The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-18 00:00:00

the guardians were to be responsible for the treatment
of the poor, what security bed they against oppression ?
In every country there was injury done to the pour null
hut especial injury was done to him ill those coun-
tries where the law of primogeniture and Oil-
s tail existed. Such laws were an invasion of the
natural right of the poor man, and such being tee
• cas?, he had a right to come tiros the land
, for that support which was otherwise denied him.
There were other laws passed for the benefit of
Prt tperty, which entitled the poor to support ;
un'i the first anti principal of these was
the Corn-law, if by this law the price of provisions cvas
raised, and the poor man found it more difficult to pro-
cure them, he had a right to fall back upon the
land for relief. The enormous amount of ta Nen
and the profits which were accumulated from labour, also
',emended that a fixed fund should be made for the previ-
sion of the poor. Another imp, rttinteoneideration, the vast
111:;nrogress in machinery of late years, and which, thorn 01
':it Might ultimately prove beneficial, was in the meeo-
tinre doily injurious, rendered it necessary that the
P"r man should halve a fund upon which he
fall back. There were objections made to the
ss,„9l3erations of a Poor-law. It was said -it produe.esd
~.I„;improvidence
and sloth, and early marriages, ana it
popttlation, and a want f improveent and
ud-caltivation, and a want of respeoct for the law. These
I,,:saWere the various charges brought against the Poor-lays;
butit was worthy of observation :hat not one of those evils
which but were attributed to the Poor-laws in this country,
bwere found to exist in Ireland, where, till
°' IY, there was no Poor-law in operation.—(llear,
f.°ar, hear) Did these evils arise in that country
r°lll- the want of a Poor-law ? When they looks "
this country, and compared it with Ireland, he thought
it ems, he
Closadmitted that the prosperity of this coutury
7°wing to the influence of a Poor-law ;and at all events
„, It
1, Was not owing to a Peor-law, it woe impossible that
le. ',ever would have risen to its present slate of prosperity
Ite'"huut the Poor-laws. The state of crime in England
.%! the present day was worthy of consideration
•ti reMarkable advance in crime had taken place
717'e the enactment of' the new Poor-law. In the year
434, the total number of offences amounted to
'995, and the total of offences committed since 1841
ti_ll3 20,218. Such had been the increase in crime since
I.4'e estehlishment of the new Poor-law. The object of
104 °ld Poor-law was to prevent a man from falling into the
soi7::lt stage of destitution by giving him either subsistence or
itanwrreh'iui:'if:ent- But by the New Pcior-law
he
must be reduced
so very last stage of destitution befere he could be entitled
It was on this ground that he opposed the present
su„„ • could they sav that the poor could he left to the
• to%T°rt of
charit as the'Vagrancy Act made it a crime even
win:leek for charity. He argued that the growth of taxation
sty • u the last few rears had not been se great as had been
li.tiehd' and in further referring to the most important laws that
iii,"ven passed for the relief of the poor, be mentioned the
lnpproevretc:kcit and the Select Vestry Act, by which the manage-
ee" of the poor was vested in a representative board; he
46 0f this principle, believing that the management of
thewas possess lodged in such hands, as the members of
~ea
-e boards
ed local knowledge. He ' could see no
whs the same test should not be applied to the rural as
„Leine manufacturing districts. He had endeavoured to ex-
lhat
t? the House what seemed to him to be the principle of
8111 ; he had endeavoured, also, to call the attention of
e members to the proceedings of the Commissioners.
fg Y were now called upon to renew that Act and to continue
• *iv.P4iwer of the Commissioners. He asked them then whether,
ge"the circumstances before them which lie h•td stated, and with
joail Tneeedings which he had adopted they would be doing
ackee to the i.oor of this country if they continued to place the
,of pees? of the Poor-law in the hands of these Commis-
, ott2ie Ta? He did not deny but that a Court of Appeal would be
`toareiderable service, but he vvou.d not consent to invest three
roellitrreissioners with the power of making laws. Let the Perlis-
the enact such rules as they thought would be proper to govern
sit,nerelief of the poor, and :et the powers of the Commis-
oecorr_. be-limited to ascertaining whether the guardians acted
be °nig to the law or not. He maintained that relief should
tnt!iven to the able-bodied poor without exacting labour in
eost rit He called upon the House to reject a measure which
ti,4lll.ed so many objectionable principles, and which con-
Cl oin the hands of the Commissioners thoe powers which
fLeY had so greatly abused. He
(lid not make this opposition to
thonlaature from any party considerations. He did not doubt
tI liso-!4:aSS Hon. Alembers had supported the Pi-or-law originally
non -c trey believed it would promote the real interests of the
thetriselves, but he called upon those Hon. Gentlemen to
ihtl,trat the real working of the law, and not adhere obstinately to
jots,' I•Urmer opinions. If they telieved the poor had been iii-
ti:uhe asked them not to persevere in this system. He was
Onritl"mi 1 to the House for the attention which they had paid to
'47:1 !remarks. and he would now move that the Bill be read
!..e,intid time that day six months.
oLv- plain Pr.CHELL said he rose for the purpose of seconding
fob',.,-I,flialion. The Right Hon. Baronet, the Secretary of State
„,e Ile -Home Department, in introducing the measure, had ex •
'see:tied e hope that the Bill would be received in a general
tinof charity and benevolence. What must 'nave been the
trith of the House, after such a communication, to find that
.7 re was in the Bill no one alleviation of the evils which had
i'''en'tsci much dissatisfaction ? The Right lion. Paronet had
:atlkly,aeowed his intention to abolish the Gilbert Uuions. He
,48, bostile to the power of tlee Commissioners, and he saw no
'deans of interfering with local Acts but by opposing the present
4lure. He should vote against the stcond reading of the
, and would take every means in his power to oppose its
jr.lber progress. The Right Hon. Gentleman quoted the Act
oi-i•Arlisment, but be did not quote it correctly, because relief
)oTfint-to'be administered, as he stated, at the doors of the
(; •T* but in some parish near his residence. The Poor-law
tZarttisioners tried to interfere with this salutary provision,
aerZ!de rules and regulations which were enough to distract
The Right Hon. Gentleman also said unfair prac-
exile *ll, place in the unions under Gilbert's Act, and he knew
sierk,StaZerhere "the Commissioners stated that the guardians
with ti,-,,,Neluments from their situation, by supplying the poor
lotatieo-esseries; but the fact was, that the poor in that in-
with. ,:v.u.re supplied with fuel at a very moderate price.
audStheespecato the geographical construetion of the unions,
tht. Curisequent result to the relievino officers in the
of their d •
tr's, es, 0, uties, the greatest contrast existed. In the
Y, The
.iletons which were scattered throughout the court-
teriweaseroeollie.ovullig_ officer's whole time was taken up in going
toPt!r another. There were a millionh. andnaahntaslf
tilt444gerth:n"lng their liberty uhndert
satisfaction
of the
dealsipktsysrl. heir own poofr,tiquiGtenvteorntmeent
was evidently to
vultlio,eavY blow awject 0
get great discouragement to these unions,
11 eluted
th gr'sof them. He was only doing his duty when he
e bill thatt he should give every opposi!ion to those parts of
tissf the Gilt interfered with, or superseded the administration
-"'wes ess'Ort Unions. It had been frequently shown at the
*aspens 'quarter s •
roe ose Sessions that the country was put to great
teoseet ~ ng to the committal of persons • for offences coin-
et to „ toe union workhouses. Boys much preferred being
wi tett, 14e Lewes Gaol than remaining in the workhouse ; and
1,1 4t; %jot; re the cases that came before the Justices, that they
• the guardians that they were quite tired
:17(41 ber„ ""ea, and begged of them to bring no more
-see, -ere it
theta eo, drill. It rested with the Right Hon. Baronet to
Pe , h poor would be better treated than they
oci'aels) 1411° been ; and if he could do that he (Captain
i,e.Patl Otild not offer such an opposition as he now con-
sti'ee,- i" duty to advance. When the Bill went into Com-
% ,taeut •in aptain Pechell) should bring forward all his
kritht detail respecting the arrangements and expenses
yrt so
tri„, Plittesa ions showing that there was no necessity far
law ed. curs, and that great discontent would arise in dis-
ook, earoZall;__near was peace and contentment, if the Poor thiituners were thrust upon the parishes. He could
as 14,i4iti we never had made use of this as a party question.
Isogsd oevY allpported the party who brought in the 13111, but
hotapstriutert,itt.sedthisas party. question against the Right.
411. y •s.nd He should continue to pursue that course
411 s t• 14toe, 11...'41113.', which he had always followtd. He did
eajolttlteo. -I'4 Proceeding was enacted that an inquiry should be
f cordially seconded the motion of the Hon.
alp °r Rochdale.
110111,1 t.)AZestion being put,
neepINGTON rose. He entirely dissented from the
to TON
the Hon. and Gallant seconder of the
rt th Ana tie should most unhesitatingly and cordially
l'eobio 5e43.111 which her Majesty's Ministers had introduced.
.there had been so much misconception, so
I,4l,_atiars t_'-entions, but in his mind misdirected, so many
tusojet'ut4 titsus,Fxcite the passions of the people that in his
, iti3O:" duty of any gentleman, who considered this
`l,t nadae prejudices on the one hand,
tit thoved otniality on the other hand, and conscientiously
ihr Wipe. .the act, not to shrink from the declaration
eiv. ' 144tple •
sok( . th, -6 ain that House. He was extremely glad to
In tido Tintless with which her Majesty's Ministers
far ,artfuti• -.tatters
He had a firm conviction that he would
I,"lthe true interests of the working classes by voting
qreit-etstio„ teak_ g
in of the Bill. The Hon. Member for
has deal eho.'hall"'erred to the increase of crime; he had said a
esse so
its
.I.lt the origin of the Poor-law, and he had even
11, tt%,"l.llth 11:1 feivour them with some observations
.on the
Lt occurred in Norfolk, of a policeman chaining a
kk,titflgoct lid-,-pust, though how he made that apply to
part 'Y tondo der discussion he ( Mr. Pakington) could not
fabric 1° ?Nth 71. There were, however, two points in parti-
i4, nos ""fCaeore'''L'e Hon. Gentleman had referred ; first, the
livo'''i„7'4,3lo4, and secondly, the workhouse test; and
Y he would briefly advert. With regard t o
ossa tr. onitnission, it seemed to him that the question
R10,L74 ikosihilerrr, compass. The real question was whether
otiTorlitaesest or the complicated details of the Poor-law
at
,`et to be carried out in all parts of England,
ache. k cent
h Itaed ra controlling board.—( Hear, hear.) It
saLar eaen.bs,
atintijorse .0a Hon. Gentleman that some central
so, suers h nstusly necessary With respect to the Corn-
lets gni nos h • •
) were hesitater to say that though some. of
littesd:°they hs•7l, to cavil—( Hear, hear, from Colonel Sob-
qn the whole performed their delicate and
,lesty's ,duti
"11 i;reat judgment and ability. He thought
is„, nod -0 ‘.2
f °vern aunt had exercised a sound discretion in
t the v'lla essential
It r which thesy proposed to continue the Commis-
Oreeo ower," to the proper administration of the law
sier, wed from "e Commissioners should not be required to
later, wed!
prev__,Year to yettr. The recent proceedings at
tikhlty h uoioo thy!' tile necessity for some controlling power.
ehieteia pre,ii; guardians had actually abandoned their duty.
eluu.,:',"Y passed a resolution to the effect, that
ti,tte4tal etid;"ers, net having had more than one bastard
tellef ri,,,tWentY•tVVO years of age, were. fit objects for
o''‘s " 1-`0 resolution could be more improper ;anti
ch Lyrists
ho*tieLoletl, th that if the Poor-law Commission
t vilbjett t e 7.1"1 worst consequences would ensue.
e Nip est, whi which he would allude was that of the work-
-441..ua1e, ea had been 111 Ng 'lli he ad adverted to by the Hon. Member for
ad,,4 uced abuses which took place under the
ref 411 h threem'PPort of his objection, and he particularly
e %les workho
"ed t under
th "es' But what was the state of some
t!•keße O old law? The Hon. Gentleman here
ettlittirsiert;annlivitelsoriiirnhtns:of Mr. Mottand Mr. Pintington, asistant
pis rs, relative to the abeses which took
patent
to were fro anuses under the old law. Under the old
hunianit t instances of management totally incon-
the_ Y, but no complaints were made, because
ltes sheard of :‘,013 the' Ilriagew.T. The facts that occurred at the Seven
iieekh, at th,y astter, and Lloo unions, were in themselves
t',,thi,sr,,,iltlder all tui; • ePrae to light when they did happen. Ile
pltyos, Ik, an eoircumstauceotha.t the public was safe from.
ck " Abuse of th kto lltcry agaits e Powers intrusted to the.authori-
tetWs_ 4441e5, . t the workhouse test he conodered as
~i a the isss
s.sorne test was requisite, and the workhouse
tots,
.tot. sorre sts__. Persons in workhouses must be sub-
Ivo se,r7thoter,,estraint.. They were not "re a who felt th which persons were obliged
there ,emselves compel le to have recourse
al4l, and sure sure
of public for their support. They
el? so I°,l.nholes() good roof over their head, of plenty of
•l• atnd:iansedufitrait7us( isrvZkietnalacrihcett, rusl
d)—n,
nt ienngms
inwahni cdh,
noesw eis.othrnari:niat.ws
necessary that these persons should be
li:andeoutery which had been
tali kt sZt the
proceeded from persons
speedy aeieot pr,sseee t their admin-stration, and was the re-
iilellut than of reason.-- ( Hear, hear, from
iNtAli."4‘ eY, abat' day saw a letter in the newspapers,
using the Poor-laws. It via= a tette,
t at'te 4(hoe; hasi never seen a production
isgaie_l4 at argument. He had heard speeches
eat to,
lao, addressed rather to theprejudices