Petition of the Merchants of Leeds

v1:1538

A Petition of the Merchants of Leeds, trading to the North American Colonies, or having property there, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth —

That by means of the North American commerce carried on directly from the Town of Leeds, to the North American Colonies, as also by the very great quantities of the Manufactures of the said Town and neighbourhood, passing to the said Colonies, through the hands of the Merchants of London, Bristol, Liverpool, Glasgow, &c˙, the Petitioners have been enabled greatly to extend the Manufactures of the said Town and County, and given thereby a large employ to a great number of master Manufacturers, and to many thousands of their industrious poor Labourers; and that the North American commerce from the said Town and neighbourhood, taken collectively in its full extent, is an object of great concern to the West Riding of Yorkshire in general, to the Petitioners in particular, and worthy the attention of Parliament; and that, by the unhappy differences lately broke forth between Great Britain and her American Colonies, the Petitioners labour under the present stagnation of that branch of trade, which in years past has been too considerable not to be sensibly felt by themselves, and in time will be much more so by the industrious Manufacturers of the said Town and neighbourhood; and that the Petitioners having very considerable property in the hands of the North Americans, they cannot, in the present critical situation of affairs, but be anxious for the safety thereof, although in ever so honest hands the same may be deposited; the Petitioners, therefore, alarmed for themselves and families, at the same time feeling for the distresses of those to whom in times past they have been enabled to give support, confiding in the wisdom, the justice, and the moderation of Parliament, pray such relief as to the House shall seem meet.

v1:1539

A motion was made, and the question being proposed, that the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom it is referred to consider further of the several Papers which were presented to the House by the Lord North, upon the 19th and 31st days of January last, by his Majesty' s command;

An amendment was proposed to be made to the question, by leaving out from the word "whom" to the end of the question, and inserting the words, "the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred," instead thereof,

And the question being put, that the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question,

It passed in the Negative.

And the question being put, that the words "the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred," be inserted instead thereof,

It was resolved in the Affirmative.

Then the main question, so amended, being put,

Ordered, That the said Petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House, to whom the Petition of the Merchants, Traders, and others, of the City of London, concerned in the commerce of North America, is referred.