Lords Sitting of 16 January 1805

MINUTES.—
At two o'clock the Lord Chancellor took his seat on the woolsack. —The Earl of Aylesford signified to the house his majesty's pleasure to receive their lordships' address at three o'clock at St. James's. —Some naturalization bills, and bills of a private nature, were forwarded, and a variety of arrangements made with respect to the judicial business of the house.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' BILL.—
Lord Ellenboroughpresented a bill for the consideration of their lordships, the object of which was to rectify certain omissions of the insolvent debtors bill of last session, and more clearly to ascertain how far the provisions of that bill were meant to extend; one of the leading provisions of the bill seemed to be a specific regulation of the lists to be furnished by jailors of the prisoners in their custody, liable to the operations of the late insolvent debtors' act. His lordship moved that the bill be now read a first time.
The Lord Chancellor,after reading the breviate of the bill, quitted the woolsack, and expressed his opinion, that the noble and learned lord deserved the thanks of the house and of the country for his conduct in the present instance, and on two grounds: 1st, in coming forward with a provision to rectify an act, which greatly required it; and, 2dly, for bringing it forward at so early a period of the session. The bill of last session was brought in, he observed, at so very late a period, that the house was unavoidably deprived of the assistance, in its discussion, of several of its most able and best-informed members (of that of his noble and learned friend, for instance), who were absent on calls of indispensable duty; he wondered not, therefore, at the late act requiring so much amendment. To this was to be added another consideration, that acts of that description, when passed towards the close of a session, generally create an idea that the relief is meant to be extended farther than is really the case. On these grounds he highly approved of the present bill, and begged leave to repeat his thanks

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to the noble and learned lord for bringing it forward at so early a period —The bill lies over for farther consideration. —At half past two the house adjourned till Monday, after which their lordships proceeded to St. James's, with their address to his majesty.