The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-22 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HO USE OF COMMONS, Jm 20.

POOR-LAW COMMISSION CONTINUANCE
BILL.

(From our Second Edition, in continuation of our First
Edition of Saturday.)

On the question that the Speaker do leave the Chair,
Mr. DARBY complained that the Noble Lord was now
about to continue the Bill for two years, when the Noble Lord
had admitted that there were many amendments which it was
necessary to introduce. No one could say the Poor-law Com-
mission was to be permanent—it could never however be laid
down without some preparatory legislation. Why,then, not begin
now? He must confess however, that so many new and ex-
traneous duties had been thrown upon the Commissioners, as
to give rise to a suspicion that it was intended to make their
offices permanent ; but such a proposition, if ever made,
would be most strenuously resisted. He had always tried to
stop any excitement respecting the Bill out of doors,
but he had no hesitation in saying that as concerned
those persons who had married and had families under
the old law, it was an act of great injustice. When it
was seen that a man, notwithstanding all his industry, could not
maintain his family, out-door relief ought to be afforded to him ;
and they ought not to be compelled to enter the workhouse.
No distinction appeared to be drawn by the Bill between
the idle and the industrious.--(Hear, hear.) That was
the mischief under the old system ; and therefore it was
that so many abuses and evils had always arisen. Under
the present system a man with a wife and six or seven children,
if he earned only 6s. or is. a week, was obliged to break up his-
establishment and go into the workhouse, and thus he gave up
all hope of ever being able to procure the means of again living
out of it. He would, therefore, move an instruction to the Com-
mittee to insert a clause in the Bill authorising the Guardians
to afford out-door relief to persons who were unable by their in-
dustry to maintain their children.
Mr. FOX MAULE opposed the motion, because it
would go to upset the main principle of the exist-
ing law, and the Bill before the House was only to con-
tinue that law for a certain time. The proper time for such
a notion would be when the Poor .law Act itself came before
the House for revision.—( Hear, hear.)
Sir E. KNATCHBULL supported the motion. If the
existing law was violently forced on the people, instead of doing
good, which it was said was the object of the Bill, considerable
injury would be inflicted, and a spirit of discontent might be
created that would entirely frustrate all attempts at legislation.
Mr. E. R. RICE thought this was a subject of such pressing
necessity, that it ought not to be postponed till another Session
of Parliament.

Mr. WODEHOUSE said he thought it matter of congratu-
lation rather than lamentation, that, as the Commissioners had
stated, four-fifths of the relief was out-door, because it showed
that the workhouse had not been resorted to, save as a matter
of necessity.—( Hear, hear ) He was sorry this Bill had not
been introduced earlier.
Mr. BRISCOE could not rote for the clause proposed, con-
sidering it unnecessary. Nothing could be more pernicious
than allowing the wages of labour to be made up out of the
Poor-rates.—( Hear, hear. )
Mr. FRES HFIELD thought the more stringent parts of
the Poor-law should be relieved.
Mr. AGLIONBY hoped the clause would be carried, and
he expressed this opinion as a sincere friend to the Poor-law
Act. He totally repudiated the assertion that this was to be
considered a mere question for the benefit of the landlords, as he
thought it was intended for the social amelioration of the labour-
ing classes, which he believed to have been its effect, and he
trusted it would have a fairer trial, as no measure had been so
unfairly attacked. At the same time he was in favour of re-
laxing some of the more stringent regulations, and therefore
he should support the proposition of the Hon. Member for Sus-
sex, which he believed was calculated to introduce a uniformity
of system.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL would allow the introduction of
this clause if he thought it would conduce to the beneficial
working of the Act; but being of opinion that it would
not do so, he felt it to be his duty to oppose it. With
regard to the question of able bodied labourers, he must say
that. he had never seen any provision with which he was
satisfied. What was the evils which chiefly existed under
the old system of the law ? Why, that instead of the
labourer receiving his proper wages, he only received part
from his employer, and the other part in the shape of
alms. If it was proposed that part of the maintenance should
be paid by the parish, or by the Guardians, they would in a
great degree make the labourer dependent upon the pa-
rish, and it had always been found that there was

the greatest disposition in different districts, when the employer
of labourers saw any chance of their being paid by the rates, to
throw the labourer out of employment. By the present
Bill it was proposed to avoid that by making distinction
between the labourers that were married before the passing of
the Poor-law Amendment Act and those that had been married
since. The Hon. Member who had proposed the amendment
had said that it was intended by it to introduce uniformity.
Where, he would ask, could be the uniformity when one man
was to be relieved by the parish while his neighbour was not,
because he was married at an earlier period ? Hethought this
would lead to great discontent. He thought that those who
had married since the Poor-law Amendment Aet ought to be
put on the same footing as those that had been married since.
The Act was no doubt accompanied with very considerable se-
verity, but in saying this he did not mean it to be inferred that
that severity could not be relaxed. In conclusion, he felt bound=
to consider the amendment extremely dangerous, and he should
therefore give it his decided opposition.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM shared with the Noble Lord tke
responsibility of the introduction of the measure, but he was
certain that, upon the whole, it had been beneficial to the rate-
payer and the labourer, and had encouraged industry. At the
same time experience had shown them that it had borne hardly
upon some classes, particularly widows who had suddenly been
deprived of their husbands, and were left totally unable to sup-
port themselves or their children. He had been Chairman of a
Board of Guardians, and had regarded the working of the mea-
sure with great anxiety. There was a large body of hand-loom
weavers in the Union, and he was persuaded that it would have
been utterly impossible to have conducted the affairs of the
Union during the past winter if out-door relief in kind had
not been administered with, he would observe, a cautious and
sparing hand.—( Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord said that if
they admitted the principle of out-door relief, even on special
occasions, they would revert to the worst features of the old
system. It should be recollected, however, that although it
was proposed the operation of the law should be earried into
effect on a given day throughout England and Wales, the Poor-
law Commissioners had found that impracticable—the same
principle might be applied to out-door relief, the exclusion
from which could not always be observed. In the south of
England the rule was carried into operation, but in the north-
ern counties. Cumberland for instance, no such rule existed.
If the Hon. Member pressed his amendment to a division, his
(Sir J."Graliam's) own feelings would lead him to support it,
but as the subject was likely to come under the consideration of
Parliament in the next Session, he thought it would be more
advisable not to press Hear, hear.)
Lord TEIciNMOUTH would have most willingly supported
the amendment if his Hon. Friend had introduced it at an
earlier period of the Session, but it would be impossible to dis-
cuss that point without going into a variety of others. If,
therefore, the Hon. Member pressed his motion to a division,
he feared he should be compelled to oppose it.
Mr. BAINES, agreeing as he did in all that had fallen from
Sir J. Graham, and acting under the same influence as actuated
him, would pursue the same course. He had at first been
opposed to the Bill, but wherever he had seen the working of
it, he had uniformly found it for the benefit of the poor. Had
as much pains been taken to rouse the people against power
looms, as had been taken to rouse them against the Poor-
law mendment Bill, there would not have been one left in
the cenntry.—( Cheers. )
Mr. ACL AND was sorry that he was not able to vote for
the instruction of the Hon. Member for Sussex. The speech
of the Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell) was the best security for
the mildness of the administration of the law during the en-
suing winter, and that there would be a searching inquiry into
the whole question. He thought the instruction was therefore
unnecessary.
Mr. EASTHOPE would support the clause in order to
force on a full and deliberate discussion of the whole question.
The people of Leicester, who were in former times earning 20s.
a week, were now sot able to earn more than 10s. and 12s. per
week ; and he trusted that Hon. Members would consider that
the question was intimately connected with the Corn-laws.
Mr. PAKINGTON said it appeared to him the sooner the
principle of this clause was adopted the better, and he differed
with the Right Hon. Member for Pembroke, and the Hon.
Member for Somersetshire, that they ought to postpone it till
next Session, because the Noble Lord had promised the subject
should be then fully discussed.—( Hear, hear.) He was against
the principle of extending out-door relief to able-bodied la-
bourers, but he thought relief ought to be afforded to women
and children, otherwise the greatest hardship might be in-
flicted.—(Divide, divide.)
Mr. HODGES felt it to be his duty to support the motion
of the Hon. Member for Sussex.

Sir B. HALL said it was very possible there might be a great
depression in the ensuing winter, and he sliould like to know
whether it was the intention of the Government to make any
suggestion to the Poor-law Commissioners to relax the rules
in such cases as those alluded to by the Hon. Member for
Sussex.
Mr. DARBY replied, after which the Committee divided,
when there appeared—
For the clause .......
Against it
Majority
Lord J. RUSSELL said the further consideration of the
subject might now be as well adjourned till Monday.
FACTORY BILL

On the motion of Mr. F. MAULE the Bill was committed
pro forma.
Mr. F. EGERTON suggested that the silk manufacturers,
who had been unexpectedly introduced into the Bill, should have
a year's notice.
Mr. MAULE thought there was some fairness in that sug-
gestion, and it might obviate the difficulty in the way of the
Bill passing this Session.—( Hear, hear. )
Mr. SHEPHERD gave notice of h
isintention to propose a
clause.
Mr. BAINES objected to bringing forward such an impor
taut subject at so late a period, and suggested the postponement
of the Bill to another Session.
Lord G. SOMERSET hoped the Government would come
to no decision, without a previous consultation with the Noble
Lord the Member for Dorsetshire.
Sir .1. GRAHAM hoped that Hon. Gentlemen would come
to no determination until all the manufacturers had had an op-
portunity of perusing and considering the Bill which he did not
think could be done, so as to bring the Bill forward before
Monday se'nnight.
Mr. F. MAULE thought it would be desirable that this Bill
should be proceeded with this Session. He had received
strong assurances from the manufacturing interests that
the Bill as amended would prove satisfactory to them.
He thought that it would be desirable to postpone the new re-
gulations relative to the silk factories until another session, but
the present Bill could, he thought, be proceeded with on Thurs-
day, or at the farthest, on the Monday following.
Mr. FIELDEN said a few words inaudible in the gallery.
After a few words from Mr. BROTHERTON the Bill
was
reported ; the Committee to sit again on Thursday.
Highway Bill (No. 2) went through Committee.
Tho Constabulary Force (Ireland) Salaries and Expenses
Bill went through Committee.
The Assaults (Ireland) Bill, the Sheep Stealers (Ireland)
Bill, the Sale of Spirit; (Ireland) Bill, Juror and Juries (Ire-
land) Bill, were severally read a second time, and ordered to
be committed.
The Excise Licences (Sale of Spirits) Bill was read a
second time, and ordered to be committed.
The Timber Ships Bill was read a third time and passed.
The report on the Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Bill was re-
ceived.
Mr. F. MAME,
in the absence of Lord J. Russell, ob-
tained leave to bring in a Bill to provide for the more effectual
collection of rates for the relief of the poor. The Bill was then
brought in and read a first, and ordered to be read a seeond
time on Monday.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at Five o'Clock.

TRIAL FOR LIBEL.—In the Jury Court of
Edinburgh, on Monday, Sir David and Lady Milne ob..
tiined a verdict of 1.0001. damages against Mr. George
Hume, of that City, for libels on her Lad} 5 ip, cows Ed
in a book called " :Memoirs of an Aristocrat," published
by Messrs. Bell and Bradfute. The latter gentlemen
got an ample apology, but the other defendant refused to
follow that oaurse.

SPLENDID AQUATIC ENTER- I
TAINMENT GIVEN BY THE LORD MAYOR
AND LADY MAYORESS.

On Friday the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress
gave a very grand entertainment in the Maria Wood, na-
vigation barge, to a distinguished party of friends. At
eleven o'clock the company arrived at Putney-bridge in
their carriages, and embarked on the Surrey side of the
River onboard the Lord Mayor's barge, which was prepared
for their reception. Notwithstanding the unfavourable
aspect of the weather, between eighty and ninety were
seated in his Lordship's barge before half-past eleven
o'clock, at which time orders were given to the bargemaster
to proceed to Kew-bridge, where the navigation barge lay,
with all her beautiful appc!infments. The band of the Scotch

Fusilier Guards attended, by command of
Aitchison, in a shallop which was attached to the City
barge, and played under the direction of Mr. Larkin. At
Kew-bridge the Bishops of London and Rochester, and
several of the distinguished guests of the Lord Mayor and
Lady Mayoress, joined the rest of the party, all of whom en-
tered the navigation barge, which immediately proceeded to
Twickenham. The banks of the River, in the neighbour-
hood of each village which the barge passed in her way to
Pope's Villa, were crowded with well dressed spectators,
who cheered the party not only with huzzas but with guns,
and, in the most enthusiastic manner, welcomed one of
the most brilliant spectacles which have of late years moved
-upon the bosom of the venerable Father Thames.

The barge, after having contended with a few of those
adversities which high winds and awkward impedimenta in
the navigation accumulate, and after having in its progress
literally overturned a cart which stood upon the Surrey
bank, " and let it down the wind to prey at fortune,"
reached Pope's Villa at half-past four o'clock. It was
evident that all the guests were prepared for what was to
follow. Ices and strawberries, and the brisk incentive of a
glass of wine, had made ready the passage for the important
operations which were immediately to succeed, and the
rich odour of the turtle attracted the eager appetite to
those splendid tables where the triumph of civic hospita-
lity was once more to be celebrated. .

Amongst the company we noticed the Right Hon.
and Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of London and
Lady Blomfield, the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of
Rochester and Lady Sarah Murray, the Right Hon. Lord
and Lady Kinnoul, the Right Hon. Lord Eldon, the Right
Hon. Lord and Lady Blomfield, the Right Hon. Lord
and Lady Radstock, the Right Hon. Lord Dunboyne, the

. •
Hon. Charles Augustus -Murray, General Alexander,
Lieutenant- Colonel King, Sir Archibald Maclean, Bart.,
and Lady Maclean, Sir Charles Farnaby, Bart., Sir John
Burgoyne, Sir Matthew Wood, Aldermen Sir Peter
Laurie, Lucas, White, and Sir John Key, Bart., Lady
Key, Mr. Walter, the late Member for Berkshire, Mr.
Hughes Hughes, Sir James Duke, M. P. for Boston, Mr.
Johnson, the late Sheriff, Mr. Evans and Mr. Wheelton,
the new Sheriff, &c.
At five o'clock the company sat down to dinner, and the
band in the shallop struck up some lively airs. Ample jus-
tice,but without the slightest mercy,was done to the delicious
viands with which the tables were covered—the rapidity
with which the turtle and the varieties which succeeded dis-
appeared was quite magical, Briareus with his hundred
hands could not have done the business with greater
celerity.
The Lord Mayor, who headed one of the tables while the
Lady Mayoress with singular grace and dignity presided at
the other, rose to propose the Queen. The toast was
drunk respectfully. That which instantly followed, " The
Queen Dowager," was received enthusiastically.
The Lord Mayor then rose to propose the Right Rever-
end Bishops who honoured the company with their attend-
ance. With the names of the Bishops of London and
Rochester he joined the venerated name of the
Church of England. (Loud cheering). It was
not the custom of the dignitaries of the Church to attend
upon excursions of this kind, and he rejoiced that his
Mayoralty was marked and elevated by so high a distinc.
tion. The exception should, he trusted, henceforward
become the rule, and the aquatic entertainments of the
Mayoralty would continue to derive additional honour and
eclat from the venerable sanction of their presence.—
( Cheers.) The Bishop cf London had accomplished more
than any other living man for the support of that Church,
to whose institutions they looked with the deepest feelings
of respect and admiration. The Most Reverend Prelate
had within a very short period consecrated eleven churches,
and since he had attained to the dignity of the Metropo-
litan Bishopric, he had performed the same cere-
mony to ninety-two places of holy worship.—( Loud
cheers.) It was particularly necessary to celebrate
the very useful and energetic exertions of that distin-
guished Churchman at the present time, when
the enemies of the Establishment he so ably represented,
were making such vigorous attempts to effect its overthrow.
e--(Cheers.) It was with warm confidence the friends of
our religious institutions looked to the results of the power-
ful opposition which they were making to the innovating
spirit which unhappily pervaded certain portions of the
community, and at the head of that opposition stood the
two great dignitaries who communicated so high au addi-
edditional charm to the company around them.—( Loud
cheers.)
The Lord Bishop of London rose to return his most
grateful thanks, and the most grateful thanks of the
Learned Prelate whose name was associated with his in
the toast, ter the high compliments with which the Chief
Magistrate had been pleased to distinguish their names.
They had to perform a very important duty to the com-
munity, and they endeavoured to perform it with a
zeal proportioned to the magnitude and interests
which were involved.—( Loud cheering.) As the Lord
Mayor was conservator of the mighty river which flowed
through the heart of the great metropolis of the empire,
and preserved it from incroaelaments or innovations calcu-
lated to interfere with its majestic course, so the Bishops
were the conservators of these principles of religion and
morality, without which there was no security for the
peace and happiness of society, and by the influence of
which the prosperity of Great Britain was established upon
an immovable basis.—(Cheers.) He rejoiced that the
religious magistracy obeiiiied such zealous co-operation
from the Chief Civil Magistrate of the city of London.
They sailed indeed in the same boat.—(A laugh.) They
steered under the same benignant Providence, and he
trusted that they would reach the haven in safety, notwith-
staedieg the clouds and storms which frowned and battled
round them.—( Loud cheering.) The exertions of the
Prelates of the Church should never be remitted, particu-
larly under the circumstances so eloquently alluded to by
the Lord Mayor. They would continue to enforce, b 3
precept and example, those principles of respect and affec-
tion for the ecclesiastical institutions of the country which
were calculated to secure its prosperity and independence.
—(Cheers.) He should take the liberty of proposing the
health of the Lord Mayor, who had so hospitably enter-
tained them that day. He trusted that the voyage would
terminate prosperously, and he hoped to have other oppor-
tunities of witnessing the very delightful scene which pre-
sented itself on all aides, and of partaking of those
generous hospitalities which distinguished this Mayoralty.
—( Loud cheers.)
The Lord Mayor's health was drank with remarkable
enthusiasm.

His Lerdship, in briefly returning thanks, said it gra-
tified him exceedingly to be surrounded by such a com-
pany, whom, if he should not during his continuance in
office have the pleasure of seeing upon the Thames, he
should be delighted to meet elsewhere, and to consider
that the hospitalities of the Mayoralty were not confined
to time or place.—( Cheers.)
The Lord Mayor next proposed Lord Kinnoul and the
House of Lords. He felt extreme pleasure in adverting
to the House of Peers, which consisted of men who were
able and determined to_support the Constitution of Eng-
land. —( Hear.)
Lord Kinnoul returned thanks in a few wnrds.

Several other toasts, amongst which were the Army
and Navy, the Magistracy cf London, the Sheriffs, the
Sheriffs Elect, &c., &c., were then drunk ; and acknow-
ledgments were returned by Lord Blomfield, Lord Rad.
stock, Sir Matthew Wood, and Mr. Evans, the Sheriff
Elect, &c., &c.

The health of the Lady Mayoress was proposed amidst
loud acclamation, and every one declared that her Lady-
ship's affability, attention, and kindness, to all who had the
honour of being her guests, merited the warmest praise.
At nine o'clock the party, after some of the most grace-
fully performed quadrilles on deck, arrived at Kew. bridge,
from whence they drove home in their carriages. The
whole of the business of the day was most charmingly ar-
rano.ed, and in no one thing was there any approach to
failure. It was a perfect treat.

THE WILTSHIRE RIOTS.—At Devizes As-
sizes, on Thursday, William Butcher was indicted for
having wilfully fired at William Benbow, one of the me-
tropolitan police, with a loaded pistol, with intent to kill
and murder him, or to do him some grievous bodily harm ;
and Louis D tinton, Charles Randell, Jacob Maddock,
John Wingrove, and Ann Willis, were charged with aid-
ing and assisting William Butcher. The occurrence took
its rise in one of the late Chartist riots at Tunbridge. The
Jury acquitted all the prisoners, as the charge could not
be brought home to them. The Grand Jury have re-
turned a true bill against Carrier, Roberts, and Potts, the
Chartists ; but their trials are traversed until the next
Assizes, on the ground that they were charged wi'h other
offences in the indictment than those upon which they were
committed, and not being prepared to answer !heat:, off.mces.
CHARGE OF POISONING A WIFE.—John
Clifton, a journeyman tailor, on Thursday re-examined
at Lambeth-street, charged with having administered
poison to his wife, with the view to cause the death of an
infant of which she was then pregnant, The wife died
on Monday last. The evidence bore strongly against the
prisoner, who was remanded for a week.
LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY MORNING.—The
steam-ship, Liverpool, due to-day, has not yet made her
appearance. She was to have sailed from New York on
the 6th of July, and this is consequently her fourteenth
day. There is little doubt of her corning up to-day or to-
morrow. An arrival from Monte Video anchored- in the
New Channel last night. It is believed that she brings
late intelligence relative to the blockade of Buenos Ayres
by the French; but up to this time (ten o'clock) her de-
spatches have not been delivered. The cotton trade here
is not so stagnant as the state of the manufacturing districts
would lead strangers to suppose. During the week
the sales have exceeded 25,000 bags, and the imports
upwards of 14,000. Prices receded a little since Wed-
nesday, in consequence of the position of .ffairs in Man-
chester. The arrival of the Liverpool may possibly give
an impetus to this branch of trade, although it must be
confessed tbat the tenor of the last advices from the United
States does not point to such a consummation. The in-
telligence which the Live, pool would convey from this
country would act—whether favourably or not remains to
be seen—upon most descriptions of American produce.
There were some riotous proceedings in Manchester yes-
terday, arising out of a turnout for wages among a num-
ber of workmen, and several Chartist meetings during
the week ; but nothing to alarm the authorities, or that
points to the probability of a serious breach of the peace.
Trade in that town is very stagnant, and is the worst fea-
lure in its social position.,—Observer.
The bakers of Glasgow and suburbs have, this
week, reduced the price of the 4 lb. loaf one penny. Fine
bread is now selling at 9d. and household at Oa&