A petition to Parliament,...
A petition to rarliamat, of a highly interesting charac- ter, is about to be presented from a large and respectable portion of the inhabitants of Drogheda, in Ireland. The prayer of the petition is for a iedress of wrongs inflicted by the Corporation of Drogheda on the people of the town and immediate neighourhood. It appears from the petition, that tracts of land, under the title of commons, were grant- ed by charter of Henry IV., for the " use, benefit, and re- " creation of the inhabitants," and were so enjoyed by thern until some (undefined) period of the last century, since which they have been let at low rents to members tr re- tainers of the Corporation-that tlle Corporation estates, worth 15,0001. per annum, have been let at a rent not ex- ceeding 2,5001. per annum, for the benefit, as is implied, of the Corporation itself-that the estates taken away by Henry VIII. from the Church, and bestowed upon the Corporation for charitable and other public uses, have been diverted to private emolument-and that with an increase of pauperism, dependont almost excltsively on individual benevolence for relief, there is a rapidly diminishing power in the inhabitants of Drogheda to provide for it. NVe con, elude by expressing our strong assurance, that if the pro- ceedings of Irish Corporations were strictly investigated, from north to south of the island. funds might be disco- vered of great extent and eficacy, towards the removal of a large mass of human wretchedtiess,