The National Register. — London, England, 1816-12-02 00:00:00

**The age for enacting Utopias is . gone by ; but God forbid that we aloud' cease to lank on in hop::-,l in thith to the inolitelana posi ble ameba:viol ofenictir !-- , ..;.0.i iorliall that we should awe to pray fo.. it, and to labour for it as we may ! We have lied to soe the aho li:Mt of the Ski.: Trade,--we Isar: lived to we the discovery of VIM eeueioa. everai by irl.ic'a mi., of the 4.reat.--st ovirel, and one of the greatmt y 4.4.11.011, iu the ,verld will ultimately be rooted out The calili:ioi of one great and im!'ectmit class of the community (the mi lit ay an.l riae..l cla s) li IS been moat arr.:Holly improved : a wiser • st . li hu it tier disc,p3 to is gradually obtaining iu both serrices s the prM7i,d.! liii be:a intraduart of increase of pay in proportion to *ltia'ts l of 6 '4)i".. 1 . and 4 . V: 5:534 iihj lists s2:ved his mantry.one and t . enty yeLr; t; ?mitizd to Ms dicharge, and to a pension ula shilling II .my 14r life. lle who cite 7.. the service young may thug retire from it at ...I age when he has years otenjoyment leak oa so in the course oln stir:. A proportisante perislot . t u allott.sl to those who are dis- Liarg.ll after tuartetni years, and sickness or intinnity entitles a man to a sit:vitt afer se:et. honorary thank:tants have been extruded to privates 145 well Ai °dicers. Regiment:a schools have Iseen estab lished and net iii:ent institutions founded, for the orphans of the de fenders of tli:ir country. When these benefits shall be genteelly un- derstond,. there will be stn difficulty, in recruiting the army and navy, de , ertions will bee•nne lets frequent, and the neemity of pressing will in time be snpersede.l. Nor will the condition of the peasantry, and the manufteturing p nktILLC, be -less :o.nitially improved when those niaa Aires. w !ICU Ilk? pnietical philanthropists have MOW wended, shall be generally introduced. Let there be a system of parechial schools, connected with the church establishment, where every child :nay reeeive the. rudiments of nmessary knowledge, and bs well instructed in his moral and religious duties. Let the temptationst o guilt be le renal by aproliibition of these brutal sports which harden toe heart, and Iry an alteration of the Game LRWX, which err absurd, pernieMaaand siLoiniviahle. Let us multiply Emits inttead of throw ing many into on:. Let the labourer, wherever it is possibe, have N. grass plot and his garden. hit the inducements of industry be fur ther stnaigthoied by the universal institution of Sating Banks, ev ines thus to every one the fair prospect and easy means of providing is yo::.:11 foe the increased caprices of manhood. Were these sum filZes adopted, the pool--rates would diminish, and in no long time disappe:urs and the asylums, which would still be . required for friaidle is ago, and helpless infirmity, might be so regalaWas to se splice a religious use and a religious character. They who exert them selves in promoting these object's, end such as these, are the genuine pa:riots, the true reformers, the real friends of the people. -,But if these things were done, says the metaphysical politician, the country would be overstocked ; Mr. Malthus's discovery must be re• inembered, and the • new science of population!'-.'flee new faience of pspolatien !--.First-rate powers display themselves in the mine manner in all ages. Alter but the place and time of their birth. and the Aristotle of Greece would have been the Bacon of England; sE , schylus might have been our Shakspeare, Deniosthenes have led a Home of Commons, and the Hannibal <done time have been the Wel liogton of another. Great men set their stamp uponthe age, it is other wise withehe snail craft, the age sets its stamp upon than. Men of genius oak like dafseulytar far posterity upon ouluringmateliah ; the uustal and Mini ratainags compose works of perish ible staff* the • !titbits of the day. The saine temper of mind. which in aid ' . ilasifupsesebolastic questions, and at a later age in gap the Scriptures, has in these days taken the dim- Ogg of reataphysical er statistic philosophy. Bear witness Bullion Ile Collll . Laws ! Beenuitness, the New Science of Population ! and lei wislie host of produitises to which these happy topics have given MIA. boa the humble magazine essay, up to the held octavo. and min anthitiotss quarto. The type of disease has varied at different tjwilm, but the dooms remains the ,sine-a colliquative diartinea of en istsks•-eakispig beta its smog appetite and weak digestion. iir. epee tbeasios of population would be as absurd as Vs u s ail n thaw? of pasumatics were to set respiration atria:der his parat,ts to regolate their breathings by the Lis A population u. likc the Amrecta cup of Kchama, thofftrillnitrftrals or the petrol of ..blemings. according to the go. Teponani side eidds it. A people properly instructed in their duty. tralnatl up in habits of indautry and hope, which induce pro. inn never be too MOWN= while any portion of their own etriatry. r.anains nneoldvatedow any part of the habitable earth un estrtrisak To mason against thus amelioratimi of society from such in . •o i v worse than folly. Under the most favourable which the neat ardent enthusiast can contemplate, ibillembetas west ems away before the earth could he replenished ;- 111111 int lisiosthis first cominandmmt which man received from his ftrtriagr stands nanyialsi,-and if ever that time should come the distilserstaf shoo .be Isstrod : moustime it is the truest policy and dos conditian of the poor. The better tbe alw Ishu r e lrOpistaiil the better they will become; lbw witi. tie mere they we eteltiply I the masse they yid." gnaw will beetle melds mid steeeetbo end security eltbeetatal and doss auslaas arse as certain arum kw of nature and &God. SPITALFIELDS POOR. Tael4l4l a most numerous and respectable Meeting was WOO ebo Mansion-house, for the purpose of opening a sleb en...lkm teethe retie/of the Distressed Poor of Spitalfields, Ifookeipapel;Afilmend New Town; and How. A considerable -thisabervatiladiswattended, notwithstaadieg the uufavoser ithie state of Use weather, and were accommodated with front ^ tong Mayor tholuthe chair at two o'clock, In order to apes AmbeMinese et the ItleeUng. His Lordship said, lie was Wimple meet Ontheresioarneetlng; for they had, no doubt, *Wm tbegiln d ,14 0 1 0.11. 0 d in tacit power towards reliev ing tini dimmer" , o the North-east. part of the metro pone., In that pet or the capital, Spitaltields was the mast poomiamstin akitreserbot the. Committee did not intend to nontleetteir reHtfismthet peristionly. It was kapoodblo for sseery diarist to refiermits owe poor,, where they were so nunierests as MSPitalfields. It was well known that in many *arts of thC coon try people were marring, because they would aot apply to Ilse pariah, no go to the workhouse, Others would nolt.gwontilthey,weriv atrelistelp obliged. Souse per einectiroughtthat relief liy affording labour to the poor, was the only substantial assistance to them r but common labori ons work was not titled to the poor matudireturers of Spite!. fields. although, WO doubt, many of them would rather accept emy sort of work rather then go to threparish. With respect Se the dif f erent modes of fielding employ for the poor, th e tmosnitfee would he happy to hear such pm °positions as might 'geese to any one. Por biavown part, be had been obliged, for she last three months, to pass SO or 30 poor persons everyday to Bridevrell, le ceder to send therm to , their parishes. He bad also teemed his attentiort to thesobjeet of furnishing la hour for the. poor, arultad eorrespomted with the govern ment' on this subject.; but he regretted to say, that little attentiee bad liese tOthi lo bls eprplicallom. Government aright have employed 0,000 poor. on 14000 amnia of Waste load, where these aras..bebUallon for 0000 of them,' which mould not have cost government a:penny. In seems years the capital mdvaaeed mould kaselsema realised: He had also suggested a sulocriptiogrof and upwards each individual, to b • employed in obtaiaing wort for tho distressed silk weavers ref Spitaltields ; the amount of subscription to be re turned in some article of their nufnufactare. He - hoped too that the Committee would adopt a plan which he had seen prevail in Wales. They there mixed small coal in proportioh of one to two of clay, which occasioned areat saving of fuel : an I kept up a v er y b r i g h t warm fi re. In that way a great member of poor persons might be employed in preparing this THE NATIONAL ItF,(IISTE/1 mitture for fuel. [(eked, without findin Ml • lhr the ;Stow, he believed it would be impossible to relic" t hen ' °lke ' inatty. Another thine lie would recommend lit every person, mil that :14 ti) find ant a cheap butcher and baker, who 'wont(' serve then honestly ; and it sisi2ht be done. He had aim' gi ven the esainple of it in that house ; fur he had Oven orders to tiptl out such tradesmen, without paying any it t eat i oil to favour or affect ion.—.4lopta.(o . .- that w ghod 'neat and bread might be purchased by the poor for very low priers hid, ed. They were met there Air the million of charity ; end be trusted lie aliould bear molting but what re lated to charity, The Secretary to the C • tee here real" a Report, in 106 E 1 1.041 stated diet the untidier of moolent.psreposs 'sodd ing iu,Spitaltields wits very small. rie.htliabltaitts of Ate . district noisily emisisied of matilifictoring and fahouring poor. since the Committee was established in 1812. they had had the satisthetimt ofrefieving many from starving. They cum mended tote patietice with which the poor of Spitallields hail born.' their distresses. The industry of the weaver was very great ; but his sedentary habits untitted him line hard labour, Of the weavers, more than two thirds were unemployed; besides a very great slumber of other lurch:mit:sand labourers. The woorklieuses were too crowded to relieve them. Pau• perisin was extending to an alarming degree. . Many sold their fitrititure„ or had it seised to pay their rent. Otters deserted their houses because they were unable to behold their starving Here he read smite cases of individual distress. The Lord Mayor said the Meeting would be kept there all night, if they went him details of individual distress. The Secretary then proceeded with the Report. The Com mittee had received 1001. per week from the General Asso ciation; hot even that was inatletpuee to carry on their exer tions. They had also receive(' from Governtient 500 blan kets, 1000 palliasses, and 8011 pair of shoes; but with an expression of regret, that there was no money which could be made available to the purposes of the Committee.—firor! Arms!—The Committee were therefore constrained to apply to the public for general assistance; stud they might be assured that whatever was granted would be applied with the greatest possible economy. Mr. Buxton said, that no one (*old possibly visit the scenes of distress which he had witnessed pr observe the ravages of poverty end disease, witkuist sensations of horror or com passion. Whoever had, like hint, seen the fixed and rooted despair of men, incapable of obtaining work and food to sup ply the wants of their starving wives, and appease the cries of their famished children—whom er.lhad seen this witald endea vour to awaken in others like fet4ings of cotupassion to those with which he himself was deeply impreseedt that something great and d'rortovueshibt be done that day to relieve those who had nut yet sunk in irretrievable distress .and despair. Although the Poor-laws allowed the Magistrates to incorpo rate the parishes incapable of maintaining their own poor, with the richer ones in their own neighbourhood, still that was only allowed to be done with parishes in the same county. Now, Spitaltields could not be relieved by incorporating it with the richer parishes of the City, because the latter was a county of itself: but the poor of Spitalfields worked princi pally for masters resident iu the City. The City had all the advantage arising from their industry and ingenitity,whiie to the inhabitants of Spitalfields was only left their age, their po verty, and distress to be relieved by them. Great commissers lion was due to the inithilingthuseholders, who had been them selves struggling with poverty to relieve the poor. Many of them had kept up a decent appearance, and yet had been obliged to send secretly to the Committee for the soup, fish,, and rice, which they distributed. Other causes of distress among the weavers was, the ImpOrtation of foreign silks by those who travelled abroad. He was persuaded that no woman in this country would array herself in foreign silk, if site knew the groans and the tears which such conduct had occasioned in their district. In Spitalfields it was become a matter of great interest to obtain admission into the work- ' house; yet to shew that die workhouse was no place of luau. ry, he could assure the Meeting that four persons were oblig ed to he put into each bed. In every house, and in every room, they Wight see if they visited them, scenes of unex ampled distress. Physicians declared that many, especially children, had been swept away by diseases which abstinence alone had caused. There, were even scenes of actual starva (ton, which lie would draw a veil over. Ott Friday last lie saw a man who had been found among some willow beds, with some remains of life; but the vermin bad begun to make lam their prey. When he recovered his speech, he asked hint it he had a wife? He replied " no; thank God! I ant able to sufier better than others, whose spirits are suck by having a starving wife and family before their eyes." In or dinary times the poor were the best friendsof the poor; there existed among theta a sympathy for one another's distresses, which exalts oer ideas of humanity. Did it not then belong to the man who fared sutuptuously, and was cloadted in so ft raiment to give more than the mere droppings from his table to relieve the distresses of the poor? The rich man knew nothing of the sad situation ofthe poor, seeking employment to maintain their starving families, and able to get none. Private charity was, absolutely overcome, and that was the reason of this !triplication for public relief. The sale of lish had been obliged to cease; anti by removing that, they would be enabled to employ the distressed, and also bring to this country a large supply of food. The distress was urgent be yond all former precedent; and if that Meeting did not give them fresh vigour, the hopes of the poor man-would fall to the ground. If, on the contrary, they came forward to their support, they would feed the orphan, and wake the widow's heart sing with joy. Mr. Hawkey said there never had been a ease exhibited before the public eye, in which so mach suffering had been endured, accompanied by so litde crime on the part of the poor. Their appeal was not mixed with threatenings, or made tip at tumultuous Meetings; neither had they destroyed their employers' ptopett.. He hoped the country at large would take warning by the conduct of the poor of Spite 'fields, and that It will be 'hewn that more would be dose for them, oat of feelings of humanity, than from fear of their vengeance. He trusted the Meeting of that. day would strew the poor that their prayers had been heard; and that, so far as human means could go, their distress would he alleviated. He then waged that the Report which bad been read, should he ap. proved and adopted.- Carried unanimously. Mr. Hale moved that a suliscriptien should be opened im mediately fur the relief of the Poor of 80unit:ids, and its ueighbourhood. The Rev. Mr. Pratt seconded the motion ; in doing which he commended the temper of thrlrearmice exhibited by tl:. large distressed population of Spitaltield, That forbearance was tempered by a resignation to the will of divine pruvi deuce, arising Ruin the constant reading of the Scripture. among them 'Dies , must persevere in their efforts of relief'. and lay their hearts and shoulders to the work; for in that district there were upwards of 40,000 persons out of employ. bECEMBER mod. Let them then take compassion ou the poor; lia he alto came from the heavens td save went about doing good to the pger. He had ratived 1001. from a benevolent lady— orresrepylewsej—to'r this. lunitat ; and he trusted the Indies would exert themselves in behalf of the poor, and eticouralte small donations front their domestics. The resolution was theu carried unanimously. Mr. Milne, iu moving that a Committee Mania be ap pointed, with the Gird Mayor at its head, trusted that this Meeting would hoar the best effect on the country at large. His object was to impress upon men of vide:nee througl the country, the necessity of coming forward m behalf of the poor; for distress now i ns:l4mnd itself uu all hides in the must hisleons shapes. • Mr: S. Wow ls seeontlett the motion. He stated that 159 persons had been obliged to be sent away unseived with soup on the last slay of disteibution. The motion was carried xunuimounly. , Mr. Butterworth, M.P: moved the thanks of the Meeting to the different Societies, that 11441 come forward in relict of 'the spitaltields Poor; null also to the Gentlemen of the sink trade, and those wail had called the Meeting. The Go:all,- men of the silk trade had given 1.1001. for the relief of the I distressed weavers. He praised the soup which the Com mittee had distributed. it was known to be good to thy I Hon. Itarunet (Sir W. Curtis), who was as good a judge of soup as any one. —(4l laugh.) Mr. Marryatt, 11. P. congratulated the Meeting on its ab stinence from all political feelings, they being absorbed in those of humanity and charity. He moved the thanks of the Meeting to the Lord Mayor; which wee carried in the affir nuttier unanimous-Iy. The Lord Mayor felt gratified that he bad ken placed in a situation of at all forwarding so meritorious an Institu lion. lie recommended a contribution of old clothes, how ever worn or tattered, which the Committee would thank folly receive at the Sonp-bouse in Spitalfields. Till the price if the loaf had come down I. a tainting, he bad prohibited pies and puddings iii his family. The eider had oceasioned away long faces, but be hail, for the dist time, inteifercd in do mestic economy, because the law gave him the power. The Meeting tben threw down their names mid the aunts they intended to subscribe, with great rapidity. The subscription amounted at least to 110001. Many Qua ken were ausetag the Meeting, whit anliacribed Plates were held frees the eutrance to the Hell to the furthest extent of the sate Chamber, and few passed on Without be stowing a donation. Ibis Meeting, ou the whole, bore the • genuine character of benevolence. We trust that in the words of one of the benevolent speakers, "it may be .the first of , ow series of Meetings need together to relieve the distressed poor • and that they may Fo on, without ceasing, until the desired e nd is accomplished." fhe Spitalfields poor bare the peculiar merit, that under die. tress almost nuiparalleJed,dwy have displayed a patience which may be called heroic: " they have not been abromt timoue tonaultuotts assemblies, raising discontent in the intuits of their fellow countrymen; they have not been occupied an . the destruction of their employers' property ; b u t th e y have • - peacefully and calmly resigned themselves to that Beiag who could hear their prayers and redress their grievauces." Whilst we are reflecting on this striking proof that" it is possible to endure distress without being driven to ferocity," our eyes are struck with a proclamation in an lsish Paper, offering a reward of 2001. for the discovery of the wretches who murdered Mr. E. Litich, and seven other persons, by buntiay then to death! Title horrid deed, at which Immunity 1111114111414, could surely never have taken place, hid educa tion and religions instruction been spread among the people of that district; as, we rejoice to learn, from the speeches at Tuesday's Meeting, they have been through Spitalfields and its neighbourhood. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. Thunday a Court or Common Council was held, pursuant to a requisition signed by a considerable number of members, for the purpose of taking into consideration the present de pressed and impoverished state of the country, and to adopt such measures, by petition or otherwise, as insy best tend to the abolition of unnecessary places and pensions, to lessen the present enormous public expenditure, and promote a re form iu time representation of the people in parliament, by which alone we can expect a full redress of public griev. slices, and an effectual security against public encroach ments. The Lord Mayor stated the object of the Meeting, and directed the requisition to be read. %Vaithman, after desiring that the petition of the 6th June, ISLO, should be read, observed, that ill the motion he was about to submit, he proposed to go no farther than was consistent with the prayer of that petition. its prayer was for a reform in the representation of the people, and it was founded upon those political evils which had flowed from the present imperfect state of that represeatation. There were various reasons for reminding the Court of its Conner and late declarations on the present solemn and afflicting occasion. clue great national grievances, which all in common joined in deploring, had been there fairly stated, and those preju dices conquered, which he might otherwise have to fear as obstacles to his immediate purpose. These prejudices, how ever, were still alive, and must he encountered; all he could hope was, that they might yield to the force of orpiment, and the incontrovertible statement of facts. It was agreed on all sides, for it was every where felt, that the present moment was one of peculiar and unprecedented calamity. It was O rions to the eye of every observer, that that large portion of our population, from which all the strength and opulence of the State was primarily derived, pas now unable to procare the sustenance necessary to their own support, or the semen. sure of their respective families. This dreadful, and hitherto unknown condition of society in this country, occurred at a period when, from all that h a d previously been augured sad premised, as well as from the uptare of the event itself, the blessings and prosperity of peace were expected to visit a happy nation. (Applatur.) They had (molly looked for ward to a period of their sacrifices and their sufferings—to a relaxation of those oppressive burdens to which they had Nisionitted only from a sense of natimial danger, sad a caw victim' of public difficulty. There were, as it appeared to him, two, or rather three classes of enemies, whom the real frieods Or the public cause had to eneiniuter. The first con sisted of the persons directly or indirectly interested in the wasteful espenditure of government ; the second was coin. posed of those who, from tempecary or ill-founded appetites. 4iollB, were averse to the undertaking of any serious reform; iiiitl'a third, by far the most dangerous mid formidable of all, 'lose who, by wild and clamorous and absurd proceedings, railed down ridicule or detestation upon every attempt to secure cziedeem the rights and constitutional freedom of the siOject. (Applause.) Of the first description vt their ens.