The Sun.
London, England, 1819-08-11 00:00:00

same time, they are well aware, that it is not at
a moment like The .present, when from a concur,
rence of circumstances, the country is unusually
embarrassed by the number of persons without
employment, that it should be attempted to bring
this better system at once into operation ; and it
would he probably expedient previously to remove
any impedimenta which are thrown in the wavof the
free circulation sof labour, either by the existing
laws respecting the Settlement of the poor, or
those which relate to vagrancy ; the former of
which, it must be recollected, did. not exist in
their present form, when the compulsory system
of providing for the relief of the poor commenced.
Your Committee indeed recommended to the
House to replace the law of settlement upon its
ancient footing, as the first step towards.removinis
that restraint, which they deem a serious obstacle
to any radical amendment of the system, and they
regret that the view which they had formed for
the attainment, of this object, and at the same
time simplifying this law, and thereby diminish-
ing litigation, did not meet with the concurrence
of the House ; which they attribute rather to its
apprehended operation upon particular local in-
terests, than to any defect in the principle on
which it was recommended.
That the market for labour is in many parts of
the kingdom at present much overstocked, does
• not admit ot dispute ; nor does your Committee
believe, • that in other parts the demand is greater
than the .supply ; it is not probable, therefore,
that even the entire and immediate-removal of all
such impedimeots,• if it were .practicable, would
of itself, at this moment, cure the existing evil.
Other measures, assisted by the unrestrained
operation of natural causes, will yet be wanting
to bring the kingdom, in.,this respect, to its ordi-
nary and healthful state. Ytior-Committee, there-
fore, must, recur to the opinion expressed in the
former Report, that " all obstacles to seek-
ing employment wherever it can be found,
even.out :of the realm, should be removed, and
eveiy facility that -is . reasonable afforded to
those who may wish to resort to souse °Lour own
Colonies ;" for it seems not,amnatural, that this
country should, at suesiva time, recur to an expe-
dient sahith has been adopted successfully in other
times, and in other countries, especially as it has
facilities. for this purpose, . which no other State
has •perhaps ever enjoyed to the same extent, by
the possession of Colonies, affording an extent ot
unoccupied territory, in which the labour of man,
assisse4 by a genial and healthy climate, would
produce an early and abundant return. Your
Committee thought it desirable to make some in-
, quieies on this subject, the result of which will
he found in the Minutes of Evidence.
,It by these and other means, by a continuance
of the blessings of peace, and a consequent slug-
rnentation of capital, the dernand anti supply of la-
bour should be nearly balanced, and the .wages of
labour become a rnoreadequate remuneration of in-
dustry, .your Committee are satisfied, that the ob-
ject which they recommend might be gradually at-
tained, without material ernbarrassment'Or dim-
catty ; provision continuing to be made by law
for the infirm and helpleSs, and the partial and.
temporary distress which might occasionally befal
even the able • and industrious, being left, as it
confidently might, to the aid of voluntary and dis-
criminating benevolence, to which alone it should
be remembered the wants even of age and infirmity
in most other countries are referred. The assess-
ment, thus limited in its application, would no
longer threaten to absorb all the sources of supply,'
nor continue to seduce the labouring part of the
population, by the delusivepromise of parish re-
lief, from, their natural habits of industry. _ The
greater part, your Committee believe, of the, sums
of, money which are
_now ,forced into the poor's
rate, and undergo a compulsory, and for the most
part unprofitable distribution, would probably be
restored to their natural channel, giving thereby
an increased activity to labour, under the interest-
ed but beneficial superintendence of their owners ;
from which. would necessarily result a rise of
• wagts, with the IsenefiCial consequences that would
„,t "ally ensue to the labouring classes ; active
stud lit ihful service would *indeed be found indis-
pensable for the.supply of present wants ; and re-
course nand(' doubtless 'he had tolthose facilities
and inducements which are now afforded to realiie
tie benefits of exertion and frugality. Your Com-
mittee reed not dwell on the importance of giiiing
,littoiibteii security to the acquisitions of industry,
however small.

+'rolll the evidence in the Appendix.to the First
Report (1817) it will be Seen'how much such se-
curity %v as wanting', and bow beneficially it siotild
in elf probability operate. This advantage, for
ataintnent of which hopes .only were ewer-
-18114(1 at a very recent period, is now very gene-
rally afforded, and in the most inviting form, by
the numerous and successful establishments of
Banks for Savings. They present the most un-
noubted security for theburn deposited, the cer-
tain progt of intercrq or ICCUMUIRtiOII, and the
cou.stant and immediate comtnana over the plin-
cipal itself. If, however, insuring against the con-
tingeneks of life, should be more aeceptable, your
Committee trust, that' the calculations on Which
Benefit Societies may be formed, will in future be
placed on a sitter footing ; some information re-
srecting-hoth those institutions has been obtained
from a Gentleman to whom the public is under
great, obligations for his exertions in construct-
ing avid promoting the-former of those-establish-
ments.
. . , . .

Under these circnmstances, your Committee
woUld,tlietetore, met, the future at-
tention of the flouse to such measures es may be
calculated diltidnatelVo relieve parishes from the
impracticable obligation of finding employment
for all who may at any:time kcqvire it at their
hands, and to'confine tlic 'chief derived from corn,
pillsory assessments to-" the lame, impotent, old,
blind, and such other,:arnong 'their)
,being poor,
atid not able to ,work," and they are
.satisfied
that the best preparation for such an enact-
ment will be made by the careful execution of
the Act of the present Session, by removing
any' restraint on the free 'circulation of labour,
and giving every failitY and encouragement
to seek employment in any Tart' of the King'sdominions : the provident' habit's of the. people
being at the same time aided by the advantages
re.iikitirfrom the aaiitiirthle-Intaittitiontto which
tliey have above rt-Jcitthd, and from the improved