The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-02-01 00:00:00

POOR LAWS.

TO TUE EDITOR OF TILE BRITISH PRESS.

• •
Ste,--The subject of the Poor Laws isa labyrinth whic'e
now perplexes the statesman and pains the philanthropist
Numberless volumes have been written upon the subjeci
every one of which presents to the reader conclusive evi-
dence of the above fact. Berne writers, indeed, have fixed
upon a particular evil, which they have commented upon
as the leading cause of all the misery they lamented.
Each has, in his turn, proposed ain't:heel/ref remedy, and
have professed. their indignant astonishment, that the
Legislature should' continue so peruicious a system, after
they have been put in possession of all the means nieces-
tory for curing its defects, never dreaming that they only
selected one symptom in a complication of disorders, and
that whilst they administered to this they were killing the
patient by their remqty. tine discovers that the mischief
arise*: from an excess of population, and therefore wouet
discourage marriages, without considering that by such
step they would only gee rid of the religious obligation,
Whilst the fruits of vice and immorality would tteurp, the
place of the legitimate offspring. Another believes that
the increase of the poor's rates, and the augmentation of
wretchedness, arises frem the Poor Laws themselves, which
give the poor an absolute lien upon the property of their
richer neighbours, without regatding whether his power:
be the result of misfortune or of crime ; and they Loft r
from thiseithat the laws encourage pauperism. Of the....
who hold this, in some respects eetionareopinion, seltiesi
two recommend the same cure. , One radii !knit the OM'
rate, as the Only moms of stopping its, increase, and. Oaf
let e privation god sufferings of the uerclieved poor, briny
die expenditure within the income. Another would refuse
assistance to et'-iy individual whose povertf ages the result
of his a4n idleness or misconduct, ,without, Tiowever, in-
forming the public hoW the distinction is to be made.
Some again there are who would iaut every able-bodice
men to labour on public, works, but neglect to point out
where these works are to be fouftd, er at whose expense
they are to he erected.
It were, indeed, vain to follow the numerous writers on
the Poor Laws through their various suggestions. The
!deports of the Committees of the House of Commons on
this important suleeet 'bound in assertions and opinions.
derived front every body and evere.booli ; and I am of
opinion that enotfgh of information may be gathered from
this source, to produce great improvement in the condition
if the poorer classes; but it must he carefully selected
from a masa, that otherwise tends to endless difficulty,
and would produce ceaseless discontent.
The most important &entre in the Report of Isls, wfiich
has been carefully examine et in Mr. Courteney's excellent
treatise on the Poor Laws, is the observations on Friendly
Societies, which occupies a considerable portion of its
pages; there is much to be learned from the &port gene-
rally, but a person not fully acquainte4 with the suleees
Tight be misled, I have profited largely in information
from a careful perusal of its pages, although I differ very
materially from many of the opinions which it contains.
I have no desire to go deeply, en:o the subject; there are
certain points, however, ulton which most agree, and I am
anxious to confine any remarks to the evils which are ac-
knowledged--to the remedies of Wejecb I think a majority
will approve.
Whether existing Statute: compel the parish officers to
relieve every applicant, I know not; but the pi whet. would
iced me to infer that this obligetion exists, inasmuch re
the magistrates hesitate not to grant milers for relief, even
to the most profiifate, occasionally ; therefore I must E'en-
chide that it forms a part of the law. To remedy (leis,
there should, as it appears to me, be seated in the pato-
chial officers a tight of refusing aid in cases of a peculiar
nature, and in the magistrate the power of punishmtnt,
but administered only in such a manner and measure
as to deter them from the practices Which have brodglir
them to poverty; the persons likewise who come tender
this description, if confined, ought to be confined se
paratele, and not, as is new the ease, amongst felons,
where visions habits, instead of lx•ing le teoved by cottec-
the s, ate strengthened by contagiott.
The difficulties which present themselves to the joie-
ment of parish officers in dispensing, the parochial lima,.
are aueirrone. those RiXtALtiOluldi to the duties, soul
Unseaunieted with the decipplioiss of the profligate, the art-
ful flfle of veteran imposture goes bearer to the heart than
the simp!'e narrative of real distress: the latter appeal with
a hesitation that assumes an equivocal character; and often
shuts them out from relief whilst the invented sorrows of
the former obtain indent alleviation. Every plan that can
be adopted for affording a facility a' distinction between
the vicious, the idle, and the industrious poor, should be
encouraged. With this view I wculd recommend that the
persons who relieve the poor should be permanent officers,
and he liberally paid for their services. At preteet, no
sooner is an overseer become acquaint -1 with deity, and
efficient in the (heehaw of it, than he goes out of Ace to
make room for another who has everything to learn ; the
consequence of which is, that the concerns of a nery-are
rarely, if ever, manned either creditably or decently thice
months together.
I would have a fourth or a 'fifth part the members oP
the Guardian Boards removed from office annually; and
either replaced by others or re-elected; they should be
paid for their attendance, and no feasting permitted.' I
would turn every workhouse into a house of tudustry, slid
none but the most aged and the sick should be exempt front
certain portions of useful labour of some kind or other,
which might inure them to habits of industry. These are
not visionary schemes; they would be some time in opera-
tion before the results would be generally felt, but they
could not fail to have the best effects.
If the poor once find, that, on hemming paupers, they
became also the property of the parish, and cease to be, as
they are now, at full liberty to work for whom they pleseee
whilst they receive parochial assistance. the number of
pensioners would be greatly reduced ; and I have yet to
learn that the plan of requiring the services of those whom
we are obliged to feed, suit of turning such services to the
best account, can be questioned 4m the grounds tithe. of its
justice or humanity. G. C.

1

On Tuesday last, in 11illiam-snet, Nforiee-town, of
dropsy, arising from diseased liver. Henry Spetis, aged GO.
This brave fellow, who was a thorough seaman, had both
bis legs carried ()Why a 3:2-pound shot, in the 'luau!, com-
manded by Sir Henry Trollope, in the battle of the 11th
of October, at the very onset of the conflict. Ile boy: his
operation with that cod determination which so pre-
eminently distinguishes British seamen ; and whilst declar-
ing to his surgeon that he still hoped to live again to face
the enemy, a shot entered the cockpit, which swept don'ts
nine women, upset the table upon which Spcns was under-
going amputation, and brought him to the deck; but net-
withat .mlng this appalling disaster, he coolly addressed
himself to his surgtoo, then quite a youth, observing,
Never mind, young gentleman, cut away again ! ' Ile
nzpidly recovered from the loss of his limbs, and in two
won hs afterwards married a respected:- woman, in whoa'
house he was lodged during his cure at I%in:south. by
whom he had a large family. It is greatly in praise of this
man's excellent character, that through life she esbnea-d.
regard and friendship for his surgeon amounting to et:-
thatsium, 'and often declared, that hit last illness was
divested of most of its suffering, from having his mare,-
sional attendance u his physician.--Devonport Telegrapl“
A most simzular instance of somnolency occurrall a short
time since, in the parish of Howgill, near Sedburgh. A
young man, of the name of Bogart, whose mind must hart
hewn deeply imbued with the thirst for learning, started
from his bed, left his home early in the morning, !reev-
ed, and pursued a most intricate path to the school, which
lay about a mile and a half distant from Its residence. ll
had to cross the river Lune, over the bridge, and to
pass a very narrow plank bridge, barely sufficient to admit
one
stestilesweiriet crossing be
lit°lleeri, steel
get over
eaeteiemaebe;
usetvetwenty
ehla)tdrstomgea
His friends were naturally greatly alarmed, upon finding
his bed empty and his clothes in the room. He was found
sitting upon a stone, near the church porch, where the
school was kept, with his feet dreadfully torn and tact.
rated ; but, although much affected with his misetahio rind
cheerless situation, he was otherwise uninjured.
tokt Wednesday night, four children were found expo4et!
in alferent parts of the city of Litneric'.:, deserted by il,cit
inoth:rs.