GENERAL HISTORY. 



[45 



CHAl^TER IV. 



Issue of Exchequer DHL for heal and temporary Relief. — Mr. Tiernet/s 

 Motion renewed, for the Abolition of the Office of Third Secretary of 

 State for the Colonies. — Roman Catholic Question. — House of Commons — 

 House of Lords. 



EXCHEQUER B1LL3. 



ON April 2Sth, the Ilouse of 

 Commons having resolved 

 itself into a coiinnittec for the 

 purpose of considering tlie best 

 mode of issuing exchecjuer bills 

 for the relief of temporary dis- 

 tresses, the Chancellor of the Ex- 

 chequer s;iid, that before he pro- 

 ceeded to explain the object of the 

 proposition which he had to siib- 

 uiit to the connnittce, he would 

 read the two resolutions in which 

 that proposition was comprised. 

 The first was, " That it is the 

 ojjinion of this committee, that 

 his Majesty be enabled to diiect 

 an issue of exchequer bills to an 

 amount not exceeding 500, OWl. 

 to commissioners, to be by them 

 advanced towards the completion 

 of public works, now in progress, 

 or about to be conunenced ; to 

 encourage tlie lislieries, and to 

 employ the poor in different pa- 

 rislies in Great-Britain, on due 

 security being given for the re- 

 payment of the sums so advanced." 

 The second was, " That the lord- 

 lieutenant of Ireland be emitow- 

 ered to advance out of the conso- 

 lidated fund of that kingdom a 

 sum not exceeding 250,0001. for 

 the completion of public works, 

 or the encouragement of fisheries, 

 in Ireland, under condition of re- 

 payment in a time to be limited.' 



In this last resolution there was a 

 ditference as to form, on account 

 of some circumstances which he 

 should afterwards explain. 



The right hon. gentleman tiien 

 went into an explanation of his 

 plan. In former cases a special 

 committee had been appointed to 

 inquire into the existing distiess ; 

 but in the present case such a 

 j)lan was unnecessary, as the House 

 was but too well acquainted with 

 the extent of the prevailing evil. 

 The commissioners who were to 

 have the disposal of this money 

 would pailicularly consider the 

 influence that the prosecution of 

 any public work would have upon 

 the employment of the present un- 

 employed |)opulation. There were 

 a great variety of such works which 

 had already received the sanction 

 of parliament, of which many 

 parts were finished, but were use- 

 less until the whole were com- 

 pleted. To these the attention of 

 parliament had been intended to 

 be called in a direct mannei' ; 

 but it was now considered that 

 it would be more beneficial if 

 the money were placed at the dis- 

 posal of commisjioners quite un- 

 connected with government. He 

 would propose that those commis- 

 sioners should be empowered to 

 advance sums, by way of loans, to 

 corporat'ons and other bodies for 

 the purpose of making harbours 



or 



