On this page

• Text (1)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    f Continuedfrom our Sixth page . J M imposed upon him , hot * " > " * trifling was their jlgmi when they looked at theinBUlt lie had inlicted ^ nonity I Bui , listen Again to what this inspector Jlf ^ Tjijo defence -was attempted , except the often re-* Si one of being pressed to complete an order for 55 n £ nt , the profits of which wonldiiave been lost if ^^^ jjot undertaken to sapply the -whole quantity re-*? ( & Tie magistrates would not entertain thia plea & j&rf& % w * J justification for bo gross an abase or the * rsxa employer can exercise over the operatiTes in ^ fistrici "Sphere labour is redundant I regret to say 4 » mDi-occaP iers do not stand alone responsible for 5 L ~ crnElty towardB the young females . " No ; the ^ Z ga sad been driven ~ by the Burplus labour of thfl tiiKr ottd

    ^" tjj to mrs onspnrg w aeata for existence , fr ^ ns t ) roTea tfcit a parent Ziad not merely consented ^ ajjsiSee tee physical powers of his chfld for money , j \ ^ ed his tender girl to exert herself to the last £ ji £ tie -period the mill -was at -work , some of the * 2 ^ ere «^ lise "wilh'lca ^ >* rom . physical inability ^ jai loBser- Theparent of one yonng -woman , about 'L ^ j ea yesis of sse , -was determined to brave the f ^ juoent consequent upon opposing the -will of STjaztsr , viz . dismissal from "work for the future . |!" proceerled at four o ' clock on Saturday afternoon to gliBffl , fortunately obtained access to the room -where ^ Hilhta been working from fire o ' clock on Friday nfflinr . and insisted on withdrawing her . He

    ulti-_ jjdy succeeded , bnt not , as he informs me , until C&tae manning partner , Mr . Threlfall , and hia son , { jj endeavoured forcibly to remoTe him from the louses . This and the other cases of overwork -which l ^ j ojanred -within the las t two yean in the Brad-« gd district must surely eon-race the most sceptical of A gilaobAe necessity of a strong law to protect the iJarlBi class in these districts ^ and the officers emjgsad may reasonably deem inch cases as indicating ^ jjjBt ote expected among a certain cl&& 8 of milla -23 a a more active state ot trade . " Tkere "Was not a -gaber in 2 ie House , he ( Mr . Ferrand ) did not care to -kjjjartj he miEht belong , -who could haveieard thia j jjgmsit , and "who -wonld not blush for the honour of There

    weastry . ( Hear . ) never vras , he would vents to » y , In the history of England , so disgraceful a -jg of conduct dragged to pnblio light in the House j ^ CccEiaons by a Member against a man -who had the -sta of icfrctlrs such horrors on his feHow-country-5 ( 6 . The Ke-sr Poor Law had placed this power in gamin ' s hands . He had lost that power over the ja ^ Je in the neighbourhood of his mill The Right jaa , JSaronet smiled ! From plundering and perseggx to death the -working classes in the nelghbonr-£ s& " of his mill the -working classes had struck against jjsj thsj had refused to ie any logger his slaves ; ^ jnuQ stood still . He -was enabled to provide the « B ! esse more of -working it ; and -where did he

    jji this ? "Ends * the J * ew Poor Law . He applied bite SiipWn B'srkhonse , and they supplied him , Si treaty hands . He -would aak the Bight Hon . jstaiet "irhere those twenty handsbow -were ? The jg £ h \ Hca . Baronet hBd a heart , he ( Mr . Ferrand ) fcB ew , sriihhi his breast to -which the cries of these peer -Ketches weld n&t plead in vain . He had stated ggssol the consqusnees of this 2 ? ew Poor Law upon fee masses in the north of England . If the House ^ obM sUpw him he -would state -what "was the conduct { f a » . j « " **• " * Poor Lrw GommissionKrs in the admipstation of this law ; and in doing bo , he ( Mr Ferss&i dDnbied not that the First lord of the Treasury raid raider an act of justice to him as -well as to the of he

    pn ^ ooers township -where lived , -when he ^ Explained the scandalous conduct of the A «? nrt »^ t jsior law Commissionera , Daring the discussion of the Iff * Poor Iyw in that House Hon . Members -would jgaeniier with "what jjlee the B' ^ ht Hon . Baronet the Ts& lord of the Treasury had opened the red box Idonhim , and dragged out a statement from 11 r . Hott ftagnph a £ er paragraph he read , bringing charges gB most Tmtrue against the Keighley Board of gsirdians . He ( Ml Ferrand ) had sat perfectly compossLbehiDd him , feeling "that he Bhould have very EQfcSpBculJy to prove to Ms conviction that the stateaedrma ^ e by Sir . 3 dott-srere untrue , and contradictions bypassed between tbeiiEbi Hon . Bacronel andllimself .

    Ba had « id £ d in a challenge on the part of the Sight 1 b Bsronet to him-tMi . Ferrand ) to move for a coms 2 tee of inquiry , -when Sie gallant commodore the Ssabsr for Marylebone , always ready for the fight , jpf nonce cf a motion for a committee of inquiry , and h iMr . Ferrand ) -understood that he had brandished fa stick above iis head on leaving the house , and si "he Lad caught the Hon . Member for Knarestesdb in a trap at last" That icquiry had tafcen fsz , and so convinced -was he ( Mr . Ferrand ) that beodd disprove the statements of Mr . Mott that b bad assented to the members of the committee loosed by the Bight Hon . Baronet the First Lord o ! fe Treasury -at once ; for he -wss convinced that

    half-a-fc = a -witnesses connected "with the Xagbley Union rsi 3 prove every "word of Mr . Mottfs statement to be Kb . The committee had been moved for and apjsrfed . The nfxt day when lie ( Mr . Ferrand ) came to StBouse an Hon . Member had said to him " Why , ' jnitoGsh feUoir , yon Save agreed to a pictedcomj Stee ^ tbey "will report against yon . ** He iMr . rera ^) baaTeplied , he flid not care "what sort ol a com-Etet there was , the -witnesses would prove the truth . IwoTMsistrstes , both Whigs , -who had taken an active jart in Qie forwarding of Uie measure , and who -were ¦ StrenEHHiipparters of the 2 few Poor Law , legal and TifYfits ^ c&xis connected -with the union , had been Bsmiaed aa witnesses , and every one of them , -without

    mspQDR , had declared that Mr . Mottfs report -was Btrue . The committee had reported that" Mr . Motfs epejt to borne out in his important allegations . " He filrPernnd ) Tegreftad that there ahculd have been an i&spt in that committee to -whitewash that public < Ssss . ' Let sny man read the evideace given before that CEEittee ; the Hon . Member for Finsbury sat on it , end visa bear him out in -what he stated ^ and he -would be Bsrfeced that the evidence was opposed to the report . SEeonimitteehad reported thatMr Motfs statement was fes . Mr . Mott , inhisreport , amongst other things , said : "S 3 ipril , 1 S 42 . 1 attended a meeting of the board ^ nmflisns of the K « jjhley Union on Wednesday , the OS instant , and regret to have to report to your

    JranJ , feat the proceedings of the guardians are very QsJafaetory ; in short , they are entirely at variance * a the proTisiona of the law , and the directions ol pslxara . " He ( Mr . Ferrand ) had put it to the vote = Sa 4 committee , upon the evidence of every witness , s& of -whom had proved that no instructions -whatever wbBQ received from the Poor Law ConiHjiBsioners , B 3 g >> the original instructions , and that therefore the Bard ef gnardians had acted in direct accordance -with Sa ecgrual instructions ; but the committee had come j&VTote against the evidence . He must tell the House , * WBi that the gallant commodore { Sir C . 2 fapierj oS-reted by mistake , that his opinion was not * that **• Heft ' s report "was borne out in all its most

    imf £ tsA allegations by thfi evidence of the -witnesses *» &sd come forward to impngn it , " and when he "ifonad out that t > " » "was the tass he had protested AOaShis vote being recorded ; but this opinion of the . B j Bsfiiee bad gone forth to the -world as the convie-J of flie Hon . and fiaUant Commodore . But he ( Mt ^^ fl ) -was not a man to be put gown by the -white-? p % system . He came to the House and he told the ^ a thss justi ce had not been done ; that the public ri *" $ ai to great expense for the purpose of coming * as truth , and that he still would seek for it in that f * V Be -was informed that opposition -was to be ' 5 ^ M ° aiDotKm of -which he had given notice for a f **»< f * eri 2 ln papers relative to this question ; bnt

    gSsihVBon . Baronet the First Lord cf the Treasury , ^ Sat « traightforwaxd -m » -nirnp »« of conduct for ^ abe had afways given him credit , said he -would S ^*^~ aist the papers should be granted . There ~ ~ Jk * a a driving down ol the Members of that ^ sKee to oppose his motion ; but the Bight Hon . r ^ saS iadHud that the papers should be granted . ?*** ££ jad oe moTea fo , i , y ¦ WSj of coming at the £ j ? - j He had moved for " cc-py of all orders -which r ^« en issued by the Poor law Commissiontis of ^^ s = t-honse to the Board of QnardianB in the ^ pk y TJnioD since the formation of the same , in ^* s > « p to the 13 lh day of April , 1842 ; also , copy of z ^? 3 npon the proceedings cf lha Board , and r ^« nhj thereon flTTTino- « % nt -noTinrl -m ^ iRh 'h a-TB been

    j ** ty the Assistant Toot law Commissioners Mr . ^ / esndilr , Mottti , the Poor Law Commissioners ; ^» > ^ tenect of the particular instacces in which jt ^^ ard of Guardians have acted contrary to the ^ T * of the Central Board at Somerset-house ; j J ¦ ntam or Qie cumber of tiroes the raid Assistant ^ Jw * GammiEaionera , Mr . Power and Mr . Mott , have fcsjl . ^ d Board and the pjorhcuses of Etighley Ky ^ &fJ * ^ the dates thereof ; also , a return of j ^ jgwrta they have made on the said poorhouBe * , Bs ? the inanber of inmstes within the same on li&r *^ 0 * of he ^" on , and on the 1 st day of June , ^ 4 . >_ * ' ^ bat did the House think the return j ^^ ^ ai after the committee of the Honse bad ^ r ^ * 1 ^ 1 opposition to the evidence of every £ ? « atiadbeen examined before themof all

    ** ,. , J ^^ arHea , both for and against the law , that Mr . Ijj ~ £ * &ted -what -waaTmtrue ? The Commissioners fctat nT 5 * Ietnrn to the House of Commons , —* ' That » tV ^ 1 ; PI > ear ttiat iIr- Mott had made any report H *^^^ April , 18 i 2 " —which had been brought J « id J ^ of tte a 5 * ht HoD « Baronet for the pur" aT ^ * Km * Fen 21 ld ) dt " ™ ' m fte Bouse ; ig ^ *« the commissioners had not any written \ £ ~ £ » show in what . spirit the said Keighley W . « | Wrdianshadaeted . » Jfow be ( Mt Fer » nd > S ^ fc tte board of guarfllam to listen to wiat was ^ T ^ ct ^ Mr . Mott to the Poor Law Commission-W * womnttee of that Honse bad been appointed to ^** totfce truth of iiB aHegattona ; the committee « lfc 6 Sttb « r » e » true , and this was the retam mmisnoneEB isomerteniouBBi

    " S 5 » vo or HtkSLi " " *»? the Poor law Commisrionen fe ^^ ir &t : aon 9 e ? Were they to grafifj private it ^^ aaw up a statement which was false from fe £ r * S »* nd , ana then , when put to the test of fle ^ e jf « iey to come forward and deliberately £ s t fc . " ?** "Mia . B tattments had not I > een made ? & * hsA 0 J ¥ Lj !* k "p ? here 'sras Ml- Mott B 0 "w ? C ?^ tewr ^ Cf 001116 bim ? The country bad fi » a jT ^ * ttt 1 » "was diamissed frem offiee . 181 ftei ^ dismissed on acconnt of his condnct WeaL ^ 1011 ? His ( Mi . Ferrand ' s ) firm f he aw ** " that he had had notice that * ^ aSLi ^ i choose to Ied « ' "! renld ^ tSK -r- v *^ TK 7 eemdnet Now , ore ®* * naar 7 s : h ! - baronet the First Lord of ~ wa /; sad iJ thai Bight Hon . Baronet wonld

    Untitled Article

    give him Ms kind attention for one minute , he thought he eonld oenvince him that he was in honour bo 4 d to do iim an act of justice— ( hear . ) The Bight Hon . SSS ^ WS ^ ° , ae Poor ^^ CommLionersreport , which he drew from his red box ; and when he did so he turned round ana looked at Mm ( Mr Farrand ) , a member of that House anxious to do his duty according to fee best of his ability , and said , » Let the -Hon . Member , instead of babbling about green fields and an such trash , go down into his own neighbourhood and inquire into the state of the workhouse ? S 5 " 1 . ^ Hon- Mem *«* for Halifax shouted « nt , Within three-quarters of a mile of Ma own house *'—( a laugh ) . He ( Mr . Ferrand ) assented that it was so and how loudly was the Right Hon . Baronet cheered by

    certain Hon . Members opposite , who gloried in seeing him put down dj the first Minister of the Crown- ( hear , and a laugh ) . But at the Bame time he felt conscipns that all the horrible acenea described by the Bight Hon . Baronet , and horrible they were , conld not have taken place ; and he Bald that it was a disgrace to the country that Poor law Commissioners , for party purposes , should bo deceive the Bight Hon . Baronet ( hear , hear ) . - He was also determined to test the truth of the assertions of Mr . Power , as well as to justify Mmsslf in the sight of the Bight Hon . Baronet and of the Housa ; and to Bhow , therefore , that they were not such monsters in the parish of Bingley before the Poor Law , as to compel the living to companion with the dead , or to sleep four in a bed—and oh , how

    eloquently did the Bight Hon . Baronet describe thoae horrors I—he ( Mr . Ferrand } moved that there be laid upon the table of the House returns of the nnabera of times the assistant-commiBaioners Power and Mott had visited tbe boards of guardians of which the Bisht Hon . Baronet had spoken , of how many reports they had made concerning them , and of the number of inmates in tiie union from the first day « f its formation , to the yeai 1842 . Well , what was the feet ? "Whv , that previous to that report not one single commiBsioBerhad visited the poorhouse from the time of the formation of tbe union 1—ihear . hear . ) But if there were evils in that poorhouse now , who was to blame ? It was placed under tbe entire control of the Poor law Commissionera and their assiitsnt commis

    sionera . The g- " » ardiana and parishioners durst net interfere ; if ths / did , they would act illegally . They were bound dov ^ i in the strictest manner by the blessed Ksw Poor l&w ^ -thear , hear . ) But what was the treatment of the poor there under the old law , and what was it under thenew ? The number of inmates in the poorhouse of Bingley , at tbe formation of the unien , -seas 13 , not enongh to fill all tbe beda —( hear , hear . ) Would the Bight Hon . Baronet believe that , under the new law , the number had increased to 56 ? —( hear , hear . ) And that crowded state of the honse was under the sanction of the Poor Law Commissioners themselves , for their directions to the Board of Guardians were that tbe po « r should be crowded into that building , including the poor belonging to two othei

    townships in that union . —( hear , hear . ) He would , therefore , ask the Bight Hon Baronet , not as a matter of favour bnt as a matter of right , did he not think he was bound to give some explanation of the attack which he made upon him ( Mr . Ferrand ) on a former occasion ?—( hear , hear . ) As long as we had the managenient of the poor ( continued the Honourabie Gentleman ) we toek care that the living did not companion with the dead : we treated them with mercy and with justice , allowing them the enjoyment of every filing they had a right to expect by the laws or England , " and what by the laws of God they had a right to demand in a land professing to be Christians and to be influenced by the precepts of the Bible , iA cry of "Oh ! " and " hear , hear . ") He

    wished to bring under the notice of the House the dreadful state of tbe north of England in consequence of the operation of the New Poor Law ; and when he read a description of the condition of Huddersfield , he thonght that Hon . Members connected with the agricultural interest would say to themselves , " It is high time for us to place onr houses in order , for the New Poor Law will Boon eperate in the same manner upon - us . " •* At the Guildhall , Hudderafleld , on TuesSay last , January 31 , the overBeeis of no fewer than nine townships that were in arrears with the payment of the calls of the board of guardians appeared to answer to summonses which had been issued against them by order of the board of guardians . The following is the list of the differences : —Golcar , £ 34 2 k , old arrears ,

    besides the last call of ^ 200 ; Cumberworth arrears , £ 2 *—call ; £ S 0 ; Cumberworth half-arrears , £ 20—call £ 70 ; Shelly arrears , £ 20—call , £ 80 ; Thurstonland arrears , £ 60—call , £ 80 ; Linthwaite arrears , £ 95—call , £ 100 ; Whitiey , ( Upper , ) arrears . £ 52 10 s . 6 d — call , £ 70 ; Scammoden arrears . £ 27—call , £ 100 ; Erkheaton arrears , £ 52—call , £ 300 . The first four of these cases were arranged with Mr . Floyd , the clerk of the board ; in the other five cases the overseers were convicted in penalties for the neglect Mr . Heaton , the overseer of the last-named township , told tbe magistrate * &at it was absolutely impossible to get the rates collected , as the peeple were so very , very poor ; and that within the last fortnight be had taken out no Jess than one hundred and twenty summonses , and that

    last -creek he was compelled to take out sixteen warrants of distress for the rate , which they were unable to pay . " He wonld ask , then , was not the Huddersfield Union in a state of insolvency , when 156 summonses were issued against poor persons who had not the means of earning their daily bread , wMch they wonld if they could , and sixteen distress-warrants were served upon men who had committed no offence , who had not one ba . 'fpsnny to help them selves with , whose furniture was gone , -whose bouses were stripped , who were sold up , who had become houseless wanderers , and were reduced to a state of misery qualifying them to be admitted as inmates of the workhouse ?—( hear , hear ) . But the Poor Law Commissioner * bad lately discovered a new light , in the person of a Mr . Clements , whom they had sent

    down in the place of Mr . Mott ; and the manner in which he had treated tbe guardians was such aa to raise tbe blood of any man of honourable and right feelings—( hear ) . The insolent and overbearing manner in which that person treated those who had grown grey in the serviee of tbe poor , respectable men , members of boards of guardians for years , telling them that they were ignorast of their duty , and that through them the country was being £ aten up by the poor , was almost nuendnrable —( heai ) . This Mr . Clements had told them that he went dtfwn to set them to rights . And how was he going to do that ? By cutting down a hill—( " hear , hear , " and a laugh ) . He- had gone to Bradford and Halifax , and told the guardians that they must compel the working classes , who had not the means of wirning their daily

    braad in then ? own honest manner , to cut down a hill , and if it were four or five miles long , bo much the better—it would give them more exercise —( hear , hear ) . That waBthe behaviour of that—what should he call him?—that A «""" fca ^ t Poor Law Commissioner , —be could call him nothing worse—( cheers , and laughter ) . The guardians inquired what was to be done after the task was accomplished ? Must they find another hill ? Oh no" said he , " let them put the earth back again " —( hear , hear } . Such wero some of the effects of the new law , but not all . Parishes were rapidly becoming insolvent ; the land was already eaten up by the poor rates . In his parish they had doubled and increased to the extent of £ 300 over that since the year 1836 ;

    and in twelve months more the rental of the small farmers in the parish would be wholly consumed . He wonld ask the Bight Hon . Baronet , was that tbe method to be pursued to relieve the country from pauperism ?—( hear , hear ) . If such was the state of things in the North , where the people had manufactures to enable them in Borne measure to bear up under the new law , what would be the result in the agricultural districts , where the profits on the growth of corn were rednced , and ths wages of Qie agricultural labourers diminished in proportion ?—( hear ) . Thanking the House for the indulgence he had received , be wonld now conclude by declaring Ms intention to support tiie resolutions .

    Mr . Sbabsu * Cbawtobd cordially supported the resolutions , considering them to be borne out by facts . Sir R . Pbel Baid , he wished very briefly to advert to a statement -which had fallen from the Hon . Gentleman tbe member for Knaresborough . The Hon . Gentleman had referred to a former debate , in the conrse of which he ( Sir JL Pee ]) had addressed the House , and . had stated that , in alluding to the report of the committee of that Honse respecting the reports of Sir John Walfiham and Mr . Mott , he had misconstrued the expressions contained in the reports . The Hon . Member further quoted that report , and having adduced certain passages in it had expressed a hope that he ( Sir R . Peel ) wonld

    now alter his opinion , and , being convinced that the construction put on the expression was erroneous , ¦ would explain his error to the House . Now , he ( Sir R . Peel ) was sure that if he had misconstrued any expressions , he should be quite ready to explain awaj his error ; but since the Hon . Gentleman had spoken he had referred to the report , and he did not find that sneh- error of construction existed . The Hon . Gentleman said that the report gave a complete contradiction to what he had stated . How , he had referred to iheTeporr , and what did he find there t He found that Dr . Nicholl was in the chair , and that on the question being put" that thiB report , as agreed to , paragraph by paragraph , be reported to the House , " Mr . Grimsditeh moved a long series of resoand

    lutions of a tenor opposed to that of the report , on a division there were three for the amendment , and eight against it . The Hon . Member for Maryle bone { 5 ir-G . Napier ) Toted -with the majority . So mnoli . then for the general view of the report by the Hon . Member . Now , what as to its particular references ! With respect to Sir John Walaham ' s report , it said , " No attefispt has been made to im--pugn the general accuracy , nor , "with one or two trifling and immaterial exceptions , any of ihe details of Sir John Walsham ' s report . " ( Hear , hear . ) With respect to the dead body story , it said . "At Keighley frequently , at Bingley only onoe , and then withthe full consent of the other occupants of the room , dead bodies of paupers have been left . till hnrial in the beds which they occapied whilst living _ ,

    and in the room where ihe other paopezs , who liad been their companions during life , still continued to sleep ; bnt sheets were suspended round the bed in which tfie corpse lay ! and the expression , that the ' corpse companioned the living , ' w not intended to convey that the same bed was at the same time occupied 5 y the , dead and the living . " Then with reLct to Mr . Mott ' s report , what was the evidence of the . eomnStM ! They said , " Year committee is

    Untitled Article

    of opinion , that lua report is borne out in all its most important allegations , by the evidence of the witneses who came forward to impugn it ; though undoubtedly it contains sotoe expressions which are too general and unqualified . " In what respect , then , he asked , nad he ( bir R . Peel ) misoonstreed the expressions in the report 3 He did not really understand what was the point of the Hon . Member 'e charge . ' Mr . Fbrrand explained that what he had asserted was to the effect that the report was in opposition to tbe evidence taken before the committee ; and he would refer to that svidence , as published , to shew whether his statement was true or not . With regard to the Keighley nnion , h © had not denied all the statements of Sir John Walsham , but what he had particularly dwelt on was , that in the Keighley workhouse , under the old law , there were only twelve inmates , whilst under the new law the poor of two townships went into it , and the number was consequently raised to fifty-fire .

    Sir . R . Peel said the quesHon was whether Sir John WalBham'a report was or was not generally correct . That waa the guestien . He found that the committee affirmed that report , and he could n ° tfaelp thinking that it was substantially correot . Sir . Fekrahd remarked that Sir John Walsham made it appear that the inhabitants of Keighloy were to blame for the state of their poorhouse , and he perfectly remembered that the Hon . Member for Halifax had joined the Right Hon . Baronet in blaming them , speaking of course upon the allegations of that report .

    Mr . C . Wood said he perfectly remembered stating that the Hon . Gentleman , the Member for Kuaresborough , was chairman of the Keighley board of guardians , and had been from the formation of the union an ex offido guardian in consequence of his being a juBtice of the peace and ha also remembered , remarking on the singular fact that the abuses stated by Sir J . Walsham occurred within , he believed , a quarter of a mile of the Hon . Member ' s own doar , he being either chairman of the unjon , or ex officio guardian as before stated . ( Hear , hear . ) 31 r . Fkrband again explained . Although he was certainly an ex officio guardian , he had refused to be a party to enforcing a law of which he so highly disapproved ( kV oh , oh !") , and it was without his consent or knowledge that the abuses complained of occurred . ( Ironical cheers . )

    Mr . Miles declared his conviction that the Poor Law had saved the country from destruction , especially tbe agricultural districts . Mr . Walter then replied as follows : —After all the debate that has ts » ken place , the question is simply this—whether the House will support a law resting upon and embodying as it were the very soul and spirit of this unnatural report—a soul and spirit which will affect the future practice of the law for ever—or whether by sanctioning my propositions , or some one of them , they will impress upon the Government the necessity , if not the duty , of adopting a more Christian and humane priiiciple as the ground of legislation ? ( Hear , hear . ) Now , Sir , as to the Right Hon . Baronet the Home Secretary—with

    regard to the manner in which I acquired possession of this document , I do not know that I am called upon to giye the satisfaction he requires ( hear , hear : ) aid I beg to say , further , that I hold myself perfectly competent to judge of the propriety or impropriety of making use of any document I become possessed of . ( Hear , hear . ) Nor do I come here to bescbooled on points of delicacy or deoorum by the Right Hon . Gentleman ( hear ) , but feel inclined to adopt and act upon my independent convictions of duty . ( Hear , hear . ) Here is a most scandalous communication ( hear ) , upon which is founded a most unconstitutional and moat oppressive law . ( Hear . ) Others have spoken of this communication—I have dragged it to light and branded it as it deserves ;

    and I am told , forsooth , I ought not to have done so , because the authors of the mischief had chosen , in order to screen their © ffence , to put the words " private" or " confidential" to their production . Why , in that ' ' ease no project of guilt whatever can be detected . The authors have only to say , " We are acting confidentially , and therefore nobody must take any notice of it , neither while we are so acting nor for years after . " ( Hear , hear . ) The names of the Commissioners , it is true , are not attached to this report , but this is not uncommon , for I have other documents of theirs , undeniably authentic , to which their names are not attached . ( Hear , hear . ) Besides , any document printed at the public expence , I submit , ought to be at the disposal of the public . ( Hear

    hear . ) I should like to know how long the word " secret" is to be in operation . ( Hear , hear . ) I can conceive secresy to be necessary during a short time for the completion of an act ; but the act being in this case completed by the Poor Law itself , it ie the duty of every man to know by whom and by what means this legislative provision has b ? en hatched . ( Hear , hear . ) But their most authentic acta I'find are now disputed , even the dietary of the Cirencester Union , -which bears the signtturo of the three Poor Law Commissioners , but which , on its being published , appeared so horrible , that they dared not to act long upon it . There was a similar suppression of a document during the Poor Law Inquiry of 1837 ( hear , hear ) , and I called the attention of the House

    at the time to so reprehensible a proceeding . ( Hear , hear . ) Evidence was in that case tendered and and taken , which , when those who tendered it , found that it did not answer their purpose , or rather would prove the contrary of what they intended , they effected its suppression . The chief of those who urged this mppressio veri—as indeed his activity in favour of the law would in no case suffer him to be second—was tbe present Right Hon . Home Secretary , who , though he acted as one of tbe commi . tee , was really mistaken by one of the witnesses , as he will well recollect , as counsel for the Poor Law Commissioners . ( u Hear , hear , " and laughter . ) The Right Hon . Baronet at the head of tier Majesty's Government said , I had given no intimation of what

    I intended to do if these resolutions were agreed to . Whyj Sir , the Right Hon . Baronet himself supplies me with an answer . " I have not , " said he " received my fee for attending the patient . " So neither am I obliged to tender assistance to those who , so far from offering me a fee , aTe previously determined not to take my help . (** Hear , " and a laugh . ) Now as for the relaxations which have been spoken of . That must be a bad law , in the first place , which cannot bear its own enactment . The relaxations hitherto have been owing to no humane considerations on the parts of those to whom the execution of the law has been intrusted , but to their inability to enforce it . They frequently indeed allow a miserable out-door relief , but why ! Because the workhoHses at this

    period of non-employment and public distress cannot receive those who are driven to its doors by suffering . In like manner , they send those whose life is extinct to be buried in the churohyards of their different parishes ; but only because the churohyard near the union-houses cannot contain them . ( Hear , hear . ) The Right Hon . Baronet spoke of the county of Bedford , which my Hon . Friend has called his pet county . ( " Hear , hear , " and a laugh . ) I will just mention & pet union of his ( hea . r , hea . r)—the West Hampneti Union . A day or two ago I received a letter , slating that "in the West Hampnett Union several parishes raise voluntary rates , by which poor persons are relieved to whom the Poor Law Commissioners will not allow relief to be given

    out of the compulsory rates . Able bodied men are prevented being tested , as it is termed ; and the payerfc of these voluntary rates say that a considerable saving is effected by this system . The above information I had from two collectors of voluntary rates . I could send you strong cases of the Poor Law being the cause of thefts and mendicity , and perhaps something worse . I cannot now omit stating that not long ago , in one of the parishes of the West Hampnett Union , I saw in one day six women employed in leading horses , drawing loaded dungcart * into the fields . Though I have lived in Sussex all my life , I never saw anything of the kind- before . " The Hon . Member for Somerset had spoken of the benefit derived by the agricultural districts from this

    law . Now , I happen accidentally to have copied ont of an old Manchester newspaper a passage which bears very Btrongly upon this . It is as follows . — " Yesterday afternoon , shortly before the sitting magistrates at the New Bailey left the Court , a case of extraordinary novelty and hardship was brought before them . Two healthy , fresh-countenanced , but emaciated agricultural labourers , presented themselves in the witness-box , whilst at the extremity of the court were ranged in view of the magistrates sixteen individuals , one of them a female about thirty , with two infants in her arms , eight children , apparently all of them under ten years of age , and thTee whose ages might be from thirteen to

    Bixteen years , two of them girls and the third a boy . There were two others whom we did not see , making up a party of eighteen . One of the men stated that they came from Towersey , in Buckinghamshire . The farmers , he said , called a meeting to know if any of the parishioners would go down to Manchesttr , as every body there was doing well . Several of us said we would go . They told us that they thought our families would do well to come down . They said there would be houses for us to go into when we got there , . and everything provided for our use . They employed a man named Clark to see after people who weuld go down , and we went to him . He asked what families we had got , and said we should

    do well indeed to come ; we started accordingly to Mr . Walerhouse ' s , at Glossop . In answer to questions , the man said , six of the children ^ hom the magistrates saw belonged to him , and tw o were his brother ' s . The other man said , two of the rest were his own , and foar belonged to &o other person ; but he had promised to take char ge of them to bring them down , and do the best tor them he oould . ' The first speaksr then continued ' ^ story t— 'We » ere bronght , ' he said , 'from o > . own county to

    Glossop in a boat , and from Gl « ossop , Mr . Water house sent ub forward in a r art . When we got there , there were forty-five of ns * we were pUt in a bit of a warehouse ; and I hf , ve bf en there with my famUy three weeks , Iving or Djt of straw , which is the only bed I ha' fe nao \ The parish , ' he said , in answer f j questions , * paid the expense of onr jouip ey d 0 WD . We went by the boat to Marple , w' Qere they told us there was to be a cart to meet uf j aD ( i tafee us forward to Mr . Waterhoose ' s . W $ ^ id not know to what person in

    Untitled Article

    SS w Were oomin S when we left ° n own parisn . We were sent from our own parish to Cod-WiS rSS w ! with a gentleman named Wilham Clark . We travelled nearly forty miles , ™ iSw , 7 ? Son , tothe boat to where we rK ' w ^! T iMMfc-with-us to the boat , Sn ^ n vr e t& ? embarked he toldns-that we were f . miLa « W ^ tlrhonse ' ?' at Gl 0 S 8 ° P- Two other wSSSn . ?" ! . ^ ? - } ° *™ ° t tell whether Mr . Waterhouse had desired our overeeer to send any te ^ lT ^ v ^ Waterhouae ' s three weeks , but yesterday he hired a can and sent us in it to Manchester . The carter put ua down in the street , and left U 8 ; he baa eeat another cartload this

    morning . Ihav « seen them in town , and ho would have sent them jesterday , but the cart would not hold u& all ; so he told oneof the women be would send them tnismornmg m bis own joart . I don't know what ?™ I *!?«? ^ Ti saw them ia towa this morn - mg , and they said they were going to the boat . We two ( the men ) are farmers , and the children are l ^ f 5 , we were in ; work at the time we left Buckinghamshire . Tae magistrates expressed much indignation at the deception which had been practised upon these uufortunate people , and intimated that the parties principally concerned in thus allur-M r en \ . v ° w tb Sir . hom ? 8 ouShfc t 0 be Prosecuted . Mr . ( x . W . Wood Stated : that tharo WnnnnAd nrtw

    to be la town ( engaged in making inquiries on the subject of labour ) Mr . Muggridge , a gentleman employed by the Poor Law Commissioners ; and it was arranged that the overseers should go up to him , represent the case , and obtain his assistance , if possible , in taking measures for returning the families to their native parish , from which they had been thus unnaturally cast off . In the meanWhilo ii was ordered that due care should be taken of them by the overseers of Manchester . We understand that the party , eighteen in number , were set down on Thursday evening at the Cotton-tree publio house , in Ancoats , of oourse entire straneers . without means

    or resouroes of any kind . They were , however , taken to the workhouse and there provided for that night . " I have documents that will overturn nearly every proposition that haa been advanced on the other side ; but a ] t this : late hour of the night I deohne bringing them under the notice of the House The resolutions which I now propose I consoiensciously believe to assert truths . They may be unpalatable to the present Ministers , as all propositions I havo made on this subject were to the last Administration ; but that is no reason why I should not propose them , or why those who think with me should not support them—( cheers . ) To meet the views of many Hob . Gentlemen near me , I will withdraw the first four resolutions , and take the division only upon the last—( cheers . ) The House then

    divided—A era in of +. nA voaAinfiAnn tctn AgainBt the resolutions 126 Fur the resolutions ... ... ... ... 58 Majority ... 68 Friday , Feb . 24 . Lord John Russell presented the petition of the Bombay merchants , for indemnification for the opium confiscation in China ; and , the Chancellor of the Exchequer , in reply to a queation , intimated that the settlement of those demands waited the exchange of the ratifications of the Chinese treaty . On the order of the day for going into a committee of 8 uoply ,

    Mr . Hume called the attention ot the House te the charge of the publio establishments , and to the state of the revenue and expenditure of past years . He dwelt on the decay of the revenue , the increase of the national debt , the heavy burden of our military and naval establishments ; and on tbe necessity for the reduction of onr stale expences , and for the adoption of such measures as will furnish the meant of employment to the labouring population , and resuscitate the revenue derived from articles of consumption . He pleaded especially for a free trade in corn , and warned the Government of the consequences which would ensue if nothing -were done to relieve the country .

    Mr . Williams contended that the Budget ought to be opened to the House bafore they wero called upon to vote away public money . Formerly , tho different departments bad their estimates rigidly revised by the Treasury ; but such was not the case now . Until some system of control was adopted , it was hopeless to expect economy or retrenchment . He compared our expenditure in different past years with tbe present ; complained of the great increase in the half-pay and pensions , and contended that our expenditure should be made to conform to our revenue .

    Sir K . Peel thought that many of the topics Urged might have been reserved- for explanation , until tbe estimates were actually under discussion . The increase in the amount of naval pensions was accounted for by the fact that formerly Greenwich Hospital had independent f undB ; and the < increase in the charge for -widows and orphans was the result of the recoramendation of tbe parliamentary committee . Mr . Williams had omitted the charge for the Irish estimates , in comparing the expenditure of 1791 with subsequent years , and in considering the necessary expenditure of a great conntry like this , reference must be bad to other considerations tb&n revenue , as the dispositions of foreign powers , and the necessity : ot upholding our dignity . He admitted the great importance of endeavouring to reduce our expenditure as far as was compatible within the limits of our income ; and denied the position of Lord Howick in his speech of last week , that this

    country , in proportion to its means , was more lightly taxed than other nations . But it did not follow that because peace bad been established we could immediately reduce our establishments ; : good policy required that we should still maintain a force on the coast of China . A reductioa would be effected in our Mediterranean establishment , which would be done in perfect dependence on the good faith and feeling of France . There was a great interest growing up in that country interested in tbe maintenence of peace ; newspapers were not always the organs of publio opinion , and we might despise the ravings of those who were clamourous for war . in tbe army , navy , and ordnance estimates there would be a reduction of £ 832 , 000 ; and he could assure tbe House that tbe estimates underwent tbe closest inspection and control of the Treasury , and they were rednced to as low a point aa was compatible with the interests of tbe country .

    Mr , Francis Baring then rose to move for papers respecting the dismissal of Mr . Hosklns from acting as Deputy Judge-Advocate at Portsmouth . He was tbe last person in tbe House to interfere with tbe prerogative of the Crown : but there were certain situations dependent on the royal pleasure which were not considered as removeable on merely political grounds . Mr . Jioskins bad been appointed by the late Government , and his qualifications bad been admitted by the present ; but he had been summarily dismissed , without complaint and without reason , except that his situation

    was not one for life- He ( Mr . BariDg ) believed that Mr . Hoskins had been dismissed because be was a Whig , and his successor appointed because he was a Tory . No atain tested on his professional or his private character , and he now filled the office of Mayor of Portsmouth by tbe unanimous wish of bis fellow townsmen . His appointment had a judicial character ; but he had keen dismissed with as little or less courtesy as a petty officer of the Customs or clerk in a depart ' ment . He wished to ascertain tbe reasons of it , or to hear what explanation or defence could be

    given . Sir George Stadnton seconded the motion , and bore testimony to the character of Mr . Hoskins . Mr . Sydney Herbert explained that Mr . Hoskins held no appointment under . the Crown . The office of Deputy Judge Advocate being in abeyance , Mr . Hoskins had for eleven years acted , pro hoc vice , on the election of courts martial , tbe members of which could choose whom they pleased . He bad on one occasion been set aside by a court martial ; and the Admiralty , having

    determined to re-establish the permanent office of Deputy Judge-Advocate , in order to obviate possible public inconvenience , the Board chose the son of the previous functionary who had filled the office , he having filled the office when his father's age and infirmities had rendered him nnflt for the duties of tbe office . Tbe character of Mr . Hoskins was all that Mr . Baling bad described it to be , but no injustice had been done to him , for as he held no office under tbe Crown , so it followed that tbe Admiralty had not displaced one officer by another , on the Bcore of political opinion .

    Mr . Chakles Wood thought that Admiralty should have offered the office of Deputy Judge-Advocate to Mr . Hoskins , and that political considerations had restrained them from doing so . He had an equitable claim to the situation . Sir Chables Napier said it was always agreeable to have secretaries pitted against each other , as then the cat got out of the bag . He regretted thatMr . Herbert should have attempted to defend this notorious job . He narrated variouscases of jobbing , ea occuringwithin hia own experience . . , Several of the naval officers in the House joined in the debate , after which

    Lord Palkerstok remarked that there never was a clearer case , ia which one person had been dismissed , and another appointed , on political considerations . Mr . Greetham , who had been appointed to supersede Mr ; Hoskins , held different appointments , being agent for Customs , Excise , and the Admiralty , and was , therefore , not more eligible than M * . Hoskins , who was ; held not eligible , as filling the offioe of Mayor of Portsmouth . By tbe very letter dismissing him , the Admiralty recognised the official nature of the situation held by Mr . Hoskins . He admitted that in appointments a Government might properly recognise its friends , bat it should not punish those opposed to them . AfterafewebservationsfjromMr . Escott , ¦¦¦

    Sir Robert Pbei . said , that as the Government had agreed to give the papers asked for , the whole transaction would be distinctly understood . Ho admitted that the letter of Sir John Barrow , dismissing Mr , Hoskins , did appear to recognise him as Deputy Judge-Advocate . But there wm a previous letter , intimating the intention of conferring "the revived office « n Mr . Greetham , whose father hid previously filled it for thirty-five years . He admitted the general principle of recognising serviee , and of net changing officers filling responsible situations , and he claimed for his Government tbe merit of having made as few changes as any Government , even where they might have been most entitled to do bo , namely , in diplomatic appointments .

    Untitled Article

    Mr . Ladodchere was satisfied , frem . the speech of Sir Robert Ptel , that if he had been consulted , this transaction would not have taken place . He had been a junior lord when Sir James Graham was at the head of the Admiralty , and he thon witnessed a great public department admirably conducted . Such a letter as that of Sir John Barrow ' s dismissing Mr . Hoskins , would not then have been permitted to have left the office . He looked upon the affair as an ungenerous attempt to caw the electors of Portsmouth , where government influence was notoriously great . Mr . baring withdrew bin motion , as ail the information was bafore tba House which be desired . Mr . Blewitt called the attention of the House to tbe state of tbe North Boundary queation between this country and the United States , and asked information as to the course which the Government meant to pursue with respect to it i

    Sir Robert Peel hoped that Mr . Blewitt would not infjr tbe disposition of the American Government from the speech or bill of a member of the Senate . Friendly communications were now passing between the two Governments on the subject . ! The House then went into a Committee of Supply ; and I Mr . Sydnet Herbert rose to move the Navy Estimates . Compared with the previous year , there is to be a reduction of 4000 men , and a decrease in expense of £ 143 , 000 ; and on the entire estimates there will be a saving of £ 435 , 000 . \ A discussion followed , which lasted the ; remainder of the evening , after which the vote was agreed to , and the House adjourned . I

    Mondat > Feb . 27 . Lord Ashley presented some petitions against any intQlference with the beneficial working of the Collieries ' Regulation BUI , passed last session . j Mr . R . Yorke wished to ask the Right Hon . Gentleman the Home Secretary , whether the Poor Law Amendment Bill which he intended to introduce waa to be precisely and identically the samej as that laid before the House last year , with the exception , of course , of those modified clauses recognized by the House at the close of last session . . Sir J . Grahau said , that tbe principle of the bill would be identically the same , but in some { of the details various alterations would be made , and there would be some omissions with respect to tbe clauses introduced at tbe close of last session , and some alteration as to the apprenticeship clause , and there would ba some additional clauses . i

    The Speaker then said , "I understand that the Serjeant-at-Arma has a communication to mako to the House . '' ! Tbe Serjeant-at-Arms then apppeared at the bar , and on being called upon by the Speaker , said , " I have to acquaint tbe House that William Bellamy , ; a messenger of this Houso , and myself , have been served with a writ of summons to appear to an action of trespass issued by Thomas Burton Howard by Thomas Howard , his attorney . As the writ did'not state the nature of tbe trespass , 1 thought it proper to enter an appearance to the action . On Saturday last I was served with a declaration , which shows that the suit was ia consequence of my having taken into custody Thomas Burtpn Howard , and was against William Bellamy for having taken him to the prison of Newgate : but as botb these acts were done under the order of the House and under your warrant , Sir , I hope we shall have the protection of the House , and the direction of the House as to the course we shall pursue "—( hear , bear ) .

    The writ of summons and declaration were then laid on the table and read by the clerk . The Solicitor-General said , be did not rise for the purpose of making any motion on tbe subject of the communication which bad been made by the Sorgeantat-Arms ; but he thought that it would be more satisfactory that the papers presented fby the ' Sergeaot-at-Arras should be printed with tbe votes , and that they should take them into consideration to-morrow , and V . e then gave notice that he should to-morrow submit a motion on the subject to the consideration of the house —( hear . ) Lord J . Russell said he believed that some action

    took place in the conrse of the recess with regard to tbe Sergeant-at-Arms and some of his deputies , and in which be understood that a sum of money had been paid to tbe plaintiff in that action by order of the Treasury . If that were so , he thought , that although that proceeding might be perfectly right , these papers should be laid before tbe House . ¦ Sir . R . Peel said that whatever information the Government possessed upon the subject should be laid before the House . The papers laid before the House by the Sergeant-at-Arms were then ordered to be printed with tbe votes . ;

    Mr . T . Egerton wished to make ons or two observations on a statement made tbe other evening by the Hon . Member for Finsbury with respect to tbe treatmant of prisoners confined in Knutsford House of Correction . Since that statement had gone ioiVh there had been a meeting of magistrates , and an examination of the prisoners , the result » f which he would , with the permission of the Houso , state ; as the charges of the Hon . Member affected tbe discipline of tbe gaol and tbe character of the magistrates . The Hon . Member stated , in the first place , thit one Samuel Lees bad been ordered on tbo treadmill for tbe amusement of some ladies and gentlemen . Now , Lees bad been examined , and he stated that he had only been twice on the treadmill , and that only in the first week he

    came . Both times were in the afternoon . Lees said , " I don ' t know that I ever was put on on any particular occasion . " On neither occasion was be there more than half an hour . The Hon . Gentleman had also refereed to the case of Robert Wild , another prisoner , who declared that on entering the gaol " be was told by the gaoler that the discipline was very severe , that he would take care he was punished , and that he would not give much for his constitution when he left the gaol . '* Now , this prisoner also had been examined , and he said that " on the day when he went to tbe gaol tbe governor read the rules , at tbe same time telling him that he did so because they were severe , and they would flnd them so ; Ithat if . they were not attended to the pnntBbment -would be severe .

    and that as to the stopping of the bread allowance , it would have such an effect en their constitutions as by the time he bad done with them their constitutions would not be worth twopence . ' It was the duty of the governor to cause those rules to be read . They were ordered by the Home Secretary . The prisoner in question went on to add , that they made no complaint of any of the officers , or of the treatment they received , tbat tbe quality of tbe food was good , but tfiat they complained of tbe shsrtness of the quantity . They never applied to the governor for anything but they were sure to be attended to immediately , or he showed a disposition to attend to the request . He ( Mr . Egertoni could assure the House that the magistrates were most anxious in their administration of

    the affairs of the gaol , while they wished to enforce discipline , to afford as much . indulgence ! aa possible , and to insure forbearance on the part of ithe officers . Mr . T . Duncombe thought the House ought to receive such ^ statements , when obtained from prisoners through the magistrates , with very great caution . The account he bad read the other evening was made and signed by the prisoners , v ? ho were prepared to come forward and repeat at the bar the conversation that took place between them 8 nd the gaoler on ; being taken into the House of Correction . He was not ; surprised at the version which bad now been reeeivedi through the gaeler and the magistrates , from prisoners who had two years' imprisonment to undergo , and who ] might well be supposed to have the dread of additional suffering

    inflicted on them if they persisted in tbe account they bad formerly given to their friends . But , in order to get at the truth , he should move for a return on the subject , which he believed would prove the truth of what he had stated with reference to the Knutsford House of Correction * It was rather singular , that the statement he made had appeared in thej newspapers some time ago , and bad never till tbe present hour been contradicted . He bad also seen tbe statement of Thomas Clark , a fellow prisoner with Wild and Lees , whose period of imprisonment having expired bore testimony to the conversation with the gaoler , ind exposed the cruel treatment and sufferings they had endured . He himself bad written to Mr . AlHson , a person living at Stockport , aid desired him to go over to Knutsford and see the prisoners , in order to ascertain the truth of their statements . His correspondent paid a visit to

    Knuteford on the 9 th of February , and applied to the governor for permission to see the prisoners . The turnkey , however , stated , that prisoners were only allowed to see their friends' once in three months , and all the prisoners having been seen within that time except Wild , he was allowed about ten minutes * conversation with him in tbe presence of the turnkey . In the letter he received , Wild was described as a mere skeleton ; from being plump-faced , aa hej was when admitted , bis bones , from inadequate diet ; now almost protruded through tbe skin . He complained bitterly of tbe conduct of Lord Abinger , who , once he heard a man was a Chartist , seemed to think tbatjwas enough to seal his doom . He firmly believed that what Mr . Allison had atated was perfectly correct , and if hecoqld only get a committee to inquire into tbe state of Knutsford saol , he had no doubt he would be able to substantiate all the charges which he had made

    against it I Mi . T . jEgerion said the Magistrates i courted the fnllest investigation Into their conduct . With teapect to tha Knut&foid House of Conation , hej had only to say that the Hon . Gentleman on looking into the reports of the prison inspectors would find it described as one of tbe best conducted gaols hi the conntry . SirJ . Graham felt that the statement teadebythe Hon . Member for Finsbury on the evidence of Mr . Allleon , who was described to be a creditable witness , was directly at variance with that made jby bis Hon . Friend behind ( Mr . Egerton ) . If Mr . Allison was to

    be believed , he Should only say , that the conversation which passed between the gaoler and the prisoners was very much ' to be regretted . —( Hear , hear . ) j There were also other parts of the statement made by ( Mr . Allison well worthy of investigation . It was , tberefere , expedient that inquiry should tafce place ; and if the Hon . Member for Fmabury would give him a jcopy of Mr . Allison ' s statement be would undertake that aa Inspector should , on the part ef the Government , | immediately proceed to Knutsford and inquire into ait tbe circumstances of the case ; whose report , when presented , should be laid on the table of tbe House . —( Hear , hear . )

    Untitled Article

    Xord A 8 HLEY took that opportunity of calling the attention of the Bight Hon . Secretary of Stats for the Honve Department to a subject of considerable importance . He had just received a letter from a very respectable gentleman , signed Thomas Barber , auditor of the Halifax Union , which was in these words : — " Halifax , Fab . 25 . " My Lord—Permit me most respectfully to direct your lordship's special attention to tbe last page of tho Halifax Gumrdian of tkis day . where you will find a statement of facts relative to tbe cruel treatment a boy baa undergone , or endured , at the hands of hia inhuman master , a collier , residing at Blackley , four miles from this place . It is not in the power of language to describe , or of imagination to conceive , the spectacle presented to my view when I examined his back on Wednesday last at the union workhouse . With a firm

    determination of transmitting an account to you , I wrote his statement , but afterwards deemed it expedient to request tbe editor and publisher of the Guardiia to report it in the paper ; he yesterday accompanied ma to the workhouse and has given the substance of the boy ' s narrative . ' I have just returned from the magistrate ' s office , where the master has appeared under a > summons from the overseers for the purpose of freeing the lad from his parish indenture . The lad gave a clear and succinct statement of the treatment and sufferings he had endured for some weeks back , with an artlessness tbat carried an irresistible conviction of its truthfulness to tbe mind of every individual present . The master was not able to disprove or controvert one iota of the statement , though defended by a professional gentleman , and the justices discMarged the lad from his apprenticeship , according to the 20 th of Gteorga II ., c . 19 .

    " To Lord Ashley , JDondon . " Along with that letter he had received a copy of the Halifax Guardian , and he thought he was justified ia calling the attention of the House to tbe case , because he bad last year affirmed the total and immediate cancelling of apprenticeships for underground operations , and it that clause had not been reversed elsewhere such a case as the present never could have happened . The Halifax Guardian thus reported the case : —( The report will be found at length i n another column ) . Having read the statement be had to appeal to the Right Hon . Gentleman the Secretary for the Home Department , and request him , in virtue of the 3 d section of the act passed last year , to send down some official person

    to make inquiry into the case , in order that his report might be laid on the table of the House . Such a step would not only be justified by the act , but by precedent ; some time ago , when the Noble Lord tbe member foe London ( Lord J . Russell ) was Secretary for the Home Department , an analogous case occurred of great atrocity . He appealed to his Noble Friend , who caused an inquiry to take place and the report to be laid on the table . Two years after another case occurred , into which Lord Normanby also directed an inquiry , the result of which was reported to tbe House ; but , apart from all precedent -whatever , and from the act iiself , he felt quite sure that tbe Right Hon . Baronet would be most ready te extend the protection and aid of his important office to such helpless and destitute objects—( hear ) .

    Sir J . Graham conld assure bis noble friend , that although this case was entirely unknown to him till the Noble Lord commenced his address to the Honse , he most ¦ warmly sympathized with him in the feeling of disgust which such a statement muss create in the breast of every gentleman who heard it ; at the same time , all would agree with him in hoping that there was some exaggeration in the facts aa stated . He 'would most readily institute an inquiry into all tbe circumstances by sending down a person ¦ worthy of confidence into the district , and if the facts as alleged were substantiated it would be his duty to direct tbat prosecutions should be commenced against the parties implicated —( bear , hear . ) He was glad to take this opportunity of stating to the House , that notwithstanding anything whicb had occurred elsewhere with respect to the act of last session , no one 'was more anxious than be was to give effect both to the letter and spirit of that act , and ! adhere most strictly to all its provisions—( Hear )

    Lord J . Russell called attention to the almost unprecedented circumstance ( with the exception of the case of General Conway ) of the Duke of Wellington , as commander-in-chief , holding a aeat in the cabinet . Ab a conspicuous political bias ; and bis Grace had himself , on a former occasion , declared bis opinion that tbe Commander-in-chief should not be a member of the cabinet Sir R . Peel admitted tbat in recent times it had not been usual for tbe commander in-chief to have a seat in tbe cabinet Bat he did not conceive that it was contrary to constitutional analogy for that bigh functionary to be a member of the eabinet . Lord John Russell had referred to the previous case of General Conway ; and the Duke of Wellington had been , at one time , Master

    of the Ordnance , and cabinet-minister . On the resignation of the late Lord Hill , be ( Sir R . Peel ) , with the concurrence of his colleagues , had advised her Majesty to appoint the Duke of Wellington to the office ; and they bad also been Ml of opinion that it was due to his Grace's eminent civil services that , in conjunction with tbe command of the army , he should still retain hia seat in the cabinet . On the motion that the Speaker do leave the chair , Mr . S . Crawford rose , and said he must entreat tbe attention of tbe Government to the propositions contained in the , resolution of which Le bad given notice , and which it would now become bis duty to submit to the House . At such a period as the present * when most severe and extensive distress . prevailed

    throughout the country , it was , he thought , the duty of the House to endeavour to alleviate that distress by lightening the burden of taxation . ThiB , be conceived , could not be effectually done , unless they tool ; into consideration the whole public expenditure of the country , and tbb means by which it was to be defrayed ; and in his opinion , before they assented to votes of the publio money , they ought to know what amount of revenue might be drawn from the country without unnecessarily oppressing the people . It had been said that the necessary expenditure of the country must be defrayed ; but he thought tbat those who had tbe contronl of tbe revenue of the country ought , imitating tbe example of prudent individuals , first to look to their resources , and then to regulate their expenditure according to their means . He did . not object particularly to the course pursued by tbe present Government , but be objected to tbe system which had been

    going on for a number of years , under all Governments , ef voting the supplies before they were acquainted with the means to which it might be necessary to have recourse for defraying their votes . He objected generally to the extravagant nature of tbe present civil and military establishments ; and he thought this extravagance had arisen from no regard being bad to the resources of tbe country at the time when those establishment * were formed . The Government might think tbat this doctrine was tainted with the principles of Radical Reform , which he was aware were not very popular in that House ; but he would not hesitate te assert those principles , for he thought that no man ought to maintain opinions out of doors which he bad not courage to support in tbat House . He found tbat 100 , 846 men were required for the army of this kingdom , 38 , 000 men being retained in Great Britain and Ireland . Now . he wonld put it to

    the Government whether it was necessary to keep up such a standing army ! Were 38 , 000 men required to keep in order the people ef the United kingdom ? He found that in Great Britain there was a force of 25 , 127 men ; and , if tbe Government conceived tbat such an army was requisite in this country , he would ask what rendered it necessary ? If they were compelled thus to coerce the people of Great Britain there must be something wrong in their institutions or in their legislation . ( Hear . ) He thought a great reduction might be effected in the number of troops at present maintained in Great Brftain , and , if no reduction was made , be considered it a strong proof tbat the country was in a very discontented state . Nearly 13 , 000 troops , he found , were stationed in Ireland . He would ask if this was

    necessary , when they had in tbat country a constabulary force of 9 . 000 men , who were quite as efficient as a regular army ? He begged also to call tbe attention of the House to the wanton and extravagant expenditure incurred for the staff , which amounted to the sum of £ 165 . 300 . He wished to know what necessity existed for keeping up such an expensive staff , which in his opinion was almost useless ! Tbe expense of the staff at bead-qnarters , in London , was £ 16 , 800 . The pay of the Duke of Wellington S 9 Field-Marshal was £ 16 8 s 9 d per day , or £ 6 , 000 a year ; and he must say it seemed to him whoily unnecessary that any officer should receive such pay . There were in the united kingdom fourteen different stations of A ? staff , the number of which might , be thought , bs greatly reduce ! .

    The expences of the Commander-in-Chief ' s office , were £ 17 , 000 a-year ; those of the Adjutant-General ' s * £ 12 , 000 ; and of the Quartermaster-General's , £ 3 . 600 . He considered this an enormous expenditure of the public money ; and he thought ' the business might be effectively conducted at a much less cost He found in tbe army estimates an item of £ 111 . 787 for volunteer corps . He would put it to the House , what services were rendered by these volunteer corps which entitled them to such an amount ? Was there any record of their ever receiving the thanks of the House for tbei * services , whieh must have been the case if those services had been important and valuable ? He found in the non-effective service 19 & generals , who cost the country £ 89 , 000 ; the amount paid to officers retired on fall par was £ 64 , 000 ; and the pensions allowed to soldiers amounted to £ 1 , 243 , 176 . The allowance to

    retired servants of the military depaitment ; was £ 41 , 000 . In the Ordnance Department there were numerous heavy expences , 'ia which he thought great reductions might be effected . The effective force of the naval service for the last year cost £ 4 , 632 , 000 ; the non-eff * ctive , £ 1 , 390 , 000 ; these being 184 admirals on the nontffective list . Then , in the civil department , he found that the salaries and other expenses of the Home-office cost the country £ 25 , 000 , the expences of the Exchequer ^ were £ 18 , 000 , and of the Privy Counett and Board of Trade £ 32 . 000 according to the estimates of the last year . The allowances to retired and superannuated officers in the civil ! department amounted to £ 84 , 000 . To one item which appeared in the estimates of last year , that or i , 39 , 00 Q for secretservice money , he strongly objected . He thought , then , after the statements he had made , that 8 ome m « ana should " be taken to alter the easting ays-( Continued in our Ei § hth page . )

    Untitled Article

    THE NORTHERN STAR . i -

• Citation
  • Northern Star (1837-1852), March 4, 1843, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct969/page/7/