The National Register. — London, England, 1814-10-16 00:00:00

OCT. 16. tell them, that a great proportion of their patients require food more than medicines, and that they sink under their disovers. I believe the late uring poor of London and of England work hat der than the labouring class of any other country. It must be evident than they especially stend in need of adequate subsistence. Other similar topics might be enlarged upon, but it is conceived enough has been cited both to rouse our feelings and convince ow understandings of the magnitude of the evil attempted to be exposed. It is an evil without parallel, and I wish it may be found, as is thought by some, that our charity is also so. It must be ad mitted. to be of sufficient importance to claim the most se-, riot's attention of the benevolent and well-disposed. I shall , now, therefore, hint at what appear tome to be the pre dis posing causes which induce such a lamentable state of things.l The most prominent is the rapacious system of monopoly in the tiecest•aries of life. The spirit of trade and money get. ting, whit h might be a blessing. for want of due regu:atioes may become the • hiefest curse to a country. Our ancestors by establishing the assize and salutary laws against regratieg i and forestalling, evinced their sense of the necessity of the public being protected against the rapacity of rich indivi I duals : and it has been the bane of the community, and no ! proof of the improved wisdom of the present age, that such good and wise maxims have been discarded and become al- ; most obsolete. Let us now see what good or evil the mono polies in the necessaries of life hr ing upon the public. Only a few years ago. in the great article of coals, the ships ! were obliged by law to be-brought to market and sold. within 10 dais of heir arrival in the Pool Bv an artatigement between the coal owners and the late Mr. Pitt, that salts aryl regulation was set aide, whereby the coal met chant could j feed the great market of London, as he thought fit, and b) opening the dour for speculation, the nett ssary artic:e of coals has been dearer ever since. It is notorious that in the great article of fish, which might be brought to London in such abundance, ds considerably to reduce the price of meat, and afford employ to thousands of seafaring people, a mis taken monopoly inteteepts the supply intended by Providence and our insular situation; and, I am credibly informed that the bounty on Fisls, intended by our ancestors to encourage its being brought to London, has, not a great while since, been withdrawn by Government, under some pretence This is as impolitic as it is base. In the necessary article of' , of porter, the imposition of its present exorbitant price above what would allow the brewers a fair profit is ackoeledged all, but it is so monstrous and capable of such clear detection, I shall enter into it rather more minutely It is extraor dinary that Government does not interfere, as the very high li of porter, by lessening its consumption, injures the revenue .! considerably,and benefits only the brewer. That ahout twelve of the principal brewers in London, should sell their ceinmodity for neatly half a million per annum (and drawn from the hard earnings of the poor) More than is necessary to I allow them a fair trading profit, would appear an assertion almost incredible at.cl Impossible; but, that it is so, 1 submit the following catcuL ion, which, I believe, cannot he con I If Loudon and its environs contatus macs million of inhabitants, there will be 80,(.00 note families, these sup-1 re:ed to use .t n averge pots of porter per day, at tivo-11 Pence per put higher prit e, than should be by the rely ive price of malt and hops now, to what they were when porter was raised to five pence letlfpenny per pot, is 10001. pei hay, 10,5001. per week, arid .546,n001. t er annum. • Now two and four pence per week saved to a poor labouring I man, whose-earnings may be eiehteen or twenty shillings per week . , is no hie insidetable matter ; it would buy bread to sus t3in two of his children. But what hope-of redress is there for 657 11 this shameful imposition. The publican being tenant to the brewer can neither act in his own defence nor that of the pub tic; competition there is none. and the putylic appear doomed to submit to this grievance as long as these high and mighty brewers think fit they shall. There is.no bounds to one execration at the infamy of those English Nabobs, Sir T. Rumbald, Sir F. Sikes, &c. whe by monopolies of rice, starved to death millions of the natives of the East Indic s; but I would appeal to the common sense of every one, thAt if the imposition alluded to is not so excessive in turpitude, vet it must be admitted to be a species of the saute crime, only (hating in degree, and that that degree is exceedingly in juri..us and oppressive will not be denied by. the candid. - The Gentlemen of the Bible Society may he reminded of a well known lassage in that good Book, " lle Ow withhold eth the coon, the people shall curse him." But withdolding beer at its due and proper !nice, is withholding the corn, from which beer is made. I might detail alike mischievous effecos from monopolies in other necessaries of life, as tallow, sugar, &c.: but it is conceived, enough has been exposed, to remove every doubt of time evil tendency of such mot:opo lies. And can we wonder, that multitudes are kaving . the home, island in search of a better or that their general lan guage should be, " are we to stay here to work for umonopo lists?" In short, it is so serious a grievance, that every man who wishes for the prosperity of his native coun try, must be c:)nvinced of the necessity of its - investigation and remedy. For should it continue, nothing is more likely to effect the absolute ruin of the country. Therefore, before it is too late, I wish to give a cacti .n and warning of the sad impending consequences ; particularly to those to whom I have before alluded, who, having shewn evidences of a cone cern for the public welfare, I would impress these considera tions as more v;tally important than any thing they have un dertaken. May it never be said, with all your benevolence and sympathy Vr foreigners, you have neglected your own child, en ; your virtues have been shallow and 1110IC political than real. Let me remind them, that honest• and integi ity cannot be dispensed with, as not being Christian graces a►id Christian duties. These council us "to speak every man the truth to his neignbour; and it will not be an excuse for us in ow downfall, that certain truths were so painful to a pertain description of great men, we were deterted float their expression or prosecution. The liberties of England, hot-h eiv,i and religious, would nevei have been obtained, if your forefathers had yielded to such timidity. We appear to be in the crisis of our fate. The inordinate love of money is the root of our misery Let us have the magnanimity to ac knowled4;e and declare it, and our be,loved country may still be saved SCRUTATOR. FORkIGN 114.1.LIGENCE. FRENCH PAPER& ~,_. PARIS, OCT. 7.—Die most recent letters from Vienna inrorm 114 that the op% ultog of tit'e Congress will take place without delay. We utiy,-tilerefore,-ii%dailge all the hive, which the convociitiou of thatAssenittay has excited. IVe may indulge them *Wn't anxiety, an:l without apprehension. -Europe has haul the experience of long cainmaties, ano•feels the. want of repose. The late trials %%Inca site has 1111 gone' could nut tail to destroy civilirition or to forward its .litriturity 'tali• last result they have produced it) a manimr woolly linexpe. ted, but liaglify tavouraole for the tranquillity of the °LW. Grr~uauy. , o long toin to pieces by warrand ambition, divitiet!, gw a awa . , mod tuken nackat tile pleasuie and caprice of a compere. ; tiriirivtql of all t e resources of the social state, and even the olroongs of instruetioi., which the slanting up Of the uni v rsi s I or bat! to the people; Germany has &stronger interest than any odic, TTUP, NATIONAL REGIQTER.