Lords Sitting of 26 February 1830

FOREIGN CORN.
Earl Stanhopemoved for the return of Foreign Com imported since the 15th of July, 1828, with the weekly averages—Ordered.

BRITISH TIMBER.
The Marquis of Salisburymoved for a return of the quantity of Oak of British growth, purchased for the use of his Majesty's Dock-yards, with the price paid for it, since the year l809.
Earl Stanhopesaid, that if the noble Lord's object in moving for the Return, was to show that British timber had suffered a great depreciation of price, the motion was unnecessary, because the fact of the depreciation was notorious.
The Marquis of Salisburysaid, he was aware of the notoriety of the fact, but as it had been denied last night, he wished to have official proof of it.
The Return was ordered.

STATE OF THE POOR.
The Duke of Richmondgave notice, that he would move that their Lordships be summoned for Tuesday week, on which occasion he would move for the appointment of a Select Committee to take into consideration the State of the Labouring Classes of the Country. He would not state the precise words in which his motion would be framed, until he had an opportunity of consulting other noble Lords whose opinion he valued. On the present occasion, therefore, he would merely give a general notice to the effect he had stated.
Lord Teynhamobserved, that he had given notice of a motion on the subject, and he would then state that the object of that motion would be, to appoint a Select Committee to inquire into the office and duties of Overseer of the Poor. He knew that great cruelties were practised on paupers in various places, that they were shut up in pounds, and otherwise treated in a manner that was most oppressive. He wished the Committee to ascertain by what law the overseers exercised this sort of power.
The Duke of Richmondbegged to state, that in the motion which he intended to submit, he should cast no censure on the overseers of the poor

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whom he believed to be a respectable set of men, who performed their arduous; duties generally in a praiseworthy manner.
The Bishop of Bath and Wellsrose to present a Petition from the inhabitants of the town of Frome, in Somersetshire, complaining of distress. The right rev. Prelate said, that the state of misery to which the labouring part of the population was reduced, was unparalleled in the history of the country. What he should state he had seen. He did not derive his information from what he had read, but from what he had seen. He would not speak of things which he did not know to be true, but of things which he had seen with his own eyes.
—quæque ipse miserrima vidi.
In several parts of Somersetshire the persons who received relief from the poor-rates exceeded in number those who paid the rates. In the city of Bath, which was a place peculiarly favoured, being the resort of rank, affluence, and he might add, of liberality, noble efforts had been made to alleviate the condition of the poor; and yet he grieved to say, that his own eyes had beheld numbers of his fellow-men yoked together like oxen, and engaged in drawing coals from the pits in the neighbourhood. This was a sad state for Englishmen to be reduced to. It was, however, most gratifying to observe, that amidst the unexampled distress which surrounded them, the people bore their sufferings with a constancy and fortitude deserving of the highest commendation, and had not suffered themselves to be betrayed into a violation of the laws. Great praise was usually bestowed, and deservedly, on the man who had courage to strike a blow in defence of the liberties of his country; but far higher praise was due to the Christian hero who, although he saw his wife and children clamorous for bread, had resolution and fortitude enough not to attempt to procure the means of satisfying their wants by a breach of the laws of his country. He believed that the noble Duke at the head of the Government felt deeply for the situation of his countrymen. Great as was the fame which at present elevated him above his fellow-men, that fame would be incalculably augmented if he could devise the means of affording relief to the starving people. In his opinion much benefit would be effected by allotting small portions of land to the poor. He
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did not desire to convert them into small farmers, but such a provision would always be a resource for their families, and would attach them to the soil. In conclusion, he hoped that the noble Duke would do all that man could do to relieve the existing distresses. The right rev. Prelate then presented the Petition.

CORN LAWS.
Earl Stanhopepresented a Petition from Mr. John Wright, a coal and iron master, near Nottingham, praying for such a revision of the Cornlaws, as would increase the duties on foreign corn. The petitioner, observed the noble Earl, did not belong to that class of people considered favourable to the landed interest, nevertheless he was well persuaded of the impolicy of the present Corn Laws.
The prayer of the petition was, that foreign wheat should not be allowed to be imported until the average price of English wheat was 72 s. a quarter, and that even then a duty of 24 s. per quarter should be imposed on foreign wheat so imported.

SALARIES AND PENSIONS.
The Marquis of Lansdown(after stating that there was no objection, he understood, on the part of the noble Duke at the head of his Majesty's Government to the production of the returns sought) moved that "there be laid before this House an account of the Pensions granted under the 57th Geo. 3rd cap. 65.; also an account of all Salaries granted by the Acts passed the same year."—Ordered.
EAST INDIA COMPANY'S CHARTER.
The noble Marquis then presented two Petitions against the renewal of the East-India Company's Charter, from Manchester and Hull. The petitioners of the latter-named town suggested that the notice which the law requires should be given to the East-India Company by Government, respecting the termination of their Charter. He had been requested to state this by the petitioners; but he supposed, as a matter of course, that due notice had been given by the Government.