Star.
London, England, 1817-03-08 00:00:00

TIP, IY%. :I,N S i Alt.

LONDON.
SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 1817.
PK:CE THIS DAY TWELVE O'CLOCK:
Itshut—Urns. ma. :All —fur act. 6917
4 per Cent. shut-3
per _rut.
Navy
19,1 d
Eschequ,r B Its 64. leis. BUlldb 41 pr.

The presentation of two Petitions respecting the
pressure occasioned by the operation of the Poor
Laws, brought on last night in the House of Com-
mons a discussion of rather au interesting nature.
We are happy to observe that certain points which
have been alluded to in the STAII, on this important
subject, have not been altogether without effect in
that quarter where alone there is any power to apply
an efficient remedy, •to the injustice that pervades the
whole system. But we must press on the considera-
tion of those who have begun to open their eyes to
the nature and real causer of Ike iyih, the necessity of
adopting some means to gain correct information on
the points to which we have particularly endeavoured
to call their attention, in remarks before sulonitted to
our Readers; for, till this shall be done, no adequate
idea can be formed of the labour that must he gone
through, and without this you will only act as sca-
vengers of the threshold instead of cleansing out this
Augean stable.
We have already exposed the folly—the delusion
which some practise on themselves and others respect-
ing the proportion which the amount of the Poor
Rates bears to the Revenue, or to any charge on the
Public, when they take its nominal amount as all ex-
pended in the maintenance of pauper:. Tne rates as
collected in many parishes for years past are not poor
rarer, but rates for labourers wages. We have stated
that the present system of the Poor laws is indebted
for all its worst features to the stupidity, the igno•
ranee, the cupidity, and dishonesty, not of the Land-,
holders and Agriculturalists alone, but of the in and
the Manufacturing classes.--but especially of the for-
mer.
In consequence we have met with some abuse
from fools who cannot bear to look troth in the face;
but we are happy to state, that we have received
letters of thanks for our frankness from some of the
first characters, both in the Agricultural and Mann.
factoring classes--letters expressing the full crok-
`Lion of the writers that tll justice shall be made the
basis if every procedure in providing relief for
thew who have a fair claim to it—till the law
shall be put on such a footing, that sine cl iss
shall• not be able to screeo itself by throwing the
burden upon another—in a word, till each intii7
vidual shall see St impossible for himself, by any arti-
fice, to escape paying his own fair quota, no man
can be secured against bearing that portion of the
rioad which Should fall upon another.
Lord CASTLEREAGH, we are happy to am, has been
looking at this question in its proper light, and has
truly stated, that the sum included under poor rates,
which hat risen from a million and a half to seven
millions annually, should not be considered as drawn
from the pockets of the people as poor rates. For its-
-stance, when a farmer pays 20.. in name of a poor
role, 15s. of it is " actually wages I His Lord-
slip did not wish to be understood as stating the
proportion with perfect precision. The fact, however,
is, that, with respect to some parishes, he has actually
Lkept under the mark. Were we not justified then in
calling thii a robbery ? Is not the labourer worthy
of his wages ? And shall the man who honestly
labours for what he eats and drinks be calumniated.
is a pauper living on hasty wrung from his neighbours.
,by the operation of laws acknowledged by all to be
oppressive and unjust is their operation ? In one
word, where should the stigma fall ? On the honest
labourer who enjoys nothing for which he does not
give an equivalent ?:—or on those by whom the hire of
the laborer sae has reaped their :Adds has bees hefts barb
*fraud l'--Yes, 4 fraud I by fraud of the grossest
and most shameful kind—because of that collective
'and Corporate quality which hardens the defrauder
by the extent of the numbers which it embraces in
this league of injustice, of robbery. and oppression.
Let those . who have been snared into this compact
with iniquity only calmly think of the enormity of
the wickedness, and they will cease to wonder that
their riches are cerrapied, sad their :anneals &tow
iseth-eates.

We would shame you ftom the evil course of
which you are now reaping the fruits; but unhap-
pily for asankind it is in the very nature of corporate
fraud to drive away shame. Where each lends his
equal aid in the work of fraud, none can look the
other out of countenesoe. Perhaps a better ac•
quaintaace with the subject Usk, product a convic-
tion that it would be 'wire for your interest tu_act
I honestly, than to persist in the present practice---1
And here, also, the light, begins to break in upon
you. We have already intimated thatthefrawd—fori
weohoneverceaseaocall things by their proper oam:s
7.that the raker, has not been confined to the Agri-1
cuinerists, bat we have ascribed to them the palm of

cupidity taa Moir look ut the fact, and
at the result that bas-followed, and then say, ye
Agriculturists, whether it be fue your intact to con.
throe the tysten4 ?

How could you ever imagine, thonph you had the
ingenuity first to contrive the piactice of co.;vertiag
a healthy-bodied labourer, in actual employ. under
your ou•n eyes upon yo,ir c.wn farms, into et poutscr,
that the Merchants and Manufactuters would not, in
sane way or other, contrive to be even with you?
How could you ever bring yourselves to believe that
in a race of peculation, you would not be eventually
beaten by a class of men to whom the antients gave
Mercury, the pi of thieves, as their tu.elary deity ?
You set them the example—you dug the pit iuto
which you yourselves have fallen!

Lord Coal RAN e gave you last night a faint portrait
cf a part, but only a small part, of the' evil.—We
mean to make up kr his deficiency as soon as *e
can find room—nor will the picture, however disgust-
ing, be flattering to the worshippers of the Caducean
divinity. Let it suffice at prsent to remark, that
some of yourselves, instead of hailing, as a bright
discovery, the mean: you had devised to tax the
Manufacturers • for the wi.ges of your own La-
bourers, ought to have had sense entaigh to see,
that in some places the balance could not fail to tern
againat you—whent ver a diminution of the demand
fur manufacturing labour should put it in the power
of the masters to tlitow their workmen upon the poor
rates—for a part of their wages—as you had done
before them. You were the aggressors:—and why
because you knew that none had power or influence
enough to prevent you.
On the question whether the Fundht,lders should
be made to contribute to the Poor•rates, we 0841
give our opinion in a future parer—and we shall do
it frankly, being fully convinced, front the numerous
letters which we have received, that we render a real
service to the community by stating truth without
disguise or circJmlocution. In our remarks we dis-
claim every intentii n of personality, nor will any but
weak men takisuch a view of our strictures. WW
equally disclaim the arrogance of infailib.lity ; for so
earnest is our desir: thatthese subjects should be well
understood, that we would r.4.tice at the detection of
any mistakes we may fall into, in our exposure of
tvilF, and pursuit of what is good and practicable.

We conclude with one remark. information is
much wanted on this subject. Could Returns be ob.
twined from the diffcrent Pat ishes by an order-of Par-
liament, of the proportion which the rate for wages has
actually borne for sswe years to the rate for the poor?
We say that the Public pay two rater, under one name.
If Die Returns could be obtained, they would be very
useful ; but only fraudulent %tat emonts could be hoped
for—the Public will be better wationt them. The
wisdom of Parliamant may perhaps he able to c•in-
trive sometl.iag efficient on this rint. If so, it is
well worth much labour.

We have this morning itc,:ived the Paris Papers of
Tuesday and Wednesday last. •
The discussion on the Budget seems at hat draw-
ing
to a close. In the Sitting of the 3d instant, the
Chamber came to the most important article of the
whole—the Mean: cf Credit. The Project of the Loan
was attacked with vehemence by M. de VILLRLII and
other Members ; and defended by the Minister of
Finances in an extemporary speech of considerable
ability. M. de la Bovitoonstve,demanded an ad-
journment until the conditions of the Loan should be
laid before the Chamber, but the reply of the Keepie
of the Seals contained so full a devOopement of these
conditions, as wholly to supersede the necessity of
any such proposition. M. LAVIITa followed in sup-
port of Ministers. and in a vet, able and impartial
speech, in the course of which he examined the mea-
sure in all its various be flints and results, he appears
to have united the minds of nearly the whole Cham-
ber in its favour. No Member attempted to cr,mbat
so great an authority on the subject, and this branch
of the Budget was at length. adopted almost una-
nimously.
In the Sitting of the 4th, the Chamber proceeded
to the discussion of that title of the Budget which
relates to the dotation tb.the • Sinking Fund, a title
Iwhich includes the proposed alienation of the woods
of. the State. The debate. was long and animated,
and ended in an adjournment till next day. The
majority of speakers were against the alienation, but
the weight of argument was all on the other side.
'Tfte KING continues still improving in his health.
The, Duchess of BUSHY has been attacked by the
measles, and is now the subject of daily Bulletins of
. Health.—Fuuds;6ll. 50c. •

FA 'Amu ra MARCO &—The Emma, CoußTYCT:fmtts Mes.
sin'a iu sit days ; she spoke of this port. Is.t %tight, the Wilhaus,
trona Wept.% all welt.—Wind•W.
Foal-sawn I. it, MA•C H 7. Arrived the Salisbury packet,
from London, for Eallitouth..*Ptit hack the Agricola, Testa,
with loss of .sails, •alter Maung sS days its the Channel.—Sailed •
the Hippocampii I ASSILtti for London; his Majesty's slaps
CYRUS, for Cork; and it MAR 10 , oil a cruize.--Wand W.S.W,
DZAL, MARCY 7—Arrived and sailed for the River, the
Cornwall, from Ohne; I.ord lluniterford, from Caltut t a ;
Prn-
cea Charlotte, from Demerara ; Cuntaattce; Jeffenon, from Ca. '
dis tor ; and Cynthia, Wicks, in 43 days from Trieste for
Atuiterdass—the two latter remain. Comedown from the River
and remain, the. Alcyon for the areal!. ; Union, for nvannah ;
Princt.l Cf:atlotte, tot iSombay ; and Lively, (or Savannah
GIAVI)EN7, 7.—.Artived the Java, 1i0.4ge,, from
,cacu"s; Rose, tram Havre. Sailed the Sac. is, Myr.
car, for Dernarate ; Willta,tt Pitt, Living, and Streatham, hale,
for India • St.' Pahl, Last, foe Danisk ; SeScield, !vas, toe Mo.
*adore; LComeny, Plrobert, for Trieste; &Rasta, lockage', for
tionaborgh; Ltllsar IJowcn, fer'ilostrdam.
CIiSEOM•HOUSII; MARCH 7.
Scars swim as INWARDS—The Marini, uf zi neksea, !roam,
from Ostend, aid llfintura, &Infield, from Venice and Trieste.
00TWARIMThe Garland; Forbes, fur Dubhn ; three, Druck
ftir Maisie; Atalanta, Lilting, for Malays. and St. Petersham's;
Thetis, Yarrow, for Metall.. ; Fortitude, Skylab,.
ifzeit=
ataataitil:lrAgenclrla9'ideruethlrit. zsiAligetu,aGayiiiitortonfut,:l4:l,:hreidaidluntida..; g;."'stvitassudzsi ,04.1Lemberowilli
tree. fur CAWS ; Anne, Maud, :for Modelle and tY, Vbsowit's;
and the Nartaviabatt tad, Nlttattee, at Mideira and India