§ Mr. Fysche Palmer moved that the House resolve itself into a Committee upon the Sheriffs' Expenses Bill.
§ The Solicitor General opposed the Bill, many of the clauses of which were highly objectionable.
§ Mr. Robert Gordonsupported the Bill. It was important that the expenses to which the Sheriff of a county was liable should be reduced.
§ Mr. Tookeopposed the Bill, which presented in his judgment a perfect wantonness in legislation. Some of its provisions were ridiculous.
Sir Matthew White Ridleyobjected to the Bill because it went to saddle the county, already sufficiently burthened, with an annual expense of between 500l. and 600l. If the learned Solicitor General would divide the House on the Motion, he would support him.
Mr. Fysche Palmerdenied that its provisions would impose on the counties of England a single additional shilling.
§ The House then divided, and the numbers were—Ayes 42; Noes 60: Majority 18.
§ The Bill was therefore lost.