The National Register. — London, England, 1818-05-03 00:00:00

158 those little children to endure. Petitions had been presented from medical men and clergy of Manchester, playing that little children niiAt not lie subjected to •o intolerable a la• hour. lle th^ref•ire hoped the House would allow tl►r. Bill to FO into the Committee. Lord Srsost.Er had some difficulty in opposing. this Inca :sore, recommended as it appeared t be by hismataity but .t involved much of the intertsts Of the county which he re. presented. Ile tilts persitaded that this iueast►ra, if adopted, 'soak' have the itlect of i.oremiiii.; the difficulties which our erauttfac titres at present i'elt in their competition unit the foreign mat kit. Convinced that the n►e.►anre, if %twitted, • aslant] be productive of inn ,h ill, lie would move that instead of now, the ituthic should go into a C tee on this Pill this day tour mouths. Lord LASCitiLLLS H►outlit that the gneation should he re. (erred to a Committee of Etiquir, wei that the House al Id nut decide on cx-pur le statement , . Another ohjtettois lie hail to this measure nos, that if the House once euinineiteed ,Isis• species of legislation, they must apply it to all branches of Inallaa et it res alike. Mr. fear;:. proceeded to enter into a review of the state of labour in thu factories, and contentleil that the system was one most injurious to health. If it was so; and lie contended, it could not be dehictl, lie need only to state that in Al:inches. ter alone there were 11,00 children employ cil iii the cotton factories, and then ask it this was not a ca•c of importance. 1; appeal s,trom the statements of luau) , celebrated physienin4, cud nmotigst colons, of Sir Githeit Rhine. that the average number of deaths in England and %Vales, was one in 50 tilt noally. Now lie Ins I heard it asserted, that in tlic Cotton /item) . of Me•srs..Findiay and Co. at Glasgow, where 808 children wel: employed, the average 111194ilef of deaths for throe veto•.., was two in a yt•ar. He recollected in one of the tides of the Poet Latireat en the Birth Day ; •the poet in beau tiful language invokes the Goddess of kiLaltli to take her station oil the head of his Majesty. The Poet proceeds to • enquire where the Goddess residaml—asks was it at 514tiock, vies it at Beth, c. He recollected the following lines : "'Say, in what craggy e.cll Of health the timldr:at deigns to dwell Say, in what 61nuly dim retreat The nytnrlt seket. her thv'titi. scat." - - The Poet, at the time he wrote these tines, little inspected that the " dim retreat" which the Goddess had selected was the Cottou Factory of lessrs. Findley and Co. at Glasgow,—in which the proportion of deaths in a year was only two in 80e, whilst in the most healthy spot in England and Welty the average of deaths was one in 70. 'flit RigliKionotirable ....tent. pi oecedeitat length to argue hht favour ot the Bill, which be said should have his warmest support. Mr. PHILLIPS SlSppuried the amendment proposed by Lord Stanley ; he conteuiled that the statements which had liven made uf•the ill mate of healthef elithiren einpioyed in the (Acton. , were gross exaggeranens. Even bOisie of the meth cal men, who, deeds e,: by i»isrepresentation, bad signed the • Petitioes to the !tease, ou enquiry, finding out the um-stale. menus upon which they hap acted, hail declared their regret at haviug tagned them. '1 he work iu the factories was light, tile wap.eA ‘‘ere good. those employed in them were welt led and well clothed, and•on these accuuuts they did enjoy•better health. Wile inspect to the injury sustained by persons em ployed in factories, hv , wag nrepared to say, that more vectsr. red to Injure the health of the Speaker in the Chair of the House ot L....lumens in one Sessions than there did sc injure the ilea:Ill or a person employed in a well regulated factory for lo e ears. With respect to the looks of pie sons employed in factories, it was nut to he expected Unit in these large as semblies in large tenets florid complexions were to be found. Even in the House ofiiiii ons very few pictures of florid, rustic health were. to be fotind.--Itieotlemen might lough Uut it wes•true. He was persuaded there was nothing so injuri ous to the manufactories of this eountiy 'es combinations amongst workmen. The Petitions now before the House had been procured in a ,s n to encourage those combina tions; they had been sent into the factories by discontented workmen, and the aegttlitetit used had been," sign, aud have less work and more wages." He asked why it was necessary to legislate l'er cotton.spinning manufactories, rather than for woolieu. The reason, he believed, was this—that cotton was •an exportable article. Mr. W. SMITH dieclaiineitany wish to give countenance to combinations among workmen. If the House were these lore of opiniuu, that it was not right to work adults for 13 or la hones a day, children should nut-be compelled to labour beyond their strength. The evidence of the masters them selves furnished ample proof iu favour of the Bill which had his warmest support. Mr. FINDLAY admitted, that the hones of labour were too long; but the effect of the Bill would he, to drive them to a species of labour still harder, and to deprive the masters of the children, who would be compelled to null out other ens. ployinent, more dangerous to their health, and more laborious. He thought the Bill was not caleelated to remove the ex isting evils, aud should therefore vote for the inetiou of the Noble Lord. Mr.J. SMITH stated, that he had presented the Petition " _`tout the workmen of New Lanark, who had by their conduct secured his regard and iespect • and they had declared, that !hey were eitauled to du es munch work iu a shorter space of thne,• as ()flier factitiers, ill the protracted hours to which they were cumpelled to -labour. lie supported the Bill. • Mr. ROBIIIION considered the e,nostion as surrounded with difficulties. The•result oithe.discussious on this subject had, however, convinced him of the necessity for passing the Bill. Whatever ditterence of opinion there might be in the milieul geutlemen, it was evident that the strength of the children was materially injured before they arrived at maturity ; and above all, it was clear, that the present hours of labour were greatly injurious; for it was seldomthat a man, above the age of tie count lie found labouring iu the mills. 'the House then divided. For going into the Committee el—Against it 26 Majority O. On our re-admission, Mr. FINDLAY moved that the Chair man should repuct ptogre,s, and ask leave to sit again. .titer a variety of onvervations is OM Lord Stanley, Sir. J. Mackiatieli, Mr. Findlay, Mr. Lamb, and F. Robinson, Sir l. Peel consented to postpone tile Committee till last sitting, on en understanding that there should then . be uo objection to the Speaker's leaving the Chair. TUEIDAV. WIDOWS' PENSIONS. Mr. 1. - i7Piut 'n•4 said that the question stood not merely on grounds of gunerosity, but of strict justice to the army. He had, therefore, nut thought it right to wuive his intention of submitliug a motion. It a system of rigid economy wa% prov• e‘l to be necessary in all branches, he, for onc,• rams very ready to agree.° it; but tt A went to aback the common TilE NATIONAL REGISTER. feeling Of people, then what was not absolutely necessary WWI Uglait. It was not the question whether they here to be generous to the army, but whether gave: Dissent was to keep faith with it. Aftt r or flO years, or perhaps near a century's practice, ought the less is will the army -to be altered in a way most galling to the feelings of indivitlisais ? lltifere going into further particulars. he requested the House to ;kneed to this effects of a reeent paper, by %thief' an oft' . e'!l'4 widow. having, by other allot% after. or by her 11111111 I doubie 'the susionut of the widow's ;tension. might nut be entitled to tredve such pensions Isereafirt.ltet ne Was 111- , ltoi sited that it was intended now to amity this print-lisle to ntar fleel off Le't's now iu the army. '1 Ise gross total 'Attie tt pen.ions, including Ireland was 98,0001. edit. The amount of the pensions to inilivisMals WAS comparatively small. A Getscrol officer's widow wad 1201. a year, a Lieutenant , Colo lifTs widow 801.. a year, a captain's widoe 401. a year, nsd •an ensign's widow 3:.d. a y ear. From noble !petit es many officers made greet sacrifice., by insurance tit' lives and othei modes, to ps.vide for widows. Many mar:Lagos and settle ments had been made by ulfitiers co the principle of enlee hating on the wdow'a lend. People must say, Guist! God! is it possible that it is the officers' widows' fund that govern ment rely on for the retrenchment of expenditure Is this to form the odious contract bettveen the way its whirls the civil servant; of the Crown, (nisi:tug in Court Invour are to be provided- tisr, compared wins the :node of provision for the del enceless videws of those brave officers who have fallen in -their country's battles? 'l' he total amount of the money dis h ibuted its the I.Xeleise of this bounty was 0:4,00d1., the high. et: oinotiut.it had ever reached, at the period when our mili tary establishments had been carried to an emexampled eetent. It was impossible to estimate the amoisist of toying prodneed by thistegulation at more than a third of this som. Under the present circumstances this mould. not exceed the paltry saving 0r1.,0001. or 2.1,0001. Wits. this a sufficient isidnee mem for galling the feelings or impairing the ceinforti of so respectable and di:films-less a class of pesseits? l'he pretence ot'ehunoiny made but a bail appearance, when it was found that in no other respect was public ecutionly consulted, and that no letretielnuents woe eted, whet,: they were must boldly c.ihed fur. He felt cooffilent, that not-wily the feel ings of the array, but the 2.41141: of the public was opposed to the regulation ; with regard to which, therefore, hr slinuld areeptiro compromise, but snore fur its total autt-ttnersmii linnet vevoresion. He concluded by moviug that an address be presented to his Ito i Highnets this Prince Regent, praying him to revoke, caneel, and annul the late warrant for regulating the pensions .due to the widows of military officers. Calone! ll.tr.nwarr.g seconded the motion and could ant avoid thinking that, at the close 01 . 4111 arduous and successful war, the sovereign might have -beet spared the inartitication of interfering with the liberality of his lto} al anceAtors t sanc tioned and supported as it had •been by suctessive acts of the whole legislature. ilMr. J. SMITH spoke in support. Mr. F. Dolls opposed the Motion on the grornd of the jealousy existing in the navy, on account of the preference sht wit by the existing regulation to widows of military officers over those officers of the navy. _ _ Lord-Palm ERSTON opposed the Motion, but observed that the regulations had been forced on the Government by the calls made by the opposition economy and retrenchment. colonel STANHOPE said it would bey more consonant to the character of a great tiatiouovhich has; been so ably defended by her soldiers and seiunan-to give the pension as a reward of pest cervices, and4iat to inak:s the widow come and plead in puliperie. He perfectly agreed 'hat economy was ne cessary; but it waa•also necessary to provide for the defence of the country, audit was due to our character and reputa. (ion to reward soctivervices. Econorny,no doubt, was highly cis:Arable ; bet it was an economy that-should diminish the luxuries of the great, and which never •eusild contaminate itself with the mites that fall from the table of the poor. Mr. Cass Yen was •willing to admit, that it was a very corn. plicatr-ti subject, and one HMO merited some inquiry. Mr. CALCHAVT said that he hail new th. honour to be a Member of the Finance Committee ; and var.,s touch surprised to hear, that the country could net support the charge of these allowanets. But who were the persons th:st made that assertion ? They -were those—ane Ilse country would not fail•to notice it—that thought 50i. 1 :00:, orloo,oool. a year, if given In the Princes, was not snore than the re. sources of the nation could provide ; but nothing could be given to those brave and gallant heroes who had fought for our protection, and whose valour, as Nlinisters themselves had freqoently boasted, had secured the independence and tranquillity of Europe. WiLattiteolice could not 'help encouraging the hope, that • the Noble Lord (Palmerston) would find bisosell com pelled to accede to the Motion. lie firmly believed the re sources of the country were adequate to the accomplish , ment of the measure now under the consideration of lite House. _ The CHANCELLOR Of OK EXCHEQUER observed, that the regulations in question formed part of the great system of economy recommended by Parliament. If.!•.owever, it were the wish of the House to adopt a eiJre liberal line of conduct, lie might pledge himself,. that disposition wcild be supported by.ninulrers. After some conversation between the latter Centlonen and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Motion was withdrawn accordingly. CCTTON FA("TORY REGULATION. After a slight discussion, the operation of the Bill for the regulation of labour in Cotton Manufactories, was postponed until the lst.January 1619. It was then proposed that as clfild be employed under the age of 9 years. On which Mr_ W. SMITH proposed a ^ p amendment to make the age 10 years, but on a division for the original clause this amendment was negatived. It icts then agreed that no person antler 16 years of age should ite.employed in Cotton. Factories for more than 11 hours a day. The other clauses were then agreed to, and the report ordered to he received this day.—Adjourned. WSDNESD tY. IRISH CRAM) JURY PRESENTMENTS. The Him. Mr. BUTLER called the attention of the House to the abuses practised in Ireland, in consequence of Oinuil Jury presentments in Ireland. He concluded with moving ter leave to bring in a Mil, for the more effectual investi gation of grand jury presentments in Irelandywhieh after a abort 'debate was gradted. tE LOAN BILL. The CHANCELLOK of the EXCHEQUER moved the order of the day for the ilott , e to go ►nto a Committee on the Loan Bill. '~ •;~ ~. MAY 'S Air. Gnumegu thought it necessary to declare, tbet the opinion he had already given on this subject ent.►inad anal. tcred. But what he chiefly rose fur, at ',resew, was to give notice, that after the Speaker left the Chair, it vas his juk,. lion to oppose altogether that chaise of the Bill which went to give the. Bank of Flighted a te•e of twenty-pence hie:very hundred pounds of money, raised by way 04' :eau ; aucta fee of ten-pence in every hundred pounds of Eveliequer Bills fenaleil. lie wished that evt•.ty transactinn relative to the Bank be strictly eNainiuml by a Committee of that House. Mr. J.W.titta NT said, hr vlionld give his derided oppo-itioa to the elude of this proceeding ; and he could not help ex preieine his eurprise, that the Right Han. Gentleman oppo•its should come down, 'tar after .year, with proposals for bor. rowing money, (luting a 44eriod of practise' peace, witlemt ?prettying the means be intruded to adopt iu 1 - ,1 I tire for the service and the relief of the coualry. In such at situation, it was the ditty of the House to insist on 4eeing the actual situe. lion of the country ; for (liege was not the least prospect, that the Right Hon. Gent. womb' ever lie able to reduce its ex lieu:darter to a level with its income. The Cuts NCELLOR of the. Ex eft ekillett observed, in reply, that money twist be raised in sonic way or other, and he knew no way of obtaining it, except by direct taxa•ion or by borrowing it. From 'Re tingnciel operation of the last three years properly considered, it would be found, that we had reduced the unfunded debt to a lower amount than it was at, before the tinveentatioe ; while thefunded debt would :iv pear to have been reduced to the amount of fifteen millions. The House bating gone into a Committee, Mr: Oursieitet. then called tl:e attention of the Cu 1111 l 'Mee to the very hitting service performed by the Bank, in proportion to the very trifling service they would have to perform hi consequence of the operation of the Bill. He would therefore move that the whole of the clause for giving Ibis reruutieratien to the Bank be left out of the BM. The CHANcELLoR of the EXCHEQUER bad no objection whatever to the fullest inquiry. The operation now in roes_ tion, was not simply a funding of Exchequer Bills—it was a complicated matter, which was connected with the creating of a new stock to a ton.iderable amount ; the nrenents of the Wrote of which were kept by the B.ink. 'lite Bank had a -Teat deal of trouble—nod much respomihility ; for which the consideration allowed was by no means too large. On a division, the claw to thvour of the charge allowed to the Bank was carried by amtajority of 15. The other classes of the Bill went throng's the Cammittee, and the 'upon wa, ordered to be reteived on Thursday. No other business of importance. THUEEDAY• COUNTRY BANKS. Thr HANCE/J.oft of the Esicticinert rose for the purpose ()leaning the attenticu of the Noise to the subject of a notice which stood at present for Monday next, for the first readiug of the Dill for regulating the circulation of Country• Bank Notes. In mot ing the discharge of thisorder, it was proper at the same time to state that it was only abandoned for the present, from a belief that some is:oditications were necessary, avid in the apprehensions that the discussions to which it might :ire rise could not be brought to a close during the present Session. Afters- warm debate, during which the total relinquish ment of the measure was urged by alto opposition, the order was discharged. POOR. LAWS. • Mr. S.ltutlnsts begged to call the attention of the House to the existing state ut our Poor Laws. These I.aws hail been introduced into the country in the reign of—Elizabeth .before which time, povertylad no dependance bin on private charity. From the different enactments and alteration it hail been found necessary to make from time to time in these Lae particularly in those which regulated the settlement of the Peor,they were become so involved in doubt and intricacy that lawyers themselves were puzzled, and it was hardly possible to obtain a consistent opininu, and the litigation on the subject was incessaut. Then, again. came the case of hiving with respect to service. k;reat difficulties, and nume rous questions, had arisen on this head. .Questions whether the nontract had been dicpensed with, or whether it tad been dissolved. In many places (mach, he confessed, to the disgrace of the persons) it was covenanted that they should not hire -a labourer for more than 50 weeks. There was, in his opinion, no better principic, thin that the place iii which the party had resided, and which had had the benefit of his earnings, should be liatile to provide for him in his poverty or old age. .He should have to suggest to the house, that after a person had resided a certain tinge in a parish, he he should go before the parish officers, who should grant Inns a certificate, specifiying that he shad resided in the parish during that time. At the same time, it would be proper to provide against that temporary absence which .fifight occur ; and, in this view, it he wise to allow, that sixty days should he alloweo for ahb,neo. provided that the party had not been guilty of any crime or misdenvfalour. By such a law, he hoped that au end would be put tq the present complicated and vexations litigation. Another alteration of the present system which he was to propose was, that, in case of appeal, nu removal should take place till the appeal should be decided. Ifin any ciromnstances the parish should move the individual before the ileeb , ica of the app cal, they were to pay all the expenses occasioned by Cle removal. By Owe alterations he hoped to ri!:.pay the law of 4ettle meat, and to remove many sources of litigation and expense. He concluded with leave to bring in a tail to alter and amend the laws respecting the settlemeut of the pcor.—Leave granted. NEW CHURCHES. On a notion that the House should resolve it into a Committee on the Church building Bill, ' Sir T. !loon wished to know, as the expellees were to be defrayed out of the consolidated fund of England and Ire• land, what benefit the latter country was to derive from the measure. The ChANCZLLOR of the EU:IISOIAR begged to correct the notion entertained by tile Honourable Gentlentan. 'fhe , stun in (pound' tV33 not lrgo.. I Oil the consolidated fond. If, however, there was any nerd tf new Chinch( s for ibe congregations in Ireland, whirii he wits happy to hear were so ores li swing, he had no donut l'arhatoent would for that necessity. The 4{vnae having resolved itself into a Cemir;ttee, Sir W.Scorr at Pont- length, and with much earnestness, objected to the CiaIIM! autoorial•lg 12 holheliolileis in any parish, with the aid of " other writ-disposed pircons," and with tho consent of the Bishop, to erect a church or chapel theriti to which they should have a right of presentation for three Innis. _ . . • The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER contended, that at such a time as this, it was most desirable to call in aid of th r uerpose of sitpplyin7 places of worship for ibe established A