The National Register.
London, England, 1818-05-17 00:00:00

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XI.

POLITICAL DISQUISITION.

ON THE ErnicvnoN OF THE POOR,—EMPLOY-
NENT OF CHILDREN IN c(rrrom FACPORIE
SUPPRESSION OP FORGERY, &c.

TILE sehjects above mentioned have of late deserv-
edly occupied the public attention, and we think it right,
as far u lies in our power to keep alive that attention ;
eenvinced that the most important step towards 1111_
provement is the well-grounded conviction of its neees-
ity. This necessity is indeed so obvious, that, on
wbatevvcr other points the various parties of our legis-
lature may differ, they seem one and all to be agreed
on this ; and the only motive of variance in their senti-
ments is the mode of eifeiaing the desired improve-
ments. It is unquestionably the most amiable trait in
the national character, that the higher and middling
c.aeses of a e.iety, are ever on the alert to ameliorate the
c...ndition or the lower. No nation in existence, nor of
which history records the manners, is to be compared
to Tar's for the virtues of Charity and Benevo!enee.—
'Virtues mere eminently rare and ineomparably more
amiable than any that can po'sibly adorn either a na-
tion or an individual. Where azniiist the records of
history do we find the patrician equally sensible of that
equality established by nature between himself and the
plebian ? Equally anxious to lighten the pressure cf
grinding penury ? H (pally willing to lay open to the
poor man, the road to all those advantages he himself
enjoys, either in his property, or in the improved state
of the intellectual powers:, by which, more than by any
other advantaae, he stands distinguished from him?
We ropey.: it—the comparison is no where to be found
in arc:xi-A or modern timec. if there be one fault in
oar I'ocr Laws more generally canraleuous than ano-
ther, it is that they embrace toe, miteir benevolence ; but
independent of the provision thus wade for the pauper,
what sums are not volitiitarZ.'y appropriated to his com-
fort and his improvement i Let not any one here
object that there are abeeer. We speak more only of
the benevolent spirit of the lews, not of their corrupt
or injudicious adminiatrat;en of there. We only pay
the just tribute of admiration to the virteeue feelieat
of a benevolent natien, we de net wean Cleny that
Its most praiaeworthy objects ate often defeated by petty
intrigue, by avarice end hard-heerecdness in those. en-
trusted to carry them into execution for all this,
the fact of good intent, of gel-a:row; dhdriterested tender,
feeling, stands established,a—aed -,se congratulate our
countrymen that it does so. Among the many proofs
of this we will particularly notice those charitable
iastitutions fin- the education of youth, the abuse& in
which formed the subject of the very eloquent speech
lately made by Mr. ilroughara in the House of Com-
mons. We conceive the country in general greatly
indebted to this gentleman for his conduct., and sin-
cerely hope he will have the eetisfaction of seeing his
well owlet exertien crowned with sweets, But in
mgratulating our countrymen on the tress cif gener-
ves feeling which exists among there, as evinced in
the extent airi magnitude of the inititutiohs before-
nientioaiel, ye: cannot refrain fro: 1 expressing our
regret, that the thv urmraty should be stained
with the rt:;):.1 such a motion as it has bean found
nceustere to male; in Parliament, for the prolecion of
you h o • rather, we 5h.),1:1 say, ilfcht:9, against the
unfeeling exactions cf a fie.v avaricious individuals,
whose conduct classes theca more with the unfeeling
herd of Egyptian taskmasters, then with any other

.I:::;criptiott of human beings that we. hare lnown, heard,
or read of'. What will he thought of our humanity
by other civilised nations, when they licar that chil-
dren, infants, are subject to 15 hours labour out of the
confinal within the Contaminated atino.phere of a
manufactory ? What opinion must th,,y form of
taedical profewLion atnoug:•t us, wLen Wei hear