not but consider it as a most fortunate occurrence that the existing charter of the East India Company is about to expire, because the legislature will thereby be enabled to open up the trade to India, and thus a ready channel will be found into which the capital and enterprize of the British merchant in general may be turned with advantage, it is humbly conceived to the kingdom at large; and that the adoption of such a measure will afford great relief to the manufacturing interest, and counteract so far the designs of the enemy, now peculiarly levelled against our trade; and that the Petitioners feel it would be improperly consuming the time of the House, were they to enter into any lengthened detail on the subject, the more especially as the matter is very fully and ably discussed in several applications from the first commercial bodies, now lying on the table; and praying the House to take the subject into serious consideration, and either to open up the trade to India and China generally, by refusing to continue the commercial monopoly of the East India Company, or to do so to such extent at least as may afford some vent for a free trade, which will have a most beneficial effect, the Petitioners are convinced, on the commercial concerns of the nation."

And the said Petitions were ordered to lie upon the table.

PETITION FROM MAYO RESPECTING THE ROMAN CATHOLICS OF IRELAND.) Colonel Dillon presented a Petition from the Freeholders of the county of Mayo, praying the extension of a constitutional privilege to their Roman Catholic fellow subjects.

He stated the Petition to have been resolv. ed upon unanimously, by one of the largest county meetings he ever remem bered to have taken place in that county. This was no inadequate criterion of the general sense of that county in favour of the Catholic claims, the freeholders of which exceed eleven thousand. He stated also that the Sheriff who presided at the meeting had signed the Petition. The Petition was then read, setting forth,

"That, at the time of his present Majesty's acession to the throne of these realms, the laws in force against his Roman Catholic subjects of Ireland deprived them of most of the rights of Irishmen, and of several of the common rights of mankind; that, by the acts of 1778 of the Irish Parliament, recommended by his Majesty, Roman Catholics were empowered to vest the fruits of their industry in landed property, from which auspicious period the Petitioners observe the improvement of that country, in its agriculture, in its commerce, and in all the enjoyments and improvements of social life: immediately after this repeal followed a war between England and France, when, the whole army being withdrawn from Ireland, its defence was necessarily intrusted to its own people, of which his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects form so considerable a proportion; they, in common with their fellow subjects of every other persuasion, stood forward a volunteer army for its defence, at a time when there was a French navy, and a power of invading their country, and did by so standing forward, as is known, prevent an invasion of Ireland; some years after, in the 32d and 33d years of his Majesty's reign, by the special recommend ation of his Majesty to his parliament of Ireland, a further relaxation of those restrictive laws against Roman Catholics took place; they were admitted by the legislature to vote at elections for members of parliament, and thereby to derive political power and consequence from that land which the former liberality and good sense of the legislature had allowed them to acquire; they were allowed to hold most of the employments of the law and the revenue; they were allowed to hold commissions in the army and navy; most situations of honour and emolument were opened to them; from which period the Petitioners have seen talents added to the war, and strength and efficiency to the army; they have seen the triumph of British armies officered by Roman Catho

lics; they have seen the triumphs of the British navy increased: and they have seen as conscientious a discharge of all

the British territories in India, together with their exclusive trade, under certain limitations, for establishing further regu

lics of Ireland, in all situations, as by any other classes of his Majesty's subjects: those restrictive laws are to the present race of Protestants matter of history only, none of them having been enacted during his present Majesty's reign, or by any Protestant now alive; with the progressive repeal of those laws they have seen the energies of this empire raised to a pitch of glory unequalled in the page of history; from this experience they see with concern any remains of those laws making distinction between the Roman Catholics and Protestants of Ireland; and they humbly pray that

tion the wish and prayer of all classes and religious descriptions of that country, that a total repeal of every test, oath, declaration, or provision, which has the effect of subjecting Roman Catholics to any disability whatever on account of religious persuasion, may be repealed, and that the genius talent and energy of the whole of this empire be called forward for its safety in these times of unexampled difficulty; and that, in arranging this great and salutary measure, the Petitioners leave it to the wisdom of parliament to connect with this final settlement and conclusion of restrictive laws such adequate provisions for the maintenance of the civil and religious establishments of that part of the empire as may be deemed necessary, convinced as they are that such may be done with the strictest adherence to the tenets and discipline of the Roman Catholic religion; and that, on this basis of mutual satisfaction and security, it is the earnest prayer and advice of the freeholders of the county of Mayo, that all the rights of the civil constitution of this country be extended to his majesty's Roman Catholic subjects of Ireland."

Ordered to lie upon the table.

PETITION FROM THE EAST INDIA COMPANY FOR LEAVE TO PRESENT A PETITION FOR THE RENEWAL OF THEIR CHARTER.) Mr. Mills presented a Petition from the united company of merchants of England trading to the East Indies, setting forth,

"That, by an act of parliament made and passed in the 33d year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for continuing in the East India Company for a further term the possession of

certain limitations and restrictions, for a term of 20 years, to be computed from the 1st day of March 1794, liable to be discontinued at or after the end of such period, upon three years notice previously given by parliament for that purpose; and that during the said further term all the territorial acquisitions obtained in the East Indies, which, by an Act made in the 7th year of his Majesty's reign, for establishing an agreement for the payment of a certain annual sum, for a limited time, by the Petitioners, in respect of the said acquisitions and the revenues thereof, and by subsequent acts, were continued in the possession of the said Company, together with the territorial acquisitions then lately obtained there, with the revenues of the same respectively, should remain in the possession of the Petitioners, without prejudice to the claims of the public or of the Petitioners, subject to such powers and authorities for the superintendence, direction, and controul over all acts, operations, and concerns which related to the civil or military government or revenues of the said territories, as had been then already made or provided, by any act or acts of parliament in that behalf, and to such further powers, and under and subject to such other tules, regulations, and restrictions relating to or concerning the said Civil Government, and the appropriation of the said revenues, as should be then made and provided by the authority of parliament; it was thereby enacted that the said territorial acquisitions in the said former acts mentioned, together with the territorial acquisitions then lately obtained in the East Indies, with the revenues

continue in the possession of the Petitioners for and during the further term by that Act granted to them in the said exclusive trade; subject nevertheless to the several regulations and provisions in that Act contained; and by the said Act his Majesty was empowered to nominate, constitute, and appoint, during his pleasure, such members of the privy council, of whom the two principal secretaries of state and the chancellor of the exchequer for the time being should always be three, and such other two persons as his Majesty should think fit to be, and who should accordingly be and be stiled, Com missioners for the Affairs of India; and the said board of commissioners were by the said Act invested with such full power and authority, to superintend, direct, and controul, all acts, operations, and concerns, which in any ways should relate to or concern the civil or military government or revenues of the said territories and acquisitions in the East Indies; subject nevertheless to such directions, rules, regulations, and restrictions, and to such appropriations of the said revenues as were by that Act made, provided, and established; and it was further enacted, that the Petitioners and their successors should have, use, and enjoy, and should continue to have, use, and enjoy, the whole sole and exclusive trade and traffic, and the only liberty, use, and privilege of trading, trafficking, and exercising the trade or business of merchandize into and from the East Indies, and into and from all the islands, ports, havens, coasts, cities, towns, and places between the Cape of Good Hope and the Streights of Magel. lan, and limits in an Act made in the 9th year of the reign of king William the third, or in a certain charter of the 5th day of September, in the 10th year of the same king, mentioned, in as ample and beneficial manner as the Petitioners could thereby or otherwise lawfully trade thereto, subject nevertheless to the several limitations, conditions, and regulations, in that Act contained, and also subject to the proviso thereinafter contained for determining the same, any former act or acts, matter or thing, to the contrary notwithstanding; and it was further enacted, that the Petitioners should at all times thereafter (subject as aforesaid) have, hold, and enjoy, and be entitled unto all, and singular the profits benefits and advantages privileges franchises abilities ca(VOL. XXII.)

dies methods of suits penalties forfeitures disabilities provisions matters and things whatever, which by any former act or acts of parliament, or by any charter or charters founded thereupon, or by any clause or clauses in the said acts or charters contained, were enacted given granted provided limited established or declared, to for touching or concerning the Petitioners, either by the name of The Ge⚫neral Society entitled to the advantages 'given by an act of parliament for advancing a sum not exceeding two millions for the service of the crown of England,' or the body politic and corporate called by the name of The English Company trading to the East Indies,' or the body politic and corporate called by the name of The United Company of • Merchants of England trading to the • East Indies; and not by that act, or any other act then in force, repealed or altered, according to the tenor and true meaning of the said acts and charters, and of that act, freed and discharged from all provisoes and conditions of redemption and determination in any former act or acts contained, and the same and every of them were and was thereby ratified and confirmed, and to continue to be held and enjoyed, and be practised and put in execution by the Petitioners and their successors, for the better or more effectually settling and securing to them and their successors the whole sole and exclusive trade to the East Indies and parts aforesaid, and for the preventing trade thereto contrary to the true intent and meaning of that act, and for securing also their possessions estates and effects, and governing their affairs and business in all respects as fully and effectually as if the same profits benefits advantages trade privileges franchises abilities capacities powers authorities rights remedies methods of suit penalties forfeitures disabilities provisions matters and things were severally repeated and at large re-enacted in the body of that act, subject nevertheless to such restrictions covenants and agreements as were contained in the said acts or charters then in force and not therein or thereby repealed varied or altered, and subject also to the several enactments conditions limitations and provisoes in that act contained; and it was thereby further enacted, that at any time, upon three years notice to be given by parliament after the 1st day of March which would be in the year of our (Q)