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The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria cover

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria

Chapter 1186: POOR LAWS, ETC.
By Edward Farr
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About This Book

The volume traces British political, parliamentary, and military developments from the accession of George III through the early nineteenth century, chronicling changes of ministry and cabinet, debates over colonial taxation and the American conflict, parliamentary controversies involving figures such as Wilkes and Warren Hastings, questions of Catholic relief and slave-trade abolition, and responses to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, including major naval and continental campaigns, the union with Ireland, and domestic legislation on finance, civil liberties, and parliamentary reform.

POOR LAWS, ETC.

The only measures of importance brought forward this session, after the supplies had been granted, were the bill for the better administration of justice in the court of Chancery, and the poor-law commission continuance bill. The former of these measures was merely a revival of that which was thrown up by the former government, as seen in a previous page; and it now quickly passed both houses, and received the royal assent. The latter subject gave rise to more opposition and debate. It was brought forward by Sir Robert Peel on the 21st of September, by moving for leave to bring in a bill to continue the office of commissioners for six months only; namely, till 31st July, 1842. In the course of the discussion, Mr. Lefroy bore testimony to the generally successful working of the Irish poor-law. On the house going into committee, Mr. R. Yorke moved an instruction to the committee, to the effect that the poor-law commissioners should not be empowered to enforce separation between man and wife, except where application for relief arose from idleness, vice, or crime. The honourable member quoted the injunction of Scripture against separating those whom God had joined together, and called on members on the ministerial side to redeem the pledges they had given to their constituents. After some discussion, this instruction was negatived.

The bill went through the committee and passed.

Parliament was prorogued by lords-commissioners on the 7th of October.