Star.
London, England, 1801-11-24 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Mr. Coats preitTnteda Petitionfiorntbe l'rifonaa confined
for De!.t in the Gaol of the County of Cork, graying for relief.
--Ordered to on the Table.

Mr. N. VANSITTAILT moved for a Committee of the whole
floufe to-morrow, to confider of the Ak't of the 29th Geo. 111.
relative to the importation of Naval Storei.7.—Ordered.

POOR.
Mr. STURGES brought in the Bill for enabling
Magiftrates to empower Overfeers to grant paro-
chial relief in certain cafes without enforcing the
terms of the Aft palled in the eighth of William,
by which it is enacted that thofe receiving fuch re-
lief Than be diftinguilhed by a particular badge.
It was read a firtt time, and on the motion for the
fecond reading,
Sir WILLIAM Etroao laid, he conceived that
the talk which it was the object of the hill to im-
pale on Juftices was extremely odious and difagree-
able, fince no talk could he more odious than that
of deciding what dafs of the poor were to wear
the badge in mieftion, and what clafs were to be
excufed from bearing this external diiiinCtioa. He
thought that it would be much more wife and
expedient to indemnify Overfeers for granting oc-
eafional relief, which would have all the effefl that
the Biil was intended to produce, while it would
not interfere with a long eflablifhed department of
the fyftem of the Poor Laws.
Mr. Slat ke Fs, however, contended that the plan
propofed by the Hon. Baronet would not'promote
the objet of the Bill, on the ground that it would
be imprifible to diftinguith thole individuals who
were to receive temporary, and thole who were to
obtain permanent relief ; fince in the firft inftance,
no one applied for a provifion which was to ex-
tend to an indefinite period. He did not mean to
deny the propriety of employing thiabadge in cer-
tain cafes, but he begged Gentlemen to confider
the very great change which had taken place in
the fituatton of the country. A very great pro-
portion of the labouring and indultrious poor of
the kingdom, who had formerly been able to fup-
port thernfelves and family by their own exertions,
had by the preffure of the times been driven to pa-
rochial relief. To fuch perfons it was unjull in
the higheft degree to apply thole penalties which
were meant to apply to poor of a quite dif-
ferent defeription. The badge which, by the na-
ture of William, was to be worn by paupers, was
a mark of difgrace; but why were thofe induftri-
ous individuals to be compelled to wear filch a
badge when they were driven to parochial relief,
not by inclination, but by neceffity ?
Lord GLENBIRVIS was on the fame fide, and
charaderifed this badge as a molt cruel, odious,
and impolitic diftindion. So general, indeed, had
been the convidion of its being both odious and
unwire, that it had never been put in pradice in a
great variety of diftrids.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR enforced thefe confidera•
tions in a very able manner, and !hewed it was not
by any means the fpirit of the Ad of William to
extend fo odious a diftindion to thole honelt and
induftrious individuals whom the preffure of the
times might drive to leek from the public that fup-
port for themfelves and families which their own
labour was unable to procure. The original in-
tention of the diftindion was to operate as a badge
of infamy on thole who, without neceffity, (bold
apply for parochial relief ; but it was molt abfurd
to fuppofe that it could be meant to attach upon
individuals, refpedable by their good conduit and
by their honeft induflry.
After the converfation hadbeen fomewhat longer
continued, the Bill was ordered to be read a fecond
time on Wednelday.
Tl'e Houle went into a Committee of Simply,
to which, on the motion of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, were referred feveral accaants of fums
paid out of the Civil Lift, which have not hitherto
been made good by Parlian;ent.
A variety of fums were than rote,' by the Com-
mittee, in pitrfuance of votes of ti.c during
the daft Selfion of Pailiamen: t
Ter the Porthole of Certain Bni din, ;.,r •11,
r accommodation of the two 11,10, ~t :'a--

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