The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-20 00:00:00

time past. Even the owner of a cottage in this country was
cot entitled to relief. The guarter-acre CUM; combined
with that clause which prohibited relief to the families of
persons not entitled. completely prohibited relief to the fa.
exilic, of 'prisons holding more then a quarter of an acre of
land. But the commioners, by their eirculao of the 23rd
of May, had abeelutely done soggy with this r• strietios,
thereby offering a bounty on the retention of land, and
placing those who persisted in holding it in a better poet-
tion than thus who had given tio their holdings.,
It was a direst inducement to the poor to egg-
lect their natural duties, end set toe law at de-
fiance. If the quarter-care clause was wrong let it be
repealed, hot not wet aside by the authority of the commis.l
stoners. Them was the case of • man who held twelve ores
of lend, and who nevertheless sought parochial relict, and
had been declared entitles' t . it by the commissioners.
While the radii f works were [loin on, the strongest ground
of complaint was that occupiers of lend were so employed ;
and an order was made to strike such parties off the lists.
How was this principle to lie reconciled with the recent acts
cf the poor law commissioners? It teemed their first eirculax
hid been penetrated as a general order applicable to all 01611.;
but in • second circular they explained that it referred only
to
.par icular cases; and this was equally an infraction of the
principle of the law. If the circular was equally applicable
to all melons it was in the character of n general
order, and ought only to have Bien issued by the
authority the Irish government, countersigned by the
chief secretary. By assuming the power of granting relief
to persons holding any quantity of land the qummt,sioners
had struck the most fatal blow at the administration of the
poor law in Ireland; and the communications he had re-
ceived from that country confirmed the worst anticipations
that had been entertained as to the effect of this circular. In
some unions the applications for relief had doubled. Lord
Carew, lord lieutenant of the county of Wexford—a county
which was least burdened by poor rate—in a hour which he
had addressed to the commissioners, expressed his belief
that all the abusesof the relief works would be re-introduced,
and the occupiers of land might continue on their holdings
after sending their wives and homilies to the workhouse.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said he was not at all
surprised that this subject should hive attract...l the atten-
tion of his noble friend, and Irish landlords generally.
Agreeing as he did in touch that had fallen from the noble
lord, and in the importance of the subjeet, ho hoped to
be able to induce the noble lord to withdraw his
motion. To &lout it would be for that house to pronounce
an opinion that the commissioners, who were acting under
the direvien of the law officers of the crown, had scud ill..
gully. The oaly explanation he hel to give of the circular,
which had been hastily issued, and applied generally instmd
of being snide to apply to particular mei, was, that it was
done on an einereeucy, and with the humane view of pre-
venting a great amount of suffering, and perhaps less of life.
(hear, hear.) He admitted, se fully as his noble friend,
that no order of the commissioners ought to contravene or
set aside a principle of law ; also that every occupier of lead
ought to be made responsible f. r the support of his
It was the intention of the commiseioners to issue another
order, guarding against the possibility of the circular referred
to being drawn lett any kind of abuse, by limiting its ap-
plication to very extreme cases Where • person holding
land refused to give it up. and allowed his family to slam,
he ought to be punished, and it was the duty at
the commissioners to see that he was punished ;
but all they were enabled to du by law was ta
take possession of any property he might have, either on the
land or in his house. No time whatever would be lost he
issuing a general or.:er stating that relic f was net to be
given except in partieula: cases, the circumsteinces or which
were to be specially considered ; and this being so, he hoped
his noble frit nil would Reopen I hie motion fer the present.
Lord BROUGHAM hail not fully considered the effete*
of the law, but was inclined to think that the Irish law.
officers were borne out in the view thee had taken. But
whether a new law were required or nut, something must
be done to break through one of the most crying abuses that
ever existed, sufficient almost to break up the very frame.
wnik of society—that of a man holding 12, or, it might be,
1200 acre. of land, releasing himself from the obligation to
support his family by th•owing them upon the parish.
(Hear, hear.) Even if he differed with the Irish law officers,
he could not support the first resolution of his neles
friend ; for any reolutien of that hotter, professing
to declare what was the law, was absolutely worthless ; fur
the othi r house might pass • resolution directly centrary.
Ile was glad the attention of the house h hien called to
the matter, on eccoust of the explanatientit hail elicited from
the noble marquis.
The Duke lit 111.-lIMOND thought it would he better to
introduce a short declaratory act, making the receipt of
parochial relies by any member of the family of • person
holding land tantamount to the forfeiture of his occupation.
Such persons could not he too severely punished.
Lord REDESDALE said if the principle was once ad-
mitted of giving relief to occupiers of land, it was impossible
to say to what irmight lead.
Lord CAMPBELL said that a person neglecting to main-
tain his family was clearly punishable, whether in England
or Ireland ; end the refusal to give up land was prime 'rocid
evidence that a men was not di.ti'u:e. The circular of the
commission,cc certainly led to the lenience that relief
might be generally given in such eases, and, in
so far, went to let aside the querteracte clause. But that
clause was note positive prohibition of relief to the wife or
family ; it was never the intention of the legislature that
any persons should perish of hung, r. Had ihe circular been
a little more explicit the ohjicticn to it would not have
arisen. In Ire! ind the clause had hetet construed as a
positive prohibition. Cases of gr. at hardship had arisen irs
consequence; and hence the issuing of the circular. He
hoped the motion would be withdrawn, as its effect would,
doubtless, be attained.
The Earl of St. GERMANS was glad to hear that an
amended order was about to be issued, authoriaing relief in
extreme cases without compelling a man to give up hie land.
Lord BEAU ON T considered that the assistance of par-
liament was necessary to relieve those who had the adminis
tration of the law from the difficulty in which the law placed
them, and carry nut the original Intention of the legislature
to wired ,to the law in Ireland to that of England.
Lord STANLEY observed that the noble lord (Mont-
eagle) bad assumed throughout his statement that the poor-
law commissioner', fine by their notice, and subsequently by
their order, had taton upon themselves to net aside the law,
and act in direct defiance of the act of parliament, whereas
it appeared that they had meted according to the best inter-
pretation the legal advisers of the crown had given of that
act. The noble lord's resolution, therefore, would not be in
accordance with the fact. With regard to the interpretation
of the law officers of the crown he was not competent to give
en opinion, but with regard to the intention of the legisla-
ture, he did not nee how it was possible that it could
be more clearly expressed than it was in the act itself.
Ileg ha looked with great alarm at the opinion given by Mr.
IMP, and sanctioned by the Attorney-General, that the
ion of land should not exclude the plea of destitution,
/Mews
lat the posocesor might, notwithstanding, actually go
, before the bond of guardians and claim relief. It was for
I the express purpose, of excluding such personethat the enact-
' went was passed, and if Mr. Heion's and the Attorney-
General's interpretaron of the law be sound, that enactment
was entirety set aside and superseded. lithe), did not adhere
to the "test" against the dictum of the poor law commis-
sioners, they would rlestray the whole bill, and let in • flood
of pauperism, by enabling persona to hold land which it was
impossible they could cultivate, and thus involve landlord
and tenant, and the paup. rs themselves, in one common ruin,
and subject the country to one common state of destitution,
misery, and death, from which even the resources of this
great empire would not suffice to rescue Ireland.
Lord MON f FACiLE made a few remarks in reply, and
..one.uded by withdrewilie the motion,
Their lordship (at S o'clock) slowing d to Thursday next.

HOUSE ')F COMMONS.-MONDAY, JUNE 19. I
Ike HP/Altek tonk the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
SECOND READING.-Eadelle'll (Orphan Working School) Charity
Fatate BM.
/MMIC B1'8121E:AM.
oriTnoos.-Naukxrrroarlearns-11y Mr. MACGREGOR,
nun ernur petition from Glasgow, Gortrals, Lanarkshirn, and Ken-
frewohire, In favour of parliamentary reform.-Mr. DUNCAN, from
Dundee and other parts of Scotland ; Mr. LIEN HY, • petition from
Oldham, signed by 5,910 inhabitants of 21 years and upward.; also
one from itoyaton, with 6:50 algnaturea ; Mr. LUSIIINGTON, five
petitions from Westminater and Metrykkone ; Mr. OLYN, from
Kendal; Mr. G. THOMPSON, numeratia petitiurs from Perialey,
(thegow, Margate, Itam.rrale, Oswestry, Ac.; SUMO in favour of the
people'. charter, sort others In Canna of Mr. plume's mot/um-Dr.
BO %V RING, from Baton and cite r plug. to the latter affect; oleo by
Mr. MOWATT, from St. Mawr.; Col. THOMPSON, several family
petitions from Manchorter, Lanark, 1.^., and tweet) petitions
from Preston; Cot. SALWEY, hum Ludlow and other placen ;
Mr. 11. BERIVF:LLY, a petition rigned by 3,750 inhabitant. of Cari-
oca, and 111 petition. from lirlital ; CuL TYNTE, from Bridgwater ;
Mr. LOCH, from Wych and other places Mr. KERSHAW, from
Stockport and other place,. ; Sir 0. STRICKLAND, from Preston ;
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD, from Birmingham; Mr. 8. CRAWFORD, from
540 elector,. of Borhilale, also .Al petitions from Amebae or I one from
Bury; Mr. J. EVANS, from Haver erdweat ; Mr. BOU VE RI F., seve-
ral petition. from Kilmarnock and other places; Mr. ELLB,E, from
places in Scotland ; Mr. SEELEY, Li petitions from Lincoln; Sir 0.
GREY from a place in Northumberland; Mr. FORBES, from Stir-
liog ; Mr. COBDEN from Wakefield (102 aignatures), M pi le• ell,
Lairnater (3100 olgnaturri),Govantadliery Glaairow, lkorsbury, Com-
merehall, Loa ridge, Greenfield., Ripon, Sheffield, Hovland, Man-
chester, Au...ter/ands, Lutterwork, Burnataple, Coddington,
Iw
Orton, Altrincham, in favour of Mr. Ilume's motion.-
Mr. ILUME, from Edinburgh, with 14,100 algnaturei and residences
attached thereto : also petitions from Darlington with 1,4122 aigna:ures,
from Canterburn, with 1,069, of whom 763 are electors, being a majo-
rity of the conadtueney ; from the Minories (713 0160.), Fodor (1,123),
Montrose (L 304), Berwick-on.Tweed (1,025), Trnubtldire, Wilts
(1,130), Enrol), (144,, 10 petitions from penetrable Belford (120), 6
from Arbroath (317), 4 from Bath (I), Br.stal (I), Abingdon it'',
Gain borough (42), Cheltenham (I 1), Brklport (I), Herta (2), B 'r-
gowrle (111), Stirling (I), Kirkalily (2u), Perth (10), goiners-town (20),
nc. (20), 32 petltianr numerously signed (007), 117 ditto (117),
(7), fdaryleborre (20), Holloway (I). lower Tooting (I),
Knightsbridge (I), Fetter-lane (I), .ftlonlan-read (ILO., id Kent-
emd (I), Sumera-town (I), asplassi (1), Edgware-road 1), Lambeth
(7), Spa-fiehli (1), Pentonvllia (21, Ilummendoith (1), deo-town
(2), Borough of Southwark (2), CUrkenwell (I), Fleet-street (I), Hol-
born (I), London-wall (I), St. Pancras (5), Matylebon, (9), Hunger-
ford-market (14), Westminster (32), Keniington (3), Leiceater-luare
and nelghtrurbood (10),Lamb's-conduitoet (2), Chelsea (o),Piuilicr (6).
-Mr. TRELAWNY, from the guardians of the Tavistock 11a0D.
complaining of the increasing evil DI vagrancy, and praying for relief.
-Mr. DUNGAN, from Dundee, egainat the Pauper Lunation (Scot-
land) MIL -Mr. STANSIGELD, from Hudderefield, against the Rale of
spirits on Sunday; Mr. DUNCAN, from Dundee; Mr. HUDSON, 11
petitions from the Wesleyan. of Sunderland; Mr. BBOTHERTON,
from Wind; to the same effret.-51r. lIINDLEY, from litaleyhtidge,
praying to be permitted to return a member instead of Sudbury.-Mr.
CAM.HVELL, from merchants of Liverpool, against the government
plan relative to the augar duties.
.NOTICES OF MOTION.-Poort-Laws.-Lord REMINGTON, on
Thursday nest, to move for leave to bring In four bills for the amend-
ment of the poor law..
LANDED Patellae bitacwinerwr (laskorn) Aer.-Elir B. HALL,
on Friday next, to call the attention of the house to a return pre-
island to the Hawse of Lords, by which the conduct of Lord Ili
People, and three other gentlemen, was impugned in respect of the
Land Improvement (Ireland) Act.
Mr. C. Loon took the oaths and his rest for North
Ch, shire.
lABERDEEN RAILWAY (CAPITAL) BILL.
On the motion that this bill be read a third tune,
Mr. HINDLEY objected that by this bill it was proposed to