House of Commons
Thursday, April 26 1804
Minutes
The house met at four o'clock, and proceeded to ballot for a committee to try the right of election in the keard, when the following names were returned as appearing on the reduced list:—R. Gervas tier, Esq. Js. Martin Lloyd, Esq. Joseph H. Strutt, Esq. H. Juddrell, Esq. John Princep, Esq. Sir Rob. Barclay, Bart. Right Hon. W. Windham, Lord Vis. Loftus, M. Russell, Esq. Sir Mat. Bloxam, Hon. C. Kinnaird, C. M. Ormsby, Esq. Rob. Holt Leigh, Esq.—Nominees, Hon. C. J. Fox, and Wm. Sturges Bourne, Esq.—Mr. Irving, from the office of the Inspector-General of the Customs, presented "an Account of the Duties received on the export of Linens from G. Britain since the commencement thereof; together with the amount of Bounties paid thereon;" also, "an Account of the quantity of wine imported into, and exported from, G. Britain in 5 years, ending 5th Jan. 1804; distinguishing each year, and how much remained under bond on the 5th Jan. in each year; and also, "an Account of the quantity of Raw Sugar imported into, and of raw and refined sugar exported from, G. Britain in 3 years, ending 5th Jan. 1804, and of the duties paid, and drawbacks and bounties received thereon." Ordered, that the said accounts do lie upon the table.—Mr. Owen, from the Directors of the E. India Comp. presented a paper, intitled, "Return to the act of the 33d of his present Majesty, cap. 52. sec. 126, requiring certain accounts of the revenues, charges, &c. of the E. India Comp. co be laid before both houses of parliament."—Mr. Owen also presented, "An Account of the dates of all dispatches transmitted by the Secret Committee of the Court of Directors of the E. India Comp. to the several Presidencies in India, relative to his Majesty's message to parliament of the 8th of March, 1803; and to the rupture with France, together with an account of the receipt or those dispatches in India; and also, an account of the dates of dispatches sent by the Court of Directors of the E. India Corn. or the Secret Committee of the same, to the island of St. Helena, with reference to his Majesty's message to parliament of the 8th March, 1803, and also to the rupture with France, together with the dates at which the same were respectively received." Ordered to lie upon the table, and to be printed.—On the motion of Lord W. Russell, the house went into a Committee on the Statute Duty Bill. When the house resumed, the report was brought up, and the bill ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.—The House went into a Committee on the Newfoundland Ships Bill. The clauses were agreed to without amendment; the report was received, when the house resumed, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.—Mr. Vansittart presented, "an Account of the amount of the Exchequer Bills outstanding on the 18th April in the years 1798–9, 1800, 1, 2, 3, and 4;" also, "an Account of the amount of the Exchequer Bills in the hands of the Bank on the 18th April in the same years." Ordered to lie upon the table, and to be printed.—The Clergy Orders' Bill was read a 3d time, passed, and ordered to be sent to the Lords.—The Militia Adjutants' and Militia Officers' Bill were read a second time, and committed.
Poor of Ireland
rose to make his promised motion respecting the situation of the poor of Ireland. Twenty-eight of the 32 counties of Ireland had not yet sent in the returns ordered by the house, of the monies levied in that country. The established system of the poor laws was, he said, so interwoven with the law of the country, that perhaps it might be unnecessary to make any observations upon it; but in Ireland, where there were no laws for the support of the poor, and legislation had never interfered about them, farther than to punish vagrants, it would be now necessary to consider what legislative provision ought to be made in Ireland, for the employing the poor, supporting the aged and infirm and the maintenance of orphans and foundlings. He should not himself propose at present any specific plan; but concluded by moving, "That a committee be appointed to revise the laws nows existing in Ireland with respect to the maintenance of the poor, and that the said committee should report their opinion and observations thereupon to the House." This motion was carried without opposition, and a select committee appointed for the purpose.
Army of Reserve Suspension Bill
The house resolved itself into a committee on the army of reserve suspension bill.
stated, that it was fit that some reasonable fine should be levied on the counties which were deficient in supplying their quotas according to the former act. The tribunal to which he should propose to refer the returns made under that act, was to consist of the deputy lieutenants and the magistrates for the county, and their report should, of course, be sent up to the War Office. The right hon. secretary explained minutely the various other provisions of the bill. It was then read in the committee, and several amendments were made. The house having resumed, the report was brought up and ordered to be received to-morrow.