The Express.
London, England, 1847-05-22 00:00:00

'.. rs~e.Jl..

ThiSOLICITORARICEILLL TOR IRELAND **lda. '
there wee scarcely amp satire* sastaalnitirldNl•
apes If Ma rester
and* liir- iltln Ise 1
ii • *rd. TIP arsulfibtat et dittsenso 'bad gii Dl= I
~mots. no *tie hg, prodiata sad had given each
, that It sir dills& to tag what was, tit eral
Vitlitilaw. Sol. at Ireland was massnalk 1100447 ,
*Selo Vaviatrod that the lest off wigs receiving
1161111 Ur; but probably dot arse from:.
*re itatatrZwahrm arpotrdow in *shad since the
T. 411111ilig•I AN. There had been &Mamie as to
Area various charities, but the receipt of
Ellbsedwidlird not hese generally eoridered sufficient to dis-
t* *rat Solar as his wn opinion went, he should
• VieOtt sir W tie cy of Ireland, the fact
M • AW re= net easesearily disfrenebiee them.
With 1411100 lei dr horough tweadtaency there was no pro-
mmoo• • inuee eber A.N.
SEDUCTIONR AND PROSTITUTION SUPPRESSION
BILL.
Mr. W. COLLETT naked ii it ware intended to peer this
till that evening. It would be a conveniewes * itrynsens •
has of the house who were determined to doer it, if It
could he postpaid. •
Mr. SPOONER said that as only MIS arintsee were
(pod to °ppm it, there were not rang of **dm who
would be either orvenieneed or hmossysalsord by_ its

cc ming on. He should certainly press it won the serf first
opportunity.
IRTSEI DISTRESS.

rho cHANcELEoitToiibeikeHIMITER said it
would be in the recollection of tho house that rornetinte be-
Gra Ei+ter he bad obtsiood in commies, of supply on tid-
y ince of MOW. for the relief of Irish distrese. He wished
C:111 to give notice that on Friday neat he should a.k the
house to go into onsitaittes with • view to tote a further
odvanos._____ _ . . -• .

Mr. HUME hoped that by that time some statement
would be laid before the house rs to the way in which the
money already voted had been expended.
Lord G. BENTINCK hoped the right' hon. gentleman
would be in a condition to state upon that occasion that the
government would be enabled at an early day to bold out a
prospect of reduction in the enormous staff at present em-
pluyed upon Irish works. W.ilst the workmen employed
had been reduced from 600,000 to 240,000, the statf con-
enued to cost from 16,0001. to 17,0001. a week, or nearly
400,000/. a year, of which immense sum onafourth was
charged exclusively to the governmeut.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
irote he should propose would not be for public works. He
mentioned that, to correct the erroneous impreeaioo which
rs:e noble lord's speech might convey. He should be happy
i• he could hold out any hope of reduction in the number of
peke» employed upon the public works in Ireland ; for it
would give him es much pleasure as it could possibly
ire the noble lord to find that the residents in Ireland were
oing their duty and taking on themselves the working of
e Relief Act.
IMPRISONMENT OF A FACTORY GIRL.
" Mr. FERRAND asked If the Home Secretary would,
during the recess, institute any inquiry into the came of the
factory girl respecting whom ha had presented a panties
that evening >
Sir 0. GREY ssid he should give no pledge whatever
upon such a subject. The reeem could make no difference in
Ole course which in each matters he should think it right to
adopt. The hon. member had brought the case to the Home.
office the day before yesterday, end he (Sir G. Grey) was
4uund to say that there appeared nothing illegal upon the
lace of the 6eM related to him.
NEWFOUNDLAND.

Mr. G. W. HOPlCii4iiieWifabiiie;lied the Newfound.
land Government Bill, which stood for second reading that
evening, was to be proceeded with that night? It had not
even yet been printed.
Mr. B. HAWES sail there was nothing in the bill to
which the how. member could object. It simply restored to
the colony its old oonstitation.
Mr. HOPE said he had not intimated that he was going
to object to it. All he had said was, that he should like to
ace it. A bill, eves though it "simply restored an old con-
etitution," ought to be in their hand/ before they passed it.

-AFFAIRS OF PORTUGAL.
Mr. HUME stoked whether the noble lord would lay on
-the table of the house the instructions glean to Sir W.
-Parker and the ether officers sent out by the British govern-
ment to Portugal.
Lord J. RUSSELL could not at present lay the instruc-
tions before the house. . . . . .

Mr. HUME^
ltare notice that he should bring the subject
Owler the consideration of the house immediately after the

4110001.
POOR-LAW.—ADJOURNED DEBATE.
Mr. BORTH WICK opened the adjourced debate. He
said he could not view with env favour a bill which did not

deetroy one vicious principle of the measure of 1834. He
reprehended the manner in which the hon. and learned
member for Bath had smelled the hon. member (or
. .

ZdrepuiiaTei the bon. and learned
'ember's implied proposition, that because the hon.
4rnember for Knareaborough had not written Shakspeare
or invented the =salad glasses, he was thcrefure not
entitled to (cereal an opinion on the subject before
the house. Us denied that the 43rd Elisabeth was

too act which created for the poor the right to relief.
The right of the poor to relief had been acknowledged front
all time. There were many acts on the English statute
• *lt, long prior to the 43rd Elisabeth, all recognising that
i ienalth that in the pert whisk the honourable
member the litemeltesett* eYifeaMl for them. He
denied that the gusset kw *died the definition given
to it by its prometees—that ed &local administration soder
• central math The astral control ws i
end, as reel,
_should always receive his opposition. It
hitherto waded as a system of dewy to the poor, what-
ever the edge lord the raeother for London might my to
the ecortnep. Men had pthithwid, akildree hod
under its herahlegeleiewn The hoe. neembse tee
borough Ind eolith this oeselredive weeder, and the aside
lord had eigasted leed yam, a, bet le weld till the smile
lord thee thelaimaini Mss Mel and "Moping is OM el
-meek La emir*. /be M. and bane samba krill It
had ridiculed 141011111. idled% hae=edd .
But had the bea. add ivernid wise hob
reed Vatted, and litheimainal_ Mrs. Trollops, who, like
the elder Shandy, woe Athol in the leareieg of the re-
nowned Blawkenbergiay poised a better moment He
(Mr Bortii) senthellei that hie
wee friend
Lad 'made w
arp awl anted -aersdeella ' the
honourable rad banal seabee hr ate week In vas
attempt to West*. With reepest le the bid itself, he wholly
objected WI dlll irresponsible powers eine to the oersteds.
sinner.. Not the repartee** Andover c•immittee,
ho did not think: them gentlemen is bed se they bad been
represented. but NM be should in othisoktee--sbould the
1,31 reach that otesit—move that them powers be brought
b:fore parliament Oath in threw ter the purp or of '
revision. Thu mamba ewasadthby expressing his
intention of vM with the mud rewires of the bill.
Mr. MILES mY.doethe Wm mambos who had just eat
awn had esseesiedtlesssit with enowering the speech of
the hos. sad leaned member he Beth. If that course were
patinesel, they weak net get te the end of the debate for
two or three weeks. (Hear, hear.) They should turn their
thlithtten to abet the bill really was. They had their choice
ea to the birds to which was to be plawd the controlling
power. Thei=egive it either to the oil magistracy, to
the or to the new board proposed by the
nobrert:r. Pas the ant, he believed there would be but
few advisees astoop die of the house. (Hear, hear.) As
to the seeemd. ha wondered why, after the speech of the
noble lord, he *timid soak diange in the commission.
Why, his epee& tees to and was one continued
defence et tar present essoldelsesers. (Hear, hear.) Then
as to whet the posse& When he remembered I
is &maw &Wes tba bla, of State running from 1
the tromey leashes te a poor- aw commissioner under I
the platy be faSsevembia with which to defend
thanes of dedivldwal himaidis, he most theme his opinion
• that nisi ea empleyerat mesa asororthy one, end that the
system regehmilirerldsa. Ober, hear.) He led me hadde-
bou in silk( that he yeelheesd *aboard as prepaid by the
r-able lord to the on. which at preessd existed. lie thothith
it but right that there should be souse person in that hem
rzsponsible far Ow sets of the post-law sonsmissionere. NA
should support tho second reading of the bill ; but he did sot
thereby bind Unwell to all the demos. To many of the
clauses he had objections, and neesatie propose 0/1101111•111Sb
in committee. He concurred in the thetrine thee this pow
had an inalienable right to relied bet only to • while ex-
tent, and their destitution to be tried by a certain Wt. The
pear-law conceded the right, but required to have a tweet
destitution. He won lorry to say that that test was grodaely
slipping from under their feet. (Hear, hear.) Al Month
say was, that he woe satisfied with what had been pima he
Are them, and did not at all regret that central hallow
substituted for county control. (Hear, hear.) He sheath
certainly support the seemed reading of the bill.
Mr. ESCOTT would ask whether the new ecommth
sion was likely to he more efficient than that at pon
sent in existence, from the ilia of its sanding ono or
two plassemea to the House of Commons? He felt Wad
to vote against this new commission, because be believed,
it would be much more objectionable to the segatsg
than the one which it was in.ended to etamealaTM
noble lord (J. Russell) himself, in hie sposth d the
previous night, had stated strong constitutiemth meths
*shut such a commission. If he (Mr. R.cott) theththitthe
new commission was not worse than the old, he should mill
Tote against it. The feeling of the present commildon
ahoold he one of shame and repentance, for the ooly grimed
upon which the change was proposed .as, that that commie.
then had wholly failed is its objects. Their controlling
power had never been used for good, hut often for evil, and
they had shown their courage or cowardice in enforcing the
rules they had laid down, precisely in proportion to the
determination of the boards of guordians with whom they
lead to deal. Wherever the law had worked well, it was
I,.•csuse the guardians had disregarded the orders of the
commissioners. (Hear, hear) The hon. member, to show
the vacillating conduct of the oommistioners, referred to
their various orders In reforest* to out door relief, and for
relieving cases of sudden end urgent necessity. The effect
of the workhouse test,whieh he supposed was to be continued,
was, that it starved oat of the house the honest and illtila)-
triol,lll man, while it relieved the idle vagabond who had no
feelings of Pie to incises him to refuse relief within the
elope, but who went in and Atwood there, and thine out,
wises he did come out, a bloated victim of the workhouse
tat. (A laugh.) What the people required was, that the
• Lewis which wens to bind the country in reference to the re-
lief of the poor should be passed by parliament itself, and
that the power should not be delegated, as they contended
(*ad he agreed with them) it weld rot constitutionally be,
Go another body. They also required a fair ant equal system ,
aerating, and that the great owners of property—the secithed
latoreet of the constry—ohnuld contribute in 011
to their poverty. If this were done, th=rtiden
to the weepier might be reduced two-thirds with-
out any diminution of the amount of relief glum.
Rat they had no hope of a fair theta& of rating emanating
boa the present Howse of Commons. What was now the


medians of the working Mem 1. Tag.— k
easing amnia stead mg Ma Mies, and what su—
sses doshls the umalprien iltimeetawg mast be dem to t
this evil. It wee ell very weak MB ant armors audhosplo
of above that they should Mee tie raw of wages ; bin gel
labour offered, they wouldwasrallp get Italtheehrapirt ra
The ratelinyen wage midis meths se Yam. 8n hit es ti
farmers.( the wasted helm's, 014
they were leisgeffiday mall isseadatethe wallnis. alb
paor. At
amt in
they. were sepplylag their Meearan
with wheat at in shweel, though thirsis#M.prise was 14s.
He oteigailsi that it was mom is amigo the peseta pop-
Pan of the labourer on the rettleywo, upsa whom the chid
Minim sitshe par-sate hid been Mims, far the purpose of
eusspffse the greet mended lateral& Is masbrisa, ht celled
on miasma to Mime the land frees the avid burdens to
which it was sahlessed and compel the sassisd elms* to
statribute their felt slim.
Kr. WALLEY fait that the public emit be disappointed
with the bill Was the house. They looked ter a mature
.(relief, but he believed they would find this he bara mea-
lmare of aggravation. (Hear, hear.) This was mkt unfortu-
nate for the present government, for he thipakt they were
sodded to great praise for the course thet..s. lad adopted in
reference to the poor-law for Ireland. Cheery.) The
I noble lord's speech of last night the noble had himself
answered by anticipation. The Lord J. Russell of 1834
had answered the Lord J. Russell of 1847. (° Bear,"
and a laugh.) He (Mr. Wakley) those the younger Ems,
and preferred the arguments of the Lord J. Russell of Int
to those of the Lord J. Ettuell of 1847. In 1834 the noble
lord objected se strongly to • psen law commissioner being a
minister of the crown, that he exerted all his influence with I
Lord Althorp to event it, and succeeded. (Hear, bear.)
The noble lord hail now yielded to some aieister advice 1
given him by some pawn who did not regard the stability of 1
the government, or the welfare of the poor, and he bad made 1
the present unconstitutional proposition. It wee nothing
more than uniting the legislative and executive powers on a
subject in which millions of.persons were interested. In •
political crisis, every board orguardiaus would be a patted
'twine, and what would become of the interests of the poor ?
What did the noble lord, expect would be the working of this
merman ? Were the government jealous of the peculiar
prosperity of the poor-law commissioners? (Laughter.)
The honourable secretary would always be called the
Poor-law Commissioner sitting at the Horne -office.
(Laughter.) What would be the questions the ministers as
Poordaw Commianioners would have to decide ? It would
not do to say that • question had been referred to the Poor-
, law Commiaioners. That wee at an end—their independent
authority was gone. They had been not only the ace
of the guard em bat of the government. The no:Lfirorl
said if there was a proposition condemnatory of
them ha would oppose it; he therefore should not
disapprove of their conduct, and he was prepared
fur his colleagues following their example. If that
were so the government would not be long in
office. Suppose a question as to the diet recommended by •
hoard of guardians was to arise. For instance, en the 17th
January, 1848, a letter was addressed to the poor-law com-
missioners by the clerk of the Bromley union, which stated
an alteration in the dietary of the workhouse. It wee, that
en Wednesdays four and a half ounces of bread and a pint
and a half of soup were to be given to the general inmates,
instead of seven ounces of bread and one of cheese, and a
meat pudding for the children on Thursday instead of bread
and cheese. To this an answer wan returned on the 31st of
January, requiring the special reason for altering the existing
dietary. A letter was then written by the clerk on the 13th
of February. (Thee, were the questions which were to be
coastently brought into the House of Commons. He (Mr.
Wekley) should always invite persona to bring them
forward, and he would be ready to do so,) The
letter stated, in answer to the commissioners' let-
ter of the 31st, that the alteration of the dietary
was proposed by a member of the board, and was referred to
a committee ; they refused to agree to it, but it was subse-
quently ordered by the board. It was stated that the increase
of expenditure for the soup would not be more than WI. a year
for a hundred inmates, and 4/ 6e. Bd. for pudding for forty
children. The decision of the commissioners, in a letter of
12th February. was that it wasinzapedient to make any such
alteration. Were they to discuss questions of this kind con-
stantly in that house? The noble lord (f. Russell) intimated
dissent, and he perhaps meant that his colleagues would be
so liberal that they would not act in that manner; and, as be
said in his speech last night, relief would be
liberally given. The difficulty, however, would be
insurmountable, and no ministry could overcome it,
for every one of these questions would b-come
a government question. It would, in feet, make the govern-
ment a committee of masters in workhouses. In tie Brom-
ley union the allowance of meat per week to an able-bodied
man was five ounces, and three to a woman, with seven
I ounces of bread and one of cheese per day. What was the
allowance is the House of Correction ? He would first read
the whole dietary in the Bromley uuion:—On Sunday—Men,
six ounces bread, women five; gruel or milk porridge, a pint
and half ; sixteen ounces meat pudding fur dinner for men,
and ten for women. Supper: sir ounces bread, and
one plat milk porsidge. After Sunday, for dinner
not a parade of meat, and only five ounces during the
entire weak. Dinner on Tuesday, 16 ounces suet pudding,
end vegetables CO Fridays; and on other dap seven ounces
Mead gad Me MU 11111401. Now in the Home of Cori
reedem—Peir breakfast: is Monday, cocoa 1 pint, 6 2,3
ounces Lead; the women the same as the men. There was
no damsel in the allowance to women; and it was hard
that than was no increase of allowance to women in the
siaelthetnes with children at the breast. At dinner: 8 2-3
caner kead and 6 ounces meat on Tuesdays, Thies !au,
and ilsturdays. Thus • criminal woman had 24 ounces
of meet a week, end a poor one in the workhouse
had only three. Were the government to make
• qsatisa, Mut this of the Bromley union, • g ,-
unlink masa+ t add If they were to set as the poor-
law *Winans did, then did they think that they could
wand a was* i The power would be with the boards of
guardismoial they would rule the government, and the
- maid p to the wall. If this bill missed, • feeling of
wish' arise which would peril the institutions of
Sim esesley. • Ins this species of centralisation to go on add-
ing le thus millisalipswer of the government ? Every one of
the teak wader kis peer-law would hold their offices at the I
wilier the govenment. He was astonished that the noble
teed samM make such • proposition. Might not a
gemesumat mkt which would abaft this power ? which
vim eas Mak • he (Mr. Wakley) thought no govern-
ment sleek have. . The noble lord, in his speech last
*Ma bet hied to show the necessity flu this measure.
The menedsion was originally intended to be temporary
(it was se seated by Lord Althorp), and, consequently it was
limited to five years. Although the present bill professed to
be only for three yearn, it was clear that it was intended to
be permanent. Why poe-the-poor in commission? Why
not put over them a judge to control the boards of guardians.
He believed there would be no difficulty in pawing such a
law. If there was sny defect in the boards of guardians,
they should be remodelled. Their elections were now a
mere Woe, the mane men remaining on them year after
year. All the evils of the old law were to be continued, and
there wen merely • new set of men for commissioners, con-
sisting of four cabinet ministers, and as many more as they
liked to add. There was a three-headed monster before,
now there was to be a many headed one. He believed the
poor would gain as little by the change as they did before.
I There would be a great disappointment to the people that
there was no change in toe law. The huge unions
were to be continued, and all the existing regu-
lations relative to out-door relief, were to remain.
Under the existing law there was no distinction made be-
tween the culprit and the honest man, and in this respect
the statute of Elizabeth was one of the noblest eneetmenta
that ever emanated from the legislature of this country. It
had given security to property ; it afforded protection to the
humbler classes, and, in his opinion, under the benevolent in-
fluence of that law, England had obtained its supremacy.
The first duty which attached and belonged to property was
to !live protection to the poor ; and how could hon. members
believe themeelves to be in security if their poorer neighhours
were suffering from destitution, and probably were in agate
of actual starvation. (Hear, hear.) But the principle of the
statute of Elisabeth, from which such happy results had
flowed, was tots llp allaisatal lo the Poor-law Act now in
operation. It was esti Set tide evil was to be cured by the
introduction into the esaisaission for the administration of
the poor law. of some Ili the ministers of the crown. He
lirmry believed that the maim which in this respect the ge-
-1 IgengliOn was eselp maid be molt unfortunate and dia-
-1 MM. la Its maim meld be disastrous to the govern.
lesea, mil ill is 01111111.11111•111 would be most pernicious to
1 tie Mailltie gni, pit. Throughout the land a feelirg
id le boos was hostile to the interest% of the
I That feeling had been prod
by
Ode rembs. Amendment Act, which was
isow fall brae awl operation as part and parcel of the
law of the land ;_ that feeling would net be re-
m rved, but, on the contrary, would be increased if
the new commission, with the resporeible ministers of the
crows at its head, acted in aceordance with the conduct of
the commissioners, who, by this bill, were about to be di, -
missed. The working-clasees believed, that in this house,
there existed no sympathy for their suffering', and they
thought that the prop sty which, by their labour, they had
nom* men, in the hour of need, to furnish and afford
thilialMOlON and assistance. Notwithstanding the ad-
visory et the Um sad learned member for Bath (Mr. Noe-
-1 insk), !gbh, ha sugmeisa 119 elserve was not in hie place, he
(Mr. Welgap)whimil is sselbe labouring classes represented
ki dis bee" bellevlas sole did, that nothing would be of
• MINIS 11111•111111ative eilirailli, or more calculated to give
Waft to the iisibettese of the country. If
lit hialausble and keened member for Bath leg
thie We to tie labouring classes' how
ma be the • poor-law set would laid ? (Hear,
bear.) boseed of the change now proposed, he (Mr. Weik- I
ley), mail infinitely prefer the total repeal of the existing
law, as, hp so doing, he was convinced that he should pro-
mos the bast interests not only of the working classes, but
et the Myers who snort bear the burthen. The work-
Mum es ahreandsmad, was nothing more nor less than a
pi. Oh bed bees shown by the exposure of the transac-
ting' et lbs Intaglio= Andover union. Would the 119111.1
lest at ibe bead of the government point out, in toe next
Mead all bill, what ought to have been the course our-
ses4 bt *peer law commissioners in the case of the An-
bier lens, In that of the Bromley union, and likewise
is that If Margate, which had still more recently
.waxed. And what was the Margate cam? Under
the twenty-mventh section of the existing poor
law art, aged persons might obtain relief on receiving the
eider.( two magistrntes, one of whom must unify pat of
his own knowledge the applicants were incapable of Loboor.
lar.Waddington, one of the must able and respectable me li-
i eel proentionen in Margate, certified in the ease of a man of
the aims of Sweetman and his wife, in Febru .7 last, and
eat* an application fen their relief ha 4 been made before
fhb tee, who, after ken g the case, and the eel-
elliflng.24lr Waddiagton, the surgeon, granted an order for
4
the ehks aoplicaot. That order was served upon the 1
le
vish,guardcaiansik, ant
.Ippthlicis relief
k wist; gives
renewed, ; but
the on
slid the 1

—.. matter.
a fact, had the noble hard at the head of the goes =writ
eansidered the poeltion in which the government would be
placed Beams of this kind were beereedst before the , house
when the poor-law oonemiraiot.ers were represented in it 2 If
this bill passed, the government must to prepered
to meet all the allegaliemered charges brought egainst the
administration of the poor-lawn, and would not have
recourse to tha defence hitherto set up. that them complaints
bad been referred to the commissioners at Soinerel House.
(Hear, hear.) Under all them circumstances, he felt con-
vinced that the arrangement proposed was meet
and thereto' he should oppose the bill in he present stage,
and vote for the amendment of the hon. member fur K names
borough (Mr. Ferreud). Should that amendment b. loot.
he (Mr. akley) should in every future step give his decided
opposition to the further progress of this bill. (Hear, hear,)
Mr. VILLIERS sold that after listening to the debate
which had token Mace this evening, and to the speeches a
the gentlemen who were most vehement iu their opeoaltiol
to this bill, he was the more satisfied of the necessity of each
a measure as that now proposed to the consideration of the
house. Those who had had the patience to listen to the four
speeches of to-ni ht—that of the hon. member for Eveshaus
r. Borthwiek , of the hon. member for dormreet (Mr.
Miles), of the . and learned member toy Warchester
(Mr B. Escott), and the hon. member Air Finsbury (Mr.
Wakley), who had just concluded, must naturally ask them•
selves what these four several speakers proposed should be
done in reference to this important question. Al these
hon. members differed except as to one point. and inem that,
namely, their utter di:cement as to the existing commission,
they most wonderfully agreed. ( dear, hear, and a limes),
The hon. member for Embers (Mr. Borthwick), in his
opposition to this measure, bad eulogised the working popes,
lation of this country es being possereed of the dignity of
knowing right from wrong—as enjoying the highest spirit of
nobility, and as being destitute of every vice. and yet on ad
one occasion whin the uppertunity had been sleeted, bad
the hon. gentleman voted in favour of the extension of the,
suffrage to that clam of the community which he was now
ready so strongly to eulogise. The same he might say of the,
views of the hon. memoer for Somenetabire
,(Mr. Miles),
and of three of the hon. aed learned member for
Winchester (Mr. B. Bscutt). The honourab:e member
for Finsbury concurred with those honourable mem-
bers who to-night had preceded him in condemning the
present commission, which, he contended, misses, al uncon-
stitutional powers, and hence he wished the tar-feened etarute
of Elisabeth to be returned to. The hon. member for Fins-
bury had tomight also expressed great faith in local govern-
meat with reference to the administration of the poor-laws
but the hon. member forgot that, so lately as the year 1845,
he had declared in his plate here, that " it was universally
known in this country that the tyranny, the oppression, the'
cruelty, and the mal.adminietmtion of the poor-law was
found to be produced by the boards of guardians, and not
the poor-law commissioner." And still more recently, the
honourable member complained that the provisions
of the statute of Elizabeth were not reverted to.
He did not wish to charge the bon, member for Finsbury
with ignorance of the history of kis country, but he must
remark that the boo. member, when be eulogised such an
enactment, forgot the tyrannous and brutal character of the
laws then in force. If the hon. member would look back he
would find that under the law he to much eulogised, a man
who after being removed from a parish had entreated was by
law Bogged as a vagrant ; that on the second return he was
liable to be branded on the forehead ; on the third repetition
of the same offence, he could to sold as a slave
and on the fourth, if he should hare the hardihood
to repeat hie offence, he might, by the operation of the law,
be hung as a felon. (Hem, hear.) Such were the provi-
sions of the statutes in force in those !meaty days, to which
the four speakers of to-night wished to come bask. (Hear,
hear.) But in all them diversities of opinion he was anxious
to see the department connected with toe administration of
poor relief represented in this house. The presence of
responsible minister in this department, prepared to give et
once a reply to the exaggerated statements put forth,
would tend to relieve the public mind from the
effects thous exaggerations were most likely to ro-
deo*. For these reasons he was disposed to adopt
the change proposed in the present system. Ile defied
the hon. member for Knaresherough (Mr. Ferranti) to prove
that-the central poWer Satinet of great advantage to the poor,
and that whatever of tyranny or of undue economy ex-
isted in the working of the law was to be attributed, not to
the aommisaioners, but to the beard of guardians, as had
been admitted by the honourable member for Finsbury
(Mr. Wakley) in the extracts he (Mr. Villiers) had quoted.
It was not the law that succeeded, it was the administration
of it that was succesaful. AVMs hon. gentlemen said that
the law was a good one, they paid a high compliment to the
central power, which was so much condemned. When per-
sons talked about the principles of the law connected with,
the central power, they warmly knew what they were talk-
ing about. Lord Althorp took the opportunity of abolishing
the allowance system, and of depriving the magistrates of
the power of giving out door relief, of stealiebing the power
of vestri. a, and the law of settlement. The commissioners,
in following out these mandates, had a peculiarly difficult
and arduous duty to perform. One person eve that they
should have no poor at all ; that they should give them
money at their own homes; while another sail that in order
'that they should have no paupers they should send all pour
persons to the workhouse, and the poor themselves spoke
!with the greatest indignation of the muner in which the
poor-law was administered. They said that there was no
hope for them unless they went into the workhouse, or
unless they got married young, and had a number of chil-
dren. Aceoreing to the hon. member for Finsbury, none
but those leading an idle and vsgabond life were entitled to
relief. When Lord Althorp introduced his hill, he found
the poor in a most demoralised condition; and it was for the
purpose of removing the abuses that existed that he
brought in his bill. The dispute between the com-
missioners and their secretary was, that the latter
wished to act too rigidly in conformance with the act,
and that the former were not inclined to do no. He only
•wished to state facts, and he would say that Lord Althorp
appointed these men, because he believed that they would
act prudently, and would be careful in the administration of
the delicate duties which devolved on them. Ms. Chadwick •
differed in opinion with Mr. Lewis, Mr. Lefever, and Mr.
Ifilitol; and he differed, as well, with the commisaioners
who preeaded them. The commissioners thought that, in '
Minletase• with the act of parliament, it was not necessary 1
to hoe him at their board, and they took the highest legal I
=laon the subject, and they found that they were right.
ma Ike dilreresee between them. They did
net in the I
AMIN dopes dlepeeese his abilities, but they thought that
be wee peseemed er Witty little judgment. He was hound I
also to my that no proof was established of the proceeding, 4
of the oommiteleders being irregular, and that they had no
object in view hat the public convenience. He did not
hear any champ made against the commissioners, but that 1
they had not implied with the act, and that charge he con-
tended was not established in that house. Their prneedinas
were laid before the highest legal authorities in tee country,
and were sanctioned by them. He had that fact from Mr.
Lefever himself, a more enlightened and able man than
whom could not be found, with the further information that
the commissioners got through the businesses favourab' to a
the public as they possibly could, and not in the ssasFitot
deg ne wishing to save themselves trouble. (11tor.) Yr.
Lvfevre said that the commissioners never acted contrary
the provisions of the act ; and if they did, he was as lamb
responsible as any of them. Tho two enemies whom the
oomusissionms had to contend with, were those who disliked I
the rigour of the law itself, and those who deprecated the
mode in which it was administered. He hoped that
it would go forth to the world that, with regard to all
these disgraceful proceedings, such as gross mesmsnagm
meet and inhumanity, there was not one tittle of evident),
te prove that they occurred front the fault of the 00•4114-
sioners, but from the fault of everybody else but them. It
was said that the commissioners got up this inquiry In
order to screen themselves. lie should like to know
what•they had to screen themselves from? (Hear.) It
was in consequence of the guardians not having obeyed the
directions of the commissioners, that this matter arose. The .
honourable member for Weymouth (Mr. Christie) bnas!ed
that he created public feeling against the commissioners
by bringing strong cases against them. The honoer-
able member for Weymouth create a public feeling!
Why he waited till the agitation had commenced, and
then he took advantage of it. What the holm member caked
a case was a false impression. Those who wanted to get rid
of the law made attacks against the commissioner ; and
those against the law and against the commissioners were
enabled to combine together for the purpose of destroying
both; and when the noble lord (Lord J. Russell)
said that he had no faith in the result of the
inquiry made by the Andover union committee, he only
said what every right-minded and every well-thinking
man would say when he looked szi the persons of whom the
committee was composed, and at the mode in which they
came to their conclusion. There was never anything known
like the manner in which that committee acted. It was
a select committee. and what was the drat step that they
took ? It was to throw the inquiry open to the press and
the public, and to allow garbled and unfinished reports to go
forth to the world without allowing a single officill report to
he made to the members of that house. A similar attempt
had been made in the year 1836, with respect to the peer-
taw, when Mr. Walter and Mr. Whittle Harvey,
both gentlemen connected with the preen, refined
to interfere in any undue or impartial manner,
and minted that both the public and the members of parlia:
meet should have the rep:arts de die is diem. The members
of this committee wet. made aware of what mended in 1636,
but yet they would not have any report made to the house,
bat allowed reports to go forth to the public.
Mr. WAKLBY snide some observation which was not
heard in the gallery.
Mr. VILLIERS was bound to believe the hon. gentle-
man, hut he had been told that there was • disinclinaion on
the part of the committee to let the house be furnished
with the proceedings before them. It had been.the universal
practice when the public were let into a committee, that
the house should be furnished with an official report; and
the consequence of the rule not being complied with in this
case had been, that partial reports came before the public,
which turned out afterwards to be very incorrect. He WWI
rattier surprised that the ruin. member for Weymouth
(Mr. Christie) was not in his place, alter the prominent part
which he had taken in this matter, and fur which he claimed
some credit. Nothing had been so insulting as the manner
in which that ham. gentleman conducted himself to them
who were his seniors; and if hon. gentlemen referred to the
questions which he put to the enteemes, he must indeed
have great faith in their indulgence to suppose they would
think him entitled to any credit in the matter. He did not

erewely
asked with triumph last night, why the secretary of e
commissioners was not dismissed, alter having been 4e.
misted bifare the amonittee. If he bad been how soon
would there ham Men another Andover committee--a So-
mmer House committee ? They deprived the cow
'wantons of the power as dismissing their subordinates
by treaties them all es enra' tingle. And here he would
say that no blame wee brought home to the commissioners
but there was another matter—
the in.quilryainimiqr*epstiatkonetr in re etee
which
an
sit..
eadiaary ~Winn was paused by eta 9 committee on the pro-
pose On of the hon. member for Bh.fewebure but if that
he:member had given his attention
to the subject for a
moment. he would have aeon that he was not justified in
naming such a resolution, but he was 'otherwise engaged
duriog that year, and had but little time
matter., Nuw, the report attached no his. we' to the "'sa-
to attend to such
ved before the
misdonent—to the central body—but it wee pr.
committee that Kr. Parker reported to the central ecn-
missioners that the Andover VUIOII was gore cm
favourably,
and that very fact was brought forward in she , 'hags of a
be-
resolution before the committee.; but would the 1. Ouse
lieve that that most important ho
t (not en operas 1, when
inquiry into the conduct of the commissioners wareme * into,
was struck out by • majority of the members of Ob• e°ln•
had
nattee—(hear, hear)—but a resolution that Mr. Fucker
conducted his inquiry with great partiality was virtually a Ir"
tied ia the committee? Well, then, he found from the in
delnee that this assistant-commissioner had recommend,*
' a ma improper person as master of the Work.
here. Mtn rover, the Secretary of State had written
Se aadlal letter to the commissioners complaining of this
sertantieemmissiouer, and was it not likely they should
stings an inquiry into the conduct of such • person ? As tar
their not rating their reasons for his dismissal, it was
ennugh that they intimated to him that it would be well for
him to retire, and he secordbigly did so. He maintained
that there was nothing in the ciuduet of the esesungioner.
to Mr. Parker which was contrary to the statute. He thought
the central commission had generally answered its purpose,
and that it was moist desirable there amid he a commissioner
to represent the bed/ in that hare. He stated from his
rimed obeervatier and also from his having been cm a com-
mittee which had been: sitting fur 3 months on the subject,
sad before whom wanes..re of all kinds had been examined,
that the country was well sati-tied with the central cionmiie
sion, and would be merry to see it done away with. Not one
witness on the committee to which he referred had *aid a
word against the commissioners, they had only complained
I of the use made of the poor law at the elections, nod the in-
to rference of the house with it just before the general
election in 1841, when the amistant commissioners were
reduced from eighteen to nine. The measure before the
house was not proposed, because of any inhumane or corrupt
conduct on the part of the commissioner., who had not done
anything that merit not have been done by any other DWI.
mimioner. The adminigration of the poulaw had been ui
greet utility, and the usefulness of it was, in a great mu
sure, owing to the regulatiorui which the commiegoaers hod
Ara time to time made; he was alas satiefied that the bear-
tits of the law would be greatly increased and extended by
the bill before the house. (Hear )
Lord J. MANNERS agreed in the observation of the
hon. member for Somersetehire, that if the ilehie e had been
seemed to the subject before the house, it might have ended
in a few hours ; but, if the debate hid been so restricted, he
must say, that the arguments in favour of the bill mug be
returned as none. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the sub-
ject of the poor-laws geuerally, his own opinion remained
unchanged. He did not think that they afforded that fair
there of relief which the industry of the pour entitled them
to ; he thought the sr of the unions was too large ; that
the medical treatment of the poor was not what it ought to be,
that adequate religious instruction was not &Warded to them;
and that the difference in the treatment of thole who were
imprisoned in their gaols, and those who were obliged to go
int the workhouse was a disgrace to a christien country.
(Hear.) He thought that the clergy ought to be made ex
officio guardians. With regard to the conduct of the Poo-
law Commissioners, of whom the bon. gentleman who spoke
last was so warm au advocate, he thought that if they had
;need correctly, if they boil violeted no law, if they had reed
up to the letter and spirit of the law under which they
had been appointed, if they had done ample jus-
' tine to the subordinates whom they dismimed, the
English people must be the most unjust, and the House of
Commons the most unfair legislative body the world ever
saw. (Hear, hear.) Tee hon. goutleman was indignant at
the conduct of the Andover committee, and said that the
witnesses were so worried by the hon. memo: r for Wey-
mouth, that they did not know what they were about; as if
any one would believe that Mr. Cornwall Lewis was inca-
pable of answering the quessions that were put to him, and was '
so baited that he said some things which he did not mean to
say, and meant to say other things which he did not sae.
Then Mr. Chadwick hai been represented as an errs in
hrebti—as a kind of Sir on—that he began by deceiving the
former commission, and was retained in office not because
the commissioners had the slightest confidence in him, but
tecause if he was dismissed he would have demanded an in-
quiry; and these commissioners knew they could not stand an
inquiry. But the main charge against the Andover committee
wss that they al lowt d the evidence to be print, d, which the hon.
meatleman said was at variance with practice, and liable to
relay olijections. What, then, would the hon. gentleman
my of the reports of the navigation committee, which were
osported every day of which committee the hon. gentleman
wet • member. the hon. gentl• man said that the commie-
hal met with undeserved censure, in consequence of Lag supposed so sanction the attunes which were per-
petrated in the Andover Union. It was quite true that the
commissioners were unpopular, bat at was not true
that the An lover committee had said anything (nor
had he ever heard that any person made such a charge)
to countenance the opinion that the Poor Law Commis-
sioners had introduced, tolerated, or sanctioned the abuses
committed in that Union. (Hear, hear). Then the hon. gen-
tleman said that there was alwu a a wish on the part of the
people to abuse the rich. He would give the hon. gentleman
credit for consistency if he prevented others from abusing
the rich, and call rag them the oppressors of the poor,
when he was engaged in the unscrupulous agitation
for the abulition of the Corn Leers. (Hear, hear).
Ilut the hon. gentleman used the most severe language
in speaking of his hon. friend the member for Weymouth,
whom he (Lord J. Manners) congratulated for having at-
tracted public attention to the street injustice and wrong per-
petrated by those in high authority ; and if the Andover
committee had been productive of no other fruit than that of
placing the conduct of the commietionete towards Mr. Day
and Mr. Parker in its proper light, he thought his hon. friend
had reason to be proud. The hon. gentleman said that the
central authority had been attacked as it was because
it was not allied to any great party in the state, and that he
would support the hill because that authority would now he
invested with the dignity and support of a great party in the
state. He (Lord J. Manners) thought visa this very rear
son must influence 01l those who wished to see justice done
to the poor, and to see thatthose who were antedated with—he
would not say an illegal, but an ex-legal authority, were
properly looked after, to vote against the measure. (Hear,
hear.) It was true that in future they could not be so sue-
usefully attacked, and he had no doubt this was the reason
for submitting the measure for the approval of the House of
Commons. If he thought the mere addition of three, four,
or flee members to the commission would have •
more humanising influence, and create greater con-
cern for the poor, be would support the bill, but
be did not think that it would have that effect.
He knew that the right hon. gentleman, th- Chancel or of
the Exchequer, was willing to undertake almost any amount
of work(laughter)—but he doubted whether even his
great capacity would enahle him to attend satisfactorily to
the working of the new proles.. The president of the
board would, in point of fact, have the direction of the whole
proceedings, and his decisions would be altogether binding
cot the other membors. He should vote against the hill, be-
cause be did not believe it could effect any real immovement
in the present 9YOSOL
Sir J. GRAHAM said, I had hoped that I Mould never
again trespass ea she attention of the house ie • debate on the
poor-law ; big, eciasidering the part which I took in the
paging of the Pour-law Amendment Act; coasidering the
oblo uy which I have incurred in my attempts to administer
the law ; considering that an official bias may be supposed to
have operated in my mind in my defences of the system o•
former occasions; and, lastly, confideriag that the inde-
pendent position which I now occupy, enables me calealy,
dispassionately, and deliberately, to review the policy and
working of the measure, the house will not, I thtak, be
eurpristed if I address them-eery shirty on the subject
tinder discussion. I do not see the hon. member Ihr Fins-
bury. in his place, but I feel great pram» in ex-
pressaag my crooners in one sentiment which he
ken uttered, namely that it is the fleet duty of property in
this country to maintain the poor, and that, inasmuch as the
poor are not represented in this hoes e it is one of the most
important, and one of the most binding.duties of the roperaentatives of the people, to take car • that ao policy shall be
maintained which is inconsistent with their interests and
their happinea, rightly ondentood. (Hear, hear.) It is
upon those grounds that I distinctly avow myself unchanged
in my opinion that the Poor. law Amendment Am is sound
in principle, and, in the main, conducive to the interests and
the happier of the industrious poor, r mantra-distinguished
from the idle aid the diatilute. (Hear, hear.) Now before I
consent to • great change is the system—and what we are
to-night debating i* a change—l think it immanent to cola-
eidet what were the principal objects of the act of 1831.
will shortly allude to them. It hr been said, in the course
of this debate, that that measureis a signal failure. I join
issue upon that statement. (Rear' hear.) I deny that the
measure is a failure; I assert that the objects cootemplated
by the framers of that enattafint have been secomplabed.
(Cheers.) First Mall I say it was the deliberate intention
of those who proposed the bill that onion administration of
relief should be substituted for parochial. Throughout
England and Wales, that system, with hardly an exceptiou,
may now be said to best eablished. What was the second
object ? Whereas the great principle of the Act of Elisabeth
was to supply a test of destitution, and who rem the
effect of introducing a new and false principle in the year
1196, wee to throw ablebodied perilous who grad not find
work for themeelves, or were unwilling to work, marbly
upon the parish for their support, one *fret of the art of
1831 was to alkablish in each union a snokhouse wpm" abiek
should be prervided for the ableells‘ed pour r a test of
destitution. Itt each union of England and Wales, a well-
regulated, welt-built, and welt ventilated wurkhouse is now
provided, and the tan which I have ea Mimed is universtil
applied. Whit was the next objection? The
unpaid Mikan having generally performed their duty a
negligent °mot r, it was thought desirable that paid ,ithm,


acting under strict control showkl fies
tsMag— lel kw Unlit
Such age* new erkshaitar =II
Wales. Than, pia, twsisit tor•
the poor, whatever way he wit iwpasidaly the
the stolhal relief give new. I wed Oesalleet the raltt
tothe poor before the yeer, 1834 —(kmar, hear)—.dad
ing my recollection 11 what the raid .then was 4971 y
knowledge of whet it hal been frost the paring of the moll ir
cl 2 the new to
law to
mo. .ausesuy eua
thepreenntdenr, boldlyaiesiertthat an *ma
old one, than la this pa:dealer
Reference has been made by the noble lord *SOW
down, to the committee which inveetigatada=se I
believe I am justified in stating that that
relent impugning the conduct of the authMitlistffidi
to medical relief. (Hear, hear.) There woe, Ilatiow,
complaint with respect toe vicious aystem of pigment w
has sprung up since the passing of tire act, thane/putting
the officio of medical att-udant to auct.on, and giving tt to.
the lowest bidder—(hear, hear)—add I believe that In
every ease the inadequacy of the remmkoratios given to a
medical officer has been distinctly Inmate to the thrill.'
nee of the board of guardians, and that the counteraction
of that almost always proceeded from the central authority,
which was desirous of enforciag iiimeased payment (Hear,
tear.) Then, again, there yeas hardly any provision anis
under the old system for the education of the children Girths
poor. Under an sirrangeme'it sanctioned by this home list
year, provision was made for the education of children*
workhouses by means of masters and mistresses, selectedlayl
the committee of conned on education from normal schools
in which the best Clara of teachers are trained, and a supe.
rior education to that of the ordinary schools of this country
is now given in the workhouse (Hear./ Again, under the
old system, a single day was devoted by the magistrates
in petty sessions to the auditing of parish *counts, the
thing being done more es • matter of form than of substances'
and under this imperfect arrangement, the grossest frande,l
on the part of parish officers, often pined unnoticed. In
lieu of that, there is now established throughout England
and Wales • p-rfert system of auditing under proper uffitil;
s trimly watched by central authority. (Hi*, hear.)
In -vs thus just run over some of the heads of improvement
lch occur to me at the present moment. I cannot help
irk
iof the extirpation of the allowance system. I agree
with
[he noble lord at the head of the government,
•
that t 'vat system wasfatal to the independence of the
of this country. It was a premium upon
the wee t lax morals—the most idle conduct—on the
part of th le abouring poor; it degraded the bunsat, the in-
dustries., and the independent it offered a premium to the
we • woo kman at the expense of the skilful and the well.
condineed ; • 't was vicious at the very core; and it was of
cc to the people of this country :hat it should
vh:4,,rorrahedn. That system is eradicated. (Hear, hear.)
Now the h"'" member fur Finsbury, in objecting to this
measure, feared that the house would be degraded
said he
into a sort of pan.' ih vestry or board of guardians by engag-
ing in perpetual discussions on minute details. He said
it would infallibly t naue that the house would be occupied
vies touching the workhouse soup, the
day by day with vie ,
quantity and quality of the gruel given to the pour, the
milk and water, the lot
ad and Meese, and other details, which,
althougheseentiel to th e comforts of the poor, cannot but be
advantageously discuss. lln this hsuse. New, if the ques
Lion were whether the is a right place to discuss matters of
that description, I should agree with the hon. member for
a measure which, for the
Fairbury d-preeating
first time, introduced en eh questions—(hear, hear, and
laughter)—hut during i.ur long experience of the
net of 1834 we have 1 'ad.7.;:htberilie:ohtailenueott.e*torirnieentetoyeesrced,b.eyoreii;gh
ho have misrepresented facts.
upon us frequently by those w
and who have sought to obtain
minepessentations. (Cheers.)
es ten und• r the most disadvants
to the absence of those who were immediately responsible.
An illustration of the disadvantage of this was afforded, when
the right hon. gentleman, the Se creury, of State for the
Home Department, in reply to • que in.ifa.dovtetnewn.tly used
the words " the dismissal of Mr. re*" 'rheum in •
la:nt thufatMr. parliament,
Mot
pseud and technical sense,
I on account of his
diemissed. In
hcoenisewqausennee., of
di .misbetan
the number of commissioners was reduced from
10 to 9, and it was thought exped.
should retire;
conduct.
Mr. ?ERRAND —You yourself used the word "
Sir J. ORAHAM—That only affords an, alrer proof that
the secretory of state, receiving his informed.) h s'oeurd-hand,
is not the proper person to give explanation. (Leer, heat)
I have no wish lor concealment with respect
to the present state of this questii.o. (Hear.)
I say it is natural that the house should. desire
to see officers intrusted with powers of this nature rentiered
properly respensihle. Now the noble lord (Lord J. leamell)
has candidly told us that at the time when the matterwas
discussed in Earl Grey's ministry, Lord Altborp was- of
opinlin that it would be better to vest the responsibility hi
an officer who would be immediately responsible to the house,
and I think that that was the right view. (Hear, hear.)
I should observe that the hon. member for Finsbury stated
to-night that he had no objections to boards of guardian.
Wiihont referring to the debate to which the bon. member
for Wolverhampton has alluded, my memory convinces me
that the member for Finsbury has changed his opinion within
a very short space of time upon a very important topic.
Until to-night, 1 have always heard him say that local autho-
rities wi re not to he trusted—that they had too deep
an interest in cutting down relief to the poor and
that consequently the supervision of • central authority was
salutary in the highest degree. And this brings me to in-
quire, fleet, is such a rested authority necessary ? and, se-
condly, if it is necs eery, has this particular central authority
been imperfect, and does the present measure supply a
remedy for ha imperfections? (Hear.) I have already pointed
cut the particulars in which • csntral authority appears to
me to be advantageous. But then, the marber for Fins-
bury argues that under this particular authority relief of the
poor in this country has been confined to relief in what he
designstes " gaols." Now, what is the fact ? So far from
the people of England being unfairly relieved within the
walls of a workhouse, I can state to the house as a fact, that
for the last three years, whilst 15 per cent. only of the poor
receiving relief have been relieved in workbousea, 8.5 per
cent. have been relieved out of doors. (clear, hear.)
On the average, I find that the number receiving relief in
workhouses is not in a year more than 185,000, whilst
the number of poor relieved nut of doors exceeds one million

manually. (Hear, hear.) Talk of the hardships received
by the poor of the country! why, I venture to say that
never was accusation so unfounded brought by an English.
man against ihe nation which gave him birth! In the
whole civilised world, I defy you to point out such an effort
made by a christian people in support of the first public
virtue of charity, as is made by the people of this country
to provide for a public fund for the adequate relief of the
poor! Look at the cost of maintena' r. ! The expenditure
since 1834 has been equal to 5.000,0001. per annum, by
means of which no lees than 2,000,000 people, or one-eighth
of the whole population of the kingdom, annually receive
relief! Just contemplate this sum of 5,000,0001.! It is as
much as is provided by the country annually for the naval
defence of the empire ! It is as much as is raised annually
by a tax upon all the property and income of the nation!
Surely I am justified in saying that no example can
be produced of an effort so humane, so effectual, of
relief given so unsparingly ; and yet, at the
same time with so little hit is degrading to the recipients,
—as the relief afforded under this law. (Hear, hear.) And
here, let me remark, how conflicting are the temaeatilma
against the I, w and the central authority which it has cola-
stitated. These accusations are so conflicting that they
absolutely disprove each other. Sum, times it is said
the law is toe severe—at other times it is urged that
it is too lax. Sometimes a member tells us we have
too many commission. is—at other times we beer dna we
have too few. At one moment it is urged that the Jetties
of the controlling authority are too stringent and too peremp-
tory—atanother time that they are too prolix and too argu-
mentative. In short, the moat conflicting accusations are
presented. Then it is said the central authority affords, after
all, but an ineffectual control. Now 1 speak in the re-
mote of the members who have been associated with mo
upstairs in the committee upon that very im
branch of this subject—the matter of settlement. We have
had brought before the committee the meat intelligent
witsemes frona all pros of England—men selected by the
numbers of the committee for their knowledge and preetioal
information. Now, whatever may be the difiwomess et
opinion in the committee upon other poindi, I am added
et this, that the united opinion of the isnabees 1y that of
all the witnesses examined before us, the mem
are four gentlemen a ho are assistant poorslaw
and whom names I mention to the house they are
Mr. Tuinell, Mr. Oulitone, Mr. Pigut, and Mr. lien.
(Cheers.) 1 defy any committee investigating • difficult
and complex subj. ct to receive more assistance—more infor-
mation —than the law of settlement committee has received
from the four gentlemen I have named. 'Chen with respect
to the commisattners ,s—what are the facts ?
When I succeeded to of in 1841 I found one single
comusioioner transacting the business of the corn-
minion. I am free to confess that I thought that
coma lotion had sustained a serious lose from an
alteration which had occurred in it+ dunposition just pees
vious to my taking office. I thought there was reason to
regret that Sir Fr .nkland Lewis had resigned his office. I
thought that his plate an hut Mach quately tilled by his son
who succeeded him, and, in )our presence, sir, I will not say
how much I felt the public service had lost by the removal
of Mr. Lefevre from his post, fer, indeed, I looked
around me in vain for any one competentadequately
to supply his place. (General cheeribg.) With respect to
8q t rankland L-wis, lain free to state that I thought his
secession bad for himself and still worse for his son. I had
known Sir Frankland —I did not know Mr. Lewis. I knew
awning of what might he his capabilities. Upon the whole,
I thought it butt r to form my judgment of him cautiously—
not to court his acquaintance, but to communicate with him
officielly, and draw my opinion of him by watching his
performance of his public duties rather than by
forming a personal intimacy. (Hear, hear.) So matters
went on fur three months. My prepoloeseiens of Mr. Lewis
were not favourable, but it would be as injustice to him it
I did not say that in all my experience of public permits,
1 never saw public business Detracts d with greater
punctuality, witn more fidelity, or more discretion than
it was transacted by that gentleman during the dif-
ficult per 1842. Forming that pinion of Mr.
Lewis from his public services I relates(' iu the oppor-
twines afforded use of lormiug his personal acquaintance.
Our official intercourse was combined with private friendship.
I acted with Mr. L- suds for flee yearn Every year confirmed
my opini- n of his high honour and his c ,mplete trustworthi-
nem, and there are no contuderatious which would not make
me ready to deltoid him on every occasion that I might be
called on so ta do—there ate ao outoideratious which would
not make me feel proof at all limn of his intimate friend-
ship and acquaintance (faint erica of hear, hear.) It is un-
worthy in an assembly lake this to pick small holes—to dwell
upon petty errors of judgment. The ablest men mast
sometimes err. I; in better, Milted, that there should be

1

gemerlings erne, that that there should be at an
a &Milk.. Evart' thing human is liahle to imp:
and smut dsaWoa most occasionally lead te error. no
daubs emirs bus bees committed by the.coremissi • sera;
of them wills my participation. The are of Mr. Perier and
the Andover %quay been cited as one error ...
read the evidence taken upon that inquiry, my inf
with respect to that inquiry was derived, like that not
honourable mambo r opposite, from what I read upon tei
subject in the ordinary charnels of information. It wee..
opine ri from what I saw there, that the ingrain ...4
contacted in a manner which svaci conducive to the pubis
good. I immediately said to the comininweer, " Clow this
inquiry—bring it to a conelini ,n,—and when it is clew
then will be the time to consider the merit. or ,t merits—a
the party by whom it has been conducted." When the irs
quirt' was closed it was thought righi to dism n Me. Par.,
and in the grounds for his diminel I (*dein', c
Now, with respect to the composition of the newel's..
Most honourably to themselves the government of 14,4
Melbourne, when on the eve of rosiination, refreind fien
filling up the vacancy which Mr. L "ewes rvagesijoi
occasioned. When I succeeded tooth. I found 'ld Renee.,
merit vacant. I thought it a point of honour that the ghee
should be given to the man 1 c ,nsidned the fittest. 'W.
did I select ? A mar I never had seen, sod searcie
heard oe. Looking it the ri porta of the assiseei
eommissionere, I arrived at the conclusien that gi
Edmund Head on this enistant commission beet
titled to receive the reward of public service Hr was,
believe, opposed in politico to the government with whiee
was then acting, but that comet, ration did not weieli
me, and again I say that my ffieial and private intercourse
convinces me that Sir Edmund Heed was eminently worthy
the post for which I selected him. So much then fey the pea
composition of the commission. But on hon. memlw r baster
there was a blot upon it from the first moment of rev taking
office. So there was, and, I believe, that the appiintermr
Sir Edmund Head was the envie. The secretar, to the ore.
mission, Mr. Chadwick, was dinatisfied at nnt pt'
eppeintinent for himself, and from that hour he bas never
worked well with the comminioeers. The hon. member ke
Dorserhire man that Mr. Chsdwirk was aexious to ace the
board dissolved. Fortunately, or unfortnnewly, foe xt
Chadwick, it will not lie long before he has Ole
wish; for by referring to the tenth clause of the bill,
you will find (and they are words which no doubt will died
great comfort to Mr. Chadwick) that upon the inninter
this act, the secretary and all the officers of the coroutielon
tease to hold their places. I will now notice one or to,e
points which have been urged as objectins to the hill bare
us. First, as to nlaosmen site ing in this hOsir. 1
am not one of those who think that this haus
ought not to look with a jealous eye at lay
creation of places for members of the legislature. Bat I
cannot but repeat, what has been welt ntwerved, that greet
reductions have recently taken place in the number of pee.
tlemen in this house holding places under government
Within the last few years six places held by members
of parliament have been abolished, and oely one—thee of
commissioners of railways—has been crated. (Ilese hear.)
I consider it absolutely necessary that the pow, ra of the
commissioners should not he diminished, and more especially
o with referehee to the delegated power of making meg
rules—a delegation which Ido not think could be disree.a
with--subjeet, of course, to a prompt statement of the rele
issued to the house, and to the direct responsibility of the
commiedonere. I regard the measure of the government r
most judiciously and effectually removing the great ellitn
tion which had hitherto existed to the commission, in rein
to government a more direct control over the comminiceen.
, I do not think it necessary to go into detsile, but shall net.
tent myself with this brief outline of the principle on which
I shall give my cordial support to the government mestere.
The hotter then divided, the numbers were—
_

For the motion
For the amendment
The bill HES then mid a ',amid tone
RAILWAYS (IRELAND) BILL.
On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the Excireormt,
the second reading of this bill was postponed until the 7th
June.
dEDUCTION AND PROSTITUTION SUPPRESSION
BILL.

On the order of the day for the adjourned debate ou tle
first neadin s of this bill,
Col. SIBTHOR! suggested to the hon. member filth.
nth:wk. the propriety of postponing the bill—he would Ili
say for eta months, but for two months.
Mr. SPOONER hoped, as it was only the firet readier,
that stagewould be allowed to he taken: he would then Ht
the second reeding for Wednesday, the 9th of Jane.
Lord J. RIIMELL saapeated that the trijourned debits
on the tnt marling should be postposed till Werhuelay. the
2nd of June, and that the second reading should be takes OR
the 9th.

Alter • short eonversation, in ate mune of which SZr
Game stated that shanid a divi.ion take place he wiled tab
M the first reading, the gallery •rali cleared for • rbvinot,
bat nose took place, dui bill being read a hut time by
comment.

I DiNiiiirD PROPERTY IMPROTEMIDTT (IRELAND)
BILL.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD, en the part of t►e hon. amebae
for Limerick, mo►ed that lilbe order fbr committing tittle
be read, and the bin withdrawn.
POOR REMOVAL ACT.
Mr. G. BANKED hoped he should h .re ra opportmity
of bringing tbi• bill on for disooscion, which oohed broaght
forward in obedience to the r►onmmendatinn eseommitiae

-----
of the house, early after the holidays He wenld fix it file
Thursday, the Seat of Jane.
Alter • conversation, it was arranged that the seconft
reading should come on on Wednesday, Pets June.
PASSENGERS ACT AMEND WENT BULL.
On the bringing up of the report of tha-bill,
Lord O. BENTINCK moved the following clause: "That
to remove doubts as to the seawoeshiness of any saael abash
to proceed with passengers es affiresaid, the acting govern-
ment emigration officer shall eauee such slap to be purveyed
by two duly authorised sad responsible surveyor., and if it
shall be reported by those pence* that such ship is not is
their opinion in such a state of repair and efficiency is
would entitle such skin or WIWI to be closed
in Lloyd'e Registry M British and Voreign Shipping,
itl, such ship or waged shell not be cleared out.
The object of the claw was that the Irish emirrten
should go abroad in ships as sea worthy no those in which
dry goods were shipped, and as geed as those in Ishioli om-
elet/ Were conveyed. He bed in his possmion informatka
which showed that between Match 25 of last year and ha.
30 of the present year. out of 2.5 emigrant ships only four
were in a condition fit to take oat goods of a perishable
nature, and the rest were wholly unfit to carry out tad-
t7ants, except to take them to a watery grave. With this
view he moved the adoption of the clause.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
he concurred with the views of the noble lord (0. Ben-
tinck) on this subject, but he wished that time should be
given the government to consider the best way in which it
should be carried out.
Mr. THORN ELY thought that there was not the plighted
neesamity for this clause, as sufficient accommodation wen
afforded to passengers under the acts already owed.
Aster a few words from Mr. LIDAELL and Sir H. INCA"
Lord G. BENTINCK, in the belie( that the promised
the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be carried nut, with-
drew his chum.
Sir O. CLERK also withdrew a clause upon a similar or
demanding, and the report was then received.
The house adjourned at half-past one o'clock.

Vie erprtfill.

MAILS. •
The overland <dosed mails rim Mewl la, to the Mediterruela
r=ighMae 241 k aeh, Sdryba, NW* beg Kew, ice., will be rude up cc ti.
•
Thai ere ell" Lisboa, Madeira, Cadiz, sad Gonne.
arm o as ea Mis at the 2701 May.
The arils die New rem Ma, it Dream% L. led
7.4ehalwlll Is maim apes the swig et Ur Stet lap
Tie Visa Lea walk lambkins time twits:ism, Eisidersh
be Hawbarsh. tat he mar op ca to lawandolthe lad Jess
Ilse make be Mae Meth Barstsda, rd the Ullele
Mates, will be asaa op ea the swan mites ad Jose
The wedged wail* Wearer, MAN Omer, to Nabs Week
pl,Ades,Osyles, Idles, Rees Nom sad Pita. aim StAlthelifirne
wkli be mar up data, The or the led Moe.
The vises Me b Nea.ly the ilea Plata Mane {'idea hr'
=leterldlaaiik
je.aod mance Ayres, will be made ap 08 dl

MOE WATER. AT LONDON-BRIDES
Tau I:4l—lignise, 23 Ws. put 7; After6oo6. WO. r_tt. 1.
TaJlesaow—Namakst. 23 mgA. p•K 6 ; Andrew% I

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 22.
We are equally surprised and sorry to learn that
the baths and wash-houses in Glasehouselard are
danger of being closed for want of funds. With the
interest that has recently been awakened in sanitary
matters, this result may well astonish us, as we hOlto
it will surprise our readers. But it must not he foe,
gotten that, after all, the struggle against filth is a
prosaic one. It wants the elements of a poptlig.
charity. There is no missionary staff, with Marti*
experiences of dangers overcome, and marvelloss.
conversions. There is no convert to parade; 90
"dreadful example" to hold up from the phallist
The passion of sectarianism is wanting; the stinease
of rival sects; the spur of antagonistic rated% •
Charities like the baths and wash-houses. 104
trust to the benevolence which is busy withost the
excitement of public meetings; to the right hods
which give without the knowledge of their Is&
'I hat there is abundance of this real benevolence
London we have no doubt. We cannot but satiei-
pate, when the case of the Gloss-house-yard establish-
ment is preesed upon it, that subscriptions AU
forthcoming to keep the baths and wash-honor Z.
during the summer, that part of the year when
are of peculiar service to the poor. •
The establishment has been at pork for nearly Bee
- of Water

years. It was the first which offered the boon
and washing apparatus to the poor, at a price within*
reach of the humblest. During the first year, sobs'
with May, 1846, 67,664 washers, bathers, and irml"
were accommodated at an average of leis than
a head for the bathers and washers, and a
alei
for the ironers. Duriug the eleven months of *I
current year the numbers accommodated ham 41P
seeded 70,000; while the expenses of WWI 1."...,

. ,
THE EXPRESS, $4, lIR s :r .-lEVENIN'G, MAY 22. 1847.
. • -
. ANikihow..o....a., , • inquire ilea the privies 'Sibs of sone7glt7
1 : 11' 't.'' '''%'
• Or4de=eBl-174
4. r— of gpenderalll what had fermerly bed
• ' ' _ • ,. ,Tirs • , wk.. ~,, , . . of poor•low . Mailigailllllll, sod the
•••• ••••.! . - •' w•• • • '".' rp ca the sa 4 . constanslp. bedew cleared, fit .comarquesce
....1.,t'1,,,. '', ,IS
-4, lon. he!puti tlie pron•ut of +. Ovations whichi.lis psi_ . ,Beir then could they mat
s- ..., 411ft,.(1§1, 0. and );. thr iridium brouirlit lettt in eat Inquiry, when every thing
, r.. , 'y ha secretuy, wae tathe effect— vs done to temfrthe witermea and make them appear
that he bad referral • e nrevious communination to the poor- ridiculous ? Many persons alleteined from coming. forward
law erausieetoners, and that It did not appear to the secretary to give aviaries, because theydtesded the manner in which
of elide that he could interfere in the matter. Such being they were to be trotted. The hon. member for Shrewsbury
.. , . - ~- • —. . _....._, —:.“, ...;......t. teyt ninht. why the seeeetary of the

61,ailfridei ILw into reduced to lees than 1;d. a
• ~ bed, *my lather having clean water, a clean
If, emend and lamp, and every washer clean water,
m.: soda, sad the use at the drying closet.
:lib total at. working expenses for these eleven
ginneha is undue 3154, but the subscriptions amount
to 2321. The establishment must close, if funds
no not forthcoming. Its dependence is entirely,
or- Su, on the pure benevolence °Jibe pablie. There
-a •
err 10 lists of governors with power of nomination
kg preitiyell, or the annual orations of a public dimity r.
• • B 6 one of the most naked, simple, unadorned chari-
, ons in London. It is at the same time one of the
• most useful. Can it be that such a charity must appeal
is vain? Its bankers are Messrs. WILLIAMS, DEACON
end Co., Birchin-lane.
Rich people do not know what a boon such a charity
offers os the poor of London. There is, perhaps, no
one point in the social economy of the very poor,
about which the rich are more in the dark, than in
what relates to their supply of water. The pour
family is dependent generally on the single and in-
sufficient stand-cock of their court, or the pump of the
neighbourhood. They carry the water to their
wretched rooms, and must frequently store enough for
two or three days' consumption. Perhaps the tap is
open only twice or thrice a week ; and at certain times,
while " the water is on," the struggle for the pre-
cious fluid is terrific.
The stagnant contents of the butt are, of course,
covered with a coating of impurity, the ereaardepo-
sited by the London atmosphere. Yet, this stagnant
and tout water is all the poor family have fur drink-
ing, washing, and cooking. They have not enough
even of this foul and unwholesome water. And what
they have they must store in rooms already so en-
cumbered with live stock, that every water vessel
encroaches on space absolutely essential for the sup-
port of healthy existence. Thus the labour of carry-
ing this water up, sometimes to the fifth story,
is exhausting to wom"n, and men are little in-
clined to it after the labour of the day is over. The
consequence is that the clothes of the family are often
washed in dirty water, so as to retain a fetid smell
and much of their eriginal dirt. They are then hung
to dry in the overcrowded room, poisoning the air
with their steam, and adding another to the many
sources of disease which impregnate the air of poor
neighbourhoods. Besides all this, the poor cannot,
from want of proper means of decency. enjoy, iu their
own homes, those frequent and full ablutions which
are not only refreshing, but absolutely essential to
health. Disease is quite as often produced by want
of water, and the 'infrequent change of linen, as by
anyother cause within the control of sanitary law.
fo place the means of personal ablution and of
washing their linen within the reach of' the pone,
these baths were originally instituted. Sir PETER
LAURIE considers them highly indecent. The fiat of
his disapprobation seems necess try now-a-days to
establish the utility of any scheme. lie has con-
demned the baths and wash-houses. The public should
require no other guarantee of their beneficial character.
Unless charity iu London be a hollower thing than we
should be willing to think it, and unless the degree of
information and interest on sanitary topics has been
grievously exaggerated, we shall nut see these baths
and wash-houses shut up for want of the very mode-
rate support which they require front the public.
Think of the amount of comfort, cleanliness, health,
and self-respect diffused among these 70,000 poor
wrwns, at an expense of &M., and double the good
by doubling the m:ans of it.

Norm NG could be more natural, than that the Junta
of Oporto and the Portuguese liberals should have
demanded some guarantees from the British agent of
the due fulfilment, by the Quern, of the conditions
which she so reluctantly consented to. The London
press and its correspondents, all of whom admitted the
justice of those grievances, axd of that arbitrary conduct
on the part of the government which warranted re-
siatan, have now all turned in favour of the court.
No expressions of condemnation are spared to
the members of the Oporto Junta, who are
anxious to secure their lives and liberties, and
to have some stronger guarantee than the mere
words of a court for the maintenance of those liber-
ties which they are in a condition to defend sword in
band.
We do think that, if the British navy and British
army should be employed to crush and mutilate
the liberal Portuguese party, either in Oporto or
at St. Übes, at the bidding of the Queen, it will not
only be highly impolitic, as extinguishing for ever
anything like a constitutional party in Portugal, but
signally treacherous and disgraceful, considerin; the
share that Lord HOWARD DE WALDEN indirectly had
in producing this very insurrection.
We have hinted, in a former article, at some pe-
culiar and delicate circumstances connected with this

.uggle. We should prefer not dwelling upon or
developing them, but shall not shrink from the un-
pleasant duty, should one government make common
cause with their inveterate enemies; the Cabralists.
We have, certainly, got into a very awkward scrape
in Portugal. On the one hand, we are bound by the
strongest obligation to protect the liberals, and
see them righted. On the other band, we
are bound to protect the Queen. These two
things are difficult enough at once to execute
and reconcile. But they are rendered infin,tely mote
difficult by an agreement entered into between our
government and the hake of SOTOMAYOR, that,
whenever British marines landed in Portugal. a
Spanish force was also to pass the Spanish frontier.
This monstrous concession, as a fact applied to the
resew, and as a precedent applied to the future,
ahem altogether the position in which we stood with
respect to Portugal. Instead of being its sole protector,
we henceforth share that duty with Spain, aad with
every Spanish ministry, whose exigencies we shall
never be able to satisfy. Our consent to this protection
of Spain has at once filled the Portuguese liberals with
mistrust towards us, mingled with contempt; and we
must say not without some shadow of reason. Our
admission of the pretensions of Spain, put forward a,
Spain was by France, was an act of imbecility and
weakness, which we should have thought Lord
PALMERSTON the last man to commit, and of which we
shall not fail to see the fatal consequences.
At this moment a Spanish army threatens Portugal,
headed by a general belonging to the French party
in Spain, and personally inveterate to every liberal
idea. 'this man, CONCHA, one of those who drove
oat ESPARTERO, and fumbled Saragossa, is chosen as
the Spanish general, who is to crush and expel, under
British sanction, the Portuguese liberals from Oporto.
Is it a wonder that the Portuguese liberals distrust
the British government, when tile, see it thus turning
round in a trice, deserting its friends, and leaguing
with its foes, both in Portugal and Spain?
We are aware of the many complications in Penin-
sula politics. We admit the impuesibility of accept-
ing or sanctioning such conditions on behalf of the tn-
sargeids, as that they should garrison Lisbon, or
preserve the command of the armed force of the
country. But we fear much that we are not about to
extricate ourselves with honour from these embarrass-
ments, if we abet the court of Lisbon and the mode-
rado clique of Madrid in crushing the liberals of
Portugal. When% we have done this, how can
we expect the liberals of Spain to trust us ?
How can we hope to restore our influence and that of
constitutional liberty at Madrid? Let ns, however,
not rush too hastily to judgment. Although our tory
contemporaries announce that the junta of Oporto has
decidedly rejected Colonel WYLDE'S offer, and that he
will not negotiate with them, let us hope that
oar own humble information is, as it has
all along been, more cornet, and that the
demand of guarantees by the people of Oporto
may be met on the part of Colonel Wn.oe with as-
surances calculated to pacify them, and ease their
well-grounded mistrust. We will not believe, till the
last moment, that British guns can be fired in behalf
of the absolute and dictatorial government of Donna
MARIA; if so, we can only any, that the reigns of
Den MIGIAL and lion CARL.O3 from that day ro-
la:4l=mm.

WE have been aecuotometl to con4ider the clergy-
Ems an the natural channel of communication between

tihs necessitous and tione who have the power to re-
JIM necessity. His office gives him a privilege to
plebe distress without sounding it; and many a
sufferer will disclose his wants to his spiritual visitor,
who would rather die than make them known to the
charitable society, or the relieving officer. It appears
reasonable to look upon the clergyman as one of the
pleasantest, safest, and cheapest guides of the pc.rochial
Msthoriiirs in the administration of relief. His zeal
May make up for the frequent carelessness of their
inbordinatea; his Christian charily may interpose itsell
with advantage between shrinking misery and the
hard unsympathisitig mercier of the board room.

The parish* mitherities of Bethnal-green think dif-
ferently. TheyJ have put the clergyman under ban :
Lie retwamendatiaw are not to be attended to: no
application for relief, backed with hie unction, will be
foal. This appears incredible, and we can hardly accept
in their literal sense the positive as rtions of Mr.
C/1118TZT, their relieving officer, that the board had
come to a positive determination not to allow of any
interference of the district clergyman with the pariah
charities.

This assertion was made under the following cir-
cumstances: The minister of St. Philip's Church,
Bethnal-green, in the exercise of his ministerial
duties, was culled upon to attend the sick bed of a
poor man, named COOPER, who was l)iug in a state
of helpless wretchedness, attended only by au idiot
daughter, and both dependent on the carity of a
poor woman living in the same house, tehu pinched
and neglected her oam family to aid th, ir greater,
misery.
Finding that the parish had done nothing, the rev.
gentleman addressed a It tter to the chairman of the
Board of Guardians, calling his attention to the cuss.
No notice was taken of this communication, and he
accordingly waited on Mr. Buouttitros, to prefer a
complaint against the authorities. The poor, chari-
table woman, ELIZABETH BUTLER, told the magis-
trate that COOPtli and his idiot daughter had 3s. a
week from another daughter who was married, but
in poor circumstances.
Mr. Onus-riot declared that on application being
made by this daughtet to the parish, they had offered
the workhouse, which was refused; and that slice'
that refusal, nothing more had beet, heard of the case
till the communication from the dergym.o of St.
Philip's, which was not acted upon, • becnu-e the
guardians were determined in all awes to disregard
the interference of the district clergyman in such
matters."

Bethnal-green is one of the moat wretched quarters
of London. It is also the pet livid of the church
extensioaists. But their labaurs are likely to be cur-
tailed of much of their effect, if the clergymen of their
new churches are to be thus treated by the parish
authorities. We have nothing to do with the facts of
the case. It may be the rule of Bethnal-green to offer
the workhouse or nothing. They may be acting on
their usual plan in choosing to saddle the parish with
the whole expense of Coorea and his idiot daughter,
rather than, by a small addition to the pittance fur- I
nished by the other daughter, to keep an act of filial t
duty alive, and materially lighten the expense
of relief. What we are now directing atten-
tion
to is this unaccountable rule of the guar-
dians. They refuse to listen to the application
of district clergymen ; not because these applications
are generally ill founded, but because " if they were
allowed to interfere, all the dissenting ministers would
i claim au equal right, and the board would be over-
whelmed with applications." Mr. CutetsTET is in-
discreet in his zeal. He gives us a glimpse, here, of
an ugly feature in the Bethual-green poor-relief
administration. The clergymen are not to be heard,
because what they say is too significant: they
expose too much misery and suffering. The parish
will not be overwhelmed for all the clergymen, past,
present, and to come, in Bethnal-green. Being
unable to meet all the cases, they refuse to meet any.
As the clergyman is the most active ferreter-out of
misery and want, his mouth must be stopped before
all others. The poor must apply themselves. But
how if they will not apply, whether from that apathy
which great habitual misery often engenders, or from
shame, which is a rarer restraint but not uncommon,
or from reluctance to face the cruss-questions of a
relieving officer, hardened by contact with misery,
and accustomed look on every applicant as, priavi
facie, an impostor ? Why, if they won't apply, they
must take the consequences; at least, the clergyman
shall not apply fur them. Surely there is a very
different theory on this point which would better
become the poor-law guardians of the poorest district
lof London. We are placed here, they might say, to
relieve the misery of this quarter; at least to see that
those who cannot work shall not die of want, and
that those who will not work shall be made
to eat hard and bitter bread. l)o what we
will, by aid of inspectors and relieving officers,
we cannot discover all the distress round about us.
Our means will not allow us a larger visiting staff.
Yet we know that much want is endured without
application to us, and that men and women have
'timed rather than enter the workhouse. What is
to be done? A lucky thought! Here are the paro-
chial and district clergy, and the dissenting ministers,
all actively engaged iu visiting the very poorest, and
better acquainted, if they do their duty, with the
depth of misery in this district than even our own
officers. They will be glad to aid us. Let as put
ourselves in relation with them. Let them be, as tar
us possible, a means of communication between us and
the poor of their respective congregations, or others
whom they visit.
Which of these courses seems the most consistent
with charity, with the duty of guardians, with the
professed objects of the poor law, with the relative
positions of the Board of Relief, the poor and the cler-
gyman, we leave our readers to conclude for them-
selves. We shall be glad to find that the Bethnal-
green authorities can give a different colour to this
matter from that which it wears at present.

THE freaks of

officers are proverbial.

Every book of travels teems with them Every
private tourist has hie tale of annoyance, grave or
ludicrous, to tell. But the dowtne at Boulogne ap-
pears bent upon transcending all other donanes of
ancient or modern times in this respect —upon out-
heroding HEROD.
When the French government consented to ad.,
vance money for the Improvement of the harbour,
at Boulogne, it was on condition that an extral
tonnage should be paid by every vessel enter-
ing the harbour until the advance was refunded.
fhe condition was acceded to on the part al
the chamber, and the authority to collect the
tonnage vested in the custom-house. Under Ulla
arranoement, tonnage and harbour dues havi beem
levied at Boulogne on this principle : steamers anter-
ing the port with passengers only, pay nearly two
francs per head: steamers carryiuir merchandise pay
tonnage and harbour dues, and nothing far passengers.
The application of these rules is made by the
Custom-house. A steamer from Folkestone, entering
the harbour with any number of private travellers,
pays only the head-money upon its living freight
But if a courier from Paris be aboard the steamer, it
is immediately changed by the magic of his despatches
from a passenger vessel into a vessel containing mer-
chandise, and declared liable to pay harbour and ton-
nage dues. If, among twenty passengers, one pleads
guilty to having a despatch in his pocket, immediately
the whole, as if by a touch of Harlequin's wand, are
transformed from living men and women into bake
of goods. As if to push absurdity to its extreme,
though a steamer, by carrying the bearer of a h tier or
a newspaper, is rendered liable to harbour and tee-
nage dues, it may carry ten tons of gold, either
bullion or coined, without incurring any such penalty.
Newspapers and letters, in the categories of the Bou-
logne douane are merchandise—gold is not.
The question is one of very considerable import-
ance to proprietors of steamers sailing from Dover or
Folkestone to Boulogne. The South-Eastern Railway
Company may be subjected to a most undue pressure of
taxation by these exactions. But the community of Bou-
logne are much more likely tosuffer by them. Some sta-
tistics of English continental travelling, which we pub.
blished a day or two ago, shows how steadily the
stream of tendency of our tourists has within this
Tear or two been setting in upon the Boulogne route.
'This cannot continue if those exactions are persisted
in. At no other port in the Channel—not at Calais,
not at Dieppe, not at Havre, is the foolish theorem
maintained that couriers and despatches are mer-
chandise. The practice of charging tonnage and
harbour dies on all steamers and pilot-boats carrying
couriers will soon divert the stream of passengers
from Boulogne. Already we are informed the
directors of the South-Eastern Railway have set an
examination on foot to ascertain whether St. Valery
may not be made a station for their boats.

We have received the Paris journals, and our
correspondence of Thursday.
'1 he Jimenal des Debuts announces that the Duke
of Montebello has accepted of the portfolio of
marine. He was to leave Naples for Paris on the 20th.
'I heir Excellencies Lord and Lady Normanby lett
Paris on Thursday for England; Col. Itumilly will
act as chargé d'affains during his lordship's absence.
The Patric says that M. llachitel has again been
attacked by fever; this is contradicted by the Mbats.
Too Congdidionael attributes the sudden return of
Vie Minister of the Interior to unfavourable news