The
division on the amendment gave seventy-six peers for the second reading,
and only thirteen against it. In the committee Lord Alvanley proposed
that the bill should be dropped. Lord Wynford urged strong objections
to the central board of commissioners, but this was defended by the
lord-chancellor, the Earl of Winchilsea, and the Duke of Wellington. The
only alteration made in the clauses respecting them and their powers was
an addition proposed by the Duke of Wellington, to the effect that they
should be bound to keep a record of each letter received, the date of
its reception, the person from whom it came, the subject to which it
related, and the minute of any answer given to it, or made thereon,
and also, where the commissioners differed, of the opinion of each
commissioner, and that a copy of such record be transmitted to the
secretary-of-state once a year-, or oftener if required. The Bishop of
Exeter moved to substitute for the leading enactment in reference to
bastardy, "That the father and mother of an illegitimate child, or the
survivor of them, shall be required to support such child, and that no
parish shall be bound to support such child whilst either parent is
able to do so, and that all relief occasioned by the wants of such child
shall be considered as relief afforded to the father and mother, or
the survivor of them." This amendment, however, was negatived by
thirty-eight votes against thirty-four; but the clause itself, being
that which the house of commons, on the motion of Mr. Miles, had
substituted for the original clause, was likewise rejected. On the
third reading the Bishop of Exeter again brought the question before
the house, by moving the omission of the clause which provided that any
person marrying a woman who had an illegitimate child or children by
another man, should be liable to maintain them. The original clause,
however, was retained, although by a majority of only eleven, eighty-two
voting for and seventy-one against it. Instead of the rejected clause
which Mr. Miles had carried in the house of commons, clauses were
introduced on the motion of the Duke of Wellington, enacting, that
the putative father of any bastard child, so soon as such child became
chargeable to the parish by the mother's inability to maintain it,
should be liable to reimburse to the parish the expenses of its
maintenance until it attained the age of seven years, on his paternity
being proved before the quarter-se