Star.
London, England, 1831-08-11 00:00:00

N°. 13,858.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF Mil InE=, Avower 10.
The House met at three o'clock, and heard - Counsel In
Kinnaird's Divorce cause.
The Exchequer Bills Bill went through a Committee,
and was reported without amendment.
The other Bills on the table were forwarded in their re-
spective stages.
A person from the Exeter Turnpike-road Trust presented
an account of the receipts and expenditure of the Commis-
sioners.
On the motion of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, the
House Adjourned at Half-past Five o'clock.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
air W. FOLKES presented petitions from two places in
Norfolk gainst the use of sugar and molasses in distilleries
and breweries.
1 Mr. WATSON presented twosimilar petitions from Kent.
Sir M. RIDLEY presented the Report of the Borough of
Carmarthen Election Committee, stating, that great die-
furbance had taken plies, at the election ; but the Sheriff
ought to have kept open the poll, and not made the special
return he had done. [That no election had taken place.]
A new writ was ordered for the *Lotion of a member tor
the borough of Carmarthen.
Sir GEORGE CLERK brought up the report of the
Jedburgh Election Committee. stating, that Mr. Robert
Stewart was not duly elected for said borough ; that Sir
Adolphus John Rippon was duly elected and ought to have
been returned.
The Clerk of the Crown was ordered to attend and amend
the return. woos jaws tor IRELAWU.
Mr. BROWNLOW said he bad a petition to present
which he hoped would attract the highest attention of the
house. The petition was for a legal provision for the pool
of Ireland, whose distress he believed was unparalkled in
any other countty of the world. This distress was rapidly
increasing, and even in Ireland had never before attained
such a frightful height. Under these circumstances the Ca.
tholic Bishops of Ireland, to the number of twenty-four,
assembled in Dublin, had signed thit petition to the house,
in which they crated that they had for a series of years
witnessed the appalling distress of the poor of Ireland,
that they had watched its progress, and that it was
rapidly increasing, and showed itself in outrages
against persons and property, and the fr quent recurrence
of famine and disease. They expressed their surprise and
repot that the great question of civil and religious liberty
having been settled in Ireland, nothing had been done to
tolieve the sufferings of the Irish people. They submitted
that it could not be consistent with Christian charity that a
large portion of the people should perish for hunger in the
land they had enriched with their labour, and in which ano-
ther numerous class abound: d to pr. fusion. They prayed
the house, in the name of Him who ass the Father of all,
and who was moved to anger when the poor are d seegarded
or oppressed, to take immediate measures to provide employ-
meet for the peoole and relief fur the poor, by making the
property of Ireland accountable for the relief of the pour.--
H. adopted every word of the petition, and was confident
increasing misery must be the lot of Ireland till a legal pro-
vision was made for the poor. As a landed proprietor of
Ireland, he wished for poor laws, and was confident it would
not diminish but Increase the alias of landed property in
that country. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CONOLLY said, he so far concurred in the prayer
of the petition, that he was coAtlent an assessment on pro.
perty for the relief of the poor, would afford protection and
Security to the property of Ireland. He hoped the govern-
ment and the country getolvmen, both of England and Ire-
land, would give the sui jrct the bee consideration.
Mr. BROWN aod Mr. SADLER supported the prayer
of the petition.
Mr. CR A MPTON, Solicitor. General for Ireland, said
the introduction of poor-laws into Ireland was an experi-
ment which, if once made, could never be departed from,
and he was unwilling to tre an experiment the consequences
of whish he could not foresee. A provision for the dines, d
and infirm be thought was indispensable, but a provision fur
able-bodied ',bowers was a very different queetiun which
required to be well considered before it was resorted to. He
only gave his individual opinion without at all pledging the
government.
Mr. GRATTAN said, the question had b.en seven years
before parliament, arid there was so far a poor rate in Ire-
land already, that presentimenis were constantly made by
Grarid Juries for the support of the pour of Ireland. The
speech of his bun. friend, the Solicitor-General fur Ireland,
had left the subject in a muse uoseaffectory state ; it was
impossible for any man, having Christian leering*, Out to
feel the necessity of making provision for the poor of lie-
laud. The prop,rty of Ireland ought to be assessed toe the
*import of the pour. Toe resident gentlemen spent much
inure elan they wuuld be 'tali ;et to wider a sestem of well-
regulated poor laws. He rejoiced at what bad now taken
place. They had a petition hunt the Catholic bishops, and
he hoped they would won have a petition from the Prate*.
taut bishops. H. would to-morrow move fur Lave to bring
in a bill to provide relief for the aged and mats poor of
Ireland, and empioyiuein fur the ableehoilied.
Mr. O'CONNELL said the misery of Ireland was de-
nedby no one. The wisely o. Ireland was accutuuleting
arta upwards of Witt y yews of union with this country. Tile
Seliciour-General said they should pause before they adopted
poor lows tor Ireland ; but while they were pausing the
people of Ireland were perishing for 'ago of food. (Hear.)
As for the good iuteutions of the present Government to-
welds Ireland, he never would be so hypocriticel as to ,
give them credit for goo d intention for Ireland. What
had they dune for Ireland P There was a bill coming down
front tue Hume of Lords, with the approbation of this
Goveranteut, to tax this starving people for building addi-
tional churches in Ireland. (Hear, hear, hear.) 'llw mi-
sery of Irelond was become so great, that society was fast
dissolving. (Hear. hear.) Snip* were constantly freighted
with woo f. lreland which the stroviiig people saw Laving
their 'hum while they were perishing for want of food.
(flew, bear.) if Government talked of their good inten-
tions, he would remind them of the Dutch proveib—" Hell
is paved with good intentions." Wiwi were their Intentions
if they did not phew themselves in acts. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. PORTMAN said, he was confident there must be'
poor-lass Mr lrekuid ; but the Government should well
digest them before they were proposed. It had been elu.
quently stated by a Lw officer of the Crown, when poor
laws were first introduced into England, that they would
combine the interests of persona possessing property with
their duties.
Colo.:el TOR RENS said, he was glad to see the state
of Ireland exciting w mucis attention. lie ors cotitident it
would be impossible to introduce matoOacturing prosperity
into behind ; the col), improvement of winch Iceland was
capable, was agricultural improvement. Pow laws in
Ireland would be an agrarian law that would bring down
the *bole ut society to one level now of misery. The sur- I
plus popul oL we or elan o Leland mint be retnuved to the Co-
lonireewne e it would find a sufficient market for its 'About".
Mr. CRA Al PTON said. the Irish government had hero
anxiously considering the subject of relict fur toe poor of
Ireland. It was but lately that the Lamed Member for
Katy became a convert to the question of poor laws. The
agitation of 'reread had its origin ie dust hon. gen.lennio'.
slectiue fur Clare.
Lord ItiORPILTH said, be bad three petitions from ma-
nufacturing wens in Yorkshire fur the 'wattle:mom of
poor laws in ireland.
Mr. II UdIE bend, the learned gentleman opposite had ac-
cusal his hurt. friend, the lion. utembei fur Kerry, as being
the cause of the agitation in Irelend. Gned GOD ! had not
Ireland been miserable and agitated before his great grand-
father was born ? His lion. Blend had not accused any in-
:dieidual, but the Governmert general)), as he hada right to
;do. They all knew that Ireland was cursed with bad
government, and it was the duty of that house to protect her
'people. His hon. friend complained, and lie complained,
Ithat the present Government bad not dune their duty to
Ireland. Was it nut proved that when Orangemen com-
mitted the crime of blood then was impunity for them;