Sitting of 11 July 1815

REPORT ON MAD-HOUSES.
Mr. Rosebrought up the Report of the Select Committee on Mad-houses. On moving that it be printed,
Mr. Rosetook the opportunity of observing, that all who read the Report must feels atisfied of the indispensable necessity of legislative interference. In no country were there any set of people so unprotected as the unhappy persons to whom the Report referred. The way in which they were usually confined, was that of criminals; and their treatment was in general worse than the ordinary treatment in gaols. The number of persons appointed to take care of them, was in most cases utterly insufficient; in consequence of which the greatest severity was too frequently resorted to. He trusted that the subject would be fully considered by honourable members during the recess,

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and that all would be disposed in the next session to give their assistance towards the formation of a measure calculated to diminish the existing evil. That in many cases those who were afflicted might, if properly treated, recover their sanity, was very evident. One strong instance was mentioned in the Report, of a poor insane woman, who, having for some time been chained down to the floor in a parish workhouse, disturbed all the other inmates of the dwelling by her cries; and who, on being removed in consequence to a more proper place of confinement, was, by proper treatment, perfectly cured in the space of five months.
The Report was then ordered to be printed.

MENDICITY OF THE METROPOLIS.
Mr. Rosereported from the committee appointed to inquire into the state of Mendicity in the Metropolis, and its immediate neighbourhood, and to report the same, together with their observations thereupon, to the House, and who were empowered to report the minutes of the evidence taken before them;—That they had considered the matter to them referred; and had directed him to make a Report thereof to the House, with an appendix: and the Report was read. On the motion, that it be printed,
Mr. Rosebegged to call the attention of the House for a few moments to the subject. When in a former part of the session he had moved for the appointment of a committee, he stated that his object was twofold—to better the situation of those who were really distressed, and to repress scandalous and abominable imposture. The evidence obtained by the committee, confirmed more strongly his previous opinions on this subject. They had found that there were a great many objects of real compassion, but that there were many more of the worst description of impostors. The number of mendicants in the metropolis was estimated at about 30,000, but probably it was much greater. Most of these persons gained more than many industrious individuals of the lower classes of the community. One man actually acknowledged that his profits were about thirty shillings a day. This might be a singular case, but it was proved by the strongest evidence that the average receipts of mendicants in London were from three to six shillings a day each. This money was spent in the most excep-
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tionable manner, in dram shops, at feasts, and even in the purchase of luxuries of all sorts, eatable as well as drinkable. The committee had ascertained a fact which was unknown to him before. Many parishes farmed their poor. About 100 parishes, he believed, in the City did so. Six or seven shillings a week each were allowed to those by whom they were taken, and who then sent them about to beg during the day for the purpose of saving their provision! It was desirable that the conduct of parishes in this respect should be more carefully watched, even when they maintained their own poor. It appeared by the minutes of evidence annexed to the Report, that in one case 22 paupers were compelled to sleep in a single room of small dimensions, thus creating a great risk of pestilential disease. Many of the paupers of the Metropolis were Irish, who coming to this country with the laudable intention of obtaining employment, failed in that object. In a court which led out of one of the fashionable streets of Mary-le-bone, 700 of these poor persons were crowded into 24 small houses! It would appear by the Report that the number of private charities in the Metropolis was almost inconceivable. But unfortunately most of those by whom, they were supported, contented themselves with giving their money, and never examined into its application. The House would hardly believe that there was one benevolent institution supported by peers, members of that House, and other opulent individuals, the object of which was to purchase beef, and sell it to the poor at a moderate price. Nothing could be more commendable than this institution, were it properly administered. The revenue of it was 600 l. a year. But it appeared that the whole of it was managed by a single individual, and it had been recently discovered that this man put the whole of the money, with a trifling exception, in his own pocket! It appeared in evidence, that in one year he had purchased only 27 l. worth of beef, and that the largest quantity he had ever bought within the twelvemonth was to the value of 72 l., he appropriating the remainder to his own use. On a Bow-street officer's being employed to apprehend this person, it was found that he was the subject of other charges of as serious a nature. There were various practices described in the Report, by which the most cautious as well as the careless had been imposed

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upon. It had never been in his contemplation, that a complete remedy could be discovered for these evils; and he was persuaded that the closest attention was necessary to the formation of any measure calculated materially to diminish them. The existing laws were evidently too severe; in consequence of which they were never acted upon. There must be some alteration in the law. It was evaded in a hundred ways. One man with a dog, when taken up by the parish officers, remonstrated, exclaiming, "I am no beggar, it is my dog that begs; you see that he has his hat in his hand." It was but justice to the beadles and parish-officers in this city to say, that they discharged their duty with commendable activity. But the only present effect of apprehending beggars in the Metropolis was, to remove them to the vicinage—to Richmond, to Egham, and elsewhere. The best course that could be adopted with respect to them would be, to provide places in which they could be employed; but this would be attended with great expense to the public. At all events he trusted the House would feel, that this was a subject which demanded their most serious attention.
Mr. W. Smithhoped, that when the subject should be again brought foward, as it would next session, the consideration of a measure on it would not be confined to this metropolis, but extend to the whole country.
The Report was ordered to be printed.

MR. WHITBREAD—BEDFORD WRIT.
The Marquis of Tavistockrose, evidently under the strongest emotion, and addressed the Speaker to the following effect:—
Sir;—I am persuaded that it must be quite unnecessary for me to say that I am at this moment labouring under feelings of the most painful and afflictng nature—[Hear, hear!] I wish, however, shortly to state to the House the reasons which induce me to depart from the usual practice in moving for a new writ, in order that I may pay a humble but sincere tribute of affection to the memory of my departed friend. Sir, it is not on any consideration of private friendship—it is not on any contemplation of his many virtues as a private individual,—it is on the reflection of the great space which he occupied in this House—it is on the recollection of his splendid abilities—it is on the conviction which we who thought
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with him on political subjects entertain of the advantages which the country derived for his exertions, that I found my excuse for this address—that I even claim the concurrence of all those who hear me in the feelings which agitate me at the present moment—[Hear, hear!] I am well aware, Sir, that a majority of this House thought his opinions erroneous. But—I speak it with confidence—I am sure that there is not one of his political opponents who will not lay his hand on his heart and say that he always found in him a manly antagonist—[Hear, hear!] The House of Commons will, I am persuaded ever do justice to the good intentions of those who honestly dissent from the sentiments of the majority. Accustomed to defend his opinions with earnestness and warmth, the energies of his admirable and comprehensive mind would never permit the least approach to tameness or indifference. But no particle of animosity ever found a place in his breast, and, to use his own words on another melancholy occasion, "he never carried, his political enmity beyond the threshold of this House,"—[Hear, hear!] It was his uniform practice to do justice to the motives of his political opponents; and I am happy to feel that the same justice is done to his motives by them—[Hear, hear!] To those, Sir, who were more immediately acquainted with his exalted character—who knew the directness of his mind, his zeal for truth, his unshaken love of his country, the ardour and boldness of his disposition, incapable of dismay, his unaffected humanity, and his other various and excellent qualifies, his loss is irreparable—["Hear, hear!] But most of all will it be felt by the poor in his neighbourhood. Truly might he be called "the poor man's friend." Only those who, like myself, have had the opportunity of observing his conduct nearly, can be aware of his unabating zeal in promoting the happiness of all around, him—[Hear, hear!] Thousands of individuals have benefited by the generosity of his heart; and the county, the principal town of which he represented, contains imperishable records of his active philanthropy, as well as that of the good man who went before him—[Hear, hear!] His eloquent appeals in this House in favour of the unfortunate—appeals exhibiting the frankness and honesty of the true English character—will adorn the pages of the historian although at the

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present moment they afford a subject of melancholy retrospect to those who have formerly dwelt with delight on the benevolence of a heart which always beat, and on the vigour of an intellect which was always employed for the benefit of his fellow-creatures—[Hear, hear!] Sir, I am conscious that I need not intreat pardon of the House at large for thus indulging in the praise of my lamented friend; but I owe an apology to those who loved him, for the feebleness with which it has been bestowed—[Hear, hear!] I move, Sir, "That the Speaker do issue his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, to make out a new writ for the electing of a burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the borough of Bedford, in the room of Samuel Whitbread, esq. deceased,"
Mr. Wilberforceexpressed the gratification which he felt at the pathetic speech of the noble marquis, which afforded an additional proof that the best eloquence was that of the heart. He wished to add his testimony to the excellent qualities of the lamented individual whose death had rendered the present motion necessary; and in doing so, he could with truth declare, that he was only one of many thousands, rich as well as poor, by whom his character had been most highly estimated. Well had it been termed by the noble marquis "a truly English character." Even its defects, trifling as they were, (and what character was altogether without defect?) were those which belonged to the English character. Never had there existed a more complete Englishman—[Hear, hear!] All who knew him must recollect the indefatigable earnestness and perseverance with which, during the course of his life, he directed his talents and the whole of his time to the public interest; and although he (Mr. Wilberforce) undoubtedly differed from him on many occasions, yet he always did full justice to his public spirit and love of his country—[Hear, hear!] He was capable (as had been seen at various times) of controlling the strongest feelings of personal attachment, when he thought that his duty to the public compelled him to do so. It was a melancholy satisfaction to those who loved him, to see that those who had differed from him on many political questions, nevertheless considered him as one of those public treasures, the loss of which must by all parties be deeply lamented—][Hear, hear!] For
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himself, he could never forget the important assistance which he derived from his zeal and ability in the great cause which he had so long advocated in that House. On every occasion, indeed, in which the condition of human beings was concerned—and the lower their state the stronger their recommendation to his favour—no one was more anxious to apply his great powers to increase the happiness of mankind—[Hear, hear!]
The Chancellor of the Exchequerstated, that it was far from his wish to detain the House after the address, replete with feeling and propriety, which they had heard from the noble marquis, and after the excellent observations of his hon. friend—[Hear, hear!] All that he desired to say was, that it must be some consolation to the noble marquis, and to the whole House, to feel, that whatever difference of opinion might exist on political questions, there was no one who did not do justice to the virtues and talents of the object of their regret, or who for a moment supposed that he was actuated in his public conduct by any other motive than a conviction of public duty—[Hear, hear!]
The new writ for Bedford was then ordered.
Sir J. Yorke,seeing an hon. member in his place who had lately complained of the conduct of captain Baker, of the Cumberland, in the management of a convoy which he had in charge, read a letter from captain Baker, explaining the nature of the transaction, and defending himself from the accusation.
Mr. Forbesdeclared, that no man would be more rejoiced than himself if captain Baker cleared himself from the charge alleged against him, and pledged himself to take the earliest opportunity to put the Admiralty in possession of the means of prosecuting the inquiry.
Mr. M. A. Taylorgave notice, that early in the next session he would revive the subject of the abolition of the punishment of the pillory, unless some measure of that kind should originate in another quarter; and also, that early in the next session, unless a considerable alteration should take place in the mean while, he would renew the Bill for better paving the Metropolis.

Preamble
Earl Stanhopepresented a Petition, which he said had just been put into his hands, from a person of the name of St. John Mason, complaining of oppression and imprisonment sustained by him in Ireland, during the administration of the earl of Hardwicke. The noble earl said he wished he had received the Petition earlier, as it contained some strong allegations, which he thought deserved inquiry; but he was in great doubt as to the best mode of proceeding at the present moment, it being now the close of the session.
The Lord Chancellorsuggested, that as no steps could be taken upon the Petition now, it would be much better to defer presenting it till the commencement of the next session.
Earl Stanhopeconcurred in the propriety of this suggestion, and accordingly withdrew the Petition.