chapter we have treated at some length of the means
proposed or adopted by the Parliament for the sustenance and relief
of the people of Ireland. The new poor law for that country also much
engaged the attention of both Houses this session. Lord George Bentinck
took a very active part in these transactions, and moved the most
important of all the amendments to the government measure, namely, an
attempt to assimilate the poor law of Ireland as much as possible to
that of England, and make the entire rates be paid by the occupying
tenant. His object, he said, was to 'prevent lavish expenditure and
encourage profitable employment to the people.' This amendment was only
lost by a majority of four.

On the 26th of March, on the government bringing forward their bill on
the rum duties, Lord George Bentinck brought before the House the
case of the British and Irish distillers, not with any preference
or partiality towards English, Scotch, or Irish distillers over the
colonial producer. 'I am no advocate of any monopoly whatever. I desire
only equal and exact justice between both parties; and the only way in
which that end can, in my opinion, be properly attained, is in a select
committee upstairs, consisting of impartial members of this house.'

He often used to say that no subject ever gave him more trouble
thoroughly to master than the spirit duties; and he noticed the
character of the theme at the beginning of his speech. He said he
required, not only the most especial indulgence, but even the toleration
of the House, 'for of all the dry and dull subjects which could possibly
be introduced, the question which it is now my misfortune to bring under
the consideration of the House is the driest and the dullest. If this
question had been one merely of pounds, shillings, and pence, it would
have been dull and complicated enough; but this is a question in which
are concerned not pounds and shillings, but pence, and halfpence, and
farthings.'

The Whitsuntide holidays occurred at the end of May. It had originally
been the intention of Lord George Bentinck, at the request of leading
merchants and manufacturers of all parties and opinions, to have brought
forward the question of the Bank Act after these holidays, and to move a
resolution that some discretionary power should be established as to the
issue of notes. He thus alludes to this point in a letter to Mr. Wright,
of the 24th of May:--

'I return you No. 1019, of the "Ban