§ Sir Samuel Romillypresented a petition from certain foreigners confined in the Fleet prison, and in the King's-bench, praying that the benefit of the Insolvent Act should be extended to them. They hoped that the House would be the more inclined to view their case with favour, from the consideration, that they were the subjects of other countries, where they would not have been exposed to such severity of treatment. As he understood that the Act, passed in the last session, was to be suffered to expire, he perhaps owed some apology to the House for presenting a petition, claiming the benefit of an Act which was about to expire. He had really been surprised, at hearing that the Act was impossible to be carried into execu- 178 tion He believed that it had not been tried yet, and that the first sitting of the judge appointed under it would be next Friday. He wished to know whether there had been any attempt to carry it into execution in Ireland? He had heard a great deal of the complex machinery of this Act, which made its execution impossible. He could not believe that the difficulties were so great as had been represented. As to what was called, the machinery of the Bill, it had been introduced by the noble and learned lord who originated the Bill. As his ideas, in this respect, had been acquiesced in by the very highest authorities of the law in another place, he had made no opposition to it. He felt, however, convinced, that there could not be any such faults in the machinery of the Bill, as it would not be easy for parliament to provide remedies for.
§ Mr. Lockhartsaid, that if he did not bring forward the Bill for the speedy discharge of the insolvent debtors, he thought it necessary to state his reasons shortly. He never had intended to repeal the present Bill; but he wished to give a concurrent jurisdiction to the quarter sessions, for the purpose of accelerating the object of it. He wished much that the Bill should be fairly tried; but he was afraid that he might be doing an injury instead of a service to those insolvent debtors who expected a speedy discharge, if he were to bring in a Bill now, which might not be passed in the present session.
The Attorney Generalassured the hon. gentleman, that there would be no time lost in considering how to relieve the insolvent debtors. He thought it was likely that this day would not pass without a motion being made by a noble lord in another place.
§ [Here the Speaker interposed, saying, it was not regular to refer to the supposed proceedings of the other House.]
The Attorney Generalthen observed, that he might be allowed to say, he was assured that, a measure affording speedy relief to the persons who were aggrieved by the delay under the present Act, was in preparation, and would be passed before the recess. For himself, he did not find that there was any thing objectionable in the principle of the Bill; and if time were given, he conceived it might be made a very, wholesome law. But he agreed that it was necessary to do something, immediately, and for that reason he 179 was anxious that some temporary expedient should be devised and adopted.
§ Mr. Lockhartpostponed bringing forward his motion on the subject till Monday.