Rebellion of 1798—The Union—Acts of the Imperial Parliament: respecting dispensaries, hospitals, and infirmaries—Examination of bogs—Fever hospitals—Officers of health—Lunatic asylums—Employment of the poor—Deserted children—Report of 1804 respecting the poor—Dublin House of Industry and Foundling Hospital—Reports of 1819 and 1823 on the state of disease and condition of the labouring poor—Report of 1830 on the state of the poorer classes—Report of the Committee on Education—Mr. Secretary Stanley’s letter to the Duke of Leinster—Board of National Education—First and second Reports of commissioners for inquiring into the condition of the poorer classes—The author’s ‘Suggestions’—The commissioners’ third Report—Reasons for and against a voluntary system of relief—Mr. Bicheno’s 'Remarks on the Evidence'—Mr. G. C. Lewis’s ‘Remarks on the Third Report’ 67 CHAPTER III. Recommendation in the king’s speech—Motions and other proceedings in the House of Commons—Lord John Russell’s instructions to the author—The author’s first Report—Lord John Russell’s speech on introducing a bill founded on its recommendations—Progress of the bill interrupted by the death of the king—Author’s second Report—Bill reintroduced and passed the Commons—Author’s third Report—Bill passes the lords, and becomes law 153 CHAPTER IV. Summary of the 'Act for the more effectual Relief of the Poor in Ireland,' and of the ‘Amendment Act’—Arrangements for bringing the Act into operation—First and second Reports of proceedings—Dublin and Cork unions—Distress in the western districts—Third, fourth, fifth, and sixth Reports—Summary of the Act for the further amendment of the Law—Seventh Report—Cost of relief, and numbers relieved—Issue of amended orders 222 CHAPTER V. Eighth Report of proceedings—Failure of the potato—A fourth commissioner appointed—Ninth Report—Potato disease in 1846—Public Works Act—Distress in autumn 1846—Labour-rate Act—Relief-works—Temporary Relief Act—Pressure upon workhouses—Emigration—Financial state of unions—First Annual Report of Poor-Law Commissioners for Ireland—Extension Act—Act for Punishment of Vagrants—Act to provide for execution of Poor Laws—General import of the new Acts—Change of the commission—Dissolution of boards of guardians—Report of Temporary Relief Act Commissioners—British Association—Second Annual Report of Poor-Law Commissioners—Recurrence of potato disease—Cholera—Rate-in-Aid Act—Further dissolution of boards of guardians—Boundary Commission—Select committee on Irish Poor Laws—Expenditure, and numbers relieved 303 CHAPTER VI.