The Sheriff of Londonappeared at the bar, and presented a Petition from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of London, in Common Council assembled, against the Bill for the removal of Scotch and Irish Paupers. The Petition was read on the Motion of
Mr. Alderman Wood, who said, that in supporting its prayer he was sorry not to see in his place the noble Lord who had introduced the Bill, against which the Petition was directed, but he hoped the noble Lord would not persevere in it. Many of the Irish poor were employed about London, and if the parishes there were compelled to send them to their native land, it would occasion very considerable expense. No provision was made against their return, and the consequence would be, that they would get a passage in a caravan or a mail-coach, and a steamboat to Ireland, with the advantage of a pedestrian excursion to bring them back. As to punishing these people, as he understood was proposed, who came here honestly to earn their bread, that was what he never would consent to. But he believed that the Irish Pauper was too cunning not to escape through the meshes of the law. At present he raked together a little money in various places, and carefully concealing it, whenever he could get no more he got himself sent back to his own country at the public charge. In 1816 he had sent great numbers of them to prison, and they had been sent home, but they had soon found their way back. Already the expense occasioned by these Paupers bore very heavy on many parishes in the city, and he hoped that the House would not pass a Bill which would increase their burthens.
§ Sir John Wrottesleythought, that the parishes about London, which had the benefit of the Pauper's labour, should pro- 1001 vide for his maintenance or his removal. That was the just principle of our Poor-laws. To send these Paupers by caravans to Liverpool cost more than to convey them by the mail, and he did not know why the different counties lying between London and Liverpool should bear a large proportion of this expense when they had never derived any benefit from the Pauper's labour. The charge ought to be defrayed by the parishes in which they worked.
Colonel Daviesthought the present system injurious. The Irish labourer came to this country, and underworked the English labourer, and when he was tired of stopping, or could gain no more, he got. passed back to his own country, taking care to conceal his money or obtaining a bill for it which was paid in Ireland. He would say, that the best way would be, not to interfere with them, and as they found their way here so let them find their way back. An English Pauper could get no relief in Ireland, and he would treat the Irish Pauper in England as the English Pauper was treated in Ireland.
§ Petition to be printed.