that house, it came down
to the commons, where the second reading was moved by Sir Robert Peel
on the 17th of July. It was opposed by Sir Robert Inglis, who regretted
that Sir R. Peel had lent the sanction of his name to it. And moved
that it be read that day three months. On a division the amendment was
negatived by a majority of ninety-one against eleven. The second reading
was then carried, and the bill subsequently became law.

During this session a bill was introduced by the Lord-advocate for the
amendment of the poor-laws in Scotland. The chief objects of this bill
were thus described by Sir James Graham on the debate on the second
reading:--"Provisions had been made for local inspection; for a
responsible supervision by a board sitting in the capital; for perfect
publicity; for an appeal to the sheriff of the county on the part of the
poor man to whom relief was refused; for empowering the sheriff to
order relief; and, if the quantum were too small, for a power of appeal,
without expense, to the central board, which had complete power, without
limitation, to deal with the quantum of relief; and on the other hand,
if the quantum was too great, the parish might appeal to the court
of session. Provision had also been made for subscription to lunatic
asylums; for the education of pauper children; for medical attendants;
and for building poor-houses in large cities." This bill encountered
much opposition in both houses; but it finally passed into law, with
very trifling alteration made in the house of lords.

Among the minor fruits of this session were two bills introduced by Lord
Ashley; one for the regulation of juvenile labour in calico-print works,
and the other to provide for the better care of lunatics. The former
of these bills was a supplement to Lord Ashley's exertions in former
sessions, for the protection of persons employed in factories.
In introducing the latter, Lord Ashley startled the house by some
distressing statements of the abuses by which the law had been perverted
in the treatment of pauper lunatics.

Mr. Duncombe opposed it; but the feeling of the house was strongly in
its favour, and it was adopted.

Two bills were this year brought in by Sir Robert Peel, for the
regulation of banking in Scotland and Ireland, based on similar
principles to that by which he had remodelled the English banking system
in the preceding year. In explaining these measures he first touched
upon a peculiarity in Ir