POOR IN SCOTLAND RELIEF BILL. (Hansard, 6 April 1824)

Mr. Kennedy
was about to move for leave, pursuant to the notice, to bring in a bill "to regulate the Relief granted to the Poor in Scotland," when

The Chancellor of the Exchequer
expressed a hope that the hon. member would have the goodness to postpone it to some other day, as he had a measure which was of considerable importance to introduce; he meant the statement respecting the new duties on beer, which had been put off from day to day for some time.

Mr. Kennedy
said, he had every disposition to give way to the right hon. gentleman, but he hoped that, as he expected no opposition to his measure, the House would give him leave to introduce it at present, and at a future stage he would go into an explanation of its merits: the hon. member then made his- motion, and it was put from the chair, when

The Lord Advocate
said, he was placed in an awkward situation. The bill, he understood, went to alter the whole state 227 of the laws respecting the poor in Scotland, and yet the hon. gentleman had introduced it, without any opening statement at twelve o'clock at night. It was impossible for him now to intrude on the time of the House. All he could say was, that he must reserve himself for a future occasion. The people of Scotland would appreciate the manner in which the bill had been brought in.

Mr. Kennedy
said, that if he had expected the hostility of the learned lord to the measure, he would have stated his views with respect to it; but the learned lord must have observed, that the course which he had pursued, was an amicable one, and with a disposition to accommodate the House. He could not, therefore, account for the tone of the learned lord and the tone of his remark.

The Lord Advocate
said, that his remarks were not intended in an offensive sense to the hon. gentleman, but he could not but express his surprise and regret that such an important measure should be thus introduced.