§ Lord Redesdale moved the second reading of this bill. The main object of it was, he said, to facilitate the Recovery of Debts at a Small Expense, the expense being proportioned to the amount of the debt.
Lord Ellenboroughopposed the bill; which was, he said, a greater mass of absurdity than ever before was formed into the shape of a law. The object of it was, quite unattainable. If it were attainable to enable a creditor to recover small debts at a little cost, he did not think it would be advisable. Such a law would only make tradesmen lax in giving credit, and the poor ready to take it, and thereby occasion a great deal of mischief to both. To give facility to recover debts would enable an unjust creditor to make debtors pay more than they owed, and frequently to compel others to pay sums which they did not owe. He besought their lordships to look well at the principle, as well as the absurd enactments of the bill, before they passed it into a law. He objected to the geographical divisions in it. Some of the assessors would have to be perpetually on horseback; and as the office was regulated at present, no respectable member of the bar would become assessor. He objected also to the bill, that it did not provide compensation for those whose interests were affected by it; and amongst others, the lord chief justice of the King's-bench, whose salary had not been raised with those of the other judges, in consequence of the very emoluments which the present measure would destroy. If ministers, however, approved of the bill, a committee should be appointed to arrange the compensations; but he thought it ought to be postponed until next session.
The Lord Chancelloradmitted, that some such measure as the present was necessary, but agreed in thinking, that an inquiry should take place, with a view to the compensation of those who had just 1316 claims to it. He conceived, therefore, that it would be desirable to let the bill stand over till the next session.
§ Lord Redesdaleexpressed himself willing to withdraw the bill on the understanding suggested.
Lord Ellenboroughthen moved, that the bill should be read a second time that day six months, which was agreed to.