The Express.
London, England, 1847-02-27 00:00:00

measure or measure., on the subject of future poor-law o.;i- •
ministration in England or Ireland, it should, by a full in-
quiry, obtain full information as to the real character of the
existing law and its admihistration.
Sir G. GREY said, that, on receiving the report of the
Andover Union committee, he had address( d a letter to the
poor law commissioners, forwarding the report, and requir-
ing them to state in detail the mode which had been followed
by them in conducting the business of their office. He had
received from them in return a lengthened report, which he
had referred to the law officers of the crown, requesting their
opinion as to the validity and legality of the proceedings
adopted, end the rules and orders boned by the commission-
ers. The opinion, after mature deliberation, of the learned
persons to whom the report was then referred, was, that the
proceedings and orders of the commissioners had been con-
sistent with the authority given them by the act, so that
these offi
ce
had, perhaps, not so much reason to fear an
inundation of iodietnenti, informations, and actions, es the
hon. and learned member seemed to imagine. Its (Sir G.
Grey) had every reason to consider, from his own ex-
perience, that the duties of the commissioners were fully
and ettieierely performed. He could not at all consent
to postpone the measure which had been framed by govern-
ment on this moat important subject, until the protracted
inquiry suggested by the hon. member should have been
made. The bill intended as a substitute for the existing
pour-law would be presented to the house before the
Irish l'aor.lisw Bill was proceeded with.
Mr. HUME contended that, by their own showing, the
commissioners had, throughout their administration, been
guilty of the most illegal proceedings.
After a few words from Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN and

Mr. Straw,
Lord J. RUSSELL observed that what his right how.
friend had dated clearly showed that the government had
promptly attended to the evidence taken before the Andover
Union committee, for it had, in consequence, communicated
with the poor-law commissioners, echo had returned an
answer, which the law-officers of the crown deemed satisfac-
tory, as to the legality of the proceedings of the board. The
opinion in that day's Times, mentioned by the hon. and
learned member as signed MATTHEW DAVENPORT HILL,
did not necessarily convince him (Lord J. Russell) that the
whole proceedings of the poor-law commissioners had been
illegal. As to the new English poor-law, the constant
pressure of urgent business before parliament, thus far in
the session, had prevented him from bringing it forward,
but it would now be speedily before the house. With respect
to the alteration in the Irish poor-law, he n
that evening to lay on the table a bill to regulate
its administration. The bill would be read a second time
and committed pro foresee on Monday, when he would state
substantially the alterations .he meant to propose. Ile
should then move that the bill, as reported, be pnoted pre-
paratory to its full consideration on the Bth March. It
must be understood, however that the loan bill stood first
on the Bth March. He proposed to carry that bill through
committee first, and then go into committee on the poor-law,
reporting the first-named bill immediately after.
METROPOLITAN CASUAL POOR.
Sir W. JAMES wished to know from the right hon. the
Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether go-
vernment had in cootemplation the introduction of any mea-
sure this session for the relief and regulation of the
metropolitan casual r ?
Sir G. GREY sal. that there was no measure of the kii.d

is contemplation.
CAMBRIDGE BURGESS ROLL.
Sir DE L. EVANS middle rose to point out certain erro-
neous allegations contained in the petitions which had
been presented from the borough of Cambridge, com-
plaining of the omission or non-registration of- several
duly qualified electors in the hit court of revision
held in that borough. The petitioners complained
that the revising barrister had in his return to the
town clerk omitted a list of sixty voters, who had established
their qualification before him. This, so far as the revising
barrister was concerned, was an unfounded statement, inns.
much as he hrd made a complete return to that officer. The
town clerk had in the grit instance denied having received a
full return, but subsequently wrote to the revising barrister,
stating that the missing list had been found in a drawer, in
which it bad been inadvertently placed by one of his clerks.
Fortunately for the political interests of the borough, the
voters omitted were pretty equally balanced as to their par-
ties, but he repeated his assertion, that in no way was the
revising barrister to blame for the omission.
STATE OF IRELAND.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL said he felt it to be absolutely ne-
emery that he should for • moment call the attention of the
government and the house to the melancholy state of Ireland.
A morning paper of that day had given a pretty plain inti-
mation that among the other courtesies which Irish members
might expect was, that their statements would be received
as extravagant and gross exaggerations; and therefore he
should not detain the hone by repeating the melan-
choly accounts which every post brought over from Ire-
land. lie believed, however, that few would be found
hardy enouth to deny that distress was daily and fearfully
increasing in that country. But there was one point to
which he wished to call the attention of the government and
the house, and which concerned England ea well as Ireland,
and that was the rapid spread of pestilence in the latter
country.. (Hear, hear.) The famine was bringing in its
sure follower, typhus fever, and it would be impossible to
prevent its introduction into the crowded cities of England,
by the crowds of fugitives which hunger was driving from
their native country. He did not in what he was saying mean
to impute blame to the government ; on the contrary, he be-
lieved that they were in advance of public opinion, both in
that house and out of it, on the question of Irish distress.
He knew that en opinion was held in certain influential
quarters, that if thebulk of the food of the Irish people pe-
rished, the population must be permitted to diminish down
to the altered standard. Ile had beard that doctrine very
quietly laid down, and if it did not raise feelings of anger in
his breast, it was because of his deep terror list such an
opinion should possibly prevail with the government or the
house. This doctrine was held in not uninttuential quarters,
and that too in spite of the fact that Ireland produced and
exported more food than would support her entire popula-
tion. Was the edict to go forth to the people of Ireland
that they must mesh? (Hear, hear.) He hoped that the
government would not relax in their exertions to mitigate
disease, and that some more solid food than soup would be
provided for the starving people. Another thing which
they ought to do wee to mil on every person counected
with property in Ireland at once to return to that country,
and to devote their best energies to its relief. He hoped
therefore, that the Irish measures would be brought forward
as speedily as possible, to as to enable Irish members to re-
turn to that duty which on them was more imperative
than any other. Hear, hear.)
Mr. LABOUC ERE said that his bon. friend the mem-
ber for Hilkeany, complained of certain opinions which he
had heard promulgated in some quarters, to the effect, that
it was desirable to allow famine to reduce the numbers of
the Irish people. His hon. friend properly denounced that
doctrine. (Hear, hear.) He knew not to what quarter his
hon. friend referred, when he spoke of the doctrine having
been propounded in influential quarters. He hoped not to
her Majesty's government. (Hear, hese, from Mr. J.
O'Connell.) Whatever might be thought of the direction
of their efforts, the government had certainly made enor-
mous exertions to alleviate the sufferings of the Irish people.
(Hear, hear.) He hoped then, that his hon. friend did not
mean the imperial part tament,for he thought that any one who
had attended to the discussions of the present session could
not fail to have observed the total absence of all distinction
of party or politics, the deep sympathy and excellent spirit
with which the question of the famine had been discussed.
(Hear, hear.) Then surely his hon. friend could not have
alluded to the English and Scotch public, because abun-
dant proof of their good feeling was to be foundi in the volun-
tary contributions which lately had a abundantly poured in.
(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") All these things proved
that there was on the part of the Christian and humane
people of England an ardent desire to do everything in their
power to relieve the sufferings of Ireland. (Hear, hear.)
He should regret if so dreadful a doctrine as that alluded
to by his hon. friend prevailed anywhere: he confined
that he never had heard it, and he was sorry that
his honourable friend had thought fit to allude
to it on the present occasion. Hie hon. friend had expressed
his apprehension that unless some more solid food than soup
were provided for the people, some injurious consequences
might follow. lie (Mr. Labouchere) could state that this,
as well as every other question connected with the state of
Ireland, was ender his daily consideration, IPA else that of the
chief C4111121i111011 sitting in Dublin. He lad only that
morning received a letter from Sir John Bargo in whit&
it was suggested that a quantity of biscuit in auktion to the
soup should be provided. (Hear, hew.) The wifintag fee
the Admiralty further informed him that 68,000 lbs. bir
exit were daily made at Clarence Yard, Portsmonth, Rs. this
supply of Ireland, and steamers were constantly in readinsse
to convey it to that country. (Hear, hear.) In het, the
government was doing its utmost. The First Lord et Ms•
Treasury. was negotiating • loan for the sole purpose
of relieving Irish destitution, and the honourable member
might depend upon it, that in no one particular would her
Majesty's ministers shrink from doing their duty. Ireland
had a claim oa the United Kingdom, and that claim had
been freely and generously acknowledged. He could not,
therefore, accept from the hon. member for Kilkenny the
compliment that the government were iu advance of the
people. The feeling of the people of England and Scotland
went entirely with the government, but there was also
abroad a feeling, and he thought it was a just one, that in
Ireland herself, seconding to her means and resources,
there should be exertions corresponding with the occasion;
—exertions on which would mainly depend the success
of the government in relieving the present calamity.
la reference to the other point to which the hon. gentleman
had referred, ss to the steps taken by governmentto mitigate
the disease which in many parts had resulted from the
scarcity, the board of health were constantly • ' g in
Dublin and were in communication with all parts the
country, and he could enure the hon. gentleman that every
mesas in their power had been taken to meet the dire
which on this, as on all fanner occasions, accompanied great'
mareity. (Hear.)
Colonel T. WOOD emoired when further reports from
the board of works in and might be expected?
Mr. LABOUCHERE mastered, that as them reports
were made monthly, they might expect that another would
eery soon be laid on the table.
lir. S. CRAWFORD suggested that the semis of war
not otherwise employed, should be is in bringing eon,
from foreign potato the digressed rieta it win ad-
mitted that there was plenty of corn abroad, especially in
America, where they were told the last hareem had produced
17,000,000 quarters mere than was required for the popu-
lation of the states But the great difficult, was in obtaining
ships to bring it to this country, and to Ireland. Freights
had riven enormously in the ports of the Atlantic, the
Mediterranean, and the Black sea, and grain was at this
moment 60 per cent. higher in our own ports than or. the
American side of the Atlantic. He therefore moved= address
to her Majesty, to direct that imch ships of the navy.' eon be
spared bon regular duty, shall be ad soder me regale.
Sim as may be dossed &Mullis SW i&e soscomikillsa Mt