The Express.
London, England, 1848-02-22 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—MONDAY, FEr.. 21.
The LORD CRANCRLLort took his seat at 6 o'clock.
PUBLIC BUSINE-SR.
NOTICE': OF MOTlON.—lsernamtau Laren" (hot semi But.—
Ms LORD CKANCELI.I)O, 011Thurslay next, to move the neon* reading
of this lilt
Barns. RICADION ox ram COArr or AVIOCA.—The Earl of Ann-
Dna, tomorrow (this day), to move for returns relative to the StAt•
at the squadron on the mast of Africa for the suppression of the slave
triode-
Tna tsrren lams so" N6IISP•PLit.—Lord sumer, oe Thurs-
day next, to call the attention of the government to the test number
of a newspaper published in Ireland under the foregoing Site.
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS (COURT OF ROME)
BILL.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, in bringing up the re•
port on this bill, moved the insertion of the words " to es-
tablish and maintain religions with the court of Rome," with
the view of having the same printed. The report was then
received.
IRISH POOR-LAWS.
Earl FI TZW ILLIA M , in presenting the petition from
Ireland on the subject of workhouses, said he had reel teed
• letter from a paid guardian in Ireland, stating that the
poor in his part of the country were satisfied with only 7d.
a week, or a penny a day. He thought the people of Eng-
land ought to pay some consideration to the humility and
virtue of a people who were contented with so small a pit-
tance ; and be wished to ask the government and parliament
of England whether they should continue to maintain the
population of Ireland on so pitiful a sure? 1,500,0001. was
granted by way of loan last year; but a larger sum had been
applied for, and the amount appropriated did not exceed
1,000,0001., and that for 20,000,000 acres. He thought 100,000
men might be beneficially employed on public works, and
he also considered an extensive system of emigration necessary
to relieve Ireland, the present t-x upon the land for the
support of the poor behig upwards of 2,000,000?. annually,
and the amount co'lected only exceeded, by a comparatively
small sum, the amount which could not be obtained. In
paving the poor-law bill sufficient consideration hail not
been given to the communities on which the taxation was to
he levied. The rural community consisted of the landlord
and his tenants, and our legalsture ought to encourage those
landed proprietors who employed their means in improving
their lands; but at present they were only doubly taxed.
He was disgusted with the proposition to impose an income
tax on Ireland in her present crippled state.—After a few
other observations, the noble earl concluded by laying the
petition on the table.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE agreed with his noble
friend, that the poor-law bad premed heavily on some parts
of Ireland where distress existed to a great extent, amount-
ing almost to famine; but, as a whole, it could not he com-
plained of. The total amount of poor-rates in 1817, in
Ireland, was 1,618,0001., giving an average of 2s. sd. in the
pound throughout the unions. It was gratifying to know
that emigration was steadily increasing, and by a measure
prepared by his nobie friend near him, a number of the
children of the poor would be provided for. The public
works had been carried to such an extent as to employ a
large portion of the population, and by the grant which had
been made to landlords tor the purposes of improvement,
this mode of relief would be continued. Upwards of
2,000,0001. had been sanctioued out of the application which
had been made, and there was no.; a county in Ireland in
which works were not proceeding in consequence of thise
grants. He had no doubt that the mod, of rating had
operated with some degree of iejusti..• ; but, after most ma-
ture deliberation, it had been thought that electoral divi-
aions were best adapted to meet the exigencis s of the case :
he did not, however, think it was a perfect mode of distribu-
tion. Government were prepared to enforce the poor.rate,
and to look carefully into the question of redistribution of
existing divisions. (Hear, hear:) He would not say whe-
ther that could best be dote by issuing a commission to
inquire into the subject, or by strengthening the present
poorlaw commission in Irelind. Toe inquiry, however,
would be entered into with an earnest desire to arrive at
as great a degree of equality and justica ( I I ear,
hear ) lie might also add, that the go:eminent thought it
desirable that paid gteirdions should be employed instead of
thee, at present performing the duty, who were, in many
oases, disqualified by thi it circumstances for its proper admi-
nistration. (Hear, hear.)
Lord CAREW made some observations which were in-
audible in the gallery.
Lord MONTEAGLE thought the subject a great deal too
large and important to he left to the discretion of three paid
officers. If paid guardiacs were to be used as depositaries
of this power, they would raise a host of objectors to the
existing law, and himself among the number. He believed
parliament never intended to give such powers, and govern-
ment bad no right to extend the functions of paid guardians
beyond what the legislature had contemplated. With re-
gard to another point, he thought it exceedingly advisable to
employ the poor in workhouse,. Practical instruction
should be given to the people, both adults and children. He
should be glad to fad the law working wel, but improve-
ments muA be mode in it in order to ensure that result.
Earl Fl TZ WILLIAM said a few words in reply, and the