The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-17 00:00:00

NATIONAL POOR-RATE.

[We have great pleasure in quoting the following
sensible observations from our excellent contempo-
rary the Hull Advertiser. The worthy editor of that
journal, with more generosity than h common among
Provincial Papers, has thus prominently drawn atten-
tion to the opinions of a rival, by giving them far
more extended currency. We could heartily wish to
see this manly spirit more generally adopted; for it
assuredly is by the practice of such liberality that the
interests of the public are best consulted, while news-
paper proprietors would not fail at the same time to
promote their own. A national poor-rate is but ap-
plying the principle of the consolidated fund. The
proceeds are contributed to the rational exchequer
for a benevolent purpose, and are dispensed from the
collective fund free from the contumely, degrada-
tion, and bitterness of spirit, too often inseparable
from local administration. The relief is the donation
of all, but the gift of none in particular. The nation
dispenses, not the parish.—ED. Sun.]
At the risk of doing something as unpleasant as re-
questing the narration of a thrice-told tale—or the pay-
ment of an old debt—or the recognition in public t.f an
ill-used benefactor—or of a poor relation—or any
other disagreeable incident resulting from well-meant
but luckless busybodyism, we venture to recommend
to the Ilull guardians of the poor the subjoined
very sensible article on the Law of Settlement
question, which we have great pleasure in quoting from
the Ea:tan Counties Herald of yesterday. It is basal
on a sound political, as well as moral principle; arid
contrasts most favourably with certain views which ap-
peared in the same journal a few months since, but for
which the writer of the article quoted below is
not 14, be held responsible. We venture to say
that we hare considered the eint'stion of poor-la,:
settlement es carefully as tiny guardian of the
poor in Hula, and the, result of that c•insideratiou is this
conviction that the proposed chank:o in the law is ex-
!•eedingly desirable. Coniel a plan be, de red for guard-
ing ffectusliy a;zeinst abuso ill th,. udruinitration f tho
law, no reuiedy for the present itbuses in the operation
40' t! -:o poor-la-w could equal that of a national rate.
"Phis would put an end to all litigation about settletntlits
an" all expenses of removal. The destitute would cease
to bi) treated as if they were criminals, by being exposed
at any time to what to them is tantamount tobani,dt-
inert irons everything possessing a hold on their atTec-
tionF. In the case of the Irish poor, removal to Ireland
is about as reasonable as the return of the new swarm
bees to the old over-crowded hive. It is to than as
certain death as if they had sand bags attached to
their heels and sunk in the llurubt-r. We therefore
adopt both the letter and the spirit of the following
well-timed observations, which we hope will not fail to
attract the notice of our very diligent Member, Mr.
Baines !

" Unless the poor-law gauardians of Hull nee pre-
pered to dissolve the Scotch as well as the Irish union,
we must say their proceedings en Monday %ere im-
pulitic and inconsistent, it not harsh and unjust.
" The reader may require to be informed that a Bill
now before Parliament contains a clause that will place
the poor of the three countries on a toting of equality
as regards the right to parochial settlement after a five
years' residence, Nothing could be fairer in the abstract,
and few things have been more imperatively required
in actual practice. Where a man expends his strength
in honest industry, there he should have a title to relief;
whether burn in Hull, Edinburgh, cc Dublin, is a point
quite unin3portaut as regards the merits of the case.
Ile is required to contrioute to all the local rates as long
as he is able to pay, and to discharge all the duties that
d. volve upon him as a citizen; he does both irrespec-
tive of the place of his nativity; and justice obviously
requires that when he needs relief i: should be grantedd
had
to him without reference to distinctions which A
not previously been recognised or acted upon.
present the whole law of settlement requiresi there
reuon_
eideration and essential amendment, a
are reasons fur hoping that Mr. C. Buller willnnot shrink
from from the task required of him. That, bow_evfert,,eiso,
Ito the
kill too broad to be opened at thispeartitoedutoiun
sign ; and he has tkerefore confined his
rice
of
anh°
Bill to which we have alluded, to the pherformraw_o may
ay
act of equity towards Scotch and Irish
conferpoo the privi
privi
have complied with the conditions fula
loges of settlement on parties borriuill England."uardians stoutly
" Against this principle the H
tion, will be found to resolve
protest, assigning various reason:,
clause will be followed
the enactment of the obnoxiousn which,g on ogamina-
p paupers, and consequently
by large importations of themselves into this—That
lion is far from conclusive.
h the Heavens should fall.
by a heavy addition to the poor
let justice be done, ipeo.FOraia•ratajte.L.tittlia,utretehtis
two
thuj
:nee.;
thong
eobagve shortly stated be tenable,
And if the principle a mere pecuniary consideration.
it cannot be sheken y
five for demanding changes
sufficient motive
and may form a
the maintenance of the pauperism of
?n. will doubtless be a great evil,
Ithnizetrewasieldi
fliaicstaelutaxati
but where right°.
The national debt is an incubus
Scotland and Irelaudiosn tuluiencperroupeedr.ty
cost
to.
st ht o sbeeeeznetsr i e
os
f;
inferior
in2P;diacter fully spare, but we are not, there-
which we repudiate" our liabilities. So, in the same way,
fore, to
of large towns may grumble at an in-
the rateP3a.teers for purposes not altogether palatable, but
of rates
should hesitate before advising them to
resist sPe tbc public
proper claim because it entails disagreeable con-
sequences. Even the Hull guardians concede the right,
when fairly stated: are they to reject it because they
cannot act upon it without a sacrifice?
The alleged exposure to fraud is true enough, and
will call fur vigilance on the part of the administrators of
the law; but it must be remembered that the trickery of
one does not disannul the claim of another. Remove, if
you can, the motive to fraud by other laws and regula-
tions; don't make the whole responsible for the misdeeds
of a part, itirtuae
Equally Niesrtyhe assertionlargeone. that the apprehended
evil will he felt most severely by large towns. The law
of settlement already operates unfairly in this manner.
The remedy should, however, be sought in some other
,;irection than that suggested by our guardians. A
national poor-rate, or au approximation to it, might be
an improvement."

------- ....___
COAL.--The Newcastle coal formation contains
about 5,575,680,000 cubic yards, extending in length
twenty-three miles; 28,009,000 tons of coal are annually
raiied, being 31,000,000 of cubic yards.—The Trades
W eddy Messenger.
A deputation from the Colonization Society, con-
sistir.g of the following gentlemen, John Boyd, Esq,,
M.P.; Captain Uamilton, R.N.; :lark Body, Esq.; Ar-
thur Mills, Esq.; and Arthur neade, Esq., waited upon
the Lord Mayor on Saturday afternoon, at the Mansion-
'netv,e, for the purpose of asking his Lordship to aid at
the present eventful moment the great national aod vital
question of the emigration of the labouring classes to
tne British colonies, and we understand that a public
meeting will be announced in a few days.—Observer
ARRIVAL OF CHINESE INSECTS.—On Saturday a
vvsEel arrived in the West India Docks, from China,
having on board 400 cases, containing about 140,000
Chinese insects imported from China for the purposes of
natural history. Among 1:1:e collection is said. to be
several varieties not hitherto described by naturaists.