The Sun.
London, England, 1819-06-25 00:00:00

MADHOUSES' REGULATION BILL.

The Order upon which their Lordships were
summoned being read, and that for the heating
Counsel on the second reading of the above Bill
discharged—
The Marquess of LssisciowNe rose for the pur-
pose of moving the second reading of the Bi.ll for
the looter Regulation of Madhouses. Ile ad-
verted to the eircnniitaece of the Bill which on a
former Session wasilaid bebire thei'r LemrdsliinS for
a similar object,- and which svas negatived for the
purpose of bringing forward a less eXL-eptionable
and more efficient measure. It was in conse-
ipmence of that step the pressnt Bill Wasicitro-
minced. Jr came immediately from rime same quar-
ter, and he hoped he should be able to satisfy
their Lordships that it was free from many of
those grounds of ohketion which 'were rged
against the last. The subject was •eertainly one
of great feeling and impot lance, and the framing
of is measure likely to prove efficient, was attend-
ed with great difficodhies. It • was an arduous
task to frame salutary and effective regulations,
Which may not interfere with the doe care .if pa-
tients labourirrp.: under a disease of so peculiarly
calamitous a (tactile. Were the Bill now before
their Lordship! suffered to go to a Committee,
and if Noble Lords would assist wilt their wis-
dom and experience in meborating and improving
a measure for the relief al those unhappy persons
..tho had nothing but the laws of their coitntry to
protect them, be doubted not but a salutary and
efficient measure would be produced. In consi-
dering the subject, he would beg their Lordships
to look to the evidence before them, where they
would see the most striking, though, at the same
time, horrid and disgusting facts set forth.—The
Noble Marquess then read some extracts from the
evidence, particularly that. which respected the
Lonatic'Asylums in the county of York, and also
one in the county of Wilts, its order to show the
kind of treatment to which .numbers of the ill.
fated beings contemplated by the Bill were sub-
jected ; and, in one of those places, several deathe
had taken place, respetting which it was not yet
ascertained in what manner rite unhappy persons
had come to their ends. In'one place, six or
seven persons had disappeared altogether, with-
out all the diligence of time Magistrates being able
to ascertain the rause. The situation of pamper
lunatics was peculiarly deplorable; and, on this
head, the evidence of a Noble Lord, a Member of
the 'other [loose, threw considerable light. Their
treatment in many cases was shocking. The com-
munications received from Mr. Wright, a' most
respectable Magistrate of the county of Flaws,
threw considerable light on this part of the sub-
ject. Whatever objections any Noble Lord might
entertain against time Bill in its present shape
might, be- repeated, he easily removed in the
Committee ; and, upon the ground he had star-
ed, lie should :mow move the second reading of
the Bill.

The Loen CHANCELLOR quitted the Woolsack.
On the present occasion, he observed, he telt him-
self compelled to submit to the considdation of
their Lordships, whether such a Bill as that now
before them was fit to be recd the second time;
and tee conceived he could satisfy the House that
this Bill, instead of benefiting the situation' of
these utifortunate persons, would tend much to
prejudice that situation, and obviate these benefits-
which they now receive from the wise, humave,
and careful treatment which so many of them ex-
periensed. There were some parts. or clauses of
the Bill which may well be made the subject of
separate disCussion, but maity 'Other parts of the
Bill, however he must respect the recommends-
tion of the other House of Parliament, were liable,
in his mind, to strong and most utisurinoitht-
able objections. The Noble and very Learned
Lord then proceeded to argue the preferability of
entrusting the care of those persons to those who
long devotedsheir minds to the subject, and who
thereby had gained an adeqqate knowledge of
their diseases—to then, whose conduct and eha-
racters in life entitled thefts to the respect of so
many iniliridnals. He was sure that many Would
agree with him that little benefit was to be ex•
prefect, unless an adequate coufidenee was placed
in the care and wisdom of those who Were
most likely to know and to underStand'W hat were
the most likely methods to restore their unhappy
patients to mental health. IVithout an adequate
degree of confidence were to be placed in these
persons, lie thought no man of skill or reeling
would venture into the profession, where their
conduct was to he subjected to the scrutiny or
control' of servants of these esta'slithments, or to
Le judged of by persons who were not sufficiently
or scientifically informed themselves. IVith re-
spect to the Bill, there was hardly a clause in it
that did not go to inflict penalties, and half of
which were to go to the informers. It was well
known what int-or:I:err; were capable of when such
pecuniary rewards were hell out. The provi-
sion for sending four Ithysirians, appointed by
the Secretary of State, as visitors 'all over Eng-
land, lie disapploved of on various grounds, and
as it was thought, such Persons were to be
young Physicians, the consequence of such
proceedings may be infinitely More mischie-
vous than the absence of such a regulation
could be. With respect to some parts of the Bill,
particularly those which related to Pauper Lunar
tics, he ll:ought they may he advantageously
msde a subject of separate discussion, and the
nia,tsr of a ut,tisct Bill; 011 those provisions of
thy ;resent measute, which required the names
sod sesoun of the proceedinss to the Sevres
taty of State's °dice, at Staleli intervals, his

Lordship forcibly commented, ani cxprersed his
opinion it must operate very unfavourably towards
the avowed object of the Bill, when some of the
most valuable men in society were 10 he so con-
trouled wi,h respect to th-ose step: which must he
taken, if it were meant to restore the mental
healths of the unhappy patients. The application
of the necessary means should not he shaken by
the notions of individuals, nine...tenths of whom
were twally incompetent to judge of the system.
in another Session steps may advaiitageoUsly- be
adopted for a reciprocal communication of evi-
dence between Ennio Houses on the subject, and
which may be'further-and duly considered of by
Committees. Further, it their Lordships should
see fit, the salutary or unolejectiOnable parts
the preseut measure May be brought into a sepa-
rate Bill, which may be passed even this Session.
He was however ennvinded it was quite impossi-
ble for bill, to give his consent to a measure such
as the present, which in his heart and soul he be-
lieved would operate most injoriously 'towards
those whose state and rood,,imi it was meant to
; and under this feellug he would cer-
tainlynnpos e its second readif,g.•
The Marquess of LAN,DUA'NE, in reply, oh-
served, that as the Noble and Learned Lord hail
:Omitted the necessity of adopting some regula-
tions on the subject, that part of the Bill which
resPected Pauper Lunatics ought not to he ne-
glecied,—The House, by agreeing to the second
reading of the Bill, need not pledge thentsi-l•es to
any of the enactinents which came outlet the of)..
jeCtions stated by'thes Noble and Learned Lord-.
All that
they would do by voting for lot Was, to
enable themselves,. in Committee, to adopt' the
metal regulations, while they' omitted dose
which they, ciursidered of -a conitary nature.

Looking to the facts disclosed it; evidence, Ie
would ask their Lordships, whether it was not
nrc.ssary that all the poorer'classes of persons,
who looked tor permanent relief to ins:itut ions of
the kind, should be protected by some new mea-
sure from the repetition of such abuses as were
kno7n to have existed ? It was sorely necessary
that a constant inspection-and tt constant report
should tilke place in those crises. If such an at-
tempt was to be made, he would aQk whether any
advantages could he hoped, without a degree of
publicity such as •was contemplated by the Bill ?
If.a power of insp•ction was tit be exercised, he
knew not Itocv it could he so properly placed as
in persons appointed by a responsible Minister,
the Secretary of State for the litilne Department.
As tothe case of persons confined for a short time,
the provisions of the Bill as it now stood appear-
ed t'i) him soffiei-etit to prevent disclosure. Upon
those grounds he would suhmit the propriety of
going into Committee ; and by voting for th'7 se-
cond reading their Lordships would not pledge
themselves to the priticple, unless the evils com-
plained of in the present ,Bill could be remedied
in the Committee.

The House tlo divided on the question for the
second reading—

Contents • •• l4
Not Contents
• • 35
Majoiity against the Hill
.. ?1.
_ . _

On strangers' re-admission to thr House, a
short conversation, rclacive to the foregoing Inca-
sore, took place, in
' The Karl of LAUDFAIDALR expressed his hope
`that Noble Lords would not lose, sight of the sub-
jeer, but bring it forward in the next Session of
Parliament.

The LORD CItANCELLOR briefly answered ;4 but
.to what purport we could not disciuctly hear.
The Marytess of LANSDOWNE observed, it had
certainly become necessary that the measure
should be taken up either wholly, or in part, as it
Was impossible the law could long remain in its
present shape.
After a' short conversation between the Bishop
of Limerick, the Eatl of Donoughmore, And !he
Earl of Limerick, the itish Collection Bill
was ordered ro be read the second time that city
three months, with n view, of the measure being
brought forwArd, in an altered shape, in the next
'SesSiOn'of Parliament.
'The remaining Bills upon the table were then
respectively forwarded,' and the House adjourned
till to-morrow,