The Express.
London, England, 1853-01-11 00:00:00

it, dB: their seal and send I. forth possessing all the power,
and backed by all the paina and penalut sof an act of par-
liament. Such tyranny, in the minion of your committee,
i► intolerable, and requires the immediate al:erAtinn of the
legislature, as was decided at the meeting on the 2.5 th Octo-
ber last.

" The committee have to report that they have received
the following subscriptiona :—From the Rochdale uaion,
101.; Oldham, WI.; Huddersfield, 101.; Burnley, 101. ;
Salford, 101.; Ashton-ender-Lyne union. 101.; Bradf.ed
union, 101. ; Bury, 101.; North Bitrly, 101. ; Todmorden,
101.; Blackburn, Sl. 75.; Barnsley, of. ; Dewsbury, 51.;
Wigan, 51.; Hull Incorporation, 10/.; Samuel Fichien,
Esq., 101.; Chorley, 61.; Nottingham, 10/.; Pernstoue, 31.
The committee will forward an account of their spec-
diture to the unions which have subscribed. Of course
they rely on receiving subscriptions from the several other
unions that attended the meeting on the 25th of October
last, but which have not yet been remitted.
" Ica conclusion, the committee beg to express their con-
fident expectation, that the vigorous prosecution of this
movement will result in mating the law fixed and certain,
until altered by an enactment of parliament itself; so that
the guardians, who have the confidence of the ratepayers,
and who have been appointed by them and intrusted with
the spending of their money in relieving toe poor, may
possess and exercise that discretion and independence
necessary for the satisfactory discharge of their important
duties, unfettered by the disturbing interference of an
absent, and therefore necessarily a circumstantially unin-
formed, board in Louden, or their similarly situated sub-
ordinates in tie country.—Signed on behalf of the com-
mittee. " Joust HOLT, Chairman.
" 10th January, 1653."
The CHAIRMAN said the order issued by the Poor-law
Board on the 14th of December, as a substitute for the one
which they bad so much complained of, contained silt, ra-
tions only in article.: 1,3, and 10. The variation was cull-
sidtrable in article 1, sligb t in article 3, and, in his opinion,
of no moment whatever in article 10. A few of the unions
which had joined this movement, which was originated on
the 25th of October, professed to be satisfied with the
amended order, but he confessed they had a much finer
vision for a difference than any he could lay claim to ; and,
if it was only fur these attentions tiiat they had made so
much exertion, it was an exemplification of the old saying,
" great cry and little wool." (Hear, hear.) The poor
were in much the same position as they were before the
alteration; and that graver matter, by which the guardians
themselves were insulted, the undue interference of the
central authority, was left undetermined. Ali in-
dependence and discretion was denied them, and the
utmost they were able to do, even when circum-
stances, and humanity, and kind feeling required that
they should act in violation of any of the a,tieles of this
order, was that they were allowed to do so for 21 ells, on
condition of reporting what they had done, and ceasing to
do it if desired by the Poor-law Baud. lie was glad to cor-
rect
what he had said at a former meeting, as to the proba-
bility of the late members of the Poor-law Board having
found the obnoxious orders prepared by their predecessors
in office, for he had Mr. Beines's private assurance that it
was not so, and that they would never have been issued if
ho had remained at the head of the board. (Hear, hear.)
The Rev. Mr. BUTLER moved the adoption and circula-
tion of the report.
Mr. CROSSLY, of Todmorden, seconded the resolution,
and it was carried unanimously.
Mr. J. CORBETT moved the next resolution, which was
as follows :—" That the commit:cc to be this day appointed
are directed to select a deputation to obtain ea iuterview
with T. Baines, Esq., M.P., who has recently been re- ,
appointed Presiocat of the Poor-law Board, on the resigna-
tion of Sir John Trullope, in order to urge the total and
immediate repeal of the order of the 14th December last,
and, in accordance with the resolution passed at the meet-
ing held at this hotel, on the 26th of October lust, to apply
to parliament in the present session for an act to prevent
the Poor-law Board frum Leming orders which are new
laws, and take away the discretion and independence of
boards of guardiane."
The Rev. JosatiA FAwerri seconded the resolution,
which was carried.

Mr. LIVESET proposed the next resolution: " That the
several districts and unions represented at this meeting, as
well as the country generally, be requested to petition par-
liament immediately to withdraw from the Poor-law Board
the unconstitutional power now exercised by it of making
laws, which power only belongs to parliament itself—and
this power parliament has no right to delegate."
Mr. HAWKILIDOE, of Nottingham, seconded the motion,
and it was agreed to.
Mr. MIDDLETON, of Hull, moved—" That a committee,
to consist of the following gentlemen, and also of one
gentleman to be nominated by each board of guardians
taking an interest iu this movement, be and is terehy ap-
pointed to carry out and promote the decision of this meet-
ing, with power to add to their numbers; three to bo a
quorum; and with full authority to exercise their discre-
tion as to the means to be adopted in the accomplishment
of this object, and ,with power at any time to con-
vene another meeting of deputations from boards of
guardians, ratepayers, and others, at such time
and place aa the committee shall think desirable."
He thought the present poor-law system not only took
from the guardians of the poor a proper discretionary power
as to relief, but did their work at an immense cost in an
inferior manner. _ _

.....
Mr. Joitte SHACKLETON, of Penis'one, seconded the 'no-
tion, which seas carried unanimously.
Mr. Bwoww, of Bradford, moved the fifth resolution :
"'that the thanks of this meeting be given to the members
of parliament who honoured the deputation with their
attendance at Gwydyr-house, and for the support and
attention which they gave to the deputation when in town,
and that those honourable gentlemen be respectfully re-
quested to favour the movement with their continued sup-
port, and that the especial thanks of the meeting be given
to John Margan Cubbet", Esq., M.P., for his attendance
here this day, and for the services that he has rendered to
the objects of this movement."
Mr. PARUIe seconded the resolution, and it was adopted
with applause.
A vote of thanks was given to the chairman, and this
concluded the proceedings.