The Sun.
London, England, 1833-03-08 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

-
The communications to the Poor Law Com-
missioners, with a perusal of a number of which we
have been favoured, contain much valuable informa-
tion with regard to the state of the country. On
reading the report of Mr. Majendie, who visited
Sussex, Kent, and Essex, from the disturbed dis-
tricts of Sussex, it occurred to us that the state
of things described by him may admit of a compa-
rison with what we have heard in Parliament of the
sister kingdom. The difference is this, that in Eng-
land the intimidation has been to completely suc-
cessful, that violence has been rendered unnecessary.
" A more efficient police," says Mr. Majendie, " is a
matter of the greatest importance. Al! class-s, proprie-
tors and occupiers, magistrates, overseers—all require it.
Conc,ssion to paupers can hardly be avoided under the
present insufficient police ; and the magistrates consider
the calling in the military very objectionable unless in he
last extremity. As to yeomanry, there is so much dis-
tress among farmers, and consequently so much discon-
tent, that they are unwilling to enrol themselves ; those,
who in the good times of farming had horses fit for yeo-
manry service, now make use of a cart horse or go on foot.
" The few who are more opulent hang back ; as, from
living in isolated situations, their property is completely
at the mercy of their own labourers.
" Such, indeed, is the general insecurity of farming
property, since the unhappy time of the riots, that
a considerable occupier has thought it necessary to re-
tain in constant pay, two of the most confidential of his
labourers, to watch over and report to him any symptoms
of dissatisfaction, among the rest, likely to lead to mischief.
• • • • ♦ • • •

" The riots in the north•east parts of the Rape of Has-
tings commenced simultaneously on the sth and 6th of
November, 1830. The farmers observed, that their
labourers all at once left their work ; they were taken
away by night by a systematic arrangement; no leader
could be indentified, but bills were run up at the public-
houses in the evening, and in the morning a stranger came
and paid.
" The mobs generally bad written forms containing
their demands; they varied a little in the amount of wages,
but all agreed in the amount of allowance of is. 6d. for
every child above two; that there should be no assistant-
overseer ; that they should be paid full waves wet or dry;
that they would pay their own rents. (This last point is
remarkable; perhaps it may be thus explained—that the
labourers were aware that high rents paid out of the poor-
rates, formed part of the system of parish jobbing, of little
advantage to them.) There were nine cases of incen-
diarism that winter at B:tttle. The mob which assembled
there on the day of the Magistrate's Meeting, amounted to
nearly '7OO ; all the principal Magistrates of the division,
nineteen in number, assembled ; the arrival of a troop of
horse established order.

" Though the guilt of one of the incendiaries, J. Buf-
ford, who was executed, was clear, and admitted by him-
self, yet the feeling of the county was so much in his
favour, that he was considered as a martyr; he was ex-
hibited in his coffin, and a subscription made for his
family.
" A permanent bench of magistrates was established at
Battle, at which Mr. Courthorpe presided, at their parti-
cular reque-t, and directed, by day and nicht, the mea-
sures which were requisite for public tranquillity.
'' This harassing duty continued during a month ; but
from that period a certain degree of intimidation has pre-
vailed in this district. The assistant-overseers, having
been th n ill-treated by the mobs, ate reluctant to make
complaints fur neglect of work, lest they should become
melted men, and their lives rendered uncomfortable, or
even unsafe. Farm, rs permit their labourers to receive
relic', founded on a calculation of a rate of wages, lower
than that actually paid. They are unwilling to
put themselves in collision with the labourers,
and will not give an account of earnings, or if
they do, beg that their names may not be men-
tioned. A similar feeling prevails in 'East Kent. At
West-well, the farmers are afraid to express, in vestry
meetings, their opinions against a pauper who applies for
relief, far fear their premises should be set fire to. Two
of the fires immediately followed such a resistance; one
cf them happened to a most respectable farmer, a kind
and liberal master, and a promoter of cottage allotments.
" The allowance system is represented to be so rata-
Wished, that without some legislative enactment, neither
overseers, vestries, nor Magistrates, can make any effectual
change; and that, if local regulations were attempted, a
repetition of the outrages of 1830 may be expected. Day
wages seem to be fixed at 2s. to 2s. 3d., which are nut
thought too high, were it not for the rates; but the
formers state that the present relief, coupled with th ,t
rate of wages, is exhausfinc their capital. The relief is
in great measure compulsory ; but it is also considered
nosecessary—for on an accurate examination of the po-
pulation, the quantity of acres, and the numbers required
fur the cultivation of the land in its present state, it is
calculated that the money expended for labour, within
the Rape of Hastings, is sufficient for the maintenance ef
nearly the whole of the able-bodied agricultural labourers
and families, without ass stance from the rates."
It thus appears, that from the riots of 1830 to
the present period, the magistrates and farmers have
been living under a system of intimidation, and that
peace has been preserved merely by yielding every
point to the labourers. What would have been the
case in Ireland, if the ',Vhirefeet had been equally
successful ? What would have been the case in
England, if the farmers had not yielded to the inti-
midation ? The farmers conceive themselves utterly
without protection, and gentlemen feel themselves
still more unprotected. But all is q.iiet, for there
can be no contest where one party only is willing to
fight. There does nor, according to Mr. Majendie,
appear to be any superfluity of humanity in cases
where the poor, like the beggar in Gil Blas, who
had a musket pointed to passengers, are not disposed
to extort it.

" From a printed statement (he says) of the expendi-
ture of the parish of E istbourn (Sussex), are taken the
foll,,wir•g items of sums received by families of paupers :
" John Carter, bricklayer, aged 43, wife and five
children, at an allowance of 14s. Sd. per week,
cost the parish last year
" Joseph Carter, 34, wife and seven children, Cs
Sd. per week
"J. Mitchell, 46, wife and twochildren, P2s. per week 33 4 0
" G. Paul, 50, fisherman, wife and two children,
15s. 6d. per week ‘2s 8 94
• • • • • ••

" This lavish expenditure, which has been extorted by
the violence of the able-bodied, is not extended to the
aged and infirm, the proper objects of the poor laws, as
may be seen by the following items :
" Mary Carter, widow, aged 76, at 25. 6d. per week £6 10
" Lydia Collins, ditt0......... 90, ... ... ditto 5 4
" Ann Chapman, ditto 75, Is. 6d. . ditto. 3 18"
These extracts may serve to show that people are
often less eicquainted with what is passing in their
own neighbourhoods than with matters at a distance.
—Morning Chronicle.
Mr. Wilson Patten, one of the Members for Lan-
cashire, gave notice, we find, on Wednesday last, of
a motion for the appointment of a " Commission
to collect Evidence on the subject of Children em-
ployed in Factories." We are not a little surprised
at this proceeding. But a day or two ago there
were no le,s than two notices on the Journals for
the introduction of Bills to put a stop to the atro-
cities already proved in evidence. Lord Morpeth,
the originator of one of those notices, withdrew it,
to make way for the introduction of Mr. Sadler's

Ton Hours Bill, by Lord Ashley—that Bill having
ae decided approbation of the friends of the poor
el•ildrett and of the war kpeople themselves. Now,
however, just on the eve of the introduction of this
measure, so necessary to satisfy the outraged feel-
ings of society—now, at the eleventh hour, it is
d,scovered by some persons, in their wisdom, that
further evidence is necessary. Why were we not
told so before ? Why did we not hear, at the time
when the frightful details of the Committee were
harrowing up our hearts, that those details were in-
sufficient ; that the Legislature should pause, and
that, instead of proceeding at once to cheek the evil,
they should occupy themselves in further inquiry.
One would think it was in anticipation of some
attempt of this nature that Mr. Curolv made the
.ollowingjust and spirited comparison, in a late
speech at .Manchester :—" The evidence, he might
be told, was ex parte. Why, this was as if a man
was to be knocked down in the streets, and get his
brains almost beaten out, and, upon appearing be-
fore a iNlagi:tiace to make his complaint, was told
that his evidence was ex parte." We do not kn•
pule to the Hon. Member who gave the notice to
which we allude a design to defeat the forttieerming
motion of Lord Ashley, but we strongly suspect
that he has been misled by other persons, who are
not free from the imputation. Of one thing,
however, we can assure the Hon. Member, and
that is, that the mind of the country, and we think
we may add, the mind of Parliament, is made up
on the subject. There is not an elector in the

?kingdom who will net look anxiously to the part
which his representative may take with regard to the
forthcoming Bill, and who will not resist, by all
constitutional means, any attempt to defeat it,
whether that attempt be manifested in direct oppo-
sition, or by the more paltry contrivance of a side
wind.—Morning Hcrald.