Star.
London, England, 1819-12-22 00:00:00

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by a Parliamentary grant, where the wealthy inha-
bitants of the district were not assessed fOr the sup-
.pott of the poor. The law, though not compulsory,
allowed such an asessment to be made in Scotland.
If such an assessment were made, the Government
would be disposed, on reasonable security, to make
an immediate advance to any amount that might be
necessary. They were able to do so, as they had at
present unexpended in their hands not less than
.0500,000 which remained of a grant made iilBl7,
to meet such cases of distres. They would make an
advance, and he content with security for its pay-
ment in four or five years, or in any other reason-
able period. Before the House separated, his Right
Hon. Friend intended submitting a motion to the
House, the object of which would be to remove any
legal difficulties that taight stand in the.way of such
an arrangement, during the coming recess. He
shewed that it would be unjust to other parts of the
Empire, if a grant were to be-made for the relief of
the poor in Scotland, while in this country the pro-
perty was assessed for the maintenance of the poor,
even to the extinction of that property. If, for man)
years, Scotland had been' free from the burden of ,
Poor Rates, while they were submitted to here, he
thought it probable that even all which the benevo-
lence of the Gentry in Scotland had prompted them
to do, had not made their sacrifices equal to those
made b 1 the People of E Igland for the support of
their poor. These things considered, would he thought'
be likely to induce the Gentry of Scotland to assess
themselves;and every facility would be afforded to
them to do so
Mr.- W. DOUGLAS hoped some method would
be found for relieving the casting distriss, but felt
that many objections existed .to the introduction of
the Poor Laws into Scotlankr.:-.

Mr. J. P. GRANT said, the case of .the sufferers'
had not been overstated by his.. Noble Friend.. To
him it appeared, that such ealamity had been proved
to exist,:tbat it was the duty.of the Empire at large
to relieve that distress, whiell"-had been throvgiritra'
particular district by gcbti al Course of its Wit.
He believed the landed interest ia that district mad
not by possibility meet the distress. The introdoc-
don of our system of Poor Laws into Scotland, he
contended, ought to be resisted as Most impolitic.
The Government, he thought, at- a time like the pre-
sent, were bound to bi ing forward measures of re-
lief, as well as those of coercion.
Lord CASTLERE AG H had not denied the existing
distress. He had only contended that it was a little
too hard on England to expect that she, being dis-
tressed by the heavy pressure of the Poor Laws,
should take upon herself the extra burden.of the Poor
of Scotland, to save Scotland from being subjected
to the Poor Laws.
Mr. ELLICE thought it would be difficult to give
security for the re payment of a sum advanced to
relieve the existing distress, as he did not believe the
calamity to be temporary, but feared, that if some
inquiry did not take place, the result of which was to
afford great financial relief, the difficulties would in-
crease. He thought it right to state, that since he
had been in the House he had been informed, that a
general search for arms had taken place at Paisley,
bUt none had been found among that class of persons
in whose behalf the present application was made.
Mr. V. DL AKE thought the Commissioners should
be authorized to advance money on the security of
the tolls in Scotland.
Mr. Vs'ILBERFORCE thought an inquiry into
the state of the commercial districts, and the cause
of the present commercial distress, would be attended
with beneficial effects, by putting the House in pos-
session of useful information.
Mr. CALCRAFT said, before the Gentlemen con-
nected with Scotland came to Parliament to ask
relief, they should recollect that they paid no Poor-
rates, while the estate of the English Gentleman and
Farmer was burthened with a very heavy tax on this
head. There was money ready now to be advanced
to the distressed in Scotland, if the Scotch Gentle-
men would come forward with security tor its re-
payment at distant periods. The Hon. Gentleman
then adverted to the cry which had been raised against
the Poor-rates. He was favourable to the system of
Poor-rates ; it was the abuse of the system which he
objected to; and if any one should move to repeal
the Poor Laws, he should most certainly oppose the
motion.
Sir J. MACKINTOSH stroney reprobated making
this a national question. It was a question relating
to the distresses of a portion of our fellow-subjects ;
and would the House of Commons now say they
were not to be relieved till Scotland consented to
adopt a system- of Poor Laws? And not only not
relieved, but their distresses were not even entitled to.
Parliamentary consideration, till this preliminary step
was taken.
Lord BINNING said, the Hon. and Learned Gen-
tleman had misrepresented the argument of his Noble
Friend ; all his Noble Friend had said was this, that
when the Scotch Gentry came here to ask relief, the
English Gentry had a right to say, " before you ask
us to support your poor, put yourselves, at least, in the
same situation with respect to your poor, as we are
in with respect to ours."
Mr. PHILLIPS was decidedly of opinion, that in-
quiry into the causes of commercial distress, could
alone enable. Parliament to apply a remedy.
Mr. FORBES was of opinion that the distress of
the country ought to be relieved, either by a Parlia-
mentary grant, or a voluntary contribution.
The Petition was then read. .
Lord A. HAMILTON said, he really believed the'
Proprietors of land in Scotland had contributed more
for the relief of the poor than they would have been
liable to under a regular assessment. Last year the
Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed and carried a
vote for rlOO,OOO for building Churches in Scotland.
The Right Hon. Gentleman now ought to consider
of the propriety of a vote of the same sum to put the
' poor into decent clothing, to enable them to attend
those Churches.
Mr. MABERLY said, the manufacturers in Scot-
land had become rich by the labour of the workmen,
and ought now to support them in their distress.
The Petition was ordered to be printed.
Lord A. HAMILTON then brought up anothet
Petition to the same purport, from the Ptoprietorsof
Rutherglen, which was laid on the table.,
SCOTCH BURGHS.
Lord A. HAMILTON rose to move the appoint-
ment of a Committee on the subject of the Scotch
Burghs. He had not been aware of the absence of