STACK 
 
 ANNEX 
 
 5 
 
 028 
 189
 
 ME. WHITBREAD's 
 SPEECH 
 
 THE POOR LAWS. 
 
 Price 3f.
 
 SUBSTANCE 
 
 OF 4 
 
 PN 
 
 OOK JLAWS: 
 
 PEHVERED IN THE 
 
 HOUSE OF COMMONS, 
 
 On Thumlmj, Felniarg 19, 1807. 
 WJTH AN APPENDIX, 
 
 BY 
 
 MR. WHITBREAD, 
 
 SECOND EDITION, 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 FOR J. RIDGWAY, 170, PICCADILtV, 
 OPPOSITE BOND-STREET, 
 
 B>- W. Flint, Old Bjil,y.
 
 Stack 
 Annex 
 
 House of Cvmmons, Thursday, Feb.19, 1807 
 
 MR, SPEAKER, 
 
 I RISE to fubmit to the confideration of the 
 Houfe, one of the moft interesting propofitions 
 which ever occupied the attention of any deli- 
 berative affembly upon earth. I wifh to engage 
 you in an attempt at the folution of the moft 
 difficult of all political problems j namely, how 
 to reduce the fum of human vice and mifery, and 
 how to augment that of human happinefs and 
 virtue amongft the fubjedts of this realm. 
 
 Sir, this attempt has been often and fruitlefsly 
 made ; neverthelefs I do not think the fuccefs of 
 it impoflible. However great the difficulty, it is 
 our duty to endeavour at leaft to overcome it. 
 
 Sir, I will not now detain the Houfe by an in- 
 veftigation of the original conftitution of fociety ; 
 or enter into the abftradl right of man to the
 
 fuccour and fupport of his fellow creatures. 
 Whether that right exift or not ; as individuals, 
 we could never refufe relief to innocence, or even 
 to guilt in diftrcfs ; neither, as part of a legifla- 
 ture, could we ever be brought to fay that fuch 
 afliftance Ihall not be attainable through the me- 
 dium of the law. More than two centuries have 
 elapfed, fince after a fucceffion of efforts, tending 
 to the fame end, there was embodied upon 
 your (tatute-book, the great Chriftian prin- 
 ciple, " that you mould do unto others as 
 *' you would tha' others fhould do unto you." 
 
 What theory could be more delightful ? As n 
 flatt, you undertook to feed the hungry to 
 cloath the naked to vifit the Tick to protect the 
 fathertefs toaffift the widow to find employ- 
 ment for the healthy and necefiitous and to com- 
 pel work from the diflblute and the idle. 
 
 Sir, thefe plans were deviled during the reign 
 of Elizabeth ; the glories of which are ftill vivid 
 in the annals of our hiftory. They wtne pro- 
 jected and earned into execution under the 
 aufpkrcs of fome of the wifcft ftatcfmen that ever 
 prefixed i*n the councils of any country. They 
 were not the fudden production of o*e particular 
 period. They had occupied the attention of the 
 legi (Tat u re during the whole of that long and prof-
 
 perous reign. From the fifth to the fourteenth 
 to the eighteenth to the thirty-ninth down to 
 the forty-third of the Queen, we find a conftant 
 fucceflion of ftatutes, bearing teftimony to the 
 confiant direction of the care of the government 
 towards that object : till, at laft, the work was 
 complete. 
 
 But, Sir, as if it were to confound the fpecu- 
 lations of human wifdom, and to humble the 
 pride of man, thefe fchemes, reared upon a foun- 
 dation apparently fo fojid, by workmen fo able, 
 have been inadequate to the object they had in 
 view. It is an aflertion now pretty generally 
 made, that the fyftem of our poor laws has 
 ferved to degrade thofe whom it was intended 
 to exalt, to deftroy the fpirit of independence, 
 throughout our land ; to hold out hopes which 
 cannot be realized ; to encourage idlenefs and 
 vice ; and to produce a fuperfluous population 
 the offspring of improvidence, and the early 
 victim of mifery and want. That which in fpe- 
 culation ought to have been our glory, has been 
 turned to our reproach. A committee of this 
 Houfe, appointed to enquire into phe ftate of the 
 poor of Ireland (where great wretchednefs is faid to 
 prevail) and to fuggeft fome remedy, have fpjemn- 
 Jy rejected the fyflem of our poor laws, as likely, 
 
 B 2
 
 not only to be exceedingly oppreflive to the 
 land-owner, but to aggravate the diftrefs of 
 thofe for \vhofe relief they would be enacted. 
 There has been a great revolution in the pub- 
 lic mind. Till within a very few years of the 
 period in which I am fpeaking, the 4jd of Eliza- 
 beth was, if I may be allowed the expreflion, 
 confidcred as the bible on this fubject. Many 
 pcrfons obferving the rapid increafe of the burthens 
 impofcd by that ftatute, have projected plans of 
 reform, and the legiflature has adopted many 
 new acts : but they have all proceeded upon the 
 fame principle. No one ever ventured to furmife 
 that the fyflem itfelf was radically defective : 
 and even the laft projector, Mr. Pitt, (to 
 whofe benevolent intention I wifh to bear fincere 
 teftimony), proceeded upon the fuppofition that 
 the bafe upon which we had fo long flood 
 was found. His plan proved abortive, and 
 indeed in moft of its parts it was, I am confi- 
 dent, abfolutely impracticable. I might prefume 
 to mention myfelf as having, about the fame 
 time, and before, at a ftill earlier date, propofed 
 to the Houfe the adoption of fome regulations, 
 which I then thought would be beneficial. 
 The Houfe did not, in either inftance, think pro- 
 per to pafs them : and, Sir, having now in view
 
 objects of a much more extenfive nature, it is not 
 my intention again to revive thofe regulations. 
 But, the period is arrived,in which I think it feems, 
 by common confent, to be admitted, that fomc 
 fteps muft be taken. The late fevcre vifitations 
 from the hand of Providence, have roufed your at- 
 tention to the ftate of your community. It has 
 been laid, that thofe calamities have been greatly 
 increafed by the deprelHon they have occafioned of 
 the character of your labouring poor. It has been 
 faid, that necellity having overcome the honeft 
 pride which formerly withheld a man from 
 reforting to parochial relief, he no longer cares to 
 recover his independence, but now voluntarily 
 reforts to that afliftance which he would before 
 have indignantly avoided. 
 
 That fuch was the effect during the conti- 
 nuance of fcarcity (and even for fome time 
 after it had ceafed) no man can deny : but, Sir, 
 I am willing to believe, that that effect is gradu- 
 ally wearing off. That the mind of the labour- 
 ing clafs is recovering its elafticity, and that the 
 proper pride of independence has, in a degree at 
 leaft, refumed its place. 
 
 Sir, by the accurate returns which have of late 
 years been laid before Parliament, your fituation is 
 cxpofed to your view. The fpectacle is indeed
 
 fearful, but it mud be contemplated. In order to 
 cure any wound, we muft know its exadt iitua- 
 tion and depth. 
 
 By the abftracls then upon your table, which 
 were made up in the year 1803, it will appear, 
 that upon a population in England and Wales, 
 (exclufiveof your army and navy jof eight millions, 
 eight hundred, and feventy thoufand fouls ; not 
 lefs than one million, two hundred and thirty- 
 four thoufand, are partakers of parochial relief. 
 That is, that nearly one Jeventh part of your po- 
 pulation is indebted to the reft wholly, or in parr, 
 for their fupport : and by far the larger part of that 
 number is fubfifted without any exertion of 
 theirown. Sir, it is alfo proved that, exclufive of 
 all collateral expence, fuch as army, militia, &c. 
 which is raifed at the fame time with the rate for 
 the relief of the poor, and paid out of it; there 
 had been raifed, in the year ending at Eafter, 
 1803, for the maintenance and relief of the poor 
 alone, the fum of four millkms, two hundred and 
 fixty-feven thoufand pounds : being almoft double 
 the fum raifed for the fame purpofe, on the average 
 of the years 1783, 1784, 1785, and nearly treble 
 the fum raifed in 1776. 
 
 Sir, that a remedy for an evil fo great and fo 
 rapidly encrcafing, ought immediately to be fought,
 
 all will be ready to agree: and I ftand up before 
 you, under the perfuafion that I fhall be able to 
 propofe to you improvements, regulations, and 
 modifications to effecl: that end, which will not 
 be found altogether uriworthy of your attention. 
 
 However fmall my perfonal claims to conside- 
 ration may be, I am fure in the contemplation of 
 my tafk, I fhall meet with the favour of this Houfe. 
 I defire no fupport from my befl friends, but that 
 . which the merits of my plan may feem to deferve. 
 J am fure I fhall encounter no oppolition but that 
 which its demerits extort ; and I am equally fure 
 that at this moment there fcarcely exifts an indi- 
 vidual throughout the nation, who does not 
 v?i(h me fuccefs. 
 
 Sir, I defire here to put in a rational claim to 
 your attention, by afTuring both you and the 
 Houfe, that I am no enthufiaft, feeking after 
 univcrfal plenty and comfort, and vifionary per- 
 feclion. I know the laws of God to be immu- 
 tabk, and bow to their uncontroulable force. I 
 believe maa to be born to labour as the fparks 
 fly upwards : that a certain portion of mifery is 
 infeparable from mortality j and that all plans for 
 the lodging, cloathing, and feeding of all man- 
 kind, with what may be called comfort, are 
 quite impoflible inpradice.
 
 8 
 
 Sir, there is a faying upon record, of one 
 of the mod amiable monarchs that ever filled a 
 throne, (I mean Henry IV. of France) which 
 from its benevolence is fo captivating, that it 
 has fpread through all languages, and pafled 
 through every mouth. He exprcfled a wifli, that 
 he might live to fee the day when every peafant 
 in his kingdom (hould have a pullet in his 
 kettle. I will not indulge in fuch a wifti with 
 regard to the fubjects of this kingdom, becaufe I 
 know that phyfically it cannot be accomplifhed. 
 The earth does not produce wherewithal to 
 gratify fuch a defire; and whatever may be the 
 firft impulfesof our feeling, in order to do good, 
 we muft chaftize and reduce them within the 
 fphere of action. 
 
 I have read in an account of the fettlernents 
 in New South Wales, that fome of the unhappy 
 convicts who were tranfported to that diftant 
 clime, laboured under an unaccountable delufion, 
 that adjoining to the land in which they were 
 dcftined to dwell, there exifted a region wherein 
 the earth brought forth her fruits fpontaneoufly, 
 and her productions could be enjoyed without toil, 
 in luxurious and fenfual indolence. So ftrong was 
 the impreflion, that they actually fet out in queft 
 of this fancied fpot. Their fate need not be told.
 
 Some, after incredible toils and hardfhips, re- 
 turned exhaufted with hunger and fatigue ; the 
 reft perimed in the wildernefs, and their carcafes 
 became a prey to the beafts bf the defert and the 
 birds of the air; 
 
 Thus, Sir; if any politician under a fimilar 
 fpecies of delufion, were tb profefs that he could 
 lead mankind by any path to the attainment of 
 Univerfal plenty and comfort, he and his follow- 
 ers wtiuld inevitably be overwhelmed in the 
 wildernefs of error. But here; I miift flop to 
 fay, after the moft anxidus and patient refearch 
 into the Mate of fdciety in thefe kingdoms, dur- 
 ing a long peribd, that I believe the fituatibn of 
 the lower and more ufeful claTes to be better in 
 every refpect than at any former tirrie : arid he 
 who (hall attempt to perfuade therh to the Con- 
 trary; rhuft be either weak, mifinforrried, ot 
 wicked. I have in view the practical benefit of 
 mankind. In order tb forril myfelf for this day; 
 I have had recourfe tb principles and unerring 
 experience. I have been Undoubtedly aflifted 
 by data upon your table, furniming grburlds of 
 iiclion, fuch as none of my predeceffors had the 
 good fortune to poffcfs ; and the fubjecl: has late* 
 ly been Fubmitted to an invcftigation much more
 
 10 
 
 accurate than any it had ever before undergone* 
 One philofopher in particular has arifcn amongft 
 us, who has gone deeply into the caufes of our 
 prcfent fituation. I mean Mr. Malthus. His 
 work upon Population has, I believe, been very 
 generally read ; and it has completed that change 
 of opinion with regard to the poor laws, which 
 had before been in fome meafure begun. Sir, J 
 have ftudied the works of this author with as 
 much attention as I am capable of beftowingupon 
 any fubjecl. 1 am delirous of doing the moft 
 ample juftice to his patient and profound re- 
 fearch ; to the inimitable clearnefs of his demon-- 
 ftration, and to the foundnefs of the principles on 
 which he proceeds. I believe them to be incontro- 
 vertible. But in many of the concluilons to which 
 fie comes, I materially differ from him. Although 
 I believe the defign and intention of the author 
 to be mod benevolent, and that fo much is to be 
 collected from his writings, I think any man who 
 reads them, ought to place a ftriiit guard over his 
 heart, left it become hardened againft the diftrefles 
 of his fellow creatures ; left in learning that mi* 
 fcry and vice muft of ncccffity maintain a footing 
 in the world, he give up all attempt at their fub- 
 jugation. 
 
 Sir, this philofopher has delivered it as his opi-
 
 11 
 
 nion, that the poor laws have not only failed in 
 their object, but that they havebeen productive of 
 much more wretchednefs than would have exift- 
 ed without them. That * " though they may have 
 " alleviated a little the intenfity of individual 
 " misfortune, they have fpread the evil over a 
 " larger furface." Many perfons agreeing in this 
 pofition, have wifhed that the whole fyftem was 
 veil expunged from our ftatute book; and per- 
 haps I mould not go too far in faying, that fuch is 
 the picvailing fentiment. 
 
 But, Sir, 1 think no one has been bold enough 
 to propofe a total and immediate abrogation of the 
 poor laws. Sir, I need hardly fay, that no man 
 could be bold enough to propofe that, which might 
 in its operation generate a mod formidable poli- 
 tical convulfion, when the good to be obtained 
 would be at beft problematical and uncertain. 
 JBut fuppofing the ultimate good to be certain : 
 could we, to obtain it, give our confent to a mea~ 
 fure which, in its dreadful execution, tvould be 
 more widely fatal than any edict which ever pro- 
 ceeded from the hand of any tyrant conqueror 
 upon earth ; which would fpread defolation, fa 
 mine, and death throughout your land ; and con- 
 fijjntoa premature grave, infirmity, age, infancy, 
 * Malihus, v. ii. p. H9. 
 
 c ^
 
 12 
 
 and innocence. Sir, the immediate abrogation 
 of thefc laws is abfolutely out of the queftion. I 
 will dwell no longer upon it. 
 
 But their gradual abolition has been fuggefted 
 as practicable : and I recollect two plans only 
 which have been laid before the public for that 
 purpofe. The one bears the name of Mr. Arthur 
 Young, and was alfo patronized, as I have been 
 told, by an Hon, Baronet, formerly a member of 
 this Houfe, Sir William Pulteney. One whofe 
 opinion muft always carry with it great weight, 
 The other is fuggefted by Mr. Malthus himfelf. 
 Mr. Young's plan is to take the amount of the 
 rate raifed for the relief of the poor at a given 
 time, and to enact that it mail not on any ac* 
 count be increafcd. I fuppofe the intention 
 to be (or elfc it would not tend to an extinc- 
 tion of the rate, however it might confine it) 
 to draw the line more and more narrow, until 
 at la the rate mould be totally done away. I 
 confefs, Sir, that 1 can by no means concur in 
 the uifdcm, or even the practicability of this 
 fchcme. But it has been fo ably difcufTcd by Mr. 
 Multhus. in the appendix to the fccond volume ot 
 his work, that I will thank the Houfe to attend 
 fo me whilft I read the pafTage ; and it is re- 
 jnarkable enough, that in a note upon this
 
 13 
 
 Mr. Malthus gives us a quotation from a work of 
 Mr. Young's, wherein Mr. Young completely 
 refutes himfelf. Mr. Malthus fays,* " under 
 *' fuch a law, if the diftreffes of the poor were to 
 *' be Aggravated tenfold, either by the increafe of 
 ' numbers or the recurrence of a fcarcity, the 
 " fame fum would be invariably appropriated to 
 *' their relief. If the ftatute which gives the poor 
 tf a right to fupport were to remain unexpunged, 
 " we (hould add to the cruelty of ftarving them, 
 ' the extreme injuftice of ftill profejfing to relieve 
 " them. If this ftatute were expunged or alter- 
 " ed, we mould virtually deny the right of the 
 ft poor to fupport, and only retain the abfurdity 
 c of faying, that they had a right to a certain 
 " fum j an abfurdity which Mr. Young juftly cor- 
 ft reels with much feverity in the cafe of France." 
 
 Then, Sir, comes a note, which contains an 
 Extract from Mr. Young's travels in France ; 
 it is as follows : 
 
 " The National Afiembly of France, though 
 " they difapproved of the Englilh poor laws, ftill 
 " adopted their principle, and declared, that the 
 * f poor had a right to pecuniary afliftance ; that 
 " the Aflembly ought to confider fuch a provi- 
 '* fion as one of its firft and moft facred duties ; 
 
 * JNIalthijs, vol. ii. p. 52<?,
 
 14 
 
 " and that with this view, an cxpence ought to 
 * be incurred of fifty millions a year. Mr. Young 
 " juftly obfcrves, that he docs not comprehend 
 " how it is poflible to regard the expenditure of 
 " fifty millions a year as a fucred duty, and not 
 " extend that fifty to one hundred if necefiity 
 " ihould demand it ; the one hundred to two hun- 
 " dred, the two hundred to three hundred, and 
 * fo on in the fame miferable progrefiion which 
 has taken place in England." 
 
 Sir, 1 think I need not detain the Houfc by ad- 
 ding much to the argument here fo conclufively 
 flated ; but fuppofing an ad to have patted, which 
 fhould direct that in each parifh or diltrict no 
 more money fhould be raifed for the relief of its 
 poor than what had been raifed in the year pre- 
 ceding ; that that fum mould have been nccefla- 
 rily and unavoidably expended in ten months, or 
 -upon a certain given number of paupers ; all other 
 cafes of diftrcfs which might arife after that period, 
 muft be totally neglected ; and yet it would be 
 difficult to diftinguifh between the right to relief 
 poiTefled by thofe who mould have received it be- 
 fore the fund was exhaufled, and thofe who might 
 make application for relief after it was gone, 
 
 Bcfides, Sir, inftanccs might occur wherein 
 the obedience to fuch a ftatute might bs
 
 productive of the mod terrible mifchief. I 
 have myfelf witneffed fuch an inftance. It 
 was the cafe of a parifh afflicted with a conta- 
 gious fever ; wherein, if it had not been poflible 
 to have raifed a fum of money equal to the exi- 
 gency of the cafe; not only the inhabitants of 
 that parilh would have been almoft exterminated, 
 but the fcourge itfelf muft have fpread throughout 
 the whole of the adjacent diftricl. In fhort, Sir, if 
 legal relief be allowed at all, it appears to me, as 
 well as to both the writers quoted, that it muft 
 be made co-extenfive with the neceflity to which 
 it is to be applied. The next plan we have to 
 confider is Mr. Muhhus's own. 
 
 .*' He propofes a regulation to be made, declar- 
 ** ing that no child born from any marriage taking 
 " place after the expiration of a year from the date 
 *' of the law j and no illegitimate child born two 
 " years from the fame date, mould <ff<rr be entitled 
 ' to parilh afliftance."* 
 
 It is unnecefTary to ftate the details wherein 
 he gives an account of the method whereby he 
 would have fuch a law promulgated. By this 
 meafure the poor laws would abfolutely ceafc, 
 after the expiration of a very fhort period, as te 
 the riling generation. Hut putting all other 
 
 Alaltiius, vol. ii. p. 396.
 
 confederations afide, \vhat a fcene ofcortfufidri 
 would cnfuc during the interval which muft: 
 elapfe, till the prefcnt generation ihould have 
 all pafled away, and the condition of all your 
 people (hould hive become the fame. Di- 
 vided as they would be into two diftinct claf- 
 fes, the one pofiefling a claim upon you, the 
 other none ; what end would there be to their 
 difcontent, jealoufies, and quarrel ! What jarring; 
 wrangling, and conflict ! What difficulties of 
 proof and difcrimination in the firft inftance, and 
 what harfhnefs and feverity in the fccond after 
 proof Ihould have been obtained ! I am per- 
 fectly certain, that if the legiflature could be in- 
 duced to pafs a law pregnant with fuch cruelty, 
 within two years after the commencement of 
 its operation it muft be repealed. Neither of 
 thefc plans then in my eftimation, hold out any 
 rational profpecl of fuccefs towards the gradual 
 abolition of the poor laws* 
 
 But Sir, fuppofing any plan for that purpofe to 
 be adopted, we muft, before we venture upon it, 
 anticipate its confequences j and in order to enable 
 us to do fo, we muft look a little back into our 
 hiftory, and fee what was the condition of fociety 
 before the enactment of any law at all for thtf 
 relief of the poor. Sir, we lhall find that as the
 
 It 
 
 feudal fyftem patted away, and the villein ceafed to 
 look up to, and depend upon his lord for fupport, 
 poor began to be known : and there being no 
 legal provifion for their fupport, they obtained 
 alms in the character of beggars. Mendicity Was 
 known and licenfed by ad of parliament under 
 particular reftridions. But it became, as we may 
 colled: from our ftatute-book, a very formidable 
 evil ; fo formidable, that laws of great feverity 
 were enacted againft unlicenfed mendicants undef 
 the defcription of vagabonds and fturdy beggars. 
 During the prevalence of the Roman Catholic re- 
 ligion, the monafteries afforded great relief td 
 the evil. After their diflblution, it muft have 
 increafed with rapidity, and raged with vio- 
 lence; for in the firft year of Edward the VI.* 
 a ftatute was paffed, containing enactments of 
 fuch atrocious cruelty, that thofe who have not 
 read it, will hardly believe in its exiftence. It 
 is thereby enaded, " thataf any perfon (hall be 
 " found idle for the fpace of three days, he may 
 c< be feized upon as a flave, and having been 
 cc branded in the breaft with a red hot iron, with 
 " the letter S, he mail be fed upon bread ancj 
 <f water, and compelled to work for the perfon fo 
 feizing him, however vile the work may be, 
 
 * 1 Edw. VI. cap. S, 
 D
 
 18 
 
 " by beating, chaining, or otherwife. Further, 
 " that if he abfent himfelf from his faid matter 
 " for the fpace of fourteen days, he (hall be brand- 
 " ed on the forehead, and adjudged a flave for 
 " ever." 
 
 True it is this flatute was not long fuffered to 
 difgrace your book, for it was repealed in the 
 third and fourth year of the fame king; but it 
 fufficiently ferves to fliew how dreadful the ftate 
 of the lower orders of the community muft have 
 been, to induce the legiflature to think of fuch 
 horrible remedies. The laws, however, againft 
 beggars and vagrants, were Hill very fevere and 
 cruel. Notwithstanding, the very ftatute I have 
 above recited, and divers others before that time, 
 contained provisions for the relief of the poor, by 
 encouraging the diftribution of alms, and at 
 lad by compelling the gift of them, it was not 
 until the enactment of that fyftem of laws, during 
 the reign of Elizabeth, on which we now aft, 
 that thefc fe verities all difappeared. A right 
 honourable gentleman * over the way, who has 
 paid great and commendable attention to this 
 fubjccl, in a very ufeful pamphlet on the Poor 
 Laws, has juftly obferved, that every expedi- 
 tnt had been tried before recourfe was had to 
 
 Mr. ilo le.
 
 19 
 
 the prefent plan. We ought, therefore, to con- 
 fider, before we confent to its deftrudion, what 
 the probable confequences would be. If you 
 were to fay to men, that they had no right 
 to any affiftance or fupport from you under 
 any circurnftances, you could not impofe any 
 reflraint upon them as to fettlement. You 
 could not condemn them to flarve, and there- 
 fore you mud allow thofe in need to beg. 
 Are you prepared to encounter that hoft of 
 flurdy and valiant beggars, who under the cloak 
 of the diftrefles of thofe who were compelled to 
 beg in order to preferve life, would extort from 
 you wherewithal to indulge their profligate idle- 
 nefs ? If you mould abfolutely deny their right 
 to fupport out of your property, they might have 
 recourfe to the original right of occupancy. For 
 each man born has furely a right to occupy a 
 fpot of ground, which may have been left unoc- 
 cupied by thofe who had come into the world 
 before him; although he may not poflefs any 
 right to the ground occupied by another, or to 
 any part of the fruit of his labours. But if all the 
 land be occupied, fo that thofe who are born can 
 fettle no where in order to maintain themfelves, 
 and you deny their right to afiiftance, your meta- 
 phyfical positions may be unqueftionable, but you
 
 20 
 
 \vould create a fet of dangerous enemies. Might 
 they not become a moft formidable body ? and 
 what ftcp could you take to cure or correct the 
 evil you had thus improvidently created ? 
 
 Sir, I cannot look forward to fuch a. fituation 
 without great apprehenfion, nor can I confent 
 to break that chain, which, with all its imper- 
 fections and difadvantages, binds the different 
 clafles of fociety indifiblubly together, and which 
 1 hope to preferve undiflblved, and to be able to 
 render light. 
 
 If then, a total and immediate abrogation of 
 your poor laws is out of the queftion, and if 
 no practicable plan prefents itfelf for their gra- 
 dual abolition, what remains to be done ? Why 
 Sir, " thinking it unadvifable to abolifh the poor 
 <f laws, 1 have endeavoured to obtain a general 
 " knowledge of thofe principles which render 
 them inefficient in their humane intentions, 
 " and to apply it fo far as to modify them, 
 " and regulate their execution, fo as to remove 
 " many of the evils with which they are ac- 
 " companied, and make them lefs objection- 
 f able*." Inpropofing to the Houfe my ideas on 
 this fubject, I am happy that I have it in my 
 power previoufly to inform them, that 1 (hall 
 
 Malthus, Vol. ii, p. 552.
 
 21 
 
 urge nothing which has not the fanction of the 
 higheft authority to recommend it, or the fupport 
 of Jong-tried experience and practice to juftify 
 its adoption. Sir, my wifh is not to repeal the 
 poor laws, but, I think, by taking proper fleps, 
 they may hereafter become almoft obfolete. I 
 am fanguine enough to hope that if what I have to 
 propofe mould meet with the concurrence of 
 Parliament, in the lapfe of half a century they 
 would be little ufed. But I would have fuch a 
 code always remain upon your ftatute-book, in 
 order that there might be a fure and legal refuge 
 under any change of circumftances, or fociety, 
 for indigence and diftrefs. 
 
 The principles on which I would proceed, to 
 effect this mod defirable object, are thefe: to 
 exalt the character of the lower clafles of your 
 community. To give the labourer confequence 
 in his own eyes, and in thofe of his fellows, 
 to make him a fit companion for himfclf, and 
 fit to afTociate with civilized men. 
 
 To excite him to acquire property that he 
 may tafte its fweets ; and to give him inviolable 
 fecurity for that property, when it is acquired. 
 
 To mitigate thofe reflraints which now con- 
 fine and cramp his fphere of action.
 
 To hold out a hope of reward to his patient 
 induftry. 
 
 To render dependent poverty, in all cafes, 
 a degradation and at all times lefs defirable than 
 independent induftry. 
 
 Having accomplifhed this firft grand object, 
 I would endeavour to lighten the burthens which 
 rnuft inevitably be borne, by making their diftrU 
 bution more equal. 
 
 I would propofe fome material alterations in 
 the mo:!e of affording relief; to put fome of your 
 prefent inftitutions on a more orderly footing, 
 and to enable you to diftinguifti between your 
 criminal, and innocently neceflitous poor. 
 
 In purfuing thefe objects, it has been my w-ifli 
 and 1 hope I have fucceeded, to (leer clear of all 
 new fources of litigation ; not to difturb any of 
 thofe decifions of the courts of Juftice which have 
 formed the guide for the conduct of magiftrates, 
 and thofe intruded to their care ; and not, in the 
 fmalleft degree, to alter or vary the ancient boun- 
 daries and divifions of the kingdom. 
 
 I fliould further add, that I do not intend to 
 regulate for any of thofe places whofe concerns 
 arc provided for by fpecial acts of Parliament. 
 
 Sir, there is another principle upon which I
 
 23 
 
 wifh to proceed, and in which I hope I fhall ob- 
 tain the univerfal concurrence of this houfe, I 
 mean that of non-interference with the con- 
 cerns of the poor, until neceflity calls for it. 
 1 hold that I have no more right to meddle 
 with the private concerns of the labourer, to 
 tell him how he mall be lodged, or fed, or 
 cloathed, than he has to interfere with mine, 
 until he applies to me for relief. Then the 
 right begins, and again it terminates when he is 
 again able to provide for himfelf. I am as fure 
 of the found policy of the doctrine of leaving the 
 poor to their own management, as I am fure of 
 the right they have to be fo left : and notwith- 
 fianding the inftances of unthriftinefs and diflb- 
 lute felfimnefs which we witnefs in fome charac- 
 ters, generally fpeaking, they manage for them- 
 felves much better than we could manage for 
 them. .Having, however unwillingly, felt myfelf 
 under the neceflity of detaining the houfe with 
 this preliminary matter, I lhall now proceed to 
 open to you the details of the plan I would 
 propofe. 
 
 Sir, I think the houfe mud anticipate that 
 in the front of my plan for the exaltation of the 
 character of the labourer, muft appear a fcheme 
 for general national education. So it is : and
 
 24 
 
 upon its effects I mainly rely for the confum- 
 rnation of my fifties. Sir, it would be need- 
 Ids in fpeaking before an aflembly fo enlightened 
 as that which I have now the honour to addrefs, 
 to dwell upon the beneficial effects of the gene- 
 ral diffufion of knowledge. I have of late heard 
 it magnificently faid from the chair in which you 
 prefide, that this houfe would at all times open 
 its doors wide to receive the petitions of the 
 people. Sir, I would borrow that expreflion, 
 and bid you throw open wide the portals of the 
 human underftanding to the introduction of light 
 and knowledge, in order that virtue and happi- 
 nefs might follow in their train. If there could 
 cxift a doubt about it in the mind of any man 
 who hears me, I would refer him to the con- 
 tcmplation of the character of favage, uncivilized 
 Man. More helplefs than the brutes amongfl 
 which he obtains a precarious fubfiftence, but 
 more dangerous than them to his fellow creatures, 
 becaufe under the influence of malignant paflions 
 by which they are not excited or tormented. 
 Look into the pages of that writer whom I have fo 
 often quoted, fee, and fli udder at the defcription 
 of a totally uncivilized human being in every 
 Quarter of the world, from the northern to the 
 fuuthan extremity of the globe. Trace man
 
 25 
 
 from that rude ftate, flep by ftep, till he ar- 
 rives at the higheft polifli of refinement in a 
 civilized fociety, fuch as that in which we have 
 the good fortune to live, and I think you will be 
 Compelled to confefs that every ftep towards ci-* 
 vilization, notwithftanding the adventitious vices 
 which undoubtedly attend its progrefs, is a ftep 
 towards morality and order. 
 
 Sir, in a political point of view, nothing can 
 poflibly afford greater ftability to a popular go- 
 vernment than the education of your people. 
 Contemplate ignorance in the hand of craft; 
 what a defperate weapon does it afford ! How 
 impotent does craft become before an inftructed 
 and enlightened multitude. View the injuftice 
 and cruelty of ignorance ; the violence and horrors 
 of a deluded and infuriate mob : deftroying 
 its victims without felection or remorfe, itfelf 
 ultimately the victim of its own infatuation and 
 guilt. 
 
 I would fain illuftrate to you what I feel 
 by calling your attention to a ftory of remote 
 antiquity ; and I would afk whether the great 
 Ariftides could have fuffered the injuftice he met 
 irith from the Athenian people, had the ungrate- 
 ful crowd whom he had fo faithfully ferved, been 
 fufficiently inftrucled to appreciate chofe fervices?
 
 Could any but a wretch as ignorant as the 
 one who defired him to engrave his own name 
 on the (hell which was to condemn him 
 to banimment, have been weary of hearing 
 him called " the Juft ?" Sir, to come nearer to 
 our own times, could the great penfioner De 
 Witt and his unhappy brother have met with their 
 cruel and ignominious death from the hands of 
 an enlightened populace? To bring it immedi- 
 ately home, could the difgraceful fcenes of 1780, 
 have taken place in this metropolis, had there 
 prevailed amongft you a general fyftem of national 
 education? Sir, I think none of thefe things 
 could have happened, where the light of know- 
 ledge and of truth had univerfally beamed. Sir, 
 I have contended for parliamentary reform, 
 and I am flill a fincere and decided friend 
 to the reformation of parliament: but I do 
 not believe that any fcheme could be devifed, 
 fo totally unobjectionable in its means, and fo 
 entirely efficacious to its object of increafmg the 
 purity of this houfe, as the general inftrudion of 
 your people. Nothing could fo tend to diffufc 
 the principles and practice of chriftianity. You 
 tranflate the fcripturcs into the vulgar tongue, 
 that all may have an opportunity of knowing, 
 weighing, and following the divine precepts they
 
 27 
 
 contain. Open the eyes of your people, that 
 they may read what you have caufed to be written, 
 and your work is done. 
 
 - Sir, I have the greateft authorities of the living 
 and the dead, to recommend what I propofe. Adam 
 Smith, Mr. Malthus, the right honourable gen- 
 tleman opposite to me, the benevolent editor of 
 the tracts which come from the Society for better- 
 ing the Condition of the Poor, all agree in recom- 
 mending national education as the firft ftep to- 
 wards the alleviation of your burthens, and the 
 amelioration of the condition of your people. Ad- 
 ded to this, we have example and experience before 
 our eyes. Look at Scotland. See her enviable (late 
 with regard to her poor. That country is the theme 
 of panegyric amongfl all who have vifited her, 
 on account of the fituation of her labouring 
 clafles ; and yet fhe has your fyftem of poor 
 laws *j the enactments are the fame ; they are ftill 
 
 * As much mifapprehenfion prevails in this country on the 
 fubjeft of the poor laws in Scotland, manyperfons not believ- 
 ing in the exiftence of the laws themfclves, a:id others better 
 informed as to that fad, having erroneoufly afierted that they 
 are not now in force, I have thought it advifable to give at 
 the end of this pamphlet, a brief but very perfpicuous ftatement 
 of the law, and the fads upon it, for which I am greatlv in- 
 debted to Mr. Homer and the Rev. Sir Henry Moncrieff.
 
 28 
 
 in force, they have been in general ufe, they may 
 be and are (till often reforted to, and time was 
 when the ftate of the poor on the other fide of the 
 Tweed, as I (hall prefently (hew you, was more 
 wretched, and their violence greater, than has al- 
 moft ever been known in the fouthern part of the 
 ifland. Now, the poor laws are almoft totally in 
 difufe, and all is regularity and order. What was 
 the day-ftar then which (hone forth and calmed 
 thefe troubles ? Education. 
 
 Simul Alba nautis 
 
 Stella refulfit, 
 
 Defluit saxis agitatus humor 
 Concidunt venti, fugiuntque nubes : 
 Et minax (fie Di voluere) ponto 
 Unda recumbit. 
 
 Such was the effect of education upon Scotland, 
 and I will prove to you that that effect was produced 
 by education alone. Sir, the fyftem of our poor 
 laws was introduced into Scotland by an a# parted 
 in the year 1579, which was almoft a literal tranf. 
 cript from the aft parted in the fourteenth of Eli, 
 labeth: a variety of other ftatutes followed, (hew- 
 ing by their preambles that (he provifions of the 
 firft aft had been executed. Some of thefe acts
 
 were paired in the time of Charles II. Late deci- 
 lions of the court of feffion {hew thefe laws to be 
 now in full force. Mod of the information 
 I have obtained on the fubjedt of the Scottifh 
 law relating to the poor, I owe to an Hon. 
 Member of this Houfe *, who has been well 
 known in the republic of letters, and at the 
 bar of Scotland ; and who is fure to become an 
 ornament of this afTembly. Now, Sir, I will 
 trouble you to direcl your attention to a paflage 
 from the fecond difcourfe of Mr. Andrew Fletch- 
 er, on the affairs of Scotland, written in 1698. 
 The fyftem of national education had been 
 enacted in the year 1696 ; but of courfe its opera- 
 tion could not have been felt in fo fhort a 
 period. 
 
 Mr. Fletcher fays" There are at this day in 
 <r Scotland (befides a great many poor families 
 " very meanly provided for by the church-boxes, 
 ! c and others, who by living upon bad food, fall 
 " into various difeafesj two hundred thoufand 
 ** people begging from door to door. Thefe arc 
 " not only no way advantageous, but a very 
 M great burden to fo poor a country. And though 
 * the number of them be perhaps double to what 
 ** it was formerly, by reafon of this prefent great 
 " diftrefs, yet in all times there have been about 
 
 * Mr. Homer.
 
 30 
 
 one hundred thoufand ofthefe vagabonds, who 
 have lived without any regard or fubjedlioe 
 either to the laws of the land or even thofe of 
 God and nature. Fathers inceltuoufly accom- 
 c panying with their own daughters, the fon with 
 the mother, and the brother with the fifter. 
 " No magiflrate could ever difcover which way one 
 ' in a hundred of thefe wretches died, or that ever 
 ' they were baptifed. Many murders have been 
 i' difcovered among them ; and they are not only 
 ' an unfpeakable oppredion to poor tenants ("who 
 " if they give not bread or fome kind of provifion 
 to perhaps forty fuch villains in one day, are 
 * fure to be infultcd by them) but they rob many 
 ' poor people who live in houfes diftant from 
 ' any neighbourhood. In years of plenty, many 
 thoufands of them meet together in the moun- 
 ' tains, where they feaft and riot for many days, 
 f* and at count jy weddings, markets, burialsj 
 " and other like public occafions, they are to 
 be feen, both men and women, perpetually 
 " drunk, curfing, blafpheming, and fighting to- 
 < gether. 
 
 " Thefe are fuch outrageous difordcrs, that it 
 " were better for the nation they were fold to the 
 gallies or Weft-Indies, than that they mould 
 " continue any longer a burden upon us. But
 
 31 
 
 tf numbersof people bring great riches. Every go-' 
 4< vernment is to blame that makes not "a right 
 " ufe of them. The wholefomenefs of our air, 
 " and healthfulnefs of our climate, affords us 
 " great numbers of people, which in fo poor a 
 " country can never be all maintained by manu- 
 ft failures or public workhoufes, or any other 
 " way but that which I have mentioned." In 
 another part of the fame difcourfe, Mr. Fletcher 
 fays, " The better education of our youth would 
 " be very neceflary." 
 
 Now, I beg to call your attention to ano- 
 ther defcription. of Scotland given in the year 
 1 803, by the Lord Advocate of Scotland, 
 when perfuading this Houfe to the adoption of a 
 bill for the more liberally providing for the fchool- 
 matters of that country j which bill was after- 
 wards paiTcd into a law, and in its preamble re- 
 cites, " that the fchoolmafters of Scotland are a 
 " mod ufeful body of men, and effential to the 
 public welfare." 
 
 Sir, the Lord Advocate, Hope, is upon that 
 occafion reported to have faid <c He afcribed to 
 f the eftablifhment of thofe fchoolsall that intel- 
 " ligcnce which was fo obfervable in that part of 
 " the Unired Kingdom, and which fo much at- 
 " traded the attention of ftrangers who vifited it.
 
 32 
 
 ' To it alfo was to be afcribed the good morals, 
 the focial order, the loyalty, the paucity of 
 c crimes, the proper attendance on divine 
 ct worfhip, and the encreafing wealth of that part 
 " of the country. The paucity of crimes was fo 
 " remarkable, that there were more convicts 
 ' tranfported in one quarter feflions from Man- 
 " chetter, than from all Scotland in the courfe of 
 * the year. He alfo obferved, that the execu- 
 tions in Scotland, on an average, did not 
 '* amount to more than fix in the year. He 
 " therefore thought an eftabliftiment, productive 
 " of fuch good, deferving of the greateft encou- 
 " ragement, and that without it the inftitution 
 J* would link into difreputc, and become a nui- 
 " fance inftead of a benefit. 
 
 * The low falary of the fchool matters had 
 " within the laft twenty years, caufed feveral 
 ' fchools to be without matters." 
 
 Sir, can there be a greater contraft than is 
 exhibited in thefe two defcriptions ? and is not 
 ail the improvement obfervable in the latter, 
 when compared with the former, traced, by 
 the moft competent judge that could have 
 been felected, entirely to the fyftem of national 
 education ? to bring the matter ftill nearer to 
 a point. J am induced, and not without foun-
 
 33 
 
 dation, to believe that the neceflity for the com- 
 pulfofy relief, which has been had recourfe to of" 
 late years in Scotland, more frequently than be- 
 fore, has been owing to the circumftance of many 
 fchools having been abandoned on account of the 
 lownefs of the falaries of the mafters. Sir, I truft 
 the act of 1 803, which has made a more liberal 
 provifion for the fchool mafters, will reproduce 
 all the original and beneficial effects. 
 
 I propofe then, a general fyftem ofj national 
 education, by the eftablifhment of parochial fchools $ 
 not compulfory upon the poor, for that would 
 deftroy its object, but voluntary : and I am con- 
 fident that it will foon fo work its way, that every 
 man in England and Wales will, as in Scotland, 
 feel it a difgrace not to have his children inftruct- 
 cd. Sir, the details of this plan will be found in 
 the bill which I mall afk permiffion of the Houfe 
 to introduce : and I fay nothing of the expence, 
 for I am fure no ftatefman, who views the im- 
 portance of the eftablimment as I do, will hefitate 
 on that fcore alone to adopt it, for in the faving 
 of poor's rate it will repay itfclf an hundred, 
 and in order, morality, and virtue, ten thoufand, 
 fold. 
 
 Sir, I cannot help noticing to the Houfe, that 
 this is a period particularly favourable for the
 
 34 
 
 inftitution of a national fyftem of education; 
 becaufe within a few years there has been difco- 
 vercd apian for the inftruction of youth, which is 
 now brought to a ftateof great perfection; happily 
 combining rules, by which the object of learning 
 muft be infallibly attained wich expedition and 
 cheapnefs, and holding out the faired profpect 
 of eminent utility to mankind. Sir, the meri- 
 torious perfon with whom parts of the plan 
 of education, to which I have alluded, have 
 bad their rife, who has alfo had the good 
 fenfe unoftentatioufly to add the acknowledged 
 difcoveries of others to his own, is well known to 
 many members of this Houfe, and to a large part 
 of the nation ; and he is patronized by perfons of 
 the firft diftinction, in this and a neighbouring 
 kingdom ; he has further obtained the high ho- 
 nour of the Royal fanction and fupport. The 
 gentleman whom I mean to point out to you, 
 is Mr. Jofeph Lancafter *. Sir, 1 know that he 
 has been the object of much oppofition from 
 bigotry and prejudice, but 1 believe him to be on 
 every account, defcrving of encouragement and 
 protection ; and 1 am happy to find that the un- 
 founded clamour which has been raifed againft 
 him, has in no fjegrcc prevailed ; that he ftill en- 
 joys that diftinguifhcd and difcriminating fupport I 
 * N.tfe A.
 
 35 
 
 have before mentioned, and as it frequently happens, 
 that what was intended to overturn, has tended 
 only to ftrengthen and fupport him. 
 
 The principles upon which he proceeds at the 
 Free School in the Borough, are upon examina- 
 tion, fo obvioufly founded in utility and cecono- 
 my, that they muft prevail, and will finally I have 
 no doubt, furnim a mode of inftructioiij not only 
 for this country, but for all nations advanced in 
 any degree in civilization. 
 
 I by no means intend to introduce any en- 
 actments into the bill which I mail propofe to 
 you, compelling any particular mechanical mode 
 of inftruction j but I have thought this a proper 
 opportunity of ftating my opinions relative to 
 what I think muft prove a great practical benefit 
 to this country and the world. 
 
 When the bill itfelf (hall come into the hands of 
 gentlemen, it will be found that the main fpringof 
 all that is good on earth, 1 mean religious inftruc- 
 tion, is attended to; and that the interefts of the efta- 
 blifhment are ftrictly guarded, whilft at the fame 
 time the facred rights of toleration are in no re- 
 fpect violated. 
 
 Sir, I might here difmifs the fubjedt of educa- 
 tion altogether ; and indeed, I reluctantly call 
 your attention to one illuftration of the advantages 
 to be derived from it, and the great difadvantages 
 
 V 2
 
 3G 
 
 attending its total abfence from any country 
 when I mention the ftate of the poor in Ireland. 
 There are in that country no poor laws, to which 
 the mifcry and \\retchednefs of the lower orders of 
 fociety can be traced. But they have no inftruc- 
 tion. In Scotland they have inflruction, and 
 therefore they are contented and happy, and do 
 not ufc the poor laws which they have. I 
 perfectly well know, that my Noble Friend, 
 who is, fortunately for her interefls, at the 
 head of the government of that country, is a de- 
 cided friend to general inftruction, and that he 
 is a patron of the improved plan 1 have difcufled, 
 as well as of the perfon who carries it into effect, 
 I know that the other members of his majefty's 
 councils for the more immediate government of 
 that country, are doing their endeavours towards 
 the inflruction of that brave, patient, and ge- 
 nerous people. I have alfo learnt with the 
 grcatefl pleafure, that the people themfelves are 
 eagerly defirous of profiting by the light which 
 I hope will fpeedily and abundantly mine upon 
 them. With a combination of circumflancca 
 fo fortunate, we are entitled to expect the happieft 
 refults. 
 
 Sir, the next flep which I would recommend to the 
 houfe to take towards the defirable end of exalting 
 the character of the labourer, is to encourage
 
 37 
 
 him to become poflefled of property, that he 
 may tafte its fweets; and to give him full fecurity 
 for the pofleflton of what he (hall acquire. All 
 perfons who have thought deeply on the fubject 
 of the poor, have felt the force and juftice of 
 this principle ; but fome have differed as to the 
 ipecies of property of which it is mod defirable 
 they mould become poflefied. Some have 
 thought a property in live dock mod beneficial ; 
 and in that has originated in fome parts of 
 England what is called the Cow Syftem, whereby 
 a labouring man is enabled either to purchafe or 
 acquire a certain property in a cow. The fer- 
 vices of that ufeful animal to the family of the 
 labourer, are efteemed of greater importance 
 than any other pofleflion. This fydem may 
 locally be exceedingly beneficial; but there are 
 fome obvious objections to it : fuch as the pre- 
 carioufnefs of the life of the animal, and the great 
 lofs which mult arife from any accident to it, in 
 mod cafes irreparable, which put it altogether 
 out of the queftion, as to general adoption ; and 
 fling great doubt upon its application to thofe 
 parts of the kingdom even mod adapted to it. 
 Money, Sir, I apprehend to be the only fort of 
 property which it is worth our while to give 
 encouragement to the labourer to acquire ; which
 
 38 
 
 is convertible into whatever other fpccics of 
 property he may think fit to purchafe. 
 
 The confederation then is, that of a plan by 
 which the favings of the poor may be fafely and 
 profitably inverted. If a labourer fpends the 
 whole of his earnings he necefTarily becomes a 
 charge to the parifh, upon the firft accident he 
 meets with, or the firft attack of ficknefs ; and 
 if he is fortunate enough to efcape both, the 
 burthen is only fufpended till age renders him 
 incapable of work. A great proportion of the la- 
 bouring poor thus become in fucceflion claimants 
 upon the parifh ; and this muft in fome degree 
 continue until the poor can be induced to lay 
 by fomething in health, as a provifion for fick- 
 nefs or age. Such of them as make the expe- 
 riment, and have once felt the fatisfaclion of 
 poflefling fomething of their own, ordinarily 
 fucceed beyond all expectation. Advanced one 
 ftep towards independence, they go on to im- 
 prove their condition ; and in this clafs arc 
 found fome of the moft induftrious, frugal, and 
 meritorious members of fociety. That fo few 
 are found to make any faving may in a great 
 degree be accounted for, by the difficulty of 
 putting out the little they can raife at a time. 
 A poor man would often be glad to put out
 
 39 
 
 fmall Turns to intereft, who cannot make up 
 enough to induce a man of property to take it : and 
 in the length of time neceflary to raife a larger 
 fum, fo many temptations occur for fpending the 
 little fund, that it requires a degree of forbear- 
 ance and felf-denial which few pofTefs, to refift 
 them. Thus, the poor man not knowing where 
 to place the money he has faved, fpends it unne- 
 ceflarily, or trufts it with fome plaufible neigh- 
 bour, and lofes it, or puts it in his drawer, and is 
 robbed of it ; or places it in the hands of his 
 mafter, who in fome inilances has iniquitoufiy 
 defrauded his induftrious and confiding fervant. 
 Thus men are difcouraged from the renewal of an 
 unfuccefsful attempt : and others are deterred by 
 fuch examples. The obvious remedy for this 
 evil, is to find out a method adapted to the fitua- 
 tion of the poor, by w^ich they may put out 
 their favings with fecurity, at a fair intereft. 
 For this purpofe the eftablifhment of friend- 
 ly focieties opens a very general and ufeful 
 refource : and I am glad of this public op- 
 portunity of exprefiing my warm approba- 
 tion of thofe excellent inftitutions ; and my 
 fenfe of the obligation due to the Right Hon. 
 Gentleman oppofite to me, under whofe auf- 
 pices an act has been paffed for the regulation,
 
 40 
 
 fupport, and encouragement of thofe foCietiesj 
 which by encreafing the number of fubfcribers td 
 them, has proved highly beneficial to the coun- 
 try. I mean the aft of the ^d of the king, 
 c. 54; but, Sir, it is to be obferved, that fome 
 inftitution, fuch as I (hall venture prefently to fug- 
 geft, are wanted in aid of the operations of thofe 
 focietics. The lower orders of the people, 
 are jealous, and naturally fo, of any interfer- 
 ence or controul over their property ; and 
 many who from motives of jealoufy are prevented 
 from placing their favings in focieties of this de- 
 fcription, would place it out to profit, or upon 
 contingencies, where the whole of the manage- 
 ment would remain exclufively to themfelves. 
 
 Sir, to mew how much this fort of jealoufy 
 operates, one might remark, that although the 
 advantages held out by the aft in queftion are 
 very great, and that the effeft has been, as I 
 believe, to increafe the number of members in 
 thofe focieties, ftill the interference of the law 
 has certainly alarmed fome others ; and I have 
 heard of inftances where clubs have been broken 
 up in confequence of it ; the balance, however, I 
 am fure, is in favour of the aft. Thefe prejudices 
 would certainly operate moft, when the aft was 
 new. They will gradually wear away, and the
 
 country will receive the full meafure of its benevo- 
 lent provifions. Sir, no man can be a greater 
 friend than I am to the inftitution of friendly fo- 
 cieties ; and in the county in which I live, I do 
 all in my power to encourage and fupport them. 
 I know only of one objection to them, and that is in- 
 feparably attendant upon them, it is I believe with, 
 out remedy, and is by no means of fuch magni- 
 tude as to counteract their general value, I mean 
 the frequent meetings they demand ; the lofs of 
 time, and expenditure of money at the public 
 houfes. I am no enemy to relaxation and focial 
 meetings amongft the lower clafles; they have 
 a right to their enjoyments when confined with- 
 in the bounds of fobriety and moderation ; but 
 I do not wifh that the temptations to indul- 
 gence, in which the head of the family alone 
 can partake, mould be multiplied. 
 
 Some perfons, ftruck with the benefit of thefe 
 friendly focieties, have carried their love for them 
 fo far, as to propofe a general national club, 
 to which every healthy labourer mould be com- 
 pelled to contribute. Sir, I need hardly fay, that 
 fuch a fchcme is quite impracticable ; and that by 
 compulfion we mould entirely deftroy that which 
 is the effect of, and can be fupported only by free 
 will. The impofiibility of watching the mem- 
 
 G
 
 bcrs of fuch a club, with the vigilance neceflary 
 to guard againft fraud, and all the numerous diffU 
 cultics attending the fcheme, are too obvious to be 
 dwelt upon : but I have mentioned the matter, in 
 order to (hew that it has not cfcaped my obferva- 
 tion. Sir, what I Jfhall propofe, is to aflift the 
 intention of the benevolent focieties, but not to 
 put them afide or interfere with them, 
 
 Mr. Malthus has propofed the eftablilhment of 
 county banks. I confcfs I fee many objections 
 to that plan alfo, arifing out of its complexity 
 and the difficulty there would be in making any 
 general and perfect: refponfibility for fo many dif- 
 ferent and difperfed eftablimments ; but I ap- 
 prove his principle, and would extend it. I beg 
 gentlemen not to ftart at what I am about to fug- 
 gcft, which to many who hear me may be quite 
 new, but to afford it their cool and deliberate 
 confideration. 
 
 I would propofe the eftablifhment of one great 
 national inftitution, in the nature of a bank, for 
 the ufe and advantage of the labouring claffes 
 alone : that it mould be placed in the metro- 
 polis, and be under the controul and manage- 
 ment of proper perfons, to be appointed accord- 
 ing to the proviiions contained in the bill, I mail 
 move for leave to introduce; that every man who
 
 43 
 
 Iriall be certified by one juftice, to his own know- 
 ledge, or on proof, to fubfift principally or alone 
 by the wages of his labour, (hall be at liberty to 
 fremit to the accountant of the Poor's Fund (as 1 
 Would defignate itj in notes or cam, any fum from 
 twenty millings upwards; but not exceeding 
 twenty pounds in any one year, nor more in the 
 whole than two hundred pounds. That once in 
 every Weekthe remittances of the preceding week be 
 laid out in the three per cent, confolidated bank ani 
 hUities, or in fome other of the government Mocks, 
 in the name of commiflioners to be appointed j 
 to avoid all minute payments, no dividend to be 
 remitted till it mall amount to ten millings ; and 
 that all fractional fums, under ten millings, be 
 from time to time rein veiled, in Order to be ren- 
 dered productive towards the expences of the of- 
 fice. The plan will be more amply detailed in the 
 bill itfdf, and fuch regulations are provided as 
 will, With the intervention of thepoft office, give 
 ample facilities to its execution. Gentlemen 
 need not be told, that the perfection attained in 
 the management of that great machine is fuch, as 
 to give the moft eafy and rapid means of commu- 
 nication with the metropolis, much greater in- 
 deed than ufually fubfifts between the remote 
 
 G 2
 
 parts of any county and its capital town. Sir, 
 the advantage of fuch a plan as that which 1 have 
 juft fketched out, would be very much increafed, 
 if in addition, an opportunity were given to thofe 
 who might wifh by an annual payment up to a 
 given age, topurchafe an annuity for the remainder 
 of their lives : or to infure the payment of a grofs 
 fum to their families upon their death; or upon 
 any of thofe calculable events, which arc the 
 ufual objects of infurance. 
 
 There are offices in which the higher and middle 
 clafles, may by proportional annual payments, 
 make a provifion for themfelves or families ; but 
 the lowed of the requifite payments, are above the 
 reach of the labourer ; to whom fuch a provifion 
 is dill more neceflary. I would therefore pro- 
 pofe, that at the fame place, there mould be efta- 
 blifhed, under the fame direction, an infurance 
 office for the poor : that tables ihould be calcu- 
 lated for the aflurance, in confideration of annual 
 payments of grofs fums upon the death of the 
 aflured, of an annuity for the remainder of a life 
 after a given age ; or of an annuity to a wife fur- 
 viving a hufband ; or of payments upon a child's 
 attaining a certain age. The fame defcription of 
 pcrfons to be entitled to the benefit of this part of
 
 45 
 
 the plan, and upon fimilar certificates. No an* 
 nual payment to be lefs than ten {hillings, or 
 more than five pounds* That the calculations be 
 at fuch rates of intereft, and probabilities of the 
 duration of life, as to be likely to give fuch an 
 advantage only to the infurers, as would cover 
 the expenfe of the eftablimment. That the re* 
 ceipts be inverted in (lock. That no infurancc 
 be made upon any life without the teftimony upon 
 oath of a medical man, that fuch perfon is in good 
 health ; nor without proof on oath of the age, 
 and the certificate of a juftice, that he is fatisfied 
 of the'acts. On proof of fraud or mifreprefentt- 
 tion, the infurance to be forfeited. 
 
 I mould alfo propofe, that all remittances to 
 and by the accountant of both thefe offices, and all 
 neceflary correfpondence, mould be free of poft- 
 age ; and that no bill, certificate, or policy, mould 
 be fubject to any flamp duty ; nor probates of 
 wills in refpect of this fund only ; and that all 
 dividends and annual payments, mould be wholly 
 exempt from the property tax. In this part of 
 the plan, I have followed up the principle laid 
 down in the act relating to the friendly focieties ; 
 and it is obvious, that the revenue would lofe no- 
 thing by fuch exemptions ; becaufe, without fuch 
 offices, no fuch correfpondence or inftruments
 
 would exift as are here pfopofed to be exempted 
 from portage and duty : and the annual payments 
 \vould all be below thofe furns which it has been 
 in the contemplation of parliament to fubjeft to 
 the operation of the property tax. 
 
 Such, Sir, is the general outline of thtf plan 
 I would propofe to encourage the labourer to ac- 
 quire property j and to fecure to him the certain 
 trtd profitable poflefllon of it whert acquired. 
 
 I beg the patient attention of the Houfe rind 
 the country to the confideration of it ; and I 
 have the greateft hope of a happy effect from its 
 being put in practice. If the poor fhould be 
 found to avail themfelves of it to any extent j the 
 advantages to them and to the country, would be 
 incalculable, and the expence attending it would 
 fpeedily be covered : if it fhould not fucceed, the 
 trial can coft but little. 
 
 The next point which I wifh to urge to the 
 consideration of the Houfe, is the law df fettle"- 
 ment. Sir, I believe it to be now univerfally 
 admitted, that the code of laws which exift upon 
 that fubject is gricvoufly oppreflive to the poof, 
 and injurious to the common wealth. Here again 
 all eminent writers concur with me in reprobating 
 thefyftem of fettlcment as carried into practice, 
 and in wiuhing that it (bould be much relaxed.
 
 47 
 
 Mr. Rofc in his pamphlet on the poor lawsJuftly 
 prides himfeif on having firft fhakenthis oBnoxu 
 ous fabric, and the bill pafTed in the year 1796* 
 commonly known by the name of its learned au- 
 thor, Mr. Eaft, gave it another material (hock. 
 Sir, I am glad to perceive that the feelings of the 
 Houfe go along with me fo cordially in .the 
 opening of this part of my plan, it wilt be the lef$ 
 necefTary for me to occupy your time in the de- 
 monftration of a point which feems fo evident. 
 I at the fame time anticipate the decifion of the 
 Houfe, that the law of fettlement could not be 
 entirely done away with fafety or convenience, 
 Sir, an erroneous opinion pretty generally pre- 
 vails, that the law of fettlement had its origin in 
 ihe famous fUtute of the i3th and J4th of Car. 
 JI. which did indeed modify it, and in fuch a 
 manner, as to open the door to more acrimonious 
 difputes than are to be traced to any number of 
 laws however great, upon your table : wherein the 
 fubftance of thofe who have contributed, has been 
 wafted for the purpofe of haraflmg and vexing 
 thofe for whofe relief it was intended. But Sir, 
 the cuftom of fettlement had its origin in very 
 remote times, and we find very early traces of it 
 in the ftatute law. So early as the twelfth year of 
 Richard II, cap, 7. the place of a man's birth is
 
 48 
 
 declared to be the place of his fettlement. By the 
 nth ofH. VII. c. 2. the fettlement of a man is' 
 deemed to be where he was beft known or born ; 
 and by the horrible ftatute before cited, of the 
 firft of Edw. VI. cap. 3, a man's fettlement is 
 declared to be in the place of his birth, or 
 where be has loft refided for three years. At length 
 came the ad of the ijth and i4th Car. II. cap. 
 12. which conferred a fettlement by a refidencc 
 ef forty days. But Sir, it at the fame time 
 gave the power of removing perfons likely to be- 
 come chargeable, and thereby became the in- 
 exhauftible fource of legal vexation. It is curi- 
 ous, and may be inftructive to thofe who would 
 wifli to get rid of fettlements altogether, to 
 look at the ftate of the country at the time this 
 act was paired, which is depicted in the prea/nblc 
 to the act itfclf. It is there faid, ct That whereas, 
 " by reafon of fome defects in the law, poor people 
 * arc not retrained from going from one parifh 
 " to another, and therefore do endeavour to fettle 
 " themfelves in thofe pariflies where is the beft 
 ftock, the largeft commons or waftes to build 
 f cottages, and the moft woods for them to burn 
 " and dcftroy ; and when they have confumed it, 
 then to another parifh ; and at laft become rogues 
 " and vagabonds, to the great discouragement of
 
 49 
 
 parilhcs to provide ftock where ic may be de- 
 " ftroyed by Grangers : be it therefore ena&ed, 
 &c." 
 
 Now Sir, this uncontrouled power to the labour- 
 ing poor, of planting thcmfelves indifcriminately 
 in any place, is not what I (houid think it wife for 
 thelegiflaturetogive, as long as you hold forth the 
 hand of the nation to relieve their wants. By the lit 
 of James II. cap. 17. the forty days were to be ac- 
 counted from notice given ro the overfeer; and by 
 the 3d and 4th of Will.and Mar. cap. i r, it was fur- 
 ther required, that the notice fliouid be read in the 
 church. This power of gaining a fettlement by a 
 refidence of forty days was thus rendered quite 
 nugatory, becaufe the delivery of the notice would 
 at all times operate as a warning to the overfeer, 
 to obtain the removal of the pauper, as likely to 
 become chargeable. The 8th and 9th of Will, 
 and Mar. cap. 30, introduced the machinery of 
 certificates, which went but a very litrle way to- 
 wards the cure of the evil, and by a ftatute which 
 patted in the 35th of the king, which I (hall prefent- 
 Jy name, the ufe of certificates is quite done away. 
 
 By the law therefore as it now ftands, no length 
 of refidence will of itfelf gain a fettlement. Vex- 
 atious removals are indeed greatly diminimed, by 
 
 H
 
 50 
 
 the humane provisions of 35 Geo. III. cap. 101* 
 whereby it is enacled, that no perfon (hall be re- 
 moved till he fhall become actually chargeable. 
 But no fettlement, by any length of rcfidencc can 
 be gained. 
 
 It frequently happens therefore that a man fet- 
 tled by birth, or who has a derivative fettlement 
 from his parents, or who has acquired a fettlement 
 by apprenticed ip, or fervice early in life, is fixed in 
 a diftant part of the kingdom, till age renders him 
 incapable of any longer getting his living ; and 
 he is then removed from a parifh which has had 
 all the benefit of his labour in a&ive life, and 
 from every neighbourly connexion, to linger and 
 die, where he knows and is known to no one : 
 and there are not wanting inftances of fuch re- 
 movals after fifty years refidcnce in a parifh. 
 
 I propofe therefore, that in addition to the 
 means by which a fettlement may now be ac- 
 quired, that a refidence, as a houfeholder, for five 
 years in any pariih without being chargeable to 
 that or any other pariih, fhall confer a fettle- 
 ment on any houfeholder. But I would add, 
 that fuch right to fettlement fhould be forfeited 
 by the perfon claiming it, if he mould be proved 
 to have been convicted of any crime, or to have
 
 51 
 
 incurred any infamous punifhmcnt during the 
 period. By this reftriction, I have in view the 
 prefcrvation of the morals of the country, to 
 which I think it would very greatly conduce. The 
 period of refidence by which 1 would confer a 
 fettlement correfponds with that introduced by 
 Mr. Pitt into his propofed bill, and I think it will 
 appear to the Houfe, to be a more reafonable 
 limitation of time, than three years, as prefcribcd 
 by the old cuftoms and ftatutcs for England 
 and Wales; and by the law of Scotland, as 
 has been determined by very recent decifions of 
 the court of feffion. 
 
 Under the head of fettlements, there is another 
 cafe for which it is extremely definable to pro- 
 vide. The act of J5th Gco. III. cap. 101, having 
 taken away the opprefiive power of removing a 
 pauper upon the ground of his being likely to 
 become chargeable, there is no way of obtaining 
 a judicial decifion on his fettlement, or even tak- 
 ing an examination upon it, till he becomes actu- 
 ally chargeable : and it is not perhaps till the dif- 
 trefs occafioned by his lad illnefs, or that of his 
 family in confequence of his death, has produced 
 an application to the parifh officers, that it is in 
 their power to put the qucftion, however difputa- 
 
 H 2
 
 52 
 
 ble, in a courfc of trial ; when from the length of 
 time the fafts have become more difficult of 
 proof, and the teftimony of the pauper, who is 
 ufually the bcft witnefs of his own fcttlcment, 
 will often have been loft. 
 
 The remedy I propofc is, to authorize two 
 iuftices upon the application of the overfeer, to 
 enquire into, and on fufficicnt evidence to make 
 an order of adjudication of the fettlement of any 
 perfon likely to become chargeable, in the fame 
 way that orders of removal are now made, leav- 
 ing out the claufe of removal ; that a duplicate 
 of the order of adjudication fhould within a 
 month be delivered to the overfeers of the parifh 
 in which the fettlement is adjudged to be ; that 
 fuch parifh be at liberty to appeal againft the 
 order to the quarter feflions, upon the ufual legal 
 notice; and that the order of feflions upon the ap- 
 peal, or the order of the juflices, if not appealed 
 from, be conclufive on the fettlement, as in the 
 cafe of orders of removal. I propofe if the order 
 is made within 20 days of the fcflions, to allow an 
 appeal to the fecond feflions, that tke parifh in which 
 the fettlement is adjudged to be, may have fuf- 
 fkicnt time to make enquiry into the cafe, and 
 that the parifh obtaining the order fhould be
 
 53 
 
 bound to produce the pauper who is the fubjeA 
 of the order. I would alfo propofe that an 
 order, not appealed from, fhould be recorded at 
 the fecond feflion by the parim obtaining it, on 
 proof of the delivery of a duplicate to the other 
 parifh. 
 
 Sir, it -will be perceived that by this pro- 
 pofition I would alter nothing of the old law 
 of fettlement, but merely fuperadd the power 
 of obtaining a fettlement which I have dcfcrib- 
 ed, to thofe already in cxiflence. That 1 there- 
 fore interfere with none of the decifions of the 
 courts of juftice in that long firing of fettlement 
 cafes which have come before them for their 
 opinion. By the provifion for the previous 
 adjudication of fettlement, I hope to take away 
 the ground of much expenfive litigation, under 
 circumftances which render proof difficult and 
 fometimes impcfllble. 
 
 The principle of the previous adjudication of 
 fettlement, will be found in the Friendly Society 
 Act, and J have almoft copied the provilions of 
 the claufe which it contains relative to this 
 matter, adding only a further guard againft 
 vexation to the labourer ; by ordering that in. 
 all cafes where he is compel lable to appear as 3, 
 witncfs for the purpofe of having his fettlement
 
 54 
 
 adjudged, theexpenceaccruingfromhis lofsof time 
 fhall be paid to him. From all thefe provifions 
 I expect the beft effects, in the additional free- 
 dom it will give to the perfon, together with in- 
 creafed independence to the mind of the labourer, 
 and the greater equality which it will create be- 
 tween the demand for labour and its fupply. 
 
 The next matter in order, in which I would 
 wifh parliament to make fome alteration, is the 
 conftitution and power of vcftries. By the a& 
 of 43d Eliz. cap. 2, the churchwardens andover- 
 feers are required once in every month after di- 
 vine fervice, to meet in the church, there to con- 
 fider of the courfc to be taken for fulfilling the 
 purpofes of the act. By the 3d and 4th Will, 
 and Mar. cap. i j, f. 1 1, " the parifhioners are 
 " to meet in the veftry yearly, in Eafter week ; or 
 " as often as it fhall be thought convenient, and 
 < c the lifts of thofe receiving relief arc to be called 
 ' over, the reafons for relief examined, and new 
 ' lifts made of fuch perfons as they fhall think 
 ' fit, and allow to receive collection ; and no 
 " others to receive any collection without the 
 " order of a juftice, except in cafes of peftilence, 
 " or fmall pox." The yearly meeting appears to 
 me to be much too diftant, and the words as 
 f* often as it fhall be thought convenient " much
 
 55 
 
 too loofe, and to leave too much in the difcretion 
 of the pariih officer. 
 
 I believe the cuftom ftill to prevail in fome 
 pariflies, of aflembling once in the month, or at 
 fome flated periods ; but fuch meetings are not 
 now deemed neceflary, are not regularly fummon- 
 ed, and are frequently conducted without regularity 
 or decorum. I mall propofe, therefore, to re- 
 Hore the monthly meeting, directed by the 4jd 
 Elizabeth; and as the interefts of the inhabitant* 
 -are fo deeply affected by the adminiftration of the 
 poor laws ; to give them a more effectual controul 
 over the raifing and expenditure of their money. 
 I propofe, that veftries fhall meet monthly/ and 
 on notice at intermediate times ; that the church- 
 wardens and overfeers be required to take their 
 opinion, and obferve their direction upon the 
 afleflments to be made, the perfons to be relieved, 
 and the relief to be given, in all cafes which do not 
 require immediate attentiw. But to prevent an 
 abufe of this power by undue influence > or popular 
 clamour, it will, I think, be proper to do fomething 
 as to the conftitution of the veftries, as far as re- 
 gards the execution of the poor laws. Gentlemen 
 very well know, that the meetings of veftries arc 
 loo frequently diforderly and tumultuous ; and 
 that the more refpectable part of the inhabirant*
 
 56 
 
 of a parifti often withdraw themfelves from all 
 attendance on parochial bufmefs, from the difguft 
 they experience at fuch afiemblies. At prefent,' 
 every perfon rated to the poor's rate, in the (mail- 
 eft fum, has an equal voice in the veftry with 
 the proprietor who pays the highcft proportion to 
 the rate ; and a few very inconfiderable renters 
 fometimes have it in their power to difpofc of the 
 parilh money againft the opinion of the more fub- 
 ftantial and better informed inhabitants. In order 
 therefore to give to thofe who contribute moft to the 
 fund, a due weight in the application of the money, 
 I would propofe, that a perfon aflefled in a certain 
 fum, (hould have two votes, and in a certain other 
 larger fum, three votes, and the largeft four. Theadl 
 paficd in the prefent reign, 22d Geo. III. c. 3. com- 
 monly called Mr. Gilbert's act, directs, that in pa- 
 rifhesadoptingtheprovifionsofthatftatute,noper- 
 fons mail be entitled to vote in veftry, who are not af- 
 fefTcd tothereliefof the poor, in theannual amount of 
 .5 I would not wifhto fee that regulation generally 
 adopted. I think that all who contribute ought 
 to have their proportionate controul over the dif- 
 tribution of the money. In order to infure de- 
 cency and order in the meetings themfelves, I 
 would propofe, that the officiating clergyman of 
 the parilh, (hould in all cafes, when prefent, pre-
 
 57 
 
 in his abfence, the fenior churchwarden ; 
 then the junior churchwarden ; after that, the 
 overfeers in fucceffion : and failing the attendance 
 of all I have named, the perfon prefent paying the 
 higheft fum to the rate ; and in all cafes of equa- 
 lity of opinion, that the chairman mould have the 
 calling vote. 
 
 By fuch provifions as I have defcribed, and 
 which will of courfe be more accurately and am- 
 ply fet forth in the bill, I fhould hope to fecure 
 a more perfect controul over the expenditure of 
 the money ; more care in the method of raifing it ; 
 and to convert an ineffectual, noify, and tumultu- 
 ous meeting, into a decent, effectual, and orderly 
 fcenc of bufincfs, to the great comfort of the poor 
 and the great faving of the parties afTefied. 
 
 Sir, the next matter which I would fubmtt to 
 the confideration of the Houfe, is one of the very 
 firft importance, I mean that of the rate itfelf, out 
 of which the relief is given. Sir, I think I have 
 (hewn in the earlier part of my fpeech, that enor- 
 mous as is the prefent amount of the rate raifed 
 for the relief of the poor, and rapid as the increafe 
 of it has been, it is not practicable to reftrain it 
 within any precife boundary. The reduction to 
 be hoped for, muft depend upon the fuccefs of 
 the meafures which may be enacted for reforming 
 the habits, and improving the refources of the 
 poor, fuch as I have already propofed, and to 
 
 I
 
 58 
 
 yhich I have frill fome to add. Sir, the law for 
 a compulfory rate grew out of very ancient fta- 
 tutes, which recommended the giving of alms. 
 By the 27th of Henry V11I. cap. 25, collectors 
 were appointed to receive the alms given ; and 
 perfons were forbid to give, except to thofe col- 
 lectors. By the 5th and 6th Edward VI. cap. 2* 
 the bi(hop was directed to exhort thofe who fliould 
 refufc to give alms. By the th of Eliz. cap. 3, 
 the bifhop was directed to bind over fuch as fhould 
 refufe to give alms, *nd they were to be imprifon- 
 ed. By the i4th of Eliz. cap. 5, juftices were 
 directed to aflVfs in every place. By the 39th of 
 the fame Queen, cap. 3, overfeers were appointed 
 for the management of the rate ; and at length by 
 the celebrated ftatute, fo often mentioned, the 
 rate was directed to be afiefled after the manner 
 which continues in force to this day. The only 
 ftatrUtes, I believe, which have been pafled fince 
 that period on the fubject of the rate, are the iyth 
 of Geo. II. cap. 3, which directs, that notice mall 
 be given of the allowance of a rate, without 
 which notice, it mail not be valid, and alfo gives 
 power to the inhabitants, to infpect the rate: The 
 jyth Geo. II. cap. 38, which directs overfeers to 
 deliver over the books to their fucceflbrs, and 
 gives power of appeal againft the rate, to parties 
 aggrieved by it ; and the 41(1 of the King, cap. 
 23, \vhich makes fome further provifions about
 
 59 
 
 appeals. But the rate itfelf is or ought to be 
 raifed at this day, according to the intention and 
 enactments of the 4jd Eliz. cap. i. I fay, ought 
 to be, becaufc the intention of that ftatute, has 
 evidently been departed from in practice, whereby 
 a very grofs inequality has been created in the 
 diftribution of the burthen necefTarily impofed for 
 the relief of the poor. 
 
 Sir, the words directing the levy of the rate 
 are as explicit as to the perfons on whom thfe 
 levy is to be made, as can well be devifed. They 
 are the following ; " to raife weekly, or other- 
 "*' wife, by taxation of every inhabitant, parfon, 
 " vicar, or other, and of every occupier of lands, 
 " houfes, tithes impropriate, propriations of 
 fc tithes, coal-mines, or faleable underwoods in 
 " fuch parifh," &c. By thefe words I think it 
 was clearly defigned that every perfon having 
 perfonal property in a parifh mould be alTeiTed 
 in regard of that perfonal property ; and indeed 
 that fuch is the true interpretation of the law, 
 may be collected from the repeated decifions of 
 the court of King's Bench. The rating of per- 
 fonal property had long fallen into difufe, but 
 the law was not altered, and upon a cafe which 
 came before the court on an appeal, although the 
 rate appealed againfl was quafhed for informality* 
 Mr. Juftice Afton faid, " if it be the law that 
 
 i 2
 
 60 
 
 " perfonal property is rateable, it muft be rated 
 " although it was never rated before." 
 
 Lord Kenyon in another cafe fatd, ' There 
 '' is no doubt that perfonal property is rate- 
 " able." 
 
 In another cafe of the King againft White, it was 
 decided that "flips are rateable property like jlock 
 " in trade, and the court confirmed a rate made 
 " upon White in refpect of fuch (hips, to the 
 f amount of 13,5001." But, Sir, the practice of 
 rating perfonal property has been fo little refortcd 
 to that the land has borne almoft the whole of the 
 burden, and very unjuftly. For certainly no- 
 thing can be more unjuft, than that, a perfon 
 carrying on a lucrative concern within a parifh, 
 fhould contribute only in proportion of the va- 
 lue of the land he holds, and nothing in refpcct of 
 his productive capital; whilft his neighbour muft 
 pay in the fame proportion for his occupation, al- 
 though his refource for income mould be m the 
 land alone. I am perfectly aware that by the 
 enforcing of this provilion of the flatutc of Eli- 
 zabeth, trierewill befome difficulties to encounter; 
 and I would by no means veft in any hands the 
 fort of inquifitorial power necefiary to afcertain 
 the income of perfons as is done for the purpofe 
 of levying thofe large taxes which it is judged 
 ncccflary to raifc during a war : but all productive
 
 61 
 
 capital muft in its operation, be to a certain degree 
 vifible. Such eftimate muft be made of it as can be 
 beft collected from circumftances; and the power of 
 appeal affords the remedy to the party afielTed. 
 I would propofe then to declare that, with the 
 exception of farming (lock, all local and pro- 
 ductive perfonal property is rateable. 
 
 Few perfons, perhaps, will be more touched 
 by fuch a declaration of the law than myfelf, in 
 more than one inftance j but, Sir, in this houfc 
 in order to do their duty, men mud dived them- 
 felves of all perfonal and felfifh confiderations ; 
 and although I do not pretend to greater difin- 
 tereftednefs than other men, and mould, perhaps, 
 be as eager as others to relieve myfelf from any 
 unufual payment, when called upon in my indi- 
 vidual capacity, I have now objects of far greater 
 magnitude in my view, and wifh at my own 
 expence, as well as at that of others, to procure 
 a more equal and general diftribution of inevir 
 table burthens, in order that they may fit lightly 
 on all. The great bulk of perfonal property 
 will ftill be out of the reach of legal taxation ; 
 but the opulent are fddom found deficient in 
 humane attention to the wants of the poor. 
 
 Sir, there is another grievance under the head 
 of rating which ought long fince to have been 
 redrefled. As the law now Hands, every occu-
 
 pier is rateable to the poor rate ; and, till a late 
 ftatute, upon proof on any appeal againft the rate, 
 of the omiffion of the fmalleft tenement, the 
 court was bound to quafh the rate. The act 
 alluded to allows the rate to be amended, but 
 the property ftill remains liable to be rated ; and 
 the cottage of an induftrious labourer or work- 
 man, ftruggling to fupport himfelf and his fa- 
 mily, is ftill often afTefled and compelled to pay, 
 what to him is a confiderablc fum, to be beftowed 
 on lefs deferving objects. 
 
 In fome parifhes it is the practice to leave out 
 all perfons below a certain yearly value; in others 
 they exempt by name fuch as they think too poor 
 to pay. I would propofe to you, Sir, to legalize 
 the exemption, by authorizing the veftry to 
 order fuch occupiers of cottages as they fhall 
 think too poor to pay, to be left out of the rate ; 
 "to declare that fuch omiflion (hall not be a 
 ground of appeal againft the rate ; and alfo to 
 give* power to the juftices upon application to 
 ftrike out of the rate the name of any perfon 
 who fhall occupy a cottage not exceeding five 
 pounds in yearly value, and that fuch exemption 
 (hall not in any cafe be confidered as parochial 
 relief. To prevent abufe alfo, (which might 
 cafily arife in cities and boroughs,) I would pro- 
 vide that no perfon ftiould ever be exempted ex-
 
 ocpt upon his own application exprefled in writing, 
 By fuch enactments, Sir, I entertain great hopes 
 that we mall impofe upon the rich fuch a proper 
 ihare of the burthen, as they cannot feverely feel, 
 and will moft cheerfully bear ; and take from the 
 poor a load, which however inadequate to general 
 afliftance, is, to them, grievous and oppreflive. 
 
 Sir, I muft detain you ftill longer on the fub- 
 ject of the parochial rate : and 1 mean to fug- 
 gefl fome remedy to the extreme inequality of 
 burthen now fubfifting between one parifh and 
 another. In doing this, we fhall only reftore the 
 fpirit of the 43d of Elizabeth. By that ftatute, 
 although the afTeflments for the expences of 
 the poor, are to be raifed in every parifh ; yet a 
 difcretion is given totwojuftices if they fhall find 
 the inhabitants of any parifh not able to pay fuf- 
 ficient fums within themfelves, to tax <c any otber 
 " of other parifhes within the hundred." And 
 if the hundred mall not be thought fit and 
 able to relieve the feveral parifhes unable to 
 provide for themfelves; the ju ft ices in their 
 general quarter fefiions are required "to rate 
 " and affefs any other within the county.^' 
 
 The inability here fpoken of could not mean 
 that the whole parifh, in the firft place, or hun- 
 dred in the fecond, mould be reduced to poverty 
 before the reft of the county mould be refortcd
 
 64 
 
 to ; the intention mud have been to guard 
 againft grofs or opprefllve inequality in the 
 charges ; but the terms of the aft are fo vague, 
 and the means of judging of the comparative 
 inability fo defective, that notwithftanding fome 
 parifhes have been fubjected to rates equal to 
 their whole rental, the power of taxing others 
 in aid, has very feldom been excrcifed. There 
 are many gentlemen who hear me (and I par- 
 ticularly call upon one of the Hon. Mem- 
 bers for the Borough*, who during the great 
 fcarcity experienced a few years ago, was molt 
 humanely active, to atteft the truth of my afier- 
 tionj who know that within the precincts of this 
 metropolis, and immediately adjoining, there are 
 parifhes at this moment labouring under the moft 
 grievous affliction becaufe they cannot raife the 
 money neceflary for the relief of the indigent. 
 Sir, I mean to allude more particularly to the 
 pari.1i of Spitalfields. A dcfcription of the 
 fufferings of that parifti has lately been given to 
 the public by a deferring gentleman of the 
 name of Hale, who has long officiated in the 
 parifh <o the advantage of the inhabitants and 
 his own credit. That diflrict is unfortunately in- 
 habited by none but the poo reft dalles of the 
 \i-. 
 
 * Mr. Henry Thornton.
 
 65 
 
 people ; manufacturers who refort there for 
 the cheapnefs of lodging, and who, in the event 
 of flcknefs, or ftoppage of trade, or any other 
 cafualty are inftantly obliged to have recourfc to 
 the parochial fund. That fund is to be railed 
 from perfons of their own condition, fo that the 
 relief which is to prevent the ftarvation of one 
 family, is, of neceflity, wrung from another, 
 to whom the lofs of the pittance paid pro-: 
 duces a ftate almoft approaching to famine. 
 The opulent employers of thefe manufacturers,, 
 all live in other parifhes. Is it not fit, Sir, 
 that fome remedy (hould be applied to this evil, 
 and evils like this ? If what I mall propofe to 
 you iliall not be enacted, or, if enacted, (hall not 
 reach the cafe, fome fpecial parliamentary 
 provifion muft be made for it. 
 
 Sir, that the intention and letter of the ftatutc 
 of the 43d of Elizabeth, are what I have repre- 
 fented them to be, I can prove in this cafe alfo, 
 by decisions of the court of King's bench, 
 
 In the cafe of " the Kingagainft Boroughfen." 
 '* A taxation had been made of feveral perfons in 
 " a pariih, in aid of another parifh. It was 
 ' objected, that it mould have been of all the 
 " perfons in a pariih. The court thought it un- 
 " rcafonable that feveral perfons in a parifh mould 
 * c be charged, and not all. But the words of the 
 
 K
 
 66 
 
 " ftatute arc very flrong, and did not quafli the 
 order for that objection." In the cafes of the 
 l* King againft the Tithing of Milland," the 
 ' King and Knightly," and the " King and the 
 < parifhofSt. Peter and Paul, in Marlbro';" in 
 fimilar afTefiments, the orders were all affirmed by 
 tbf court. 
 
 Now, Sir, I hope to have devifed a means of 
 remedying this inequality generally, and by the 
 lame expedient, to produce a competition in eco- 
 nomy amongft all the parifhes of a county. 
 
 I fhould therefore propofe to empower the 
 court of Quarter feflions, at the fecond feflion 
 which may take place after the parting of the ad, 
 and at the expiration of the feventh and every 
 fucceeding feventh year from that period, to re- 
 quire from the overfeers of the poor within their 
 rcfpeclive jurifdiction, returns of the rental and 
 other profits upon which the poor rate is charged ; 
 and the charge per pound. In the firft place, Sir, I 
 apprehend that the publicity of the proceedings 
 of every parifh, would create a defire, that thcfe 
 proceedings fhould be fuch as to bear the light. 
 The comparative ftate of the rate in each parifh, 
 would at one view, be before all the land owners : 
 and thofe whofe property was moft burthened, 
 would naturally enquire into the circumftance
 
 and management of thofe whofe rates were the" 
 loweft, and from the example of others, might 
 correct the improvidence of their own parifhioners. 
 Sir, It is by no means my intention to propofe, 
 that each pariih and district throughout the king- 
 dom, mould not as at prefent, maintain its own 
 poor out of its own rate. 1 know that it has been 
 a favourite project with fome, to make the divi- 
 fions of the kingdom larger, for the purpofe of 
 affefTment and relief; and a few have even gonefo 
 far, as to declare an opinion, that as the object 
 is national, the fund and the management of 
 it mould be national alfo. I confefs that in 
 fpeculation, I mould be wholly againft fuch a 
 change : and experience amply proves to me that 
 it would be unwife. The gentleman who fo 
 accurately and laborioufly arranged the returns 
 made in the year 1803, Mr. Poole of So- 
 merfetihire, whofe information on the fubject of 
 the poor laws is extenfive, and his willingnefs 
 to communicate it, mod praifeworthy, has fur- 
 nilhed me with data, which I will friortly 
 ftate. In diftricls fo fmall, as that the whole of 
 the poor's rate collected in one year, does not ex- 
 ceed one hundred pounds, the average of the rate 
 is three millings and fourpence. From one hundred 
 to two hundred four ihillings and fevenpence. 
 From two hundred to three bunded five (hillings
 
 68 
 
 and one penny ; and fo on in regular progreffion 
 lill you come to diftricts, where from two to three 
 thoufand pounds are collected, and then the average 
 of the rate collected, amounts to eight (hillings 
 and twopence in the pound. The reafon of this is 
 manifeft, that in the fmaller diftricts the con- 
 cerns of the whole are much more under the eye 
 and management of each contributor, than they 
 can be in the more extend ve ones; and this I think 
 furnifhes an irrefragable argument againft the al- 
 teration or extenfionof the eftablifhed boundaries 
 of the kingdom, as well as againft a general na- 
 tional, or even county fund, for the relief of the 
 poor. 
 
 But Sir, an object of great importance may be 
 obtained, by the plan I have fuggeftedof the peri- 
 odical returns of afleflable property within a 
 county, I mean the general equalization of the 
 county rate throughout England and Wales. It 
 isuniverfally known, with what inequality that rate 
 falls upon the public, the proportions in which 
 it is at this day collected, are generally thofe which 
 were eftablifhed in the time of King William, and 
 whatever alterations may have taken place in the 
 value of land, there is no power any where to 
 correct the great injuftice arifing out of the 
 change of circumftances on the one hand, and the 
 adherence to ancient rules on the other. This has
 
 69 
 
 been fo ftrongly felt in fome counties, that appli- 
 cation has been made to parliament for redrefs. 
 Some of thefe applications have been fuccefsful ; 
 and in the counties of Middlefex and Leicefter, 
 the county rates are equalized by fpecial acts of 
 parliament. With the provifions of thofe acts 
 I would not interfere; but I would propofe, that 
 the county rate throughout the kingdom fhould be 
 equalized, by directing that it fhould be charged 
 on every parifh, in proportion to the afTeffed pro- 
 perty ftated by the overfeers, according to the -re- 
 turns propofdd to be made by them at the expiration 
 of every feventh year. Having put this fund de- 
 rived from the county rate, on an improved and 
 more equitable footing ; I would propofe out of 
 it to relieve fuch parifhes within the county, a$ 
 mall be moft burthened with the poor rate. Not 
 to eftablifh an equality throughout the county; 
 (for that would deftroy the motives to ceconomy ;) 
 but that any parifh, whofe charges upon an ave- 
 rage of three years, mall have been more than 
 double the average of the parim rates throughout 
 the county, (hall have liberty to apply to the court 
 of quarter feflion, and that upon proof that the 
 expenditure has been neceflfary and unavoidable, 
 the juftices fhall be empowered to grant out of 
 the county flock, fuch relief as they (hall think 
 reafonable : fo as not t j reduce the charge upon
 
 70 
 
 the parifli applying to lefs than double the average 
 of the rate raifed for the relief of the poor, in the 
 different parifhes throughout the county. By this 
 provifion it feems to me, that an eafy method 
 would be found for relieving extreme prefiure, 
 and at the fame time, that the burthen left upon 
 the parifh making the application, would be fo 
 heavy, as to afford an undiminiihed ftimulus to 
 economy. 
 
 I am well aware that oppofition to the equaliza- 
 tion of county rates, may arife from interefted 
 motives in various quarters ; but I think the gene- 
 ral feeling muft be, that the levying them in the 
 prefent mode is improper, that that feeling is 
 founded in juftice, and that the good fenfe of par- 
 liament will prevail over all felfifh confederations, 
 which may operate to impede the progrefs of the 
 great work the Houfe of Commons will on this 
 day, take in hand. 
 
 Sir, I believe I have ftated to you all that 1 have 
 to propofe, with regard to the rate, and I am now 
 naturally led to mention the power I would wifh 
 to be given to magiftrates, to apply a part of 
 the county rate towards the exaltation of the cha- 
 racter of the labourer. No one is fo little 
 converfant with the nature of man, as not to know 
 that the paffions of the human mind may be in- 
 fluenced to the greateft poifible advantage.
 
 r 
 
 1 
 
 That hope, however remote, will confole him, 
 from whom it is not entirely cutoff; and cheer 
 the gloom of the mod difficult and laborious exift- 
 cnce; and that the love of diftindlion is fo deeply 
 implanted in the human bread, that it may be ufed 
 to excite him to the performance of the moft fc- 
 vere and meritorious duty, as well as tempt him 
 to acts of the moft atrocious and deadly cruelty. 
 Thefe paflions are as much alive in the heart 
 of the labourer, as in that of the man of the mod 
 eminent rank. I would therefore encourage him to 
 hope for reward from extraordinary patience and 
 virtue, and I would awaken his laudable ambition 
 to be diftinguimed above his aflbciates. In Mr. 
 Pitt's bill he introduced provifions, allowing the 
 claim of the labourer to parochial relief, under 
 certain circumftances of heavy preflure, arifing 
 from the largenefs of family. Sir, I totally ob- 
 ject to the principle of any fuch claim, which he 
 had extended to a degree which it would have 
 been impoflible to have provided funds to fatisfy. 
 Mr. Malthus, who is certainly no friend to the 
 claim of right, on the part of the poor, has gone 
 the length of faying, that if a man (hall have fix 
 or more children, he ought to be entitled to fome 
 aid towards their fupport. I would not give any 
 fuch right, nor allow of general relief, on thofe 
 grounds ; but I would propofe to parliament, tp
 
 72 
 
 impowcr the j uft ices in quarter fclTions, to beftow 
 a reward upon the labouring man, who fliall upon 
 the earnings of his labour, have brought up fix or 
 more children to a certain age without parochial 
 relief. It is certain that the claimants for fuch 
 prizes would not be very numerous, but the merit 
 of fuch claimants mull inevitably be very great, 
 and ought to be at lead within the poflibility of 
 being rewarded. I would a!fo limit the reward 
 to be given to the mod dcfcrving, to a fum fo 
 moderate, that it could not be any where felt as 
 a burthen, and I would give a power to the ma- 
 giftratcs to add fome token of diftinclion, in cafes 
 of pre-eminent merit, to the pecuniary reward 
 that a man might be known to have obtained the 
 approbation of the court. This might be done 
 by the gift of a coat or a hat ; or if that was not 
 deemed advifable, a parchment certificate, with 
 the county fcal affixed to it, might be given to 
 the labourer to be hung up in his cottage, as a 
 gratification to himfelf during his life, and an in- 
 ccntive to his children after his deceafe. The 
 expence attending the execution of this part of 
 my } Ian, I would throw upon the county rate. 
 The difcretion of exercifing the power entrufted to 
 them, would reft entirely with the mngiftrates, and 
 if the claimantsMncreaftd in numl-er the advantage 
 vould be extraordinarily great. But, Sir, I antU
 
 73 
 
 cipate an objection. That confider-ing the fevere 
 feafons which have taken place, and the almoft 
 univerfal neceffity they have occafioned for paro- 
 chial relief, your law would be in this refpect 
 nugatory, for that you could not expect any 
 claimants at all. To that I would reply, firft, 
 that if you had no claimants, no expence could 
 be incurred, and therefore your enactment could 
 do no harm; and fecondly, that experience jufti-. 
 fies me in afTerting, that claimants would appear. 
 Sir, we all know that agricultural focieties have 
 been eftablilhed in many parts of the kingdom, 
 with the moft beneficial effects ; and that amongft 
 other of their praifeworthy objects, has been that of 
 rewarding meritorious labourers. Premiums have 
 been generally offered by thofe focieties, for fuch 
 men as mail have brought up the largeft fami- 
 lies, upon the wages of labour, without parochial 
 relief. Such a fociety was inftituted in the coun- 
 ty in which I live, under the peculiar direction 
 and patronage of that great patron of all that 
 was wife, patriotic, benevolent, and good, the 
 late Duke of Bedford ; it is flill patronized 
 and effectually fupported by his worthy fucceflbr. 
 The Bedfordfhire Agricultural Society was form- 
 ed immediately after the prefiure of the fcarce 
 years, and I confefs that at the time I affented 
 to the proportion for premiums of the fort I 
 
 ft
 
 74 
 
 have defcribed, I did not entertain any expcc^r 
 tation that they would be adjudged. How afto- 
 nimed and delighted then muft I have been, as 
 I truly was, to find fwarms of candidates for the 
 infpection of their certificates ! thofe certificates 
 having been required in a way to preclude the 
 poflibility of fraud. What heartfelt joy was ex- 
 perienced by the great and ever to be lamented 
 perfonage, who at our firft meeting diftributed 
 the rewards to the fuccefsful candidates, and by 
 all who aflifted at this ufeful inftitution. When I 
 faw the honeft glow of felf-gratification beaming 
 on the rugged countenance of induftrious labour at 
 the fight of the unexpected boon ; the tear of joy 
 trickling down that furrowed cheek which had 
 been often moiftened with the tear of anguifti 
 and difappointment ; I could not help exclaim- 
 ing to the farmers afTembled around me, " Do 
 " you fee this fight ? Could you have believed 
 " the exiftenceof thefe men, if they had not been 
 " produced before your eyes ? Let it be a 
 '5 leflbn to us. The idle, the profligate, and 
 " the clamourous, are conftantly obtruding 
 " themfelves upon our notice. They defraud, 
 " irritate, and fatigue us, and we are apt to 
 " judge and condemn all their brethren in 
 f f confequence of their mifconduct. Virtue is 
 ?? patient, fiicnt, and unobfcrved, it behove*
 
 75 
 
 ( us to bring her into notice, and reward her. 
 " May this fociety then flourifh and be perpe- 
 * * tuaJ, if only for the purpofe of rewarding me- 
 f< ritorious induftry, and creating in the la- 
 cc bourers an emulation to do well ; in their 
 " employers, a determination to do their duty 
 cf by them, and an improved opinion of human 
 *' nature." Sir, that which I then contributed 
 to make local, I now wifti to make national, and 
 from experience of its beneficial operation on a 
 fmall fcale, I propofe it to your adoption on a 
 general one, and I repeat the remark I have 
 made, that if it fails, it can coft nothing ; if it 
 fucceeds, it muft be of ineftimable value. 
 
 Sir, I would next advert to a circumftance 
 very materially concerning the health and com- 
 fort of the poor, and which certainly requires 
 the interference of the legiflature ; I mean the 
 building of cottages. Sir, you well know, 
 that by the 5th fection of the 4jd of Eliza- 
 beth, c. 2, the churchwardens and overfeers of 
 the poor are empowered to build cottages for 
 the habitation of the impotent poor, upon the 
 waftes, with the confent of the lord of the manor. 
 But the execution of this power has fallen almoft 
 totally into difufe, and indeed from the altered 
 circumftances of the country, has in moft cafes 
 become totally impracticable, the divifion of pro-
 
 76 
 
 pcrty under afts of inclofurc having become fo 
 general, [as to leave no fpot of which the parifh 
 could rake advantage, and there being no power 
 to buy land for the purpofe of building upon. 
 Sir, I would propofe to revive and give efFedl 
 to the power formerly given to the church- 
 wardens and overfeers, of building cottages* 
 to which I would add the power of buying 
 land to a certain extent, not exceeding per- 
 haps in the whole five acres. By the limita- 
 tions and reftriclions I fhall impofe upon it, 
 I am not afraid of incurring the oppofition. 
 of thofe who have ftated that the fcarcity of 
 habitations is the only preventive check to that 
 morbid increafe of population which they 
 afTert it to be the direct tendency of the poor 
 laws to produce. Neceflity overturns theory, 
 and is paramount to controul, and the want of 
 habitations for the poor is in many places fo great 
 that even in villages, two, and fometimes more 
 than two, families are crowded into a cottage 
 barely fuflkicnt .for one. Parents and children of 
 both fexes and of all ages are obliged to deep in 
 one room, to the injury of their health and in vio- 
 lation of all decency. This has arifen partly from 
 the increafed expence of building and repairs, 
 and much from the increafed population. I 
 would propofe to give to the parifhcs a power to 
 lay out in building, fums not exceeding a limited
 
 37 
 
 amount, proportioned to their rates. The imme- 
 diate diftrefs for habitations might thus in fome 
 degree be leflened, and the comfort, the health, 
 and the morals of the poor fo far promoted. 
 But, Sir, I fhould wifh parliament to di- 
 rect, that all cottages built under this power, 
 Should be let at fair and full rents, and even 
 that the overfeers, in letting the cottages, mould 
 obtain for the parifhes to which they belong, the 
 benefit of the competition arifing from the 
 fcarcity of dwellings. For as the bulk of the 
 habitations of the poor muft be the property 
 of individuals, who juftly expect a reafonahle 
 profit for this part of their capital, it would be 
 unfair towards them, and ultimately injurious 
 to the poor, to let the houfes built by the parifti, 
 at lefs than the private proprietor can afford to 
 take for his. The rents of cottages are fo low as 
 tp.difcourage any interefted man from building new 
 ones or even from repairing thole already built. 
 The fcarcity however muft in this as in all other in- 
 ftances occafion an advance in the price; and till that 
 happens the diftrefs for houfes muft continue. 
 This furnifhes a countervailing argument to the 
 minds of thofe who might apprehend that from 
 fuch an enactment we iliould take away the pre- 
 ventive check on marriage which Mr. Malthus 
 has Hated to be found in the fcarcity of habita-
 
 tions ; but Mr. Mahhus never intended to pufh 
 his principles to extremes ; and I truft his admi- 
 rers will not fall into that error. 
 
 The obfcrvations I have made on the rents of 
 cottages are not intended to reflrain parifhes from 
 allowing families to occupy any of the parifh 
 houfes rent free, in cafes where relief mail be 
 needed, and that may be thought the beft way of 
 giving it ; but where this is done the parifh 
 ihould have a power under the authority of 
 the magiftrates of difplacing thofe who (hall 
 not longer be in need, or worthy of this benefit : 
 and it will be ufeful to give a fummary power of 
 ejeding, for fufticient caufc, the occupiers of all 
 parifli cottages. 
 
 Any gentleman who has acted as a magiftrate 
 in the country muft know the difficulties which 
 dccur in getting rid of an idle and profligate te- 
 nant of a parifli cottage; whilft thofe, ten times 
 more deferving of afliftancc and comfort are 
 without flieher, and the parifli is unable to afford 
 it to them. 
 
 The next and laft fubjcft on which I muft 
 detain the Houfe is one of primary importance 
 and comprehends a variety of details. Sir, I 
 mean the mode of adminiftering relief to the 
 poor, the quantum of relief to be given, the dif- 
 tinction to be taken between the different appli-
 
 cants for relief, and the method of employment 
 for thofe who arc healthy and capable of work. 
 I muft fet out by declaring what I believe I 
 have mentioned in a former part of my fpeech, 
 that I deem it of moft effential importance to 
 'maintain the character of independent induftry, 
 above dependent poverty ; and that I think it a 
 matter of injuftice to the labourer, who is ftrug- 
 gling by his own efforts to maintain himfelf and 
 a numerous family without parochial relief, to 
 place the man who does not make fuch efforts 
 in a more defirablc or more favourable fituation 
 as to food, lodging, or raiment. To age, infancy, 
 and ficknefs, I would hold out the hand of fup- 
 port, protection, and care, widely extended, filled 
 with all the bleffings the moil copious charity 
 could afford. 
 
 Sir, the impotent poor are to be confidered 
 under the two heads of the unfortunate and cri- 
 minal, for the purpofe of difcrimination, of do- 
 ing juftice to misfortune, and of puniming profli- 
 gacy. Firft to difpofe of the criminal clafs. In 
 the 14th, 15th, and 15th centuries, many acts 
 were pafled for the puniihment of idlenefs in 
 labourers and workmen, fome of which I have 
 already quoted, and they are full of horrible feve- 
 rity. But the only exifting law for the punifh- 
 ment of icilenefs, unattended with other crime,
 
 80 
 
 is the 17th Gco. II. c. 5, by which " all per- 
 fons who not having wherewith to maintain 
 ' themfelves, live idle, without employment, 
 " and refufe to work for the ufual and common 
 wages given to other labourers in the like 
 " work" are declared to be idle and disorderly 
 perfons ; and are fubjected upon conviction, to 
 imprifonment, not exceeding one month. But 
 as long as a man can maintain himfelf and his 
 family without applying to the parifh, he is not 
 in practice or in law, liable to any penalty, and 
 may fpend as much of his time as he pleafcs in 
 idlenefs without any legal punifhment. Defin- 
 able as it is to prevent rather than to punilh, it 
 does not feem to be practicable to frame any power 
 of reftraint, without breaking in upon that freedom 
 of action which is the right of every man in his 
 own concerns. But where a pauper applies to 
 the parifli for relief, there is fair ground to in- 
 quire whether he has abufed this right ; and if it 
 appears that he has by profligate watte and ex- 
 travagance become a burthen upon others he 
 ought to receive the punifhment he has merited. 
 1 would propofc, therefore, that upon complaint 
 made by the overfeers by direction of the vtftry 
 tothcjurticcs of the difhift at the ovtrfcer fef- 
 fions, or at any fpccial feflions, that any pc ; fon 
 vho Hull by himfelf or family have applied for
 
 81 
 
 and received relief of the parifh, and has reduced 
 himfelf to want by idlenefs or extravagance, the 
 juftices fhall enquire into the cafe, and if upon 
 fufficient evidence after hearing the pauper, they 
 fhall find the charge to be true, they fhall com- 
 mit him to the houfe of correction for a time to 
 be limited j there to be employed in fuch labour 
 as he mail be capable of, and after his releafe, 
 he fhall, fo long as he fhall be a burthen to the 
 parifh be diftinguiihed by a badge denoting his 
 crime with the name of the parifh, in large 
 letters on his outer garment, and that his allow- 
 ance fhall be no more than will provide 
 him bread. I would empower the juftices, 
 however, upon proof of orderly behaviour 
 for a given time, either to difpenfe with the 
 criminal badge, or to put the offender on the 
 fame allowance as the unfortunate poor, or to do 
 both. A fufficient power of appeal will of courfc 
 be given. With regard to the great clafs of unfor- 
 tunate poor, excepting again, and always, the cafes 
 of age, infancy, and ficknefs, which are facred ; 
 parochial relief fliould be confined to necefTaries 
 whether in or out of the poor houfe. 
 
 Sir, it is here fit I fhould flate to the houfe 
 that I am an enemy to the workhoufe fyftem. 
 That I believe where it has been acted upon it 
 
 M
 
 82 
 
 has almoft univcrfally increafed the burthen of the 
 poor's rate ; and inftead of adding to the com- 
 fort of the poor, or to the improvement of their 
 morals, it has furnifhed fcminaries of idlenefs 
 and vice. At the fame time it is not my inten- 
 tion to prppofe to you to abolim workhoufes aU 
 tpgether. 
 
 Sir, it is known that workhoufes were firft in- 
 troduced in Londpn by the 13th and 14th Ch. II. 
 and they were authorized as a general meafure 
 by the 9th of Geo. I. by which act " for the 
 ' c greater eafe of parifhes in the relief of the 
 ' poor," churchwardens and overfeers with the 
 confent of veftries arc empowered to purchafe or 
 hire houfes for the maintenance and employment 
 of all or any of the poor defiring relief; and 
 there to entertain or employ, and take the bene- 
 fit of the work of fuch poor, and none were to 
 be entitled to relief who mould refufe to be 
 maintained and lodged in the workhoufe. 
 
 As the law long ftood then, all relief was 
 forbidden in thpfe parimes where workhoufes 
 were eftablifhed, to thofe who fhould refufe to 
 JDC lodged and maintained therein : and it is only 
 for a limited time and under particular circum- 
 flances, that relief can now be given out of the 
 workhoufe. It will be well to inquire whether 
 this mcafurc has anfwered one of its objects^
 
 83 
 
 " the greater eafe of parifhes," the anfwer is dc. 
 cidedly in the negative. 
 
 Sir, by the returns of the year 1803, ' lt * s 
 proved, that the number of perfons maintained 
 in workhoufes, and houfes of induftry in that 
 year, was 83,468, and the expence of their main- 
 tenance 1,015,445!. or 12!. 33. 6d. each. That 
 their earnings accounted for to the parifh were at 
 the rate of 173. o|d. each. That the num- 
 ber of poor permanently relieved at their 
 own habitations upon the moft accurate cal- 
 culation were 65 r,347> at an expence of rather 
 lefs than 4!. 6s. 4d. each. Sir, I do not trouble 
 the houfe with the very minute detail of figures, 
 by which this indifputable fact is afcertained ; they 
 are before you, and my ftatements will be found 
 correct. The inference is obvious, that as far as 
 expence goes, the vvorkhoufe fyftem has quite 
 failed of its purpofe. But let us compare the ex- 
 pence upon each individual in a workhoufe, with 
 the fum which a labouring man, living upon the 
 wages of his labour, can afford to fpend upon 
 each head in his family; and we fhall find, that 
 upon a high average of wages, he could by no 
 means afford to lay out upon each, any thing 
 like the fum fpent upon each head in si 
 workhoufe. This difparity ought not to exift, 
 
 M 2
 
 artd we mutt en'dcavour to remove it. I believe it 
 will be found in workhoufcs in general, not only 
 that a rhuch larger proportion of food is confumcd 
 Or wafted for each individual contained in them, 
 han the labouring man can beftow uponhimfelfnnd 
 ;his family, but that the confumpiion of bread and 
 meat is greater than their numerical fhareof thecon- 
 fumptionof the country, taking rich and poor. The 
 fact is, that the frugal poor make their money go 
 fo much further than any other management can 
 do for them, that they find means to live decently 
 and to fave fomething out of an income, which no 
 calculation would make adequate to their fup- 
 port : a ftrong argument for not interfering in 
 their concerns, wherever it can be avoided. 
 The burthen, therefore, to the parifhes has 
 been increafed, inftead of being diminifhed, 
 by the eftabliftiment of workhoufes. As to 
 the poor themfelves, the effect has been to 
 break every tie, to force ^them from their rela- 
 tions and friends, to deprive the aged of their belt 
 confolation, and by expofing the young to the 
 influence- of the worft examples, to form nur- 
 feries of depravity. Sir, there are doubtlefs 
 many and happy exceptions. I am fpeaking gene- 
 rally. Workhoufes may in fome inftances have 
 tended to cafe parifhes, by terrifying the moft 
 meritorious from applying for relief, and it is too
 
 true that they have been cftablifhed in fome 
 pariflies for that iniquitous purpofe. Fortunately 
 the humanity of the nation has generally taken 
 a contrary direction, and has prevented the evils 
 of workhoufes from being fo great as they other~ 
 wife might have been, by overlooking the law 
 which prohibits relief out of the houfe : and the 
 rigour of that law has been in fome degree miti- 
 gated by 36 Geo. III. c. 23. allowing occafional 
 relief; but the reftraint ought, in my opinion, to 
 be entirely taken away. I would propofe then 
 to repeal fo much of the act of Geo. I. as impofes 
 that reftraint. But as parifh houfes will be necefl. 
 fary for orphan children, for fick, aged, and in- 
 firm poor, who have no relations or connections 
 to whofe care they can be intruded ; and fuch 
 houfes may, in fome cafes, be necefiary for the 
 temporary lodging of thofe who have no home, 
 I would propofe that the provifions of 9 Geo. I. 
 for purchafing and hiring fuch houfes, mould be 
 continued ; and to facilitate their execution, that 
 parifhes mould be authorized to borrow, on the 
 fecurity of their rates, limited fums, to purchafe, 
 build, or repair fuch houfes, and I fhould wifti to 
 fee enacted fome regulations for their internal 
 management. 
 
 I propofe that the parifli mail meet in 
 veftry on fome fixed day, in every month, and
 
 86 
 
 that all applications for relief, and all cafes requir- 
 ing it (hall be then considered, conformably with 
 rhc fpirit of 3 and 4 W. and M. c. 1 1, that fuch 
 of thofe entitled to afllftance, as ftiall have fettled 
 habitations, and (hail be in a fituation to take, 
 care of themfelves, or to be taken care of by 
 their families, or by any relation or friend, a. 
 fuitable allowance (hall be made at their refidence. 
 That the overfeers be empowered to place fick, or 
 infirm perfons, having no connections, under pro- 
 per care, and to agree for their maintenance. I 
 would alfo propofe to limit the rates of allowance 
 except in cafes of (icknefs, and that no relief, ex- 
 cept in urgent cafes, be given by the overfeer, with- 
 out the confent of a veftry,orthe crderof a juftice. 
 I would further remedy one very great grievance, 
 which prevails a-s much to the difadvantagc of pa- 
 ntiles, as to the oppreflion of the objects relieved. I 
 mean the cuftom of depriving a man of every world- 
 ly pofleffion before relief is adminiftered. Sir, 1 
 would propofe, in cafe of ficknefs, or other 
 great emergency, that the pofleflion of furniture, 
 tools, and live ftock, to the value of thirty pounds, 
 and a cottage, not exceeding the annual value of 
 five pounds, mould not preclude the pofleflbr from 
 receiving relief. Thus a man, who as the law 
 now (lands, muft, by the acceptance of the moft 
 trifling afllftance, be overwhelmed, will be able
 
 87 
 
 to get afloat again in the world, and recover his 
 independence when the vifitation (hall be at an 
 end. 
 
 I would enable overfeers to continue the pre- 
 fent poor houfes, or build others, or hire them for 
 the reception of petfons fuch as I have before 
 defcribed, and to raife money for that purpofe on 
 the credit of the rates to a limited amount. I 
 would alfoimpofe reftrictions in the mode of con- 
 tracting for the maintenance of the poor. I 
 would provide, that contracts mould not be valid 
 for more than one year ; and that they fliould not 
 be made for a grofs fum, to prevent the intereft 
 of the contractor claming with his duty, but that 
 every contract mould be made by the head. That 
 no contract mould be valid until fubmitted to and 
 approved by the juftices in fpecial feflion ; and 
 that a duplicate of the contract mould be filed. 
 
 Sir, I will not trouble the Houfe any further, 
 there will be ample details in the bill; I would 
 only add, that following up the principle I 
 originally laid down, that dependent poverty 
 mould not, as under the work-houfe fyftem it fre- 
 o^ently happens, be fupported at a greater expence 
 than independent induflry can poflibly fuftain, I 
 would regulate the quantity of meat and bread 
 to be furnimed to each individual in health, main- 
 tained in a Darifti houfe; taking care that
 
 88 
 
 ihould be at all times an ample fupply of other 
 wholefomc and nutritious food. For the purpofe 
 of thefe regulations, it will be necefiary to give 
 the juftices in quarter feffion, the power of en- 
 quiring into and declaring the price of bread and 
 labour, within their jurisdiction, at certain periods, 
 but by no means of interfering with either. Such 
 a declaration would alfo be ufeful towards the 
 execution of fome ads already in exiftence, fuch 
 as the act for the relief of the wives of militia 
 men, &c. 
 
 Sir, I had tlmoft forgot to mention the employ- 
 ment of the able bodied poor; a provifion for 
 which, I am fure will be looked for by many gen- 
 tlemen of this Houfe. But I mud here prenaife, 
 that I do not think, upon the mod mature confi- 
 deration which I have been able to give the fub- 
 ject, that that part of the 43d of Eliz. which en- 
 joins " the churchwardens and overfeers to take 
 * c order for fetting to work, all perfons having no 
 *' means to maintain themfelves, and to provide 
 " for that purpofe a proper flock of hemp, wool, 
 " and other materials," ever was, or ever could 
 be, generally executed. This enactment appears 
 to me to reft altogether upon the falfe fuppofition 
 that the nation could, in the character of a great 
 capitalift, employ all its labourers. We are now 
 fufficiently enlightened to know, that individua.1
 
 89 
 
 Capitalifts alone can employ their capital to ad- 
 vantage in commerce : and that all attempts to 
 eftablim manufactures for the purpofe of making 
 the poor fupport themfelves out of their compul- 
 fary labour, (excepting very few cafes) have either 
 failed, or been kept alive by extraordinary exertion, 
 and pecuniary aid. Sir, I agree with Mr. Mal- 
 thus in his pofition that the general execution of 
 that part of the ftatute of Elizabeth, is a phyfical 
 impofllbility ; and I refer gentlemen to his reafon- 
 ing, as conclufive on the fubject.* But, 
 there are now, comparatively, very few places in 
 this country, where fair wages may not be obtained 
 for labour, and wherever from particular circum- 
 ftances there is not fufficient employment, the 
 parifh officers are not likely to be able to create 
 it. If that want of employment fhould be 
 likely to continue, the further relaxation which I 
 have propofed, in the law of fettlement, would 
 enable perfons with the greater facility to tran- 
 fport themfelves to thofe places where work- 
 men were the mod fcarce. In many agricultural pa- 
 rimes, labourers who cannot get work, are fent by 
 the overfeer to the different farms in theparifh by 
 turns. The employer ufually pays fomething lefs 
 than the ordinary wages of labour within the 
 
 Malthus, vol ii. p. 184. 
 M
 
 90 
 
 ; and the overfcer, where neceflary, makes 
 an addition from the rates. This practice hew- 
 ever is not authorized by any law, it could not be 
 generally adopted, and there arc material objec- 
 tions to enforcing it. 
 
 Do not let gentlemen imagine from what I 
 have faid, that I would by fupporting perfons 
 in health, without work, give a bounty upon idle- 
 nefs. It is the furthcft from my intention. In 
 the cafe of a pauper making application to the 
 overfeer for work, I would propofe to authorize 
 fuch overfeer, to contract with any other 
 pcrfon for the labour of the applicant, in his 
 o\vn or any other parim within a limited did- 
 ance; or to employ him in repairing the high- 
 ways, or cleaning the ftreets, or any other public 
 work of the parifli : and where his earning {hould 
 not exceed a certain fum, the difference to be 
 made up out of the rates ; always, however, keep- 
 ing the wages of a perfon fo employed, below the 
 rate of wages in the parim, by way of creating a 
 ftimulus to the pauper to obtain work for himfelf. 
 An extenfion of courfe to be given in proportion 
 to the fize of the family of the labourer ; the 
 applicant, upon refufal to do the work afligned, 
 to be punifhable for fuch refufal. Thcfe provi- 
 fions, Sir, are principally taken from 32d fedlion 
 of the 22d Geo. 111. cap. 83. Mr. Gilbert's act-
 
 91 
 
 But notwithftanding my conviction, that the pro- 
 vifions of the act of 4jd Eliz. to which I have 
 Jaft referred " for fetting the poor to work " can 
 very feldom be applied to advantage, I propofe 
 to leave that part of the act untouched, that 
 where it can be advantageoufly reforted to, the 
 power may remain. I have contented myfelf 
 with propofing powers which may be ufed where 
 the provifions of that act are not found to fuc- 
 ceed. 
 
 Sir, I believe that I have gone through all the 
 matters which have fuggefted themfelves to me in 
 the wide range of the poor laws, as fit to be regu- 
 lated, amended, or enacted by parliament, and 
 I have advanced fo far in digefting them that 
 I hope, in the courfe of a very few days, to be able 
 with the permiflion of the Houfe, to prefent them 
 at your bar, in the fhape of a bill. In this, and 
 every part of my talk, I am under the greateft 
 obligation to a very valuable friend,* well known, 
 and highly reflected by feveral members of the 
 Houfe who now hear me ; who has contributed 
 his talents and experience, to the furtherance of 
 this great work : and I am glad of the opportu- 
 nity afforded me to exprefs, how much I owe to 
 his friendly afliftance. I am fure, therefore, that 
 
 * Mr. Wil/hereof Hitchin, in the county of Hertford. 
 N 2
 
 my intentions will at lead be perfpicuoufly 
 (rated. 
 
 Sir, I am confcious that none of the plans I 
 have opened arc wholly new, and that more than 
 one perfon, perhaps, may claim to himfelf the 
 merit ( if it be one) of having made the difcovery 
 of each that I fuggeft, either by way of original 
 enactment on your ftatute book, or of remedy to 
 fomc fubiifting grievance. I do not aim at 
 novelty but utility, and I do not wim to take 
 from any of the perfons who may have written on 
 the different fubjects, either publicly or privately, 
 their claims to invention. To different minds 
 reflecting deeply on the fame practical evils, 
 the fame practical remedies will fuggeft them- 
 fclves, and the more general the concurrence 
 of fentiment, the more likely it is that thofe 
 remedies mould be applicable. If J have 
 brought together in one view, the moft flrik- 
 ing of thcfc evils, and fuggefted fuch provilioas 
 as are not altogether without the chance of afford- 
 ing relief, I fhall confidcr my pains as ajnpjy 
 repaid. 
 
 I would, however, afk one favour of the houfc 
 and the country, which is, not to pafs a ha fly or 
 premature judgment upon me. I would alfo 
 intreat of thofe gentlemen who may, in their own 
 particular diftricts have been exerting thcmfclvcs
 
 93 
 
 for the benevolent purpofe of bettering the con- 
 dition of their labourers, not to argue from the 
 fuccefs of the particular experiments carried on 
 under their own eye, to the general practica- 
 bility of fuch fchemes. There are local advan- 
 tages belonging to every part of the kingdom, 
 which if fkilfully improved by the land-owner, 
 may contribute abundantly to the comfort 
 and profperity of the labourer ; but which 
 if attempted generally, would utterly fail. To 
 fuch laudable efforts, and to all local inftitutions 
 adapted to particular fituations, all I can fay is, 
 floreant ! they will add to the general flock of 
 comfort amongft the moft ufeful of our country- 
 men ; they do not interfere with, nor are they in 
 any degree cramped by the plans 1 have opened. 
 
 J would alfo requeft of gentlemen not to 
 be led away by the pictures fome may have in 
 their minds, of parifhes where the poor laws 
 in their prefent form, have produced comfort, 
 induftry, and order. That picture cannot be 
 made general. Sir, I have had the good 
 fortune, with the afliftance of able hands, to 
 produce, by the operation of the poor laws alone, 
 in the parim where I refide, a fituation of things, 
 than which none can be prefented more agreeable. 
 Where there is not one wretched being, nor 
 cne well-founded caufe of complaint ; and where
 
 94 
 
 the workhoufe exhibits regularity, induftry, ceco- 
 nomy, cleanlinefs, and health, teftified by the 
 countenances of all who inhabit it. But this 
 could not be effected with machinery fo compli- 
 cated and imperfect:, without great affiduity and 
 exertion : neither could it be maintained with- 
 out continued vigilance, and a combination of 
 circumftances which cannot be generally ex- 
 peeled to take place. If it could be univerfal, I 
 (hould defire nothing more: but I am not mifled 
 by the fuccefs of my own experiment. There are 
 fome matters collateral to the poor laws which I 
 hope will hereafter arreft the attention of the 
 legiflature, fuch as the laws refpecting va- 
 grancy, apprenticefhip, &c. but they form no 
 part of the poor laws properly fo called ; and 
 to meddle with them in this fcheme, would only 
 be to cmbarrafs myfelf, with what may be 
 better taken up feparately. 
 
 I fubrnit the whole with the moft perfect 
 deference to the wifdom of parliament, to be 
 adopted, rejected, curtailed, or amended as mail 
 feem moft expedient. I am open to conviction, 
 and fliall be glad to learn the opinion of the houfe 
 of commons and the country, for which purpofe 
 I mould wifti that the bill, when introduced, 
 ihould be read as firft and fccond time,and com- 
 mitted proforni(i t that it fliould then be printed,
 
 95 
 
 and generally circulated, and that after the quar- 
 ter feflions it fhould be taken into further con- 
 fideration. 
 
 I cannot, however, refrain from faying, that 
 till better inftrudled, thefe are all favourite pro- 
 ects with me. During the hours of anxious 
 thought and laborious inveftigation which I have 
 pafied, I have been charmed with the pleafing 
 vifion of the general amelioration of the ftate of 
 fociety, and the eventual and rapid diminution 
 of its burthens. In the adoption of the fyftem 
 of education I forefee an enlightened peafantry, 
 frugal, induftrious, fober, orderly, and content- 
 ed, becaufe they are acquainted with the true 
 value of frugality, fobriety, induftry, and order. 
 Crimes diminiming, becaufe the enlightened 
 underftanding abhors crime. The practice of 
 chriftianity prevailing, becaufe the mafs of your 
 population can read, comprehend and feel its 
 divine origin and the beauty of the doctrines 
 which it inculcates. Your kingdom fafe from 
 the infult of the enemy becaufe every man knows 
 the worth of that which he is called upon to de- 
 fend. 
 
 In the provifion for the fecurity of the favings 
 of the poor I fee encouragement to frugality, 
 fecurity to property, and the large mafs of
 
 06 
 
 the people connected with the ftate and indiflblu- 
 bly bound to its prefervation. 
 
 In the enlarged power of acquiring fettlements 
 labour directed to thofe fpots where labour 
 is mod wanted. Man, happy in his increafed 
 independence, and exempted from the dread of 
 being driven in age from the fpot where hi* 
 deareft connections exift, and where he has ufed 
 the beft exertions, and patted the bed days of his 
 life. Litigation excluded from our courts, and 
 harmony reigning in our different parochial dif- 
 trifts. 
 
 In the power of beftowing rewards, I contem- 
 plate patience and induftry remunerated, and vir- 
 tue held up to diftintflion and honour. 
 
 In the various detailed alterations in the mode 
 of rating, and the equalization of the county rate, 
 I perceive the more equitable distribution of a 
 neceflary, but, henceforth I truft, decreafing bur- 
 then. In the conftitution of veftries, the benefit 
 univerfally refulting from arrangement, order, and 
 ceconomy, derived from the more attentive in- 
 fpection by each of the general concern. From 
 the power to exempt cottagers from the rate, 
 a great relief to individuals at a very trifling ex- 
 pence to the public. In the power to build 
 habitations for the poor, their comfort and health
 
 Laftly, in the reform of the workhoufe fyftem, 
 and the power of difcrimination in adminifter- 
 ing relief, sin abandonment of filth, flothfulnefs, 
 and vice, and a defirable and marked diftinction 
 between the profligate and the innocent. 
 
 If it were poflible that all this fhould be only 
 dn il In (ion, at leaft it is one that has cheered 
 me through the labours I have undergone for 
 my country's good. But, Sir, if the opinions of 
 the wifert of mankind are not altogether ilUfound- 
 ed, if the teft of practice and experience does 
 not in this lingle inftance fail us, what I have 
 propofed, corrected and improved by the wifdom 
 of parliament, will give eafe to thofe who -con- 
 tribute to the rieceflities of their fellow fubjects, 
 and diffufe happinefs over thofe who are the im- 
 mediate objects of its care. 
 
 Sir, I move for leave to bring in a bill " for 
 " promoting and encouraging induftry amongft 
 t( the labouring clafTes of the community, and for 
 < the relief and regulation of the crimirial and 
 *< necefTitous poor.'* 
 
 Leave was given accordingly: dnd Mr. 
 Whitbread, Mr. Pym, Mr. Brand, Mr. Lee 
 Antonie, and Mr. Horne^ were ordered to 
 prepare and bring iri the fa^mc.
 
 NOTE A. 
 
 DR . BLL, late of the cftablifhment of Fort St. George 
 in the Eaft Indies, and Reclor of Swannage, claims the 
 original invention of the fyftem of education pra&ifed 
 by Mr. Lancafter. So early as the year 1789, he opened a 
 fchool at Madras, in which that fyftem was firft reduced to 
 practice, with the greateft fuccefs, and themoft beneficial 
 effecls. In the year 1797, he pabliflicd an outline of 
 his method of inftruftion, in a fmall pamphlet, entitled, 
 " An Experiment on Education made at the Male Afy. 
 " lum of Madras." That pamphlet has been extended, 
 and very valuable details given to the public by Dr. 
 Bell, in two fubfequent publications of the years 1805 
 and 1807. Mr. Lancafter's free fchool in the Borough, 
 was not opened till the year 1800. So that Dr. Bell 
 unqueflionably preceded Mr. Lancafter, and to him the 
 world are firft indebted for one of the moft ufeful difco- 
 veries which has ever been fubmmed to fociety. 
 
 Dr. Bell and Mr. Lancafter have heretofore had much 
 communication with each other; and Mr. Lancafter, 
 .** in acknowledging the obligation he has to Dr. Bell, 
 4C wiflies not to detraft from his honour or merit ; nor 
 " to arrogate to himfelf any thing to which Dr. Bell is 
 *' entitled;*" at the fame time he aifcrts that many of 
 the very ufeful methods praclifed in his fchool are 
 exclufrvely his own. On the other hand Dr. Bell, 
 
 * Extraft of a letter from Mr. Lancuik-r lo Mr. Whit- 
 read, March 2, 180?.
 
 99 
 
 with the feeling worthy of fo great a benefa&or to man- 
 kind, allows, that " to the zeal, perfeverance, and 
 " addrefs of Mr. Lancafter, the mechanical parts of the 
 " fyflem are under the greateft obligations *." 
 
 The fyftem itfelf is what I wifti to recommend to 
 public notice, and at the fame time to do juftice to the 
 two perfons who, in its invention, improvement, and 
 propagation, have rendered fuch diflinguifhed fervices 
 to the world. Under the patronage which each fo libe- 
 rally enjoys, their plan of education, founded on the 
 bafes of utility and truth, muft prevail : and the union of 
 all parties in the unprejudiced acknowledgment of 
 the refpeclive merits of Dr. Bell and Mr. Lancafter, 
 cannot fail materially to advance the period of its uni- 
 vcrfal adoption. 
 
 * Extraft of a letter from Dr. Bell to Mr. Whitbread, FeK 
 2$, 1807. 
 
 O 3
 
 100 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Note on the Scotch Poor Laws, by l\fr. Homer* 
 
 17 Feb. 1807, 
 
 STATUTE LAW. 
 
 . 
 
 The moft ancient enactments in the Scotch ftatute 
 
 bookmen the fubjecl of the poor, are of thefe dates; 
 
 ' 
 
 acl 1424, cap. 25. 1503, cap. 70. and 1535, .cap. 22 
 Their objcft is to check the increafe of vagrants, by 
 fuffering none to beg but thofq who were licenfed to wear 
 a badge. 
 
 After the diflblution of the catholic eftablifhment, 
 fome of the leaders of the reformation tried to obtain, 
 under the new fyflcm, a plan for the regular fupport of 
 the poor. In the parliament held in 1560, it was pro* 
 pofed, that the revenues of the abolifhed church fhould 
 be applied towards the maintenance of minifters, the 
 education of youth, and the Jupport of the poor. But 
 this propofal was not liflened to. The firft general 
 aflcmbly of the kirk was held in December the fame 
 year, 1^60 ; they drew up the firft book of difcipline, 
 they prefented to the convention of cftates, held
 
 15 January 1561, and the fame plan fora diftributlon of 
 the church revenues was hinted at. But the nobles, 
 we are told by John Knox, rejected the fcheme as " a 
 *< devout imagination." 
 
 The a6l of the year 1579, with a few amendments fub- 
 fequently made, forms the Scotch code of poor laws. It 
 is almott a literal tranfcript of an Englifh ftatute, parted 
 feven years before, the I4th of Elizabeth, cap. 5, which 
 though not printed in the modern editions of the ftatutes 
 at large, may be found in the older collections; as in 
 the fecond volume of Raftell. Sir F. Eden, in confe- 
 iquence of having overlooked this original ftatute of Eli- 
 zabeth, has fallen into a very remarkable miftake, when 
 he intimates his opinion, that the Englifh fyftem of af- 
 feffment was borrowed from the Scotch act of 1579. On 
 the contrary, the latter isfo clofefy copied fronn the Englifh 
 ftatute, that the execution of the acl in coun:rv parfhes 
 is committed " to them that fall be conftitute juftlces be 
 " the king is commiffioners ;' A " and jufticcs of the peace 
 were not introduced into Scotland till 1689. It is alfo 
 worthy of being remarked, that the only general regula- 
 tion, -which the Scotch legiflature in 1579, did not copy 
 from the i-4-th of Elizabeth, is that which direct the 
 furplus of the poor's fund, to be employed in providing 
 work for able-bodied vagrants. 
 
 JVe learn from the preamble of an aEl of the year 1592, 
 cap. 149, that the fyftem of the acl 1579, for the main- 
 tenance of the poor had already been carried partially 
 into execution. .The acl 1597, c. 272, to obviate the 
 want of juftices, committed the execution of the acl 1579, 
 jn country parifhes upon the kirk feffions.
 
 IOC 
 
 In the three next ah, 1617, c. ro, 1663, c. 16, and 
 1672, c. 1 8, there are various provisions for a fcheme 
 of creeling workhoufes for vagrants ; which fortunately 
 proved abortive. The fecond of thofe ftatutes, however, 
 contains a moft important enactment, with refpe& to the 
 mode of aflefling the heritors and their tenants ; one half 
 of the rate being ordained to be paid by the heritors of 
 the parifli, and the other half by the tenants and poC- 
 feffors. 
 
 The laft period of Scotch enactments relating to the 
 poor, is the reign of King William, During the feverc 
 dearth, which lafted from 1692 to 1699, (the Jevtn ill 
 yt*fs as they are ftill called by the common people), 
 tbere were four proclamations of council, and three acls of 
 parliament, enforcing the execution of former afts for 
 the relief of the poor. They are merely declaratory of 
 thofe als. 
 
 Decifions of the Court of SeJJion, 
 
 There are in the books of Scotch law, for the laft 
 hundred years, down to the prcfent day, many cafes up- 
 on the conflrucTion of the foregoing ftatutes, with re- 
 fpedt to the mode of their execution. There is no doubt 
 of their being in full force; though in point of facl, the 
 rate is aflcfled only in fome diftricls of Scotland. A 
 fhort notice of two or three leading cafes, will fufficient. 
 ly prove the actual exiftence of a ftatutory afleffment ia 
 that pan of the kingdom.
 
 103 
 
 By a decifion of the 6th of June, 1745, the court of 
 felfion, decreed, in a queftion between two parifhes in 
 Berwickfliire, and upon conftru&ion of the a&s ot 
 Charles II. that a refidence of three years in a parijk, givfS 
 the pauper a right to relief. The decree of the court di- 
 refted, that the heritors of the parifh or* Dunfe fhouid 
 meet, and afTefs themfelves accordingly. 
 
 In the cafe of the parifh of Humbie, which was de- 
 cided on the 1 5th of February 1751, with regard to the 
 joint adminiftration by the heritors and the kirk felfion, 
 the whole fyftem of the Scotch poor laws was inveftigat- 
 ed very minutely ; and not only the decree, but all the ar- 
 guments on both fides, proceed upon the fuppofition that 
 the aft 1579, "with thejubfequeni amendments, was fully in 
 force. 
 
 Since the laft Scarcity, a cafe has been determined in 
 the court of fefTion, which turned upon this queftion ; 
 viz. whether, under the Scotch poor laws, thofe per- 
 fons are entitled to relief, who, without any perfonal in- 
 firmity, are rendered unable by the high price of provi- 
 fions to maintain themfelves in time of dearth ? And, 
 whether an afleffment for the relief of fuch perfons was 
 legal ? The court decreed, on the I7th of January 1804, 
 that fuch relief and afleffment were legal under the fta 
 tutes: and the arguments ufed to obtain a contrary de- 
 cree Were, not, that the /latutes were not inforce, but that 
 they diil not ftriclly include this particular cafe. This 
 came likewife from the parifh of Dunfe in Bcrwickflurc.
 
 104 
 
 JVo/tf on the Scotch Poor Laws, by the Rev. 
 Sir Henry Moncrieff* 
 
 ASSESSMENTS are made by law in many parifhcs of 
 Scotland, for the relief of the poor. They have been 
 regularly made in feme pariflies for forty years paft ; 
 and become from obvious caufcs, more frequent every 
 year. 
 
 In many parifhes they have been hitherto unneceflary j 
 the collections at the churches every Sunday, and irt 
 many inftances, other funds, in the hands of the kirk 
 feflions, being fufficient without aflefTments, to provide 
 for the parochial poor j this is the cafe (till in the greatefl 
 number of parifhes. 
 
 In fmall country pariflies, or in parifhes where there 
 are no conflderable towns or villages, the alTeffrrents aic 
 levied according to the valued rent of the lands, the one 
 half being paid by the heritors, and the other half by 
 the tenants. The cefs-books of the county, afccrtain the 
 valued rent* 
 
 JBut the practice in large parifhcs, where there are 
 towns and villages is different. The aflelTinems are there 
 made according to the real annual rents of lands and 
 houfes, a fourth part being deducted to the proprietors of 
 houses for reparations; the half of the aifeiltnent is paid 
 by the proprietors or landlords, and the other half by 
 the tenants or pofiefibrs. 
 
 The affelTmentp are made annually, by a joint meeting 
 of the heritors and kirk feflion of the parifti, held, by a6t 
 of parliament, on the iftTuefday of Auguft, or ifl Tucf-
 
 105 
 
 day of February, who appoint a colleftor who makes a 
 new rental each year of lands and houfes. 
 
 The kirk feflions are by law, the legal guardians of the 
 poor, and have authority to manage and di (tribute the 
 funds provided for their maintenance ; but the heritors 
 of each parifh have a controul over their management ; 
 are entitled to infpecl their accounts, and fomctimes ap- 
 point committees of their own number to act along with 
 them. In general, however, the kirk feflions manage 
 alone, and have the confidence of the country, and in all 
 cafes they do their duty, without any remuneration what- 
 foever. 
 
 Where there are parifli workhoufes, the management 
 is commonly entrufted to the kirk feffion and heritors joint- 
 ly : and in fome of the great towns, to the magiftrates, 
 minifters, and others connected with the town councils 
 or corporations. 
 
 The neceflitous have a legal claim to relief, according 
 to a rule, fanfiioned by repeated deer/ions of the court of 
 fe/fion t which gives a pauper a title to the chanty of any 
 parijh in which be has re/ided three years, f importing hirri- 
 Jelf during that period by his own induftry. 
 
 There is a law relating to the fcttlement of paupers, 
 which entitles the managers for the poor, in each parilh, 
 to fend to the next parifh any pauper who has not acquir- 
 ed the refidence which entitles him to their charity ; and 
 he can be legally conveyed from parifli to parifli till he 
 reaches the place of his nativity, or the parifh in which 
 he has acquired a title. This is fometimes done ; but 
 the practice is not general, or even frequent. As a pauper 
 j>eing a pauper when he comes into a parifli, or before he 
 
 p
 
 -10G 
 
 has refided on his induftry three years never acquires x 
 title, he is commonly left to find his way to his own 
 par i Hi, or to depend on private charity. 
 
 The rnafter of a parochial fchool is not bound to teaqh 
 and children gratis. Sometimes the children of paupers 
 are fentto him, at the expenfe of the kirk feflions; but 
 he is always entitled to his fee. There are many charity 
 fchools, fupported by public focieties or private bene- 
 faftions, which the children attend gratis : but fees are 
 always due to parochial fchools. 
 
 By an act of parliament lately pafled, 1803, the heri- 
 tors of each parim, who have property to the extent of 
 .100 Scots of valued rent, in conjunction with the mi- 
 nifter, have a right to fix the falary and fees to be paid 
 to the fchoolmafter. They are authorized to augment 
 the falaries at the end of every twenty-five years, and 
 may at all times regulate the fees ; there is of courfe, 
 fome variation in the fees, as well as in the falaries 
 of different parilhes. But the moft common fees 
 may be as follows : for teaching to read, eighteen-pence 
 per quarter ; for writing and arithmetic, two (hillings 
 or two (hillings and fix- pence per quarter; for Latin, two 
 (hillings or two and fix-pence.* 
 
 The parents very generally avail themfelves of the 
 parochial fchools ; and in the low country efpecially, would 
 be held as infamous if i hey negletted them. 
 
 The children are all, without exception, taught to read ; 
 and in particular, to read the fcriptures. They are mi- 
 
 The higheft fulary is four hundred , uud the loweft thr 
 hundred marks. The fchool rcafter has befides a boufe, a 
 fchool- lioufe, and a finall garden.
 
 107 
 
 autely inftru&ed in the catechifms which contain the 
 general principles of religion ; they are very generally 
 taught to write, and to underfland the common rules of 
 . arithmetic, and all may be fo. In moft paddies, a few 
 who defire it are taught Latin ; and if they profecute it 
 may by means of the parifh fchool, be qualified to attend 
 the univerfities. 
 
 The males and females attend the parifh fchools to- 
 gether; but the females in the loweft ranks generally 
 confine themfelves to reading, catechetical inftru6tions> 
 and fometimes go no further. Many even of them how- 
 ever, are taught both writing and figures. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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 labouring Classes of the Community, and for the Relief and Regulation 
 of the necessitous and criminal Poor. Is. 
 
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