§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
THE EARL OF LEITRIMsaid, that it was too late in the Session to ask their Lordships to go on with the Bill. The state of Ireland, however, was such as to demand the serious consideration of the Government during the recess. He would now move the second reading of the Bill.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.
§ EARL GRANVILLEsaid, that the provisions of the noble Lord's Bill were of so extraordinary a character that he doubted whether he could find a single Member of their Lordships' House to support it. He must really move as an Amendment that the Bill be read a second time that day three months. By Clause 5 of the Bill it was provided, that in the event of a jury finding that a person had come by his or her death by violence, a sum of not less than 10 per cent should be levied off the parish in which the body of such person had been found; and the clause further provided that 10 per cent should be levied off the income of "every clergyman, minister, priest, curate, or other ecclesiastical person, society, brotherhood, convent, or monastery, and all schoolmasters or teachers of schools within such parish." The coroner was to receive 5 per cent on the total amount of the money collected under his warrant. The clerk of the union was to receive a remuneration of 5s. a day for his attendance at the inquest, the jurymen were to receive a mileage of 6d. per mile, and every juryman who should have returned a verdict which should have been accepted by the coroner as a legal and proper verdict, was to receive an additional 902 sum of 5s. for each day's attendance, and a further mileage of 6d. per mile.
§ Amendment moved, to leave out ("now") and insert ("this Day Six Months.")
§ On Question, That ("now") stand part of the Motion? Resolved in the Negative; and Bill to be read 2a on this Day Three Months.