The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-30 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP Tile; PUB,LIC JOURNALS.
"',prudence or the controul of others., khappetis urt-
. . _
An interesting, document has been made public, that the exercise of this virtue always supposes the
being an account of the imports and exports of Great. enjoyment of a considerable degree of comfort, and
Britain for the years 1826 and 1827. According to that in no 'Country are the lower orders in 'the Pos-
sessiOn ,of that degree of comfort. which would
this exposition, it would appear that in 1826, we war-
portedim-
to the amount
,of 36,000,000/., and exported rant •us in relying' much ,•on their prudence, when
50,000,000 placed in collision with 'one of the most powerful
4 of which upwards of 40,000,0001. con
of the produce and manufactures of the Unitee'Passions'nf but nature. But here the Poor Laws
supplied the absence of prudence in the poor, by
Kingdom. Further, we are told that an enormous,
increase; both of irhport and, export, took place in the ,giving teethe rich the strongest of all motives for
year, 1827, over those exhibited in the year peecee. preventing the undue multiplication of the poor. The
in viz. that the iroli_ertl'_ .were augmented from poor, secsred by the law against absolute want, be-
-36 -
000,000/. t043,000,000/.--'.sutplus, 7,000,0001.: came amenable to the law, and men of substance
and the exports from ,50;000,000/: to 61,000,0004 could carry on their improvements without dread of
being an excess-of 11,000,000/. ; the whole of which that spoliation which will always. be found where
increase has occurred in articles of home, prodrice and there is a destitute population ' 'and thus the stock
inanufacture. This is
,a very striking feet, and would of the country could, under this security, experi-
.bein a still higher degree satisfactory than-we find ' erice a constant increase, while the rich and indus-
it,trieis were led by the most poWerfel of all motives'
were the OisProPortion..between imports and e•:,
ports accounted for by any official reasoning or state- .-the instinct of self-preseryatien—to"limit the in=,
most. That a :great and beneficial augmentation crease of the poor, by . preVenting,the erection of
has been experienced in our foreign trade, is un- cottankea; and by availing themselves of the various
questionable; 'but that the account itself has been, means which the law allowed them of defending.
made out on fallacious principles, or in a most theenSelVes against'the intrusion of strangers. Hence
slovenly form, IS obvious from the plain con- England, which, in the *reign of Queen Elizabeth, in
sideration, that an excess of our exports over- 1579, possessed, according to enumeration, 4,600,000
our imports with the Whole world, has been inhabitants, only posseasedabout five millions-and .a
alleged in regard to both the years., . alluded half at the bege-ming of last century, and did not -nil
to, namely, for 1826. an.: excess of 14,000,000/. crease much• till towards the latter end of last
and for 1827, of 18,000;0001.; in two years, century, when the improvements of our manufactures
32,000,0001. Let us ask-'how is it possible that icevered the thee of the country with large cities;
such a statement earn 64 IXue ? -Nothing is more while not only have the number of cattle andsheep
--,)alpableahan that with any one particular country far more than kept pace with the increase of people,
there Mey, exist a large "balance" of trade, as it is but the quality of the cattle and sheep has so much
called, -either favourable to Great Britain, or the re- improved, that number alone hardly afforded a fair
erse 3 and the balance may be trimmed or adjusted comparison. Thus, a late President of the Board of
by remittances of coin direct, or by an oppo-ite and Agriculture showed, by a comparison of the weight
indemnifying balance 'between Great Britain and of sheep and oxen at Smithfield, in 1710, and
some other country which likewise trafficks with during the present century, that' lambs, sheep, and.
that just mentioned. But 'it is equally absurd to calves weighed little- more than a third, and oxen,
suppose that a general exportation of goods from considerably less than half what they weigh at '
Great Britain to all parts of the world, could exceed !?resent; which he attributed to the former chiefly
her imports for awe_succes_sive years, and in so im- feeding on.. wastes and commons, and not on
nweae a sum as '32,000,000/e Sterling, ni it would turnips and good pastures, as at present. While.
be to imagine that the Thames could diacharge.into England has been making these strides, Ireland has
the sea twice the quantity of water which it receives been more and more over-run with a pauper pope-
from tributary streams and fountains. The general lation, which never Can be kept in check, so as to
imports of a country must approximale "very nearly 'afford security for the investment of capital on a.
in. value, to, or, more properly speaking, must. equal soil;-eiicent bya provision for the poor, and laws of
the exports of that 'country to' all the ports of the settlement.. If the Catholic Question' were settled
;wield ; if not,
_the British merchants must be sates- te-inorrow (and we, do not wish to under-rate 'its
tked to make presents of their goods to the foreigncon- importanCe), the improvement of the country would
sumers, who have physically no means of repayment, be7ng-Eatteless as ever* Witlibiita.' proviSITE-for the
but by cash (or bills, which come to the samething) or destitute population, which would compel the
merchandise. Will it. then be said that England has holders of the land to prevent redundancy. Reli-i
drawn 'upwards of 30,000,000/. of money from the pious equality is an excellent thing; but it will not
nations of the continenrin two years, during a great fill the belly of a hungry man, nor prevent him from
part of which the exehanges are known to havebeen murdering, in self-defence, those who attempt to
:against her? and if she has reirnbtired herself in throw kim destitute on the world, and from spoiling
goods,,why are, they not entered in the official docu- all within his reach. Not-a tree, not a hedge can
meats. These remarks have no other object 'that, groW in security till the poor are provided for ; no
to shoW, that there:Jr§ more in the commercial man's field will be respected... All spirited improve-
history of the kingdom than can be got at through meat, consequently all increase of stock of the na-
mere Custom-house or Treasury communications. tion, is impossible. With- respect to the alteration
Not being intimate with official contrivance, we proposed by Mr. Potter Macqueen in the law of
cannot say of our own knowledge, that exports Mid -settlement, we are persuaded that it will be ex-
imports are valued on different •principles,—a fact tremely! beneficial. In the committee, on the re-
which, if true, would clear up some portion of this commendation of which the Bill was brought in,
apparent paradox; but making the largest allowance consisting of .twenty.Mernbers, no feWer than 18
of that sort, what a monstrous deficit still rertiains voted for the, measure. One excellent effect to be
to be acconntedffoi by smuggling only, of which no .produced by the- measure will be, the putting in end
notice can be taken iP _Oficial documents ! And, to an immense deal of litigation; for it will restore
dection is it u
w a reon the lame and timid the law to its old state, anal, as Far as the lower or-
iimanner in p
which Mr. Huskisson has yet been per- dens are concerned, confine settlement to birth.
se with Whet' the labourer who haS.removed from his palish
misted to liberalize our commercial intercour
gn countries, :when we have a prima facie to another knows that he can only obtain relief by
forei
evidence, that in spite of that vast- humbug, the returning to the place of his birth, he will have an,
coast blockade, an average difference between exports ' additional motive for exertion and also for not formr
,
and imports; of about 16,000,000/. per annum, is tog imprudent connections. On the other hand, the,
adjusted by the contraband trade, and in defiance of landowners and ' others who are interested in the
t'se Custom-house, the law, and the ciaMourers for rates, knowing that the.. title by birth is unextin-
anohibition.—Zme.v. guishable, will be forced to bestow attention on the
Tuber o births in their
spoke
k parishes. Almost all the
The arrival of a certain person in England created 'lllulembers \sti
pain when it first took place t it was anxiety for hisoimpo e
eon_tehee_subject agreed that the
change would'
health, no doubt, that excited the feeling,—the "It was said," observedprov th
mhraramcntieirekof
that,t,helablourer.
season was wet, and he Was 'exposed to raw cold. • t
hs scar
es
a hardship to send men away. from i.onl
,His mother had: other reasons` for wishing him to they might have resided for ears, to the place 'of
,ey abroad : in thoee, perhaps,, the people of Eng- their birth, where they'might be hardly known;p but
?Ind do not 'partake; but the Sipbiedeause of his he believed that that evil would not he so great as
visit would, if it were more then ninere suppdsition, that which existed in
now ' another shape; for he
treate real pain and disgust., ft is said; among other thought; if confined
persons were to the places of
things, to fie the negociation of a marriage between their birth for settlement,'they'would not_ be '
pot_ so apt
two children, Nature revolts at the , h
propoSitions
to enter into imprudent marriages, but would lay
and let us—let the people of England—still adhere' y money -to support themselves in 'their latter
to nature. In barbarous and. brutal times ,it was da s' Oil the other hand; while the gaining a
,tot uncommon to unite infants of high birth (if y
settlernept ,by reshidence was so, they would
any birth be high, all being born alike) by What
may be called a pre-natural, if *tot a preternatural,- -a_ .to. rich p ais e e -la-
, such as Mary
bonne, and look. r
to they
ey parish for the ulti-
marriage ; but the age of barbarism, we 4:lgnlitl:sup-
mate means of their support.,, It is well known that
is and the sacred ritual of our church
pose, exotics, . the labourers, by sufferance in a parish are always at
is totally incompitifole with any application to an
present tnopets every respect ;and it Ives. well res
'Anion' such as that which is rumoured or insinuated, marked by Pir.Teit, " that iewas a strong discou-
Our last Princess chose, for herself. The union was ragement to a man to apply for parish relief, when
not long, and it led to' no residts; but it was not
,h
knew that he wooedli. subject himself
. _t ens j c_tto be
unhappy to the parties, we believe, whilst it
.4sted,, , $ .i, •
removeu to another parish. ,Thus they became the
and to 'the people it imparted uumingled eat- most deserving and industrious • us class among the
eisfaction. In proportion to that satisfaction would ,0 - imperiously called
Poore , !le ?ther measure isfor,
now be the public loathing, if any expedient of an
an alteration to the laws respecting Bastardy: As
infantine union or- betrotionent were avowed. 'We
at present executed, the Bastardy Laws are ruinous
trust, therefore, this matter wilt sitok into oblivion
in the extreme to the lower orders, The' give to
for some eight tof en good years-to tkitne I ' and then the female a. strong motive,to adusit .
o f •
illicit Con-
-aye, but who knowiewhat may .11appep:then •? We
nection, in the hope of thereby obtaining a husband,
may here mention anothee cireumstance 'of-inoi in for site knows
sitthat, as soon as she is pregnant, the
importance, but .yet' curious. •'_ A- eirtain venerable
parish will give' her a husband. :Lewdness in
and Learned Peer,—whoseprolon. gen', and we sin-
female is. rewarded, and chastity is discountenanced.a
cetely hope happy life, seems tojostify-the slowness Good
Idprescribe giving the
policy would the female a
with which he once decided CUusese-L-Wateseen /Win e*a
- -strong motive for correct conduct, because; as every
down St. James's-street on Saturday' last; and tVIIO
GIIP who knows any thing of theavorld is aware;
should be observed following him step by step—
, wherethe female is willing, or throws out lures, all
Pori passe, as certain orators say--but Neale, ! tne
resistance on the part of a young - man is utterly
Neale who was a witness in the affair of 'Sellis,
ho elesa. To reward-the female and punish the
when the Duke of cumberland was all but hw
err'- -
male •s, therefore, to give a premium on imprudent
in pieces: together they entered the palace, where . 1. But heWever this may be, we hail the
his Rayal Highness now resides, and there they marriages.
prese4t ••Atte!PPt to. improve the Poor Laws, t
continued for some time. We - only mention the rall their recent abuses, E o
which, noteenthstam ing
_.
facts : they are curious. We have not been able to that 11land is not a little indebted Would the
Land-
learn what was the subject of 'the 'Confabtilation.—
- .
1,, ' , , - , ' owners of Ireland had courago to grapple boldly with
Ibid, the subject of Pauperism ! If they de pot attend
Two Bills have been introduced this Session,their ee poor, their country will never know itn-
having for abject to effect alterations of the Law of proven t.—Morning Chronicle.
Settlement 113 England anti Scotland ; one by Mr. night his motion
Mr. Hume bought forward last
to prevent persons not natives. of Scot-
Kennedy, for the Imposition of a Pe moment Duty on.,lrnported
gaining a settlement in a parish of that.
land from Corn, instead of a fluctuating one. NW. Kaye iilready
country, who have not entitled themselves to it by• nur reasons for not wishing the eeraneemeots
an industrial residence of seven years; and the other
declaring that no person
of Ministers to be.disturbed, while we also stated
by Mr. Potter iVlaequeen, _ .
_n a
unequivocrall - Preference of a fixed duty--not
hired into any parish or township E
in a'l,
lafter
such a duty, indeed, as th t pioposed by Mr. -H
be deemed to. 1,
,_ ume,
the Ist September, 1828, shad''I've
h-t one which shouldeffect •1' -
attained a settlement by abiding in the service, for jo
_
maelt(he( vhe had many quarters or few to ;carry tp
any length of time. The' latter came antler discu- h
0f1,14 wile_ noticeilthe subject now, for • the
sion last night. We have frequently express,ed our-
opposer
selVes in favotie of the English Poor Laws, us 'one e,
orant exposing a feocioue argument•used by.
of Ole 'main causes of the prosperity of England.' nil
On .corn w„tiwenhen he said that oo dui:iv potdd lie levied
rose to a very high priepea-Mr.
The framers of the Act of Elizabeth did not; pro- cl
eattit seems_ tolli imagined that when wheat was
bably foresee the effect they would have in . this; i.:2',.. IPOs, in the home mar duty of 15s. .would
spent; lint looked merely to a remedy for thelin- raise it t 9 13.55., whereas eta' 3unlessl it
tolerable evil of vagrancy and mendicancy, whirl' it .
tobibited importation altogether,ty N 4. fA.I.?
had been found impossible to repress without throw" I; the ,e, ; s, 1,
rPssise price .0 the ..pmnarkt would not only no
had been found impossible to repreaswitho(it throw" rjse the pticl,the hpmemarket, buit wlottilodnloy not
ing on each parish the burden of its own poor. No ie. "Chn .projectors of the teal; of duties leave
improvements wilt ever take place, no capital will , 4 --if spi ptions 'of th • a•ve
_ o , , e principles pp which
ever be embarked in` Aohivation, in a country- itt voy.. v. . , ~,„ .0 , •
they are IrtUngq... PN .IYY reason why the British
which vagrancy and menflieancy prevail ; and they farmer require ;s protgaipn against t;)rei Tx ' corn' •
must prevail where there is AO provision for the
..1 tl at lelha's burdens to bear whigh the flgt,gii ls,
wer
poor, for what punishment can aria ateeinst hungers has" The ditty is the measure of the lit
not.
In vain the English'Parliainent ordered reeeb,ondsnatureof things it is Fe/"TI
• constant. The.
end in the d
to be branded on the, breast, to have the griSete boor rates of England do not rise
of their ear burnt thron ilie ,and even to suffer death 4,1e-7, tithes, an •. ' " Whthere '
increasing,' and fall wiiie the barometer. en is a scar-
es felons e the evil went on e/s it will ` ..ii E' 0.11 .d and' 4,- equal- scarcity oa the Con-
inerease in Ireland, till the , destitute peter ere city 1-'' 41 -' lalia':e niece will be the same
placed in circumstances which shall place el ern tinent of. Europe, the
abundance,,
knpe,, ..
e and eOmsetßotiy
as wlien: there is an , ,
for da
in alliance with the, law. , The manner in which thea duty' in the one 'case as
English Poor Laws have contributed so much to there is sie some reasonis,
in the . nature of
the prosperity of the.,country, is by the effect ty I tn.! e otherr,. and its operation8 ,
ti ilia can be less en-
have had imehecking the tendency of the:peopl tol
things, precisely the sel;cte
'titled to the name of principle, than o .
i imposed solely to meet the artificial circumstances
r '''t
make a duty,
increase beyond the means of subsistence. No ctcamstances
is now better established than this—that in all ld - natural causes -to
of Great Britain, vary with the
____ i
countries the means of subsistence cannot be in-
which all countries are alike subject.----Wen, Tit les.
creased in the ratio of the power of our species; to
increase; and'that the greater or less degree of min). : We give in another. column a Parliamentary do-
fort enjoyed by the lower orders must depend :on etiment of considerale importance, which has been
the restraint which has been ,imposed on the exter- • printed by order of bite ommons. lt is
eise of the power to increase; either by their •olvii an accounts of: the Exports and- Imports for the