Star.
London, England, 1828-04-23 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, APRIL 22.
LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
The Earl of MALMESBURY postponed the second
reading of the Middlesex Lun itic Asylum Bill, and of
tle County Lunatic Asylum Bill, from Thursday next
to Tuesday, the 29th instant. Their Lordships were
aware that the evidence taken before as Select Committee
Hof the other House had hen printed by their Lordships'
order. It was printed to-day, and would be ready for
delivery to-morrow. But there would not be sufficient
,ime between that and Thursday for their Lordships to
form an adequate opinion of the evidence. Indeed,
although he now postponed the second reading of the
Bills, it was not at all certain but that on Thursday he
would move for a Select Committee to inquire into the
state of the law as respected Lunatic Asylums, with a
view of proposing whatever measures might be neces-
sary for their better regulation. In the other House of
Parliament there had been Select Com mi• tees appointed,
he believed, in the years 1812, 1815, and 1828, and
three Reports on the subject had been presented to the
Howe. Three or four Rills fronded on the e separate
Reports had been sent up to their Lordships without
producing the effect which it was now sought to
achieve. With the experience of these proceedings
before their eyes, he th ught that their Lordships ought
•of themselves to proceed to investigate the matter. He
gave this notice now, as it was 'sensible that instead of
moving the second reading of the Bills on Tuesday,
he would move for the appointment of a Select Com•
mittee to inquire into the suite of the Laws for regu-
lating the Licensing of Private Ntad-Ifouses.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE protested against the
course about to be pursued by the Noble Earl. There
were very many people who thought themselves ag-
grieved by these Bills, and who, therefore, petitioned to
be heard by their Counsel and witnesses against them,
and it would certainly be most inconvenient, in the Noble
Lord's opinion, to hear evidence at the 80., and after-
wards to go into a Select Committee, for the purpose of
having the same subject investigated. It was strange
that the Noble Earl, without laying one word on the
subject previously, should come down only two days
before the second reading, and give notice of his inten-
tion to move for a Select Committee.
The Earl of MALMESBURY reminded the Noble
Lord that the second revel% was fixed for next Tuesday
week. He did not think the parties opposed to the Bill
could object to the inquiry of a Select Committee, as
they mi,,ht.th n be at liberty to offer such evidence as
would best forward their interest.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE said, the question was, whether
or not they wore to have two inquiries?
The second reading was then ordered to be postponed to the 59th.
Lord SE LSEA presented a Petition front Arundel in favour Of
Catholic Emancipation.
The Duke of MONTROSE presented a Petition from Stirling,
praying for the Repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts.
Lord hi ELVI L LE presented a Petition frt.m the Royal College
of Physicians, Edinburgh, praying that facilitks might be afforded
for procuring subjects for dissection.
The Earl of SHA FTESBUR Y presented a similar Petition
from the Teachers and Pupils of the Aldersgate-street School of
Medicine.
On the motion of Lord COLCHESTER, a message was sent to
the Commons, desiring that they might permit 51r.Bat clay and Mr.
M inning to be examined before their Lordships on the bill for the
Disfranchisement of the Borough of Penryo.
LIFE ANNUITIE.
The Duke of WELLINGTON moved the second reading of
the Life Annuities Repeal Bill.
Lord KING said, that a more folish measure, or
more replete with blunders, than that which it was
now proposed to repeal, was never heard of—a measure
by which the country lost so many millions. It was a
matter of astonishment that any persons could be so
foolish as to pass at one and the same time two counter-
acting Bills, such as the " Dead Weight Bill," and the
" Permanent Annuity Bill," which had decidedly anta-
gonist principles. We had just one nostrum, and then
another—the Life Annuity Scheme, to shorten the dura-
tion of the debt, and then the Army and Navy Pension
Scheme, to prolong its duration. Two more absurd
schemes, counteracting each other, never could have
entered into the head of any man in the government
of his own private affairs. What, then, was the result
of the two Bills? Millions were lost by the one, and
millions by the other—(Hear, hear).—He would put
a case. Suppose a private Gentleman had a mort-
gage on his estate by granting annuities ; and yet,
with this incumbrance, which he wished to get rid
of, he granted more life annuities. What a most ab.
•turd thing this would be! In all the mismanagement
rf mounteblok financiers, that which he had alluded to
was the worst—(Hear). And yet the thing was done
without the attention of Government having been
called to the erroneous calculations upon which the
Life Annuities' Bill was founded; for, in a letter which

L ,rd GODERICH, feeling that he was one of the
culprits, thought it necessary to sty a few words on the
present occs inn. There might be quacks in the finan-
cial department of the Government, as well as other
situations of life; he hoped he was not such a character,
nor would i.e adopt the Noble Baron's example of giv-
ing medical lectures. As to the last letter that had
been referred to, it had been written after he had re-
tired from office; and upon Mr. Fmlaison's introduction
to him, he found him engaged in making one of the
most intric.te calculations that he had ever seen, for
the purpose of showing that female life was much
longer than it had ever been generally assumed to be—
(Hear, hear). It was obviously a subject of great im-
portance, but nothing had at that time appeated to
justify the assuniptinn of a new basis for the calculation
of human life. This Gentleman had a great many
schemes in hand relative to annuities, and he told him
to bring, as far as the nature of the thing %child adm t,
his investigation to a close; because it was impossible
to go to Parliament without having the matter as
clearly proved as it was possible to be. He said he had
proceeded, but it was still problematical whether his
calculations had satisfactotily made nut his premises.
Lord KING said, that the argument of the Noble
Viscount was as satistectory as that of a physicia.i, who
by improper treatment had reduced his patient to the
last extremity of weakness, would be, if he told h m
that a body of scientific persons were investigating the
nature of his medicines; and that as soon as ever they
had concluded their inquiries, and arrived at an un-
doubted conclusion upon the subject, the mode of treat-
ment might perhaps he altered.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE fully agreed with his
Noble Friend in the charge of inconsisten:y he h.d
made against his Majesty's Government, in respect to
these Lite Annuities and the Dead Weight. Thee bject
of the Life Annuity plan was to relieve posterity from
a burden, by taking it in a great degree upon ours-lees.
And the object and direct effect of the Dead Weight
Scheme was to relieve ourselves, by casting burs en
upon posterity. If this was not a contradiction. he ssaa
at a loss to khow what a contradiction was. He agreed,
however, with the Noble Lords opposite, that the cal-
culations of Mr. Finlaison ought to be received with
great caution. The Ccmtnittee of the other Heuse bad
proceeded with so much haste, that they had not even
stopped to inquire what was the present pi ice of Governs
menu Securities. If they had made this inquiry, they
would have found that there was no recessity for so
much precipitation, as the loss to the country at tte
present price of the Funds, was not going on increasing.
The ge duration of human life was, he believed,
longer now than at the time when the Annuity Act
passed. For this we were indebted to the great improve-
ment which had been made in medical •eieuce.
The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be com-
mitted on Thursday neat.
The Marquis of SALISBURY moved for a Return of the
quantities of Wuul imported during the last ten year., uiarhiguish-
ing each year.
Mr. Smut% presented a Report from the Cenientssitiners et
Roads and Bridges in the Highlands of Scotland.
Mr. Raves/ presented Wire Copies of Affidavits in the Court of
Kind's Brock in the ease of " Lee against Lee." •
The Earl of WAR WICK presented a Petition from the IN.
gistrates of the County of Warwick, praying the !louse to Oahe
into its consideration some means to diminish the number of jute.
Mk offenders.