The National Register.
London, England, 1821-05-28 00:00:00

I

16A
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(Imperial Parliament continued/rani page (163.
WOOS were granted to Lord Chatham, and then to Burke ;
and such was the influence of bad precedent, that ever since,
men, women, and children, from all quarters w ere quart. red
upon this fund. Decency certainly was observed for some
time ; but now the whole fund was swallowed rip by lords
and ladies, members of that house and their Conner turns.—
The law, nevertheless, conld not he altered—and all he cal-
led fur. by his erintempleted tesolutions, ass that for the
future there should Ise no eemione granted out of this fund—
that the duty, on the contrary, should be appropriated to tba
purposes named by the law. This, he thought. under the
pert icular condition of our finnnces, would not be asking Ms
mach ; and if the house did nut acquiesce its such propositions
he knew lint what could be tune disgraceful to the house.
As to the !she:ids—he had spoken of Barbarities only—be
was willing that the quest' hould be referred Ili wseleet
committee, to be nonsitested by the government tit they
pleased. If these stele not two fair propositions, he knew
out • k.. 1 be mild suggest that cuss likely to be more accept-
able to that (Ilear, hear 1)-11c concluded with
moving resolet ions accordingly.
Mr. F. PALMER seconded the motion.
Mr. GOULBURN ruse to oppose the emotion. All those
whir had smitten on the subject, stn Ginner occasions had been
guilty of gross misrepresentations; Is•r irntance, inn pamphlet
addressed " to the electors of Cleat Ilritnin," it was Said
that the funds o ere nenost when, swallowed up by pensions
In lord., ladies, members of maleament, mid their eiiildren;
se here in truth, of the produce of 1540, out of .25,0001. there
was a sum of 16,0001. expended for Babadoes. The ques-
tion at issue was in reality between the colonies mid Great
Britain ; if the funds were to be so appropriated, would not
the coloiries diminish the amount, so twit there wurild he no
advantage to this country. Ile contended, that the con-
struction of the Acts of Barbadoes and other Islands had
been between the crown and the colonies what it nuw
He concluded with moving the previous question.
Mr. BERNAL traced the history of the duties, and the
rapacity of Charles's ministers to get all the money possible.
The duty in its origin was trot a legal impositium Souse of
the members of the Barhadoes legislature resisted the urea-
wire of 166.9, for which they were imprisoned but the Act
had the sanction of an unwilling assembly. But the real
subject of the duty, lie thought, had been powerfully and
truly stated by his hon. friend (Mr. Creevey) near him.
After some further observations from Mr. Hume tied Sir
C. Long, the house divided.—The, numbers were—for the
Prelims question, 72—For the motion 50.—The motion was
of course lost.
Mr. WILLIAMS afterwards obtained leave to bring in a
bill to regulate /arty-shilling freehold voters, In certain
boroughs and cities.
Mr. SCA RLETT concluded a long and able exposition on
• the present state of the poor laws, by moving the second
reading of hi. bull for amending those laws.
Sir R. WILSON declared his decided opposition to the
measure proposed by his hon. ft lend, w !rich be considered us
a gross violation of the rights of the poor, and which, he
eoutended, could not by possibility be adopted in the pre-
sent situation of the poor of this country. They lit present,
though noxious to earn an honest livelihood, could not get
employ. We had by our political measures, deprived the
poor of those resources which they could have derived from
their industry, and having done so, having deprived them of
the power of obtaining the means of life themselves, they had
a right to look for those means from the inure fortunate part
of their fellow-creatures, who had the power of dispensing.
them. He protested Kohut this measure, as an invasion of
the statute of Elizabeth, whirls he considered as the Magna
Chart& of the liberties of the poor; and, as such, he would
defend that statute on their behalf. The him. ineneeer next
proceeded to comment ou the marriage clause, and con-
tended, that the inceitsble effects of such a attire must be to
destroy all our institutions, and to overturn sill our laws,
reacted to guard the chastity and morals of the lower orders.
lie concluded by declaring, that till lie saw every possible
mode of retrenchment and economy adopted in the public
expenditure, he never would consent to adopt the measure
of his hon. friend.
Mr. F. LEWIS strongly supported the second reading
of the bill.
Mr. BENETT (of Wilts) did not consider the present
poor laws as defective—the fault rested in their adminis-
tration. To overset or alter them in the manner proposed
would, in his opinion, prove dessructive to numbers of
the poor. As to the increase of population, he could not
agree that, generally speaking, that could be an veil.
—lt might, perhaps, be au evil at the present moment,
owing, to the state of the country ; but whilst we were a
country importing provisions, and whilst we bad lands
uncultivated to the extent of 2l millions of acres, would
any one say we had au excess of population 1 He should
feel it his duty to oppose this bill in every stage.
Mr. HARBORD supported the bill.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY would suggest to
the honourable and learned gentleman that lie Should
withdraw his motion for the present, and should get his
additional clauses printed, in order that the house might
leak at his measure as a whole, and then fix as eat ly a
day as possible fur the Wither consideration of the sub-
ject.
Mr. CALCRAFT concurred with what hail fallen from
the noble marquis. He thought that it would be better
for his lion. Rod learned ft ieud to take the debate on the
measure at sonic Hittite stage, after the bill had been
re-pi ailed.
Mr. SCARLET' said that lie should have no objection
to go into the committee instanter, if lie had had his clauses
ready. One of those to which lie had alluded he had
prepared emit empuraneously with Isis bill ; but the other
clauses Ise must confess that he had not ready, nor could
he get ready a ithout a day of leisure to himself. It' the
house would allow him to take the second reading nuw,
he should be prepared to propose Isis clauses to the cum-
anittee stn Aloratay next.
AILTROCOLIS HOAD'i Bt CRIPPS supported
the inutinn.
Mr. DENISON opposed the motion.
Mr. J. `iMITH was in favour of it.
Islr. HOLM E SUMNER was against the hill.
Sir EDWARD KNATCIIIII7LL expressed a similar
opinion.
Mr. W. WILLTAMS did not think the bill calculated
to accomplish its object ; lie must therefore oppose it.
Sir E. HARVEY opposed the motion.
Sir JOHN SEBRIOHT praised the exertions of the
committee from which the bill emanated.
Mr. I LLICIFT mood that it be cemtnitted this day
three
The House then divided—For the inauerliate re-com-
Milment, ill Against IL—The Bud was thereture lost.