The Sun.
London, England, 1834-07-03 00:00:00

POOR LAWS AMENDMENT BILL.

Mr. BERNAL and others from the Commons brought up
the Poor Laws Amendment Bill.

Earl GREY moved that it be read a first time accor-
ding to the custom of their lordships' house as to bills
coming from the Commons, After the bill had been read a
first time he should propose that it be read a second time on
Monday next.

The Earl of MALMESBURY was sorry to trespass on
their lordships at this early stage of the measure. He could
not, however, allow the opportunity to pass without making
some observations upon the late period of the session at
which this important measure was brought up to them.
They were now in the sixth month of their sitting, and they
were now for the first time called upon to legislate upon a
measure in its provisions and consequences, and the sweeping
changes it was calculated to introduce in the framework of
society, not less important than the Reform Bill itself, the
consequences of which no man could estimate in importance
or extent, or see the end of. He assured the noble earl op-
posite that he was actuated by no.party feelings,but he must
protest against this bill being brought up in this shape. The
objects of the measure might be divided into three, viz., re-
lief, settlement, and bastardy. The bill upon the first sub-
ject he knew very well must have originated in the other
house ; but upon the other two subjects it would have been
much better had bills relating to them been brought into
their lordships' house, so that the two houses might be con-
currently legislating upon the question. If this had been
done, they would not now be called upon, at this late- pe-
riod, to go through a bill• of such importance, contain-
ing not fewer than ninety clauses. (Hear, hear.)
And how long had the House of Commons been en-
gaged upon this bill ? Since the 17th of April,
the day on which it was introduced, being just seventy-six
days. He supposed their candour would allow their lord-
ships as much time, and then they would be sitting there till
September next. •,,At the'sametimethere.Were other bills
of importance before their 'lordships. It would 'be far bet-
ter and wiser, and enly just.W•the rich and the pOor, to let
the measure stand over 'to another session,ln order that
their lordships may have time well to understand it, and
obtain the opinion of persons throughout the-,countryprac-
tically conversant with_ tbe.various and important subjects
embraced .by the measure. • The mal-administration
of the. existing laws was the great evil of the pre-
sent system. But he knew that, attention having been
turned to the subject, great improvements had taken place
within the last two or three years, and these improvements
should have time to extend to other parishes. If they pro-
ceeded to legislate hand over hand in this way they would
do great mischief. A spirit of practical improvement was
abroad : let it have time to work. The attendance of their
lordships, he was sure, -could not be expected at that late
period of the session. The noble earl proceeded to animad-
vert upon the various provisions of the bill. He particularly
deprecated the bastardy clause, and appealed to their lord-
ships' feelings as men whether they would condemn the
victim to all the pains of her offence, and let the more
guilty seducer stalk abroad in security, and with perfect
impunity. He did not mean to discuss the provisions of
the measure, but he must say that he did not approve of
any part of it. The chief object of the bill seemed to be
the establishment of a central board of commissioners; who
were to sit in secret conclave, and whose functions were
destined to cut off entirely all that connexion and depen-
dence between the rich and the poor which had heretofore
been held to be so beneficial to both classes. He hoped
the noble earl would not press this bill upon them during
the present session.
Earl GREY said lie entirely agreed with the noble earl
that this bill less than any other ought to be considered or
treated as a party measure. His Majesty's Government
had given a most careful and diligent attention to this sub-
ject, which was, as described by the noble earl, one of the
most complicated and extensive bearing upon the interests
of the people, and involving consequences of greater im-
port, perhaps, than any other measure brought before them
in the present session. This being the true character of
the bill, he hoped their lordships would be disposed fairly
and fully to attend to its provisions without reference to its
being proposed by his Majesty's government, but with re-
ference only to the merits of the bill itself. That such a
bill required the most mature deliberation he admitted, and
he regretted that the bill had not been brought up earlier ;
but he certainly thought they would not come unprepared
to the discussion, considering the time that had been given
for its consideration, and the period the able report of the
commissioners, which had attracted such universal atten-
tion,and gone with so much laborious research into the
u
had been before the public. Still less could he
think
tthey would come unprepared to the discussion when
he considered how long and frequent and minute had been
the discussions in the other House of Parliament on the
subject, and
.to which their lordships could not but have
paid attention. From these sources he had no doubt
their _ lordships' labours, would be greatly facilitated.
He could not, therefore, agree to postpone the consi-