The National Register. — London, England, 1818-03-16 00:00:00

REVIEW OF LITER.ITURE. .-.=.- Considerations on the linpolicy and Pernicious Tendency of the Poor I,ntrs, frith Remarks on the Report of the Select Committee of the House of Common:, 4'c. Di CHARLES JERRAIL A. M. VICAR o► CRORRAII• , Tris: subject of the Poor I.aws has received such ample discussion in all classes, and occupied the attention of so many experienced and benevolent men, that it is a matter of no small difficulty to elicit any thing new eoneerning it. In this respect, we certainly cannot con gratulate Mr. .Terram, for it appears to us, that there are few suggestions in his book, with which we were not perfectly familiar, and which we have not had re peatedly pressed upon our notice by numerous writers. Before we proceed to the more agreeable task of com mending the Author for what he has done, we must observe that he does not display any very extensive re search into the theory, nor communicate many results of experience in the paritical part. Indeed with all respect for the Magistracy generally, we think there arc few individuals in that body who can from mere local ex porienee,• throw that light on the question at large, which its importance demands. The Committee of the House ofCommons have here undoubtedly been °lessen teal service in accumuluting andeomparing individual tes- ' tinamies—and such communications, as far as facts and . auxiliary suggestions go, add greatly to oar knowledge of the subject. In the limited scope which Mr. Jerram allows him self, he directs our attention to some very important truths and sonic salivary and efficacious rent._Nlies for ckisting evils. His views arc mostly correct, and his arrangement perspicuous and logical. With his leading position, that the Poor Laws as they stand, have a most injurious tendency, and do produce most pernicious ef fects. we decidedly agree, and we believe it is a fact, so generally admitted, that it is wholly unnecessary to dwell on the proofs of it. To those who are yet uneern vinced, we can only recommend a perusal of the Re port of the Committee above alluded to, which is illus trated by a mass of evidence of the most striking and decisive description. Mr. Jerram lays down the fol lowing principles.—First, That all hopes isientirely re 'moving the cells of poverty are vain ; which• in imagine l does not require much argument to prirevai th, for whatever expectations sanguine philosopher, , y enter tain as to the amelioration of the condition of mankind, he must indeed be an enthusiast, to say theleast,who can dream that all evils shall be eradicated from the earth ; and of these, poverty is, undoubtedly, one of the most extensive and inherent in the constitution of society. The Author then shows, that the administration al the present system of the Poor Lams tends greatly to aggra vate these evils, explaining very satisfactorily " that it creates the very mil it professes to remedy, and that it holds out a premium to idleness, improvidence and pro fligacy, by securing all the advantages which would be derived from sobriety, prudence and industry."—(p. 41.) We have not space, nor is it necessary to enter into the arguments adduced in support of this conclu sion, obvious as they must be to every one who has had any acquaintance with the subject at all, But INC think rat neither the Committee of the House of Commons, nor Mr. Arrant, have probed the wound sufficiently— they have not gone far enough into the causes of this ins creasing state malady, they have not traced.the evil to its source, and as regards the Committee, it was scarcely to be expected they s hould.' in our opinion, one of the prin cipal causes of the increase of pauperism, is the extra ordinary weight of taxation the people have been obliged to bear. This country has been called upon to support a most expensive and protracted war ; to carry on which, the public debt was most fearfully augmented, ; and various heavy taxes became requisite. At tie same time, the nation bad advanced to a high state of pros perity—the sails of commerce were spread in all parts of the world—innumerable wheels were in motion throughout the kingdom—speculation extended every where, and in proportitm, as we acquired riches, we became lavish. What wss the comequenee ?—The time arrived, when a re-action took place—p ditical oecurrtmee?changed the face o? afftiirs—eurnius rev in griespitw too much, over-reached herself, and fell. the public burthens could not be suddenly retuoved, and in the stagnation of trade, they could not be borne-. The middling class of society were thrown into em barrassment, and the pour into distress. To remedy this is extremely difficult, but we have uo hesitation in saying, that the remedy must bear relation to these pri mary causes. It must be the gradual and silent opera tiou of wisdom by preserving the country in a state of peace, and by enabling the middle ranks to reap the profits of their industry, without having an overweening desire for the accumulation of wettish. On this head we iould say wish more, but we must restrain onr s..lves. Mr. derram (p. Is.) seems to entertain similar views of the itupoli y of the rich, aide respect to their .poorer brethren, anti we agree smith him in thinking •that much blame attaitios to those men who have sof fssed things to come to this extremity, when they bad it in their power, by proper can:luta—to miti o ute its ovals. . . tusconitaitter, as wc11 .. a3 our wAthor,havingeuunued TIIT. NATIONAL REOISTEIC themselves to secondary causes; their remedial sugges tions are, consequently of the same class. Mr. Jerram's leading principle is, -that the nzeans which bid the fairest for success, lie within the poor themselves under the di rection and assistance of the legislature, in coif/unction with prudent and active charity, to all which, as seem dary remedies, we fully assent, at we do 'alio to the reverend author's observations respecting the •morality of the poor. Here we cannot do better than give his own words. • He says :.•-• " In all attempts t 6 improve the condition of the poor, Ibis is the first point 'to which uur first and principal efforts must be directed. 1,l nmAgive them principles—we must Inrnish them with motives—let must hold out inducements. 'limy must not be depre:ieed:but elevates?, taught to think, little indeed of themselves, and their nwn moral attainments, hut most highly of their exalted ' rank in creation and their future destiny. Let the it children then be carefully instruc ted. and trained up in religions habi:;—let parents be visited at their habitations and kindly admonished of what is evil, and incited to a constant attendance on the . ordinances of religion: amid let it appear that a sincere legal d is felt by their superiors, for their best interests; and they will feel their obligations, and will endeavour to teturwtt'lly diligence in their business, sobriety in their conduct, and respect to their benefactors." His coiseinciing remark is striking and just— " All efforts will be shin tive without moral cultism. Make the Poor, Chri►tiane, anti they will not make themselves pau pers." THE HcftnrcAsE., Extern, Manor 7.—The heavy rains which feiron 'nes• day and Wednesday nights caused an unusual swell of the mimes in the 11'estern enmities, and with the tremendous hurricane accompailyilig them, produced fatal and disastrous consequences. A great number of sheep and other cattle, ss hich were grazing in the marshes on the banks of the Etc, were swept away by the torrent. 'flue water was at a con siderable depth in Alphington-stiect, Sti Thum:isomer this city, and from thence to Alphington. The coaches were de layed some hours beyond their usual timeireflarriaral and•sets lug out, owing to the interruptions occasioned' by' the blew, ing down of trees in the different roads, 'ted selfir theover flowing of the neighbouring streams, which rendered the roads impassible. The Subscription Coach, which left this city on Wednesday evening front London, did not arrive in lloniton until six the following morning, being stopped about t miles on this side by the water, which *as in some places over the backs of the Lorses. At Exmouth, the violence of the gale carried round the vanes of the wind-mill, wait such velocity as to cause the works to take fire, and the vanes were blown off, and dashed to pieces. On the coast many boats have been lost. The trees rooted up in various places are innumerable; among.t those in Major F. E. Drake's park, near Lympstone, great havoc has been committed ; about 150 were blown down at Lindridge.park, the seat of thellev. J. Templer, and a considerable number at Mamiteattl-Pea more, and other gentlenien's seats; lett the most disastrous circumstance which has come to our knowledge is an accident which betel one of the waggons of Messrs. Brice and Baker, of this city, on Thursday morning. As it was passing over Easton's-bridge, in the new road from this city to Cullumpton, about half a mile from the later place, a tremendous clap of thunder frightened the horses, and they set off at tiill speed: it being extremely (lark, and the water over the read on the other side el the bridge, prevented their keepingin a, proper direction, and just as they had passed it, the waggent and horses were precipitated into the river: see lament World, that three passengers, a young man, woman, and her child were drowned: violent storm of wind on Wednesday night, more re sembled a tropical hurricane than the geles which occasional ly visit this climate. 'tonsil were partially unroofed, chimnies blown down, and part of ore of the battlements at the cathe• deal fell with boat violence as to penetrate a roof beneath, and occasion considerable damage. The Bristol and , Itir -1 tningliam mail, nu its approach to this city, about 11' o'clock, at night, a ith four inside and two outside passengers., had a very narow escape from being overact into a• piece of water of great depth at Hardwiek-bridge, where all must have perished. 'floe leaders, loosing their footing, turned short rootlet ; on which the gaud got• down, in the hope of being able In gable them through the water, but in the attempt the horses fell into the ditch. and pulled the poor fellow in . with them. Ia this perilous dilemma, and wills no ot h er pros pert than the coach being likewise drawn into the same abyss, a young naval officer, a lio was an inside passenger, intrepidly ` plunged Mtn the Howl, and, swimming ith flue hand, with the other he dragged the given! on shore; after which he went to the assistance of the horses, emit Ow traces, wit* a knife be took Nom his pocket, and saved the poor animals Irma (Wailing, as well as the coach from being upset,.iti that appalling titivation! Finding it impossible to proceed. the whole of the horses a ere taken off. and went buck with four of the passengers and the guard, to Whitmivister Inn, (about three miles). Itivrrowes, the driver, being left on the box in charge of the rOaCil. • touri der Jorriral. THE tiREAKw k rism.—"TtAmurrit, Manes( !v.—Nesters day the gale came on aid, double violence at S.S.W. and by hied, a ;tier increa•eil to the severest storm I have Sell/ since I have been (avow seven years) at Plymouth. The storm that did the Breakwater so much damage in )411. filet year, was nothing to it, lout It dill nut moderate. avail roue o'clock. This enabled persons to get on the Break water, and litove great pleasure in telling yon that every . thing was t . h as it Wight to be, is a rift et tirin state. I have my self been M. the woo k, au lilitlf since ; but the wind has ugaitegor into its old (putter (M.W.) and blowing bard. A large East •India ship, and the Erne brig, were in the Sound during ihmstorm, ;ow rate it nut very well: without the Breakwater they must have both been inevitably lost. At the Colllllll.llCelllelli of the winter a few large st ;vs were libretti by themselves on the top or finished part of the Ili eakwater, fusee it they would stand the %%biter guiles ; ivory stood all lint this last, and this morning found them washed limn the toll, and lying on the North Slope. 'lliere were three el them, one of nine tons, and the other two of five tuns each. They WIII repl i wp t i as soon as Itossibh ." Tee avieuent rookery, at Newton (the seat of the family of the 1 fat by us), Samersevshire, was iv:otos ly blown doe it don beg five Iriv r rieaste on Werfetalor Ncatly tit es we re torn up by tile rivets, anti! met (Wiley abide wood only one tree SCandP. _ Tao stock 0; 411 vArtilgteik.: *cm. fat at Twit ot t!,. .'2* u1;.x.0. gAllaH 1G: From the LONDON GAZET7'E,Tuesday, March 101 BANKRUPTCIES ENLARGED. lON CHF.ETITAM J. o:dliare, Lancashire, shoemaker, from March 9,8 to April 6. Rose: S. Swansea. Clamorganshire, dealer, from March *I. to • April 10. BANKRUPTCY SIrP4iISSPUb•b. Btintel:TT J. B. , Stoke-lane, Somerset. brewer; Mana,nrrt W. N. Salford, corn-dealer. BANKRUPTS. SOOT Tt N E. Pox Itrt Knotiaril, Snowhia, dealer, Match 14,'2,1, April 21. at Guildhall: Att. Mr. Devices. 'fliacies-inn. 'f.NAC X LOW C. T. Sentt's Wharf, Sattliwark. marble-merchant, March t 4, 23, April 21, at Guildhall. Att. Mr. Castle, Cursimr - street. Ilzeinzji Liverpool, mor.ey-scrivener; March 14, 21, April 21, at Guildhall. Att. Mr. Chester. Staple-inn. MARSHALL J, Great Grimsby. corn-merchant, Mar-h 24, 25, April 21, at Great Grimsby. Ans. Mr Burton, Weldor., i'lorthaiti tonshire. IVoms J. Manchester, broker, April C, 11, 2t, at Manchester. Alts. Milne and Co. Temple:. HawKi us J. Iluddersficle, butcher, April 17, 14, 21, at liudderiv field. Mt. Mr. Jacomb, Basinghall-street. 110i.m Es J. Birmingham, carthenwar.,-de.ilor, March 4, April I, 21, at Stafford. Att. Mr. Berridge, Hatton-garden. Gisroau J. Emma Selwood, coal-merchant, March 21;24, April 21, at Bath. Mts. Blake and Son, COok t s"surt. Carcy-street. JENKINS J. Dudley) - , Worcester, Aprils, 3, 21, at Worcester. Au. • Mr. Bousefield, Bouverie-street. COST AN 'I INC J. and Trains A. Kendal, Westmoreland, a n d li Nsom M. Fewstone,Yorkshire, flax-merchants, April ft, •Zl. as COlne. Atts. Tillotson and Co. Temple. Deo; ES J: Llanconway, Denbigh, spirit-dealer, April 5. 4, 21,. a Liverpool. Att. Mr. Bird, Castle-ditch, Liverpool. PROCTOR 4;. and W. liirmingharc.• and Sheffield. opticians, March• 23. xt, April 21, at Birmingham. Atts. Swain and Co. Fredori ick's-place, Old Jewry. DIVIDENDS. H. Daniell, Greek.stteetiitiosehmaker, April 24. S. V. Gore, Bishopsgate-stiter, haberdasher, April 14, W. Horn, Limehouse, sail maker. April 14. E. Mackintosh. Haymarket, accoutrement-maker, March sr.. It Clark. St. Mary-hill. shipbroker, Marsh 31. J. B. Tolkien, St. Paul's Church-yard, china-seller, March 3L W. Hamilton and 51, Agar, Riches -court; Lime -street, merchants, April 11. J. and -eoutti.Watlfig-street, merchants, /twit 4. W. aiinsford, Senshwark, linendraper, April 4. J. Landtell, jun. Et shill. farrnsr,April 14. P. nieley, East Grinstead. *Mei; APSE 11, T. 312,34*,:.gvedtatur and Gosport, emu/ April 1G A. C coal-dealer, Aptil7. T. Ai/cll.-Link Wild.. reel,. stable-keeper. April 4. E. RitharilsonOtwat litaiselLstreet. linen-draper. April 4. N. Bell. Bonham Pirk.-Ifirrey luiyjobber. April 11. J.:Davies. Canterbury; linen-draper, April 13. • A. Jarman, alonthampton, tanner;AprilL. •W. Vincent, J. Tanner, J. Barnes;. an* S. Hammeks, Newbury, banker*. April S. T. Dent. deepen- Culls*, draper. Beef 9. J and J. Licirek.llowestoft. grocers. April 2. R. and 11. B. Clough, D. Mason, and J. L. lines, Denbigh and. Llanwant. bankers. A ril 10. J. Johnson. Isle of Elyrmer, April Ji Hancock and T:•ltinslini, patters r Aprit 7.• W.-libeth..Hartiersputter; April 's CERTIVICATES—MARc it 31. • It %talon, and T. Stubbs,. Chcapside, wareimusemen—r. ra lentine, St. James's walk,iapanner—J. 11. Watehorn. Oxford-scrcet. linendraper—A. Grenville, Plymouth-dock, ehitnymerchant—* S. J0N1606, Manchester, mormfacturer. .MR: W.ll7'll' MAN', Thursday a very numereus Meeting°, the . hiends . of . this gensli:- man was held in the City of l.ondcm Tavern, for adopting measures to secure his return to Parliament at the next General Election, Mr. Alderman Goodbeliere having taken the Chair, shortly ex plained the object for which they were conv e n e d, an d hoped that their efforts world be successful in returning Mr. Waithrnan to Pas 'lament, on account of the unweari e d and admirable exertions he had made in behalf of the people, exertions, which had uniformly dis hplayed the profoundestevisdom, moderation, and integrity 1 hear, hear. ear !1. The character of this Centleman, his pre-eminent, ipialifi cationcfcr the honour of representing the City, were too well known to squire any eulogiom. Mr. Kirby (late Sheriff) would not occupy the time of th.s Meting long with any observations of his, but he iHr it impossible. not to Congratulate die friends of rational Reform and of the constitunian, on the most respectable number, who this day assemblrd. He was.proud to see ill the Chair the worthy Aldennani, who was venerated art! esteemed by his Citizens, for his having as long and faithfully advo cated their cause. Of Mr. Waithman's abilities he would say nothing, rsuaded as he was, that there was but one opinion smong the Zr. ent Livery on that subject; and h e s in cere ly h ope d t h at t h e i r arts this day would be crqwnod with success. He concluded t.y persuaded moving a series of RI, I ns. Mr. Oldham Resolutions. lie said Mr. W.'s ever• dons in behalf of. th e- old never be forgotten, particularly what he had done on hfoc • dons, the Bankrupt Laws, and above all what reformation he ' ught in Christ's School. sewi l Mr. Favell addressed' Meeting ore the same subject; and 'Wel the friends of the cause'vrettld *member that it was only by a.leng pull. a strong pull. and , * pull Altogether, that they could succeed.-.. His iyo.thy Emu& andithe respectable (:hairman, had dared to be firm in days of dangers• when none appeared in their support. bloc they bad now the ardsfitetioaof arcing theii guest object accomplished. Among the fricodirot Reform no man knew better when to pmeerd and how far to psoeetd. than Mr. W. did:, and it was proper MA nreh ehsasrters show* he rewenied with the highest honours tl:e..ii fellow-citizens could bestow, for violent 10C11941fCS were at all times to he condemned larploisesl. v( r . Hoot cu..o torieuril and demanded a test of Mr. Waish:r 41'..i principles. Mr. Willi :m. (the (7on.mon Councilman) idol, he was happy 1::'.9 clay to &Tine forivard hi support of Mr. %V., from whom he 'had re peatedly didiTed, but the purity of whose motives, the integrity, per. seserniee, and Pirniziess with which he was.artuated. lie had .11%ays admired. The Clergy of the country, the Merchant, the Shipping Interest. and Land-owners, were all duly rei resentA. and it War VA fair that the Triefing Interest of the City should have tine saute :al vantage. 'f here was one retail dealer in the I home already, but he (allorling to Mr. Huth:mord.) always voted with Ministers. hlr. W. had advanced in din cause firmly, had in the most gallant manner weathered the storm, and it was the duty of his fellow-citizen to re ward him. rhe Resolutions being read. were then unanimously adopted Mr. Waitinian came forward amidst loud eheeringv, to express his gratitude fa: the nattering manner in a Inch his friends !:al come for ward to advocate his cause. and telt it ihtfieult to tieserrhe the deer sun.. 4 tht'.) friendly rekards. Walt aspect to a teat of his prirr.. ph's. he ltft Onto to judge from his conduct for these last +t, - e;;ty rears. and he believed he might safely say no man hail beer inert c- - limittiiityi tha n e he lmd been. should his tkiends hr succqs; . 'N ip returning lint. they iiiiAltt ilipaid on every esertirn hi inglraide .i. hint for vindieatirig their rig:lts, and with pleasure hp.shcSlifrestp; ear Ake, the moot ::t they held him irairoiit .or it. • •' With reriot i .