Lords Sitting of 5 July 1819

POOR-RATES MISAPPLICATION BILL.
The Marquis of Lansdownebriefly stated his objections to the bill, as tending, in the first place, to cause a considerable increase of expense in providing proper accommodation for the children, who were to be taken from their parents; and in the next place, to encourage improvidence and profligacy by refusing relief to persons who struggled to bring up their families in decent and moral habits, and giving it to those who, through improvident marriages or profligate habits, either were unable to maintain their children, or gave them nothing but a vicious example, and refused them a proper support. But his last, and strongest objection was, that the bill, by taking away children from their parents, tended di-

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rectly to destroy those ties of affection which knit together the families of the poor, and upon the social relations resulting from which the well-being of 6ociety mainly depended. To the bill in its principle he must decidedly object, and would therefore move, "That it be read a second time this day three months."
The Earl of Harrowbythought, that the additional accommodation required for the children might, in most parishes, be provided at a moderate charge. It was of the utmost consequence that the children of profligate parents, who had nothing before their eyes but continuat scenes of vice and immorality, should be removed from the corruption of such an example, for the purpose of having that education given to them which might render them useful members of society; and as to breaking the ties of affection, they would be so immediately in the neighbourhood of their parents, that all their domestic relations might be preserved unimpaired.
The Earl of Liverpoolcharacterized the measure as one of doubtful utility, it being very problematical whether it would do more good or harm; and therefore he thought it much better not to try the experiment. It had been said that this measure, though causing considerable adpitional expense at first, would ultimately lead to an economical expenditure of the poor-rates. But, in every project that had been presented to him, it had always been stated, that though a considerable additional expense would be at first incurred, yet economy would be the result; and the continual repetition of similar promises had rendered him very suspicious of any measure where such a promise was held out; let economy be the first result, and he should be disposed to pay more attention to it.
The motion was agreed to.