The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-11 00:00:00

occurred a long time ago ; and he did attach some blame to
those who had not brought those calamitous circumstances

forward when they oceurrei. He took the earliest of the many
which had been communicated to him, because those were the
earliest; but he would assure the House if a proper inquiry
had been made in the borough of Bolton, it would be found
that the misery endured there had not been diminished, but
on the con! rary, was considerably increased. —( Hear, hear.)
In that town there were many thousand human beings who had
not the means of providing for themselves the common neces-
saries of life.—( Hear, hear.) It might be in the recols
lection of the House that he had brought forward the
case of a man named Pierce, who, it appeared, had
been starved to death, and that a Jury -had recorded
a verdict to that effect. That was one of three cases to which
the Right Hon. Baronet had called the attention of the Poor-
law" Commissioners, and which Mr. Mott, the Assistant
Poor-law Commissioner, hai embodied in his Report.
With respect to the evidence adduced in that Report he ( Dr.
Bowring) had to complain, and the people of Bolton had to
complain, of 'the manner in which that inquiry had been
conducted. Evidence had poured upon the Assistant-Commis-
sinner on every side, and he had refused to receive it.—( Hear.)
The Hon. Member then quoted the testimony of various wit-
nesses as to the distressed state of this family. He thought it
right to quote it, as the veracity of most respectable indivi-
duals was involved. lie begged of the House to listen to some
of the declarations which were made, occasioned by the
excitement and surprise of Mr. Mutt's Report. He (Dr. B. )*
did not himself take any part in the inquiry, but he examined
the witnesses; and after their testimony, if he was called on to
re-state the case, he would do so in much stronger language
than he had done. Mr. Mott bad gone to far as to say,
that this family were in a comfortable condition, and his evi-
dence was, that he went to the unfortunate woman, who had
assured hirnethey were receiving 9s. a week for their support..
But she had denied to him (De. B.) that she used any
such language. The truth was, that she was in a state of
mental imbecility, anti that she had not for herself and
family more than 4s. a week at that time. He thought
that Mr. Mott should have made more ample inquiry
than he had, and not have contented himself with the testi-
mony of this poor woman.__( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gen-
tleman then read the testimony of Mr. Coome and the town
Missionary of Bolton, both of whom concurred as to the
wretched state in which they found the family.—(Hear,
hear.) Evidence of the same import was to be had on
every side if Mr. Mott took the proper means to get at it.
The Hon. Member, after referring to several cases of dis-
tress which had occurred in Bolton, and reading evidence pictur-
ing the dreadful state in which those parties had died, observed
that notwithstanding that evidence, Mr. Mott had declared that
the families were well off. These statements, he could assure the
House, had changed his mind greatly with respect to the
Poor-laws, and he should hesitate long before he delivered-
over the dying' inhabitants of this country to such
hard-hearted men. It would be in the recollection
of the House, that when he stated these cases
of distress, he did' not attack the Poor-law guardians,
because he believed they were not coXnisant of them.
He believed, whatever desire the guardians might, have
they had not the means of relieving the distress that surrounded
them on every side. Mr. Mott did not satisfy himself by inquiry
into the three cases he had adverted to, but he chose to enter
into a work that was totally unnecessary, he had come forward
and stated that there was a general exaggeration as to the
distress existing in Bolton. Mr. Mott had most grievously
calumniated these humane and ,worthy gentlemen. Let the
House hear a few words from their own vindication against
the charge of having got up their statement to
subserve Anti-Corn-law agitation :—" We • deem no apes-
logy requisite for inquiring into the condition of
our distressed neighbours, and though the facts we discovered
were read at an Anti-Corn-law meeting, they were not collect-
ed for that object. We have revisited the scene of last year's
inquiry, and of the 303 families already named, we found 49
were broken up, some had gone to the workhouse, some
to Australia, and others were scattered amongst their friends.
But 69 were sill subsisting on Is. SP. a week each, when
their rent was paid. The apartment of one family *as so
damp that there had been rotted the cords of the bed on
which slept the man, his wife, and four children." These
were a few of a large mass of appalling facts.—(Hear.)
But he (Dr. B.) was sorry to find that the state of the country
had been generally growing bad- While the mortality of the
navy had been reduced from 1 in 8 in 1779 to 1 in 72
in 1836, the mortality of the country had increased,
through want of food, in Leicester to 1 in• 39, in Nottingham,
to 1 in 35, in the West Riding of Yorkshire to 1 in 42, in
Lancashire to 1 in 31. Referring specially to Bolton, the
Poor's-rates from 1835 to 1837 was 11,900/. It was in the
year 1811-2, 16,7401., being 4,8001. more than in the three
preceding years, notwithstanding 4,000/. contributed in charity.
A proportionate retrogression had taken place in Litte Bolton.
Now what was the present condition of Bolton, from the
last returns. It appeared that in Bolton, there were
6,167 people, whose average earnings amounted to I lid. per
week, rather less than seven farthings a week tor each per-
son ; yet Mr. Mott ventured to talk of the 1 rofuse expenditure
of money for the relief of the poor. Of fifty mills
in Bolton, formerly employing 8,124 persons, 30 were
now standing still. The Honourable Gentlemen then en-
tered, at considerable length, into some statistics relative to
the numbers of families who possessed neither beds,
blankets, tables, chairs, stools, (Sec:, nor any article
of furniture, presenting. a picture of the most heatt-
rending destitution ; this Inquiry had been conducted by gen-
tlemen who were willing to test the veracity of their statements.
He had been accompanied through Bolton by an Hon. and
Gallant individual, who had seen much of war, and was familiar
with sights of misery, and he declard that he had never seen so
much wretchedness as he witnessed in Bolton. There were
many streets uninhabited, and many inhabited houses
without furniture, or beds, or bedding. And yet they
were willing to give their labour for that food which
they were told other countries were willing to give them
if they were ntSt prevented by bad laws.—( Hear, hear, hear.)
They had hopes from that House, and they asked whether
they were to be left in their forlorn and wretched condition, and
he (Dr. Bowring) was sorry
.to beobliged to express his convic-
tion that there was nothing in the legislative proposition which
was brought before the House to afford them any consolation.-{-
(Hi ar, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman concluded by hoping the
Right. Hon. Baronet would consent to lay the documents for
which he a.ked before the House.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that if the Hon. Gentleman had
commenced his speech with the interrogatory with which lie
had concluded it, he would have saved himself much trouble,
for he did not intend to oppose the motion.—( Hear.) When
the Hon. Gentleman had brought the subject before the House
on a former occasion he ( Sir. J. Graham) was satisfied, from
the information he received, that certain specific facts, produced
by the Honourable Gentleman, were greatly, but he was
sure unintentionally exaggerated. He thought it right to go
over these facts again, but it was not his ( Sir James Gra-
ham's) intention to follow him through them. He
was of opinion that it was better to postpone the
discussion of them until the facts on both sides were laid before
the House. As he had stated, he did nut intend to oppose
the motion, but he should propose an amendment, that the
words " together w;th the Reports in the hands of Mr. Mott"
be added to his motion.
The question of the amendment haying been put,
Mr. AINSWORTH said that he did not consider he would
he doing his duty is he did not bear his testimony to the facts
of distress in Bolton produced by his Honourable Colleague.
After making all the inquiry he could from from the re-
lieving-officer, he could not charge him with blame; when he
had heard of the distress of these individuals he relieved
them, and had confirmed to do so. He believed that
some of them were at the present moment in employ in
the borough, and were receiving relief from it
at the present moment. He thought that the Poor. law
guardians had exercised a most sound discretion in the
for they
they in had relieved the poor of Bolton,
out-door relief when it was necessary.
hadsvhgicivh en they
With respect to the statements that had been made
n
by his Honourable Colleague relative to the no a-work-
ing of the mills at Bolton, it was his belief that all the
mills in that town were at work, with tt.e exception of one,
but for short times.—(Hear, hear.) He believed that the
statement of his Hon. Colleagu. was true that 15,000 or 16,000
houses were unoccupied in the borough, and had been so for
some time.
Lord JOHN MANNERS observed, that, from what he
had seen of the town of Bolton, he did not believe the dis-
tress there had been exaggerated. He had seen that distress;
and his earnest hope was, that whatever plan might be
adopted would relieve the inhabitants of this country from the
distress under which they were at present labouring.
The motion as amended was then agreed to.
1%1 I DNIG HT LEGISLATION.

THER I
Nha
of t
broughter
after
s twelve
opuudresru atnhcee
(If s
di
es
ratio n motion,of
o'clock at night, unless one
thattol‘lirin.ooußsbellu,sOai
hundred Members were present. It was not necessary for
him to trespass lon' e. vipers the House, but his motion
was so reasonable, lie did not atitici ta e any opposition to it;
•
it would be admitted that the Lee sittings of the House were
roost injur ions to the health of the Members, and inconvenient
to the public; he was quite of opinion that the present practice
was not at all bete tip ial ; he was often told of the wisdom of
their anceatiors, who legislated by day-lieht. On looking at the
journals of the House it would be found that in 1(114, an order
was made that no business should be. brought on alter twelvo
o'clock at noon, and he (Mr. Bratlierten) was then, in 1842,
endeavourin, to persuade the House that no business should be
brought on after twelve o'clock at night. He had the good
example of the United States, and coinnvm sen,e, reason,
and every thing else in support of his motion, therefore, he was
sure the 'louse would adopt it.
An LION. MEMBER having seconded hii motion.
Sir R. PEEL said his Hon. Friend had frequently brought
forward that motion before ; it must be quite apparent that if
it was adoeted, it would be some times most inconvenient. If,
for instance, any one Member of the House chose, he would,
according to that motion, at 12 o'clock at night have the
power to count the House, and, in that way, put
a st.op to the progress of public business. It would certainly
lead to the utmost inconvenience. While he gave the Hon.
Gentleman who had brought forward the motion credit for the
best intentionv, he (Sir Robert Peel) was of opinion that the
House shooed not give its assent.
Mr. EW ART said there had been a feeling growing up in
that House, that their debates were protracted to later hours
Therefore, i f his Honourable
than soh el public convenience.
Friend wished to press the measure to a division he would sup-
port it, as he knew there was an increasing impression in the
public mind that they should return to earlier hours, and con-
form to the practice of their ant estors.
Mr. BROTHERTON aid that the Courts of Law corn-
ineneed business at nine or half-past nine o'clock, and he saw
no reason why they should not do so too, and he thought no
reasonable man would deny that Parliament should not enter
'
upon business of importance after twelve
clock.
trangers were then ordered __ o
to withdraw, and the House
S
divided, when there appeared—
For the motion ............................. 26
200
Against it .................
ion
- Majority a.tainst the mot ...... —174
The motion was consequently lost• f
On the motion of Mr. VILLIERs„ the ollowing returns
were agreed to : —An Account of the Public Expenditure of
the United Kingdom in the years ending the sth day of Ja-
nuary, 1840, 1841, and 142' distinguishing the actual pay-
ments for the expenses incurred in the collection and manage..
ment of the Revenue, for the charges of the Public Debt (the
Terminable Annuities being also valued by estimate), for the
expenses of the Civil Government, the allowances to each Mem-
ber of the Royal Family, and to their Majesties the Kings of
Hanover and Belgium ; the establishment of the Lord Lieute-
nant of Ireland;. the expenses of the two Houses of Parlia-
ment, and the Civil Dopartments ; the other Pensions on the
Consolidated Fund, on the gro4 Revenue and the Civil Li
--also, the Payments for the Administration of Justice, Diplo-
matic Expenses, and the payments on account of the sums
voted for the Army, Navy, Ordnance, and Miscellaneous Ser.
vices :--also, Public Works, Bounties, Post-office, the Qua-
rantine and Warehousing Establi.hments, arid all other pay-
ments not coming under any of the foregoing heads: with an
Appendix, showing the several items composing each head of
the account ; distinguishing . the amount paid for Retired Al-
owaneesi or Half-pay.
RETIREMENT OF THE JUDGES.
Lord J. RUSSELL, on rising to move for copies of letters
of the late Lord President of the Court of Session in Scotland,
and the late Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench in Ireland, re-
signing their judicial offices, observed that he made the motion
in consequence of the circumstances under which their resigna-
tion appeared to have taken place ; he said appeared to have
taken place, because the letters be proposed to move for might
give some colour to the transaction. He (Lord John Russell)
said that it was of importance that the House should be vigilant
in its attention to whit occurred with respect to the Judges; I