HL Deb 04 July 1831 vol 4 c643
Lord Teynham

laid on the Table, a Bill to alter and amend the laws, regulating the office of Overseer of the Poor, for defining his authority, and for making better provisions than at present, for administering parish relief. He conceived this measure to be of very great importance, for he was sorry to say, the general aspect of the attempts made to improve the Poor-laws since 1795, was that of violence. Our poor were now treated as bad as the Irish, and were taught to love their country by whipping, banishment, and hanging. He would not have brought forward this motion, if the Committee of last Session, moved for by the noble Marquis (Salisbury), which had made no report, had been re-appointed. He wished to introduce a plan of conciliation towards the poor, for he was concerned to state, nothing had yet been done in those districts towards attaining this end, which had been of late disturbed and convulsed. God forbid, that he should ever be opposed to a legal provision for the poor But when it was considered that one million of families, making in all five millions of persons of our whole population, were supported by the Poor-rates, it was plain that there was a necessity for the greatest care and kindness in the administration of the Poor-laws. He should be ready on the second reading to explain the provisions of the Bill, and answer all objections.—Bill read a first time.