Star.
London, England, 1818-09-11 00:00:00

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lIRT.ISt *OF CHARITIES.
21tr. BIIOUGUAM has just published an interesting
letter to Sir'SAMIJEL RostlLLy upon this subject. The
Most important passages of it we shall endeavour to
bring under the view of our Readers. The facts they
disclose cannot be made too generally known.
" I believe (says Mr. Brougham) there never was a measure
brought forward with more deliberation than the Bill for inqui-
ring into the abuse of Charitable Funds. The Education Corn-
inittee of 1818, having observed many instances of malversation
and of negligence in the management of such property, retort-
mended a Parliamentary Commission, as the most effectual and
economical mode of bringing to light the still more numerous
eases of abuse which every one suspe-ted to exist. In 1817, the
Committee again met ; but my illness prevented it from doing
snore than repeat the recommendation of the former Report.
We knew well enough that a Bill might easily have been carried
through Parliament during the remaining part of the Session;
but sufficient time for maturinr the details of thg measure was
wanting, and we felt the propriety of avoiding every thing like
rashness, even at the risk of being charged with procrastination.
As soon as we were again appointed, last March, we applied our-
selves to the subject of the Mil, and its introduction being re-
commended in our Report, I was in tructed to move for leave
to brinn it in ; I did so early in April.
" silvery day's inquiries in the Corn mittee demonstrated the
necessity of the measure, and thrive light upon its details. Skit
ful professional men assisted me in preparing the Bill ; it under-
went a minute discussion above stairs ; it was then communica-
ted to his Majesty's Ministers and to the Law Officers of the
Crown ; and as there was reason to apprehend that the principal
opposition to it would be made in the Lords, It was submitted
to the bigheit legal authority in that House, as well as to the
geerotary of State for the ilonle Department, to whose province
I was informed the subject in an especial manner appertained.
About ten weeks elapsed from its introduction to the passing of
the Act, the whole time being occupied in discussing its provi-
sions, and in altering almost every part of them again and again.
I believe it was printed not fewer than six times. If the framers
of the measure cannot be accused of rashness or impatience, so
'wither are they liable to the charge of party feeling or of undue
prepossession in favohr of their own views. The Committee,
composed of above forty members, taken indiscriminately from
all parts of the House, have agreed in every matter that has
come before them from the first day of their appointment In
1816. Ido not recollect a single instance of a division.
" Of course, as always happens in Committees, the regular
attendance was confined to a few upon whom the labour chiefly
devolved ; but these were for the most part Gentlemen who
cl#kr with me in politics ; and a constant communication being
maintained between those who took an active part in the inquiry
and those wbo attended but seldom, the least distention among
us Would haveled to an immediate assembly of the greater part
of our numbers. I have therefore a right to assume that a real
and complete unanimity prevailed among us in all our proceed.
ings.—lfaving the fortune to take an active part in the political
business of Parliament, and tp be involved in its contests, I was
peculiarly solicitous to avoid every thing that might seem to
proceed front party attachments or dislikes. For a pi oaf of this,l
I appeal to those 'Members of his Majesty's Government with
whom I had the honour of communicating front time to time ' •
and lam confident they will admit that I received every sag-
Bastion of theirs with the greatest respect. Indeed the changes
which I adopted at their desire, sufficiently prove that, if I am
liable to any charge, it is to the imputation of having surrender-
ed too many of the provisions originally made in the BilL It is
material that a few of these changes should here be mentioned.
" As the Bill at first stood, the Commissioners were to be

named in it. The Ministers proposed that the appointment
should be vested in the CroWn—that is, in themselves. To this
important alteration the Committee with extreme reluctance
submitted rather than assented. We were aware that upon the
fitness of the persons selected to carry on the inquiry its success
slant), depended. We had before us the examples of the Corn-
Irli3Sioll3 of Public Accounts, and of Naval and Military Inquiiy,
from which the country had derived the most signal benefits,
chiefly, as we conceived, because the acts establishing those
boards bad nominated the Members who were to form them.
No Ovate selection of Commissioners, how conscientiously
soever it might be performed, could give the same security
against improper or inefficient appointments. Without accusing
the Minister to whose deportment it belonged, of so foul a crime
as a se UM prostitution of patronage in this most delicate matter,
we felt that all men in high office are beset by applicants; that
they must frequently trust to others for their information as to
individual merit ; and that private friendships often blind very
respectable persons in the reports which they make or the suits
which they prefer. We could not indeed believe that the Secre-
tary of State was capable of choosing men whom the place might
suit, rather than those suited to the place ; that be could shut his
eyes to the claims of acknowledged merit, and prefer unknown
persons backed by powerful supporters; or that, instead of re-
garding their fitness for the new office, he should bestow the sa-
lary as the wages of former service. Least of all did a suspicion
ever enter our minds that care might knowingly and wilfully be
taken to avoid those men, whine zeal for the cause, 431 wisest
habits of investigation, gave a certain pledge shut ail a'at.ses would
be sifted to the bottom, and that the guilty would in no station
be spared. Yet we were afraid that a certain degree of eareleta-
new or easy goodnature, the almost necessary attendant upon
official habits, might be oheevn in the selection; sad that he whom
we were willing to believe incapable of voluntarily converting
Into a job the most sacred part of his patronage, or of taking
precautions to screen the enormous delinquency of robbingsahe
poor, might, from impbrfect inrorm3tiori, and in the hurry of .a
busy department, choose Commissioners far less adapted to the
objects of the Act than those upon whose fitness a public deci-
sion by the voice of Parliament should be pronounced. To assist
the Legislature in making this selection, we had applied our-
selstis with much attention in the Committers, canvassing v ith
'perfect freedom the qealifications of many Gentlemen whe were
at different times offered to our notice. stud we were prepared
to propose a list, in which was to be found the name of no one
connected by ties, however remote, with any of ourselves. I
may add, as far as regards myself, that all but one were of politi•
ul connections adverse to my own; that I was upon %footing
of intimacy with none of them; and that ore Gentleman, of un-
deniable qualifications, having been proposed, I desired his name
might be no more mentioned, as he happened to be a near rela-
tion of mine. Some perselts, whose opinions I highly respect,
deemed that we acted unwisely in abandoning this main point of
the nomination. But we only gave it tip when we found the Mi-
nisters determined to oppose the Bill, videos they were allowed
to name the Commissioners. We still trusted that the power
would not be abused ; and we looked to the wholesome eontroul
of Parliament and the public for a security that the work would
be done with diligence, upon whomsoever It might devolve.
" The next change of:importance, related to the quorum.—
The whole excellence of die measure condoled in the ambula-
tory nature of the Board; because, beside the great saving of
expense, unless the Commissioners repaired to the spot, it wait
quite vain to expect an effectual investigation of the various par-