Juftices of the Peace; but then this was at a period of time when that office was most honourable, and when the important truft was bestowed upon none but gentlemen of a liberal education, approved integrity, and independant fortune. Alas! what change, a change lamentable indeed, but which Select Veftries have.artfully availed themselves of, and made it fubfervient to the support of their corrupt fyftem. The nature of the important office of a Juftice of Peace, is ftill the fame, but both the motives for placing numbers in the Chair, and the objects that obtain the feat are a ftrange contraft to former times, and afford a melancholy proof that with fome men national honour, and profperity are regarded only fo far as they are the means of administering to interested motives, and the gratification of ungovernable paffions. Being therefore now bone of their bone (in a political fenfe) and flesh of their Refh, it is not to be fuppofed their worfhips will be very particular or fevere in the examination of accounts which them felves have had a great fhare in corrupting, more especially as many of them have served in the offices of both church warden and oveerfeer, and can therefore make a charitable allowance for all the frailties of their political brethren. But befides this great advantage Select Veftries have now on their fide in paffing their accounts to one-another in a facile and safe manner; there is another of great importance and always at hand, in cafe of any impertinent fcrutiny being brought upon the tapis; and it is a curious one indeed. Of late years, the very clerks of Veftries are become Juftices of the Peace, and he muft furely be a very bold man that would dare to call the integrity of Veftrymen in queftion, feeing they can always appeal to the honour and judgment of their own fervant in his magifterial capacity for the rectitude of their conduct in all parish affairs; and doubtlefs no man can be fo proper to decide in this matter as he who has the whole management of their books and accounts in his own care. POOR LAW S. To be perfectly acquainted with the nature of a difeafe, either in the body narurator politick, is the first sure step to wards a radical cure, and every effort towards a restoration of health and vigour, muft ever prove abortive, without this knowledge firft be obtained. In my preceding letters I have in part laid open the conduct of Select Veftries, fo far as regards the arts they ufe for preventing honeft and independent men from taking a feat at the Veftry Board, and for fecuring and affifting each other in continuance of their power and corruption 5 and fhall now proceed to give a real ftate of their oppreffion of the poor under their care in workhoufes; and as not one in ten of the housekeepers who are fo heavily taxed to fupport the poor, have the least knowledge of the ftate and management of fuch houfes, I fhall divide this part of my fubject in the following manner. In the first place, I fhall give a few hints concerning the falaries of the managers; fecondly, defcribe the nature of the diet of the poor; thirdly, their cloathing; fourthly, their lodging; fifthly, their burial; fixthly, the nature of their confinement; and in the last place, make fuch obfervations as may occur to my own mind, when reviewing fuch fcenes with reafon and humanity. Each of thefe articles well require a feparate letter; and, as my prefent undertaking is of a very important nature to the nation at large, I hope, you will continue your ufual indulgence, and thereby enable me to lay as much of this fubject as I poffibly can before the public against the meeting of the Parliament; for I freely confefs, that I am contributing my mite of information towards a folemn inveftigation of Select Vestry corruption by the legislature, and hope my labours will not be entirely ufelefs to the public. The first thing to be confidered, is, the exorbitant falaries which are given by Select Veftries, to the officers of fuck houfes; and, I believe, it will astonish most of my readers when I inform them, that the falaries of the officers of one fingle workhouse within the bills of mortality amount to the enormous fum of 13161. including the board of the few fervants that refide in the Houfe. This is an enormous fum indeed, and certainly wants the pruning knife of both wisdom and humanity, feeing the poor's mortel is thamefully curtailed to fupport these leeches in extravagance and luxury. When we feriously reflect on this horrid proffitution of the poor's money in one parish only, what must we think of the aggregate fum that is thus fhamefully wafted every year throughout the kingdom; And with what atonishment mift every reasonable perfon reflect upon fuch a tyranny and corruption being fuffered to continue fo many years, in a nation fo renowned for both juftice and humanity. Words, I am fure, are inadequate to the tafk of expreffing properly the feelings of every humane and liberal mind on fuch an occafion, and I hope the day of reformation is not far diftant. The houfe alluded workhoufes, whete Select Veftries bear fway without controul; nor can all the wifdom or art of man ever reform fuch places, unless their unconftitutional and exorbitant power be firft totally annihilated by legiflative authority. POOR LAWS. to never exceeds 800 upon an average, but AS the unlimited power of Select Vef fuch an enormous fum is certainly falary fufficient for officers to fuperintend 10,000 poor people, feeing they want but very little attendance when placed under the care of fenfible, humane and honeft Goy ernors. In a former letter I loosely estimated the poor rates at only two millions per annum; but fince that time I have made a more accurate calculation, founded on principles which I know will ftand the teft of truth; and can therefore now affirm, that the poor rates, in England and Wales amount to the full fum of three millions fterling per annum; and furely no fubject can be more important for the investigation of Parliament, feeing it is univerfally agreed, that thofe who have for fo many years paft, both affeffed and managed this immenfe fum, have been guilty of fuch continual frauds, and embezzlements of various kinds, as have rendered their names a very proverb for infamy, and confequently are unworthy of any future trufi, either from the nation at large, or in the refpective parishes wherein they refide. I mean fo far as relates to the management of the poor, for with regard to their private conduct in life, I have no manner of concern. As to the workhoufes in this kingdom, they were wifely and humanely inftituted to be a decent and comfortable retreat, when either misfortune or the infirmity of age rendered housekeepers and the labouring part of the community unable to fubfit by their own induftry; but by their prefent management and mean corruption, they are now become the doleful prifons wherein both hunger and cold, all manner of vermin and loathfome defeafes, are The continual companions of the wretched inhabitants. Thefe are an affemblage of dreadful circumftances: but they are the natural and unavoidable confequences of that vile corruption, tyranny, and oppreffion, which univerfally pervades the management of the poor in all thofe See our Magazine for Sept. 1785, P. 175 and Nov. Magazine P. 379 tries, ouginated in times of arbitrary fway, it feems to have infected the whole body of men who have the execution of the poor laws in every part; as from Rector and Churchwarden, down to the Mafter and Porter of a workhouse; one continued principle of tyranny and oppreflion pervades their whole mafs of Government. The doctrine of paffive obedience is here moft rigidly exacted; and woe be to him or her who makes the leaft attempt, either to refift or expoftulate; for the Government of Select Veftries is the moft abfolute in the world. The first step towards admiffion into a wretched workhoufe, is, an examination as to the right of fettlement, and here must be payed the first tax to the infolence of a parish clerk. In this office, a man muft ftand like a felon arraigned at the awful bar before a judge? and if fuch a man has formerly lived in credit and repute, it is worfe than daggers to his heart, when reflecting on the neceffity which obliges him to make application for this laft, and iad retreat from the world. Yet, in the midft of his own excruciating reflections, he is both infulted and fneered at, and wantonly abuted with unmanly and illiberal reproach, by which means his own internal wounds are torn open, and his foul tortured with reflections on every the leaft imprudent step of his life. Every former act of generosity, charity, and friendship he is almoft tempted to reflect upon, as fo many infiances of his own weakness; and every foible that occurs then to his mind, he is apt to confider in the light of fo many unpardonable crimes, By the treatment every unfortunate perfon meets with at fuch examination, there can be no fanguine expectations of much comfort within the walls of a workhouse; and the following account of the poor's diet, will exhibit the firft fcene of their mifery in that habitation. The poor rates within the bills of mor tality, are adequate at leaf to half-a-crown per week for each pauper, for eating and drinking only, but the general run of their allowance never exceeds the pitiful fum of one thilling and five-pence per week, week, fo that here is one fhilling and one penny which each poor creature in the workhoufe is abfolutely robbed of every week, a pretty large fum indeed for Select Veftrymen to feaft upon in all those large parishes, wherein there are great numbers of poor. This is one of the funds which fupports their fhameful entertainments,and which they partake of without a fingle bluth, or the leaft remorfe of conscience. When we confider the price of provifions in the prefent period, every humane heart muft feel fenfibly for the mifery the poor live in, who have only fuch a wretched allowance for fupport, for, in the prefent ftate of our markets, it will purchase nothing but the offals of every thing they either eat or drink, and only just enough of thefe to keep foul and body together, in a state of miferable existence. It has become a common practice lately to brand the poor in workhouses, with the charges of lazinefs and idleness; and this opinion is carefully propagated by their corrupt managers, in order to imprefs the minds of housekeepers with the most unfavourable ideas of thofe under their care; by which means enquiries concerning the real state of those houfes are prevented. But when we reflect upon their miferable allowance, how can we think they can have either ftrength or fpirits to work. It is morally impoffible; and to require Jabour under fuch circumftances is a conduct fimilar to the Egyptian tyrant, that commanded the making of brick without ftraw; and fuch is the conduct of Select Veftries. But there is another infamous oppreffion these poor people labour under with regard to their wretched morfel, which exhibits fuch a picture of meannefs and refined cruelty; as no other age or nation can produce, and of which the know. ledge cannot fail of raising a fpirit of indignation in every compaffionate breaft. As all workhoufes under the management of Select Veftries are now become prifons to the poor, every pauper wanting liberty on Sunday, is taxed with the lofs of that whole day's allowance; a regulation fo barbarous and inhuman as would be execrated among the wildeft favages in the world, but which our Chriftian Veftrymen think not the leaft hame of; notwithstanding its being utterly repugnant to every law of God and man. Many of thefe poor people go out on Sunday in hopes of feeing fome former friend that knew them in the days of prosperity, and being often difappointed in their expec tations, return to their wretched hovel, both weary, hungry, and faint; and by this inhuman tax for their liberty, are de prived of their morfel to refresh themselves, after the fatigue of ten, fifteen, or twenty miles walk. Empty they fet out in the morning; empty they return at night; and empty muft lie down in bed. The money arifing from this abominable tax, is another fund for their facrilegious feafts: and who that has the leaft fpark of huma nity in their difpofition, but must abhor fuch monfters in human fociety. As the Rector is always at the head of each Veftry, there is much in his power in regard to both the paffing of all parifh accounts; and wherever fuch Rectors act in conformity to the merciful, charitable, and humane fyftem of christianity; both the interefts and morals of the poor are the first and grand objects of their peculiar care and attention. Such a conduct as this is their indifpenfible duty, and for which purpose their order was established in fociety; but, I am forry to fay, there are but few inftances to be found of Rectors, whofe lives are under the influence of chriftian precepts. The view of the mitre is now become the fupreme purfuit of the far greater part of this clafs of men; nor does the fagacious hound follow the fcent of the hunted fox with more unremitting ardour, than these fons of Aaron purfue this grand object of their ambition. None of the peculations and oppreflions I have mentioned can be carried on without the knowledge or connivance of the Rector; but when instead of checking fuch enormities, he is both an inventor and promoter, and meanly partakes of the fpoin to fupport his own luxurious table and gaudy equipage; he is at once the pest of fociety, a difgrace to his profeffion, and an object of abhorrence and contempt.. Reflections on the projected Commercial Treaty with France. IN the treaty which Mr. Eden is going To conclude at Paris, the greatest difficulties will occur in the articles of wine and brandy; for as to cambric, France will never mention it, because the ufe of French cambric could not well be more general 6 in England, though it were admitted under an eafy duty, than it is at prefent; and more of it could not be fent to this country than is now; confequently the taking off the prohibition there cannot be a ground for requiring France to make any conceffion to us in return. The muggling of wine, indeed, is more difficult than that of cambric; and upon this article it is that we may negotiate with advantage to ourselves; But Portugal may be diffatisfied at the introduction of French wines under an eafy duty, because they might beat the port wine out of the market. Portugal, however, cannot be injured by any fuch mealure; for let the duties on French wine be what they may, those on port wines muft, by treaty be one third lower. The port wine brought into this kingdom amounts communibus annis to 14,000 tons a year; and the confumption of what is called port, but in fact fophifticated wine under that name, does not fall fhort of 50,000 tons; fo that let the French fend twenty or thirty thoufand tons of their wine into England, ftill there will be a vent for more than Portu gal can well furnish; and the lofs to the revenue by the lowering of the duties on the latter will be made up by the duties payable on the greateft quantities of French wines that will then be imported. But the great difficulty will be with refpect to French brandy; for fhould the duty on that be lowered confiderably, fo muft the duties on rums of our own Colonies, SIR, which would otherwise be greatly injured, if not abfolutely ruined.-Should the duties on rums be lowered in proportion, then the revenue would be very much diminished, and France would not think herself benefited, as the rum would be imported on fuch terms, as to be a fuccefs= ful rival in fale to brandy. Here then it is that the public has a right to expect that Mr. Eden will exert all his abilities to reconcile the interefts, both of the Weft India islands and the revenue, with thofe upon which the French Minifter may think it his dnty to ftand out fome time. In order to bring the negociation to a hap py conclufion, it will be neceflary for both fides to make conceffions; and certainly the lowering the duty on French brandy and wines may be fairly balanced by a fimilar reduction on the part of France of the duties payable on the im portation into that country of British goods, which are now fubject to duties equal almoft to a prohibition; and, if our minifter act wifely and judiciously, it is poffible that the French Cabinet may be induced not only to admit, under eafy duties, fuch articles of British growth or manufacture as are now importable into France, under very heavy duties, but alfo to take off the prohibition on others which are now contraband: Perhaps even rum might be made importable into the French dominions, to the great benefit our Weft India planters. Irish Commercial Propofitions. Man may A write or fpeak fo much about the plaineft poffible point as to puzzle ordinary mirds, and prevent them from coming to a decifion. This has been the cafe with regard to the Irish Propofitions. So many fpeeches haee been made, and fo many pamphlets have been written on that fubject, that it is now al. moft as difficult to find out the question as to decide it. The beft method of avoiding the confufion that refults from an attempt to confider a question in a great variety of different lights, is to fix upon fome one point that may be decifive of the whole controverfy. The English manufacturers were apprehensive that the Irish would be enabled to interfere with them in the fupply of the hoine market. The MiAifter faid, that a protecting duty of ten and a half per cenr. would be fully fuffi cient to prevent fuch interference. By the impofition of that duty, the Minifter meant either to exclude Irish manufac tures from the English market, and then he was deceiving Ireland, or he thought that it would not operate as an exclufion, and in that cafe he intended to impofe on the manufacturers of England. Either way the propofitions were unjuftifiable. Caractacus feems himself to understand the Propofitions, but writes as if he meant to make them unintelligible to all the reft of the world. A hort elucidation of the difficulty Iftated, would go farther towards fixing my opinion on the fubje&t, than any thing that Caractacus has written on the one fide, or the wild Irish orators fpoken on the other. I am, Sir, Your humble Servant, OPIFEX. A Writer in a Daily Paper. Anecdotes, Political Hints, &c. Tis no fmall matter of furprife that a nation, fo attentive to commerce as GreatBritain, which has fo tar outstripped all others in her improvements of every fource of wealth, fhould yet be fo deficient as to have Do economical regifter, by which Government might at one view form a diftinct and accurare idea of the population, produce, and manufactures of the nation, and this be enabled to form a juft eftimate of its real ftrength and gefources. This fcheme has been adopted on the continent, and the advantages of it are obvious. It is indeed of the fame importance to the public, that keeping an exact let of books is to a private trader. Were this fcheme once par in execution, our taxes would be more proactive and lefs oppretfive: whereas, for want of the neceffary information, the most enlightned, upright, and patriotic minifter may, note withstanding all his abilities, and the purity of his intentions, find his defigns fruftrated by the infotficiency of the funds, from whence he endeavours to fupply the exigencies of the Bate, or be detefed by the people as their op. prefor, and the tool of arbitrary power; the confequence of which is, that they have been too frequently driven from the helm by popu dar clamar. This, indeed, is one of the prinSpal realons why no minister in this country has been agle long to retain bis popularity, and very few their power, The bad effects of this fuctuation in our counfels, is too vifible from woeful experience. Every minifter therefore, Dat only who regards the interest of his copntry, but even his own cafe, and the continuance of his power, ought, as well in juice to the nation as to himfelf, to attempt the execution of fuch a plan, which certainly might be done without the least infringement of that libery of which Englishmen are fo laudably jealous. The Freech are fo intent upon gaining deep water in their harbours, that they even demolith rocks where they offer as obftacles. Their method is to fink copper-dams upon them, and baving excluded the water, they bore the rock, and thatter it with gun powder. Afterwards they clear it away by piece-meal, a the English harbour we have not industry to cleanie away even fand and gravel. Anecdote.During the late fiege of Gibratar, in the abfence of the fleet, and when an attack was daily expected, one dark night, a centry, whofe poft was near the Devil's Tower, and facing the Spanith lines, was itanding at the end of his walk, whiffling, looking towards them, his head filled with nothing but fire and fword, miners, breaches, ftorming and bloodthed! By the fide of his box flood a deep narrow-necked earthen jug, in which was the remainder of his fupper, confitting of boiled peas: a large monkey (of which there are pley at the top of the rock) encouraged by POL. MAG. VOL. X. JAN. 1786. the man's filence, and allured by the fmell of the peas, ventured to the jug, and in endea vouringto get at its contents, thrust his head fo far into the neck as to be unable to withdraw it; at this iuftant the foldier turned round, and came whittling towards his box, the monkey, unable to get clear of it, farted up to run off with the jug, fucking on his head; this terrible apparition no fooner faluted the eyes of the fentry, than his frantic imagination converted poor pug into a fine, blood thirsty, Spanish grenadier, with a most tremendous high cap on his head; full of this dreadful idea, he inftantly fired his piece, toaring out that the enemy had scaled the walls. The guard took the alarm, the drums were beat, fignal guns fired, and in less than ten, minutes the Governor and his whole garrifon were under arms. The fuppofed grena dier, being very much incommoded by his cap, and almoft blinded by the peas, was foon overtaken and feized, and by his capture, the tranquillity of the garrifon was restored, without that laughter and blood-fhed, which every man had prognofticated in the beginning of the direful alarm. A gentleman who refided fome time among the Mahometans, in the Levant ports, gives the following curious account of their mode of making bargains:-In thofe places, they conful, or broker, is generally an Arab by nation, and the contracts he makes between the European merchants are entirely carried on by grimace, which arifes to a perfect comedy. When the European has made his offer, which is always below the price demanded by the feller, the Arabian conful pretends to fall into a paffion; he brawls and how's like a madman and enthusiast, and comes up to the merchant as though he would feize him by the throat and strangle him, though he never touches him. In cafe this firft fcene' does not fucceed to his wifhes, he quarrels with himself, tears his own cloaths beats his breaft foundly with bis fift, and rolling himself afterwards on the ground, he cries out like a maniac, that an honourable merchant is in-' folted, that his wares were not ftolen, to be fo unconfcionably undervalued, and difpofed of at fo low a price. Finally, as the European merch. continues unmoved, the conful becomes quiet alfo, and giving his hand to the me chant, embraces him very clofe, as a token of the bargain being ftruck, and concludes the farce with faying Halla quebar-Halla qu bar ;'—that is, Great is God, God is very Great; which he pronounces with as much coolnets as if he had not the minute before counterfeited all the contortions and howlings of a man poflefed of an evil fpirit. This hint may be of ufe to those of our own nation, who may hereafter extend their commerce to a traffic in the Mediterranean. K Meet |