The National Register.
London, England, 1813-05-30 00:00:00

THE NATTONAL TIFOISTFIL,

•'• OBSERVATIONS AND OBJECTIONS

TO A BILL PENDING IN PARLIAMENT, ENTITLED " A
'BILL FOR THE RELIEF OF POOR DEBTORS UNDER
M ESNE PROCESS, IN THE KING'S BENCH, FLEET AND
bIARSHALSEA PRISONS."

In, the last sessions of Parliament, Mr. Stuart Wortley in-
troduced a Bill for the relief of Poor Debtors confined under
mesne process, in any gaol, not a county gaol, whereby six-
pence per day, ntiAlit he allowed to airy necessitous prisoner,
by order of a justice of peace, residing in.tbe county where
such gaol was, to an overseer of the parish in which the gaol
was situated, to pay such poor prisoner sixpence per day,
which allowance was to be repaid by the parish to which such
prisoner belonged. This humane measure passed into a
law; in consequence whereof, about sixty poor and distreased
debtors in the Fleet Prison, and about twenty in the Mar-
slialsea, have already received such allowance for many
weeks, greatly relieving their distressed situation; and it is
probable that many more in those prisons will soon receive
the like allowance. But it is extraordinary and unaccounta-
ble, that though by far the greatest number of debtors are
confined in the King's Bench Prison, there being at this
time no less than 600 within the walls, and a large proportion
of them in the most distressed and pitiable situation, being
confined for debts under 501. yet not one poor prisoner in the
King's Bench has ever receiredn sixpence by virtue of this Act.
It is a fit object of serious inquiry by whose means this Act
of Parliament has been so disobeyed and neglected to the
great injury of the prisoners, and the frustration of the hu
mane intentions of the Legislature. The only reasonable
°Ejection started against this Act has been, that it has thrown
a heavy burden upon the two parishes of St. Bride's and St.
George's, which might be easily obviated by an indemnifica-
tion of those parishes by a very small county rate.
Instead -of which simple amendment, a Bill has been in-
troduced, and is now pending in Parliament, by Mr. HENRY

THOR N TorT, who is reputed a humane, charitable, and even
religious character, purporting to be a " Bill for the Re
of poor debtors' under mesne process in the King's Bench.
rect, and Marshalsca prisons," which materially abridges
the benefits to poor debtors under Mr. WORTLEY'S Act,
besides being otherwise exceptionable in the following re-
spects,„

Ist. Because it changes the just and true principle of' parochial
relief (4 debtor, though in prison, being certainly a po^r pare-Wow' )
laud prop .ses a county rate instead, which must ever be of unequal
and partial operation, thereby destroying the salutary check to vex-
atious arrests, whirl' parochial relief evidently affords.
2. That a county rate must necessarily be limited to a certain
amount, it may be either more or less than wanted, wheteas paro-
chial relief is unlimited in amount, but exactly what is wanted and
no more.
S. That the clause which allows the balance of the county rate to
remain in the hands of the Treasurer for three years, and then to be
paid to the Treasurer of Bethlem Hospital, is extremely objectiona-
ble, affording a temptation for the non-distiibution of the money ;
and its application to the funds of Bahian, hospital is an al.ienation
of the object of the rate, viz. a relief to poor debtors' and it is consi-
dered that the Society for the discharge of personsfor small debts,
has a much more just and Ignitable chilli to slid balance. Like-
wise p;!enniary relief handed always by the same man, is not likely
to be handsel with that impartiality which a distribution by Over-
seers, who are changed every year, would entail. Nor is an equal
check by oversight or accountableness obtained.
4. That the clause which limits the allowance of 6d. per day to
prisoners for debts under one hundred pounds, and leaves a discretion
to the Alagistrate to make the allowance to the debtors or not, di-
tuinshes the benefits afforded by MI. Wintlry's Act, where no limi-
tation is fixed, except of their i-eing nvessitons debtors, and is con-
trary to experience, inasmuch as many debtors for sums above
VOL arc frequently iu very great necessity mud distress, and inas.
ihh6
•

mAv ,o.

much as the.Lordo.liet, whereby. 6d. per alum t; to re. . • :s
under execution, eatends to debts ot. thrte hunared pounds. 'I he
iPtittuction that the prisoner shall• swear that he is not worth ten
pounds in all the world, is unnecessatily severe,. harsh -Nutt illeheral,
as his wife and children's betidinK and absolute nece—aries may be
worth lot and the I:ebtor in the greatest neceskiey ou his cwo he.
count. It seems to enjoin destitution an.i pauper;sm to debtor's fa-
miles,u Welt is as impolitic as it is inhmnane Wine sequin d to
fake such an oath may tempt to perjury.
5. It is presumed that thi- above gl +rink flefects in the bill now
pending, nted oety be presented to the pnblic eye, to be repro.
bated ; and it ig earnestly hoped th 4 the I.o4i.lateire still never
pass a bill pretending to be for relief of the poor priscne:s in the
King's Bench, Fleet. and Marslialsea, which in reality abridges them
of many niaterial benefits, atlorde.l by Omir truly humane Act (Whist
bession.s, and is so objectionable in other respects.
INQUISITOR.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRENCI. PAPERS.

PA nlge MAY 15.—Her ntjesty the Empress ()nee n and Regent
has received the following intellii4ence, respecting the situation of
the army, dated the 10th, set night :
On the 9th, Colonel Lasalle, Director of the bridge-equipage,
beg.,n to replace rafts fui a brings, which was formic: at the
lat-e of Priv'nits. ['here was also a go...i.ii-!•onie (an ra tt cieat)
formed at the same time. Thu e InindrenWeems we,e passed
over to the right bal,k, under the protection of 20 pieces of ed.tiiion
placed on an etrinetice.
At ten in the morning, the enemy advanced to drive hack these
Voltigenrs into the river : he thouvlit that a bath sy of 12 pieces
would be sufficient to silence our I...uus. The cannorade began and
the Funs of the vuemy were dismounted ; th. ee battalions whom he
had pushed forged. were destroyed by oui graph -snot. Toe En:-
perur hastened ill the spot. General Distant°. ,cok a station n nth
General Devaux. and 18 pieces of flytir artillery, on the I. ft of
the village of Priehtitz, a position whip.' comniands the vihele
plain ou the right bank; GI i.ezal D,ouet advanced with 16 Intel s
of artillery to the Hilo. The ehemy brought foi wane 40 piete9 ~f
cannon. We had established it battery to the anionist of WI. In
the inean time a hollow was traced on the right ha:, of tilt rut. r,
ill the form of a tete-de-pont, in which ow Tirailleass ithener d
themselves. After flaying :had from 12 to 13 piece of ills.
mounted, and from 15 to 1,800 net, ki:ivfl in wounded, the encl. v
discovered the folly of his enterprise, land at three in the afrerri....a
marched ctE We worked all ni• ht at the bridge, bus- the Elbe
ro-e, some of our anchors were winsome!, and the bridge will nut
he finished till to-night.

This day (the 10th) the EmpciLr hag marched the division Chore
prntier into the new town. be the hridf.e of Dresden; and now to-
Hi:OIL the bridge being finished, the who!e 4ro:y pas-he ri to
the right bank of the river. The enes.,y appear: to he retreating w
the Oder.

The Prince of Moskwa is at Wittenberg General Lauriston at
Torgau ; General Reynit-r has resinucel the co oniand "f the 7th
corps, composed of the Saxon continge..t, awl the division Dinette,
The 4th, 6th, 11th, ann 12th corps el ill pass by the !n ut,r of
Dresden to-morrow, at ercak of day. The yomit, abet oni ...mad is
around Drescieo. The second divisien of toe Guatu, coionsaiided
by General 114 .res 6, arrives I:us day at Altentiourg
The King 01 saiouv, who has dirt etetl hi, courNe t,.wards Prague,
in order to be nearer his capital, viii it tt, Drt•sufu its the coct se
of to-osorrow. The Emperor ha- :writ n tof 51:0 Of hi.: :'idtd
to receive and accoupany hint. Two thensautl at the eisenr's ca-
valry have been cut off from the lithe, as well as a great gas.
of bagcAige, patroi,,,, light troops, also Cossacks. They appear to
have taken refuge Bob.
PA sits, MAY ;7. —Her Majesty the Einpress,Queen and Regent
has received the following iv..molts with regard to the situation of
the armies, on the evening of the 11th May :
Tile Viceroy hail advanced with the 11iii corps to Beschoff;wer.
der; General Bertrana, widi the 4th corps, to Kcestiesbreck; the
Duke of Ragusa, with the 6th corps, to Reiaenbacit ; the Duke of
Reggio, to Ofeseltti; the young and o:iiiitiard, to Dresden.
'('lie Prime of Mosks.n entered '('organ on the morning of the
11th, and took a position on the righ: bank,- one march from that
for.tress. General 1 ::;triton arrived the same day at Torgan with
his corps, at three in the afternoon.
The Duke of Beacom, win* the 2:1 corp.:, has marched upon Wit-
te.nburg ; as well as General Sebastian''. corps of cavalry.