The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-31 00:00:00

POOR-LAW SETTLEMENT.

The NOBLE LORD also presented a petition from the
inhabitants of Sheptonllett, praying for au altera-
tion of the law of settlement ; also a petition from the
board of guardians in Glamorgan upon the same subject.
BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY LAWS.

The NOBLE LORD wished to correct a statement

which had appeared in one of the Sunday papers, to the
effect that he had changed his opinions with respect to
arrest on m( sne process. The statement in question
had caused him considerable annoyance by the number
of letters which he had received upon the subject from
persons who were at present under arrest, and whose
intention it was to take the benefit of the existing Acts.
But it was possible that the wrong construction of the
Act by the Commissioners might have worked the effect
of which the complaint was made. The Conamissioners
had a power to imprison for twenty days, and in some
instances for forty days, and it appeared that in some
cases the power had been overstretched. This was cer-
tainly an evil, but it might very probably lead to the
ab,lition, the more complete abolition ofimprisonment for
debt. He had received a communication from Nottingham
in which it was stated that the labourers had a right to
support from the produce of the laud. Now he had not
been able to pay much attention to the matter of this
communication, and the petition on which it was based,
but thus) much he might say, that, in his opinion,
the labouring poor were entitled just equally to support
from the whole of the natienal capital—from the funds,
stock in trade, and all other capital of which the
country is possessed. The only title which any
poor rimn had, in his opinion, was upon the produce
of his own work. It was the primeval curse, inflicted
by a higher power than man, that he should obtain his
bread from Le sweat of his brow, and he (Lord
Brougham) thought th .t it was perfectly right that it
should be so; for he la lieved that if there was no such
condition imposed there would be but little work per-
formed.

The Bi.hop of LONDON—Surely his Noble and
Learned Friend did not mean to say that no person
was to obtain any subsistence but that tor which he
worked ?

Lord BROUGHAM—OnIy the able-bodied poor.
SC() FTISII PEERAGE.
Lord COLVILLE ruse to draw ihe attention of their
Lordships to the motion which he had been requested to
postpone till tonight, in order that the true claims of
the ancient nobilay of Scotland for a certificate of their
titles in.ght be established. It was truly stated that
in this matter he had no personal concern; but
he ought to state that in cases where the Eng-
lish nobility had to act on their privilege,
before they (lid so act they had to go bAbre the Lord
Chancellor and prove their right to the title. In Ire-
land there was a similar security, but in Scotland there
was no such advantage, for at the election of a Peer of
Scotland an individual had nothing to do but to state
himself to have a right to the tide he claimed to be at
once allowed to vote. He must now drsw the atteu-
tion of the House to a matter personal to himself.
Ile had been represented in a Scotch paper as
having brought on a conversation respecting him-
self. Now the person of whom he complained was the
representative of Lord Colville of Ochiltree, while be was i
Colville of Kilross, and he would put it to the House 1
whether he had not endeavoured to the utmost of his
power to place the House in the right position with re-
spect to this matter, and he should, therefore, now
restrict himself simply to the terms of the motion of
which he had given notice.
Lord CAMPBELL thought their Lordships were
very much indebted to the Noble Lord who had brought
this matter before 'them, for it was not one in which
the Scottish nobility alone were interested, but
the tradespeople also, who were often defrauded,
in consequence of the facility which existed of usurping
the titles and privileges of the Scotch nobility. He
hoped that it would be prosecuted to the utmost, that
the evil might be put dow4and that the Noble LOrd
(Colville) would continue to give it his attention, and
after getting his returns would move for a Select Com-
mittee.

Lord BROUGHAM agreed that that was the proper
course; but he hoped that the attention of the Select
Committee would be directed to the resolutions which
affected this subject, and were brought into their Lord-
ships' Howe in 183. Why, a mere mendicant might
go into Holyrood House, and on the mere claim could
vote and influence important questions. So that
actually it became a matter interesting the Legislature.
The Earl of ROSEBERY agreed that the law was
defective in the respect mentioned 'by his Noble and
Learned Friend (Lord Campbell), and he trusted that, if
the matter went into Committee, it would be remedied.
The motion, which was for a list of voters iu the late
election for a Scotch Representative Peer, was then
agreed to. ,
BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND MARRIAGES BILL.

Lord BROUGHAM presented apetition from a number
of parish clerks and schoolmasters against the Births,
lltalbs, and Marriages Bill.
EDUCATION.

Earl RADNOR presented a petition against the Go-
vernrn,nt sch,,mo of educati.n.

Lord MON I'EAGLE presented a petition from New-
port Pagn,4ll against the Govi.rnment scheme of educa-
tion; he only presented it in ord r to express how far
he tbs....wed from it. He would take that oppo. tunny
of giviog notice thst he woulti, atier the Easier rece,.s,
bring the qui- stion of ethigtati4m before the attention of
their Lordships.