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Northern Star (1837-1852), 24th February 1838, Edition 1 of 1, Page 3, POOR LAW WORKIXLJS.

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    • POOR LAW WORKIXLJS.
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      Untitled Article

      yOOR-IiAW MffiNDMjBNt BILL . & matin * took place this day , ' Monday , at tie ^ gguasoas'Tavern , Great Qneen-stieet , Eari Stan-L pe in the chair , for the porbose ofj ^ titHming Par . { XJiieBtand addressing the Qneerr for the repeal of ^ I ^ orJair JlmendmentAct , £ otd Stanhope was greeted with much cheering . gc vae accompanied by Mr . ^ fielden , Mr . Walter , jjr . On sOer , Dr . Wsrfe , Mr , . Miuphy , Mr . SanlL Mr . Rogers , and several other gendemHa-whohave takes » pnaament part in opposuyj the . New Poor-lav . In « % v minutes after his Lordship took the chair , the ocsn became pretty well filled . There-were several ^ s ^ ectable females ^ resent . o ^ R . T . AW " ATVTF . WTriflfl ? , \ rr '" T > TT-T

      The lhajhmax sai < 4 . aDout a year ago , he had j ^ J at length the opinions- lie entertained upon fat most important and interesting subject—and lie ksd proved by argumerits -which no man had yet jttempted to confute—by focts "winch no man could fce sble to deny , that the New Poor-law -would in its glamate operation be injurious even to tie ratepsjeis , and was at present most oppressire and unfgst towards those whose necessities compelled them io applr for relief . ( Hear . ) He should therefore , ajnfine ' himself to the objects lor -which , they had assembled ; namely , the formation of a Metropolitan Association , for the repeal of the Poor Law Bill . At tteurelnnmary meeting they were aware that it had

      lem derided to ask for the Repeal and not the Amendment of the Poor-law BDL If they -were jied why they had not applied for the latter , his / £ srl Stanhope ' s ) reply would ke ? that they mi ght as veil attempt to amend the Law as to wash a Slackjmore white . ( Hear . ) The « vils of the Bill did not fljasst alone in the cases of cruelty , injustice , and oppression , which had already been laid before the pa bnc . Such examples when they were the natural jad necessary consequences of a system , ought to be jbdSshed . frhen a tree was found to produce such fnrit . according to the language of theioly Scriptures , ji ought to be hewn down and thrown into the fire . ( Cheers , ) In opposing the -Poor-law Bill , he would darefors call upon the meeting to join him in

      obtaining its repeal , even had there been no instance of cruelty and oppression . The character given of tie B 21 by Lord Wjnford , oil its second reading , vz& so good and tree , ihat lie couli not do better i » read it . It was said by him , that if the Bill pissed they would establish a system of grinding cruelty , and would mate die poor of that country E <> re abject than thevillran of old . or than the slav ' e b die West Indies ; they would neither be able to fit , drink , nor sleep ; in fact , scarcely breaths the iir of heaven without the consent of tiie Commiisiccer * . ( Cheers . ) There never was a time in the iistpiy of this country that such unconstitutional ¦ powers were delegated to any three Comndsaioi ! ers . l ; wa « an abrogation of the Stainte of Elizabeth—a

      Sistnte ¦ vvliicli Iiad been truly termed by no less an asiborlty than Lord Bacon , — " The poor man ' s cicrier . " Above all lie protested against such nn Act being repealed by llu'se who called themselves the representatives of the people , but "wbo were not biict what ili-y ought to be . the representatives « f ^¦ labonnns . 'classes . lie had asked in the "House ofLor ^ s . vrb .. tier a Parliament so constituted bad ib ? legal rig !;! , without the concurrence and sanction of the laL ^ uri : ;? classes , to repeal an Act wiiicli was kidded fur their bert-tit , and which for two contnne > bid rendered the country SHch signal services ? ( Cheers . ) But our of tlie principal objecQuiis which L ? bad to the \ N evr Poor-law , was the iuirodnciicn in k < s aprinciple ,. Lew to this countrr . new to everv

      country , wLich called itself civilized and enlightened , tsirtrly , : Le pmasldiig poverty a . s a cri : r _ e ~ — ( h « ar . L « r)—an-i iiamcriiig in prison those who solicited rAef . ( Ik' :: r , bear . ) He bad been told in tbe Hi ^ se of Lcrds timt he wrs wroii 2 in celling- the Tickbou ** - ? pilsoiis , and tkat tbe jproper naiHe for tarin vras asylum * . AVby , diey might as well call ferrate . an R ^ ylciu for felons , and tbe fleet an & ? yluin for debtors . _ In ibr mairufaciarkg districts , bipgily tbe law ba-1 noi been enforce * :, owing ro the paS y dsin and ei .-rtiou cf Mr . Oastltr , and the Jefcm : Iiiari ;\ n aad courage of che people . ( Cheers . ) In Lane a .-: ire it bad al > obeenfn ^ : raied bv the

      strjirsle niSiIebv ilr . jlichnrJ- i > iuoi . MtUicbe ^ ter . ( Great applzEsf . ) - Suehhiu ! }> eeii ihe uppre : ~< icn of the "Bill . and i '; : * vrcj . 1 genentl ai : sl justuiscontent etrendered by u-. cmeltes , tLat niiKieious Asiociatkiis badbefii fonte . l ia thoss populous ili ^ uicrs , TiDConnecred uiii ai ; r . jiiicr politicui qui-ftiun v-hutevcr . It was hop _ fJ , therefore , that by iLe K = mianon of a Central Svxiety . : be infiuence of ilio-e A »< ocia"ioiisTiCui . ibe ccmliined . and a immerieiii force be fcrcnsht to bear upon the liuestimj , so that —" hatever tielutlon might V : c » hu ia the Cabi ^ el or in Pai ii . aj . en l : Le demands of the ] ie- » ple , fi-r u . o < e xigbts whicb wt-re estabifsbed \< j Estate , and bad esistel for 3 Oo yeari , iEu < t be ' au :-iiile J to . ( Cheers . )

      3 Ir . Fici . 0 rv , 31 . P . rc ? e to move tbe first resolution . It siforded him sincere gratification tanieet so Eutiereiis an assembly having oue object in view , uasif ; y , to Tcmow from the ttaiute-book . tbe ouious P « .-r j ^ jw Am ^ aJment JBill . \ Uixr-Tzj lie was £ rarif . [ 4 io iind on the plaifunn rceij of-all op ' uions oe pineal quesdoiis , and these Associations sbonld be : uni-t : J 01 men of all sbaaes of pobiiral opiiiioas . IDr . IVade—Except tbe Whigs . ] ( Langbicr . ) The Assudacxn . ibere was no do At , ¦ w . ul-i ext . ¦ :, ¦ ? iroaghout tbe wbole countr ; . * if it were properly ? u * T ? i into , and tbrrefore be trusred tbit , should Eiy one wiih to iiitroinrr * e ^ rrnreons icattrr . tlie merijL' would be determined to stick dese to tbe - . objret in rietr . \ i was a Coercion U . il . aiid ^ as ro dt ^ riiarej vben passing through tbe House , aaa be trcrvJ iliev would nof rest till tL .-v ob : ui :: ed its

      totu reyieal . ( Lonu cheers . ) It -was well kno ^ n tbai had theiate ilr . CoLbett ' s Biotioii for an inquiry into ihe causes of the distress exisdng iii the couutry Wa agreed to . they nevi-r wonld have benrd a word of Vuca a Bill uf cruelty aiiu oppressioi ! . r ibe poor cau -ot uuly half a quarter ior T > . eiiiy-oiie oaya aN > cr uo \ r , -while it was well knov . - n tlrat two centzjiri s ^ o L ? could buve got v . whol e quarter . « . ueer > . ) Tbe Government a \ ii the Le ^ islanue « ilit 10 huve titkcn ineas :- ; re < to restore the poor £ 22 [ = > Lls , / rd staiidard . ia pl : ; ce of njiiiing bim Ti r «? . ^ Cheers . ) Tbe Bill vrhi u tbey lir . ti sot for MLei yii ;^ the e \ ils c » " « npLaDed of wus one wldcb ? 2 t aaead ! o all local Goverumeni . and the principle ii it

      'uas to rob i e poor of ihe rates . ( ii < . zr , Lear , 2 Z £ fift-K . ) That nad been the effect . A uiminu" j- ~ - - v *^ - h ^ < 3 . it was tree . ta"keu place , but that tBunttioa hd-j , instead of n-l ; e » ing tbe pour . ^ ' ? r : ?? j aui groaiid- them lic-sru to a greater ut-jrr ^ e C-ioi Lad been ever before knov . n . ( Hear , bear . ) « liQ . th ^ u . bid tbi- y beuefitted by tbe diminntion of v ^}*~ \ JaiSe geutlemeu who were clothed in a LtUe bnef iiuthority , " end who were sending their ? v " ' "/ = b « ut the country . ( Laughter ana oiieers . ) . ^" , t «! nnu .-iioiiers , in tLeir hi ^ vructioiial letteri , reqiLred tho ^ t- vrbo bad tbe adnaiiistratitiij . of poorrat « . to l » e Lard task-ma > ier ~ aud ¦ worse p ? . Triiia-- « ter ? . l ^' - O He cum plained of these who , wiiLout ; -i . « -tiii 2 on the actual circuinstaiices of tiie

      luboar-^ * pis > r . ¦ nere constantly caluuuiiatiDg an-i berring * iS 11 - He tad as inueb erperieace of the-lnboiiriiig ' }•>>!¦ !> C 7 iy man , and be Vould assert , witbotT leax fc foatr-idzcr ' o ^ , that there was uat oae cut v > f forty *?"_* iisii .-t wiiiing xj labour dUisendv and unre-E : \ tujih- . ( ilear , hear . ) He baa . sent per-ous io E ' " . q-iiries in tbe Uiuocs of Amjtbiil , Bealord , a- ^ 'Woburn , in order to ascertain the trisect o ! Lae £ ^» i " - »< r Law Bill on the yoor . Wiiut nA be ihid ^ i their r ? port ? Misery . cu « -ituiiou , and poverty »> & decree unexampled in ' tbe history ot tbe country . V& . iA the eliects of this sell-a . mj ? " te ^ t oi t . ie Coiii-^¦ Joters . was to bave beeu ihe ns- of wages . If 9 ? liil bad the effect of increusiug wa-A-s and pani-hiug crime , it wonld . have been uuotjecriou-* "ie : bnt in troth its efiect bad beeu ih .

      Iiiis-r-rupGon . ) Althougb all parries in Parliament niiited to jnpport the Bifl , yet the blame was clneay widi tie \\ bigs wljo brought it in . ( Hear . ) But " many Tones oppo > ed it —( hear , hear)—amongst othir . sbi foeul the late member for Berkshire , JUr . Waiter . < LaBgbier , and a cry of " renegade Whig . ") T-e Ton- press bad coudsteiitlj opposed tbe Bill , aiid « posedi its operation , whereas tue Whig press and | fce W"hi £ -Radical press had done everv tiling to prop a cj ,.- ' ( Cries of « 2 \ - o , no , " " Yes , yes . J l >» rd Staxbope begged to call his friend to order He tutreated bjm to abstain from every topic which « ' 2 id in the most distant manner be interpreted a ; ' ^ ncg upon party poKtics . ( Cheers . )

      br i i " * IL'LDE-v apologised . He had bet-n led away JT tie subject into a discussion from which he ougiit fj hsve abstained . He would go now to show the ^* tog that the effect of tbe bill had been to reduce ^¦ . * ages of the labourine classes . The bill had ^ e the parish the hardest taskmaster , and the ^ arrtpajmaster . For instance the parish allowed 1 , " *^^ in cases where the regular einplovers gave - -Now was it not clear that this enabled tbe foyers to reduce wages : ( Hear , bear ;) Would Srw ! prefer takiDgSs . from a farmer , and have " a-j 0 ?" ' J " - from the parish , and be subject to t ^^ 1011011 ? ( Hear . ) ' In fact , the Bill V ^» saori ] y bring down tbe English labourers to Z . ^ non of the Irish . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) No

      W » K a ? fI 15 eted ™ continuinf the new Act except j j" = * ao had a personal interest in the manaee-«^ a oparaoon of the measure . He would not to ^* longer upon their time , but he would put ir *« da ^ ^ f men "and Eng ^ shTnen , - whether theT j ^ any longer consent to so iniquitous an Act vtta * S *? V ™ ^ e statute-book . It had been at { mfr- " * ^ resolutions should be put to them taa w - ° ,, CT to ^^ t ^ 16 time of the meetin ? . T ^ rt * ° dU now take tbs liberty of reading tbem . &e WT" . " *^ nflemjM » then proceeded to read the f * rL * > ^ ° ' wWcai 1 irere condemnatory of the toPatSr AlDenanient . "Act , the adoption of petitions . ^« nient , and an Address to ber Majesty pray-< 3 » tfLI ? p of ^ Act- Tb * i ^ olutions also g ^ ea the proposition of establishing a Metropojj ^^ xaa&on , Of Ttici j ^ . ] stanhope w as to be ^ ilter ' -l' i "dden deputy-chairman , and Mr .

      Untitled Article

      . Mr . WAtTEH t . * eti ro ? e io second tce ' resolntions , aud / was greeted v .-jib r ^ uch . cheering ,-hqt was interrupted br r pexc ^ n i : c-nr tbe chair bailing out , "Here is an mdrndusl ^ ho is probably p aiJ by { bo 1 ooT ; Law Commitiee , for Ixe has in ' terropted the meeting Eeveral times ; show hi m up for a curiosity " ( Great laughter and uproar . ) ; The Chairman interposed . He stated that a proper . tune would . occur for any gentleman \ 7 ho thought nt to address flie meeting . Mt . Walter after silence had been restored , proceeded , to address the meeting . Thinking the New . Poor Law might be shorn of something of its malig-^ ity f heiad consented to become a member of the Poor Law Committee : be was there met by a i

      majonry aTowedly hosble to any change in the bill , and whose object appeared to be , to put him and his toends opposed to the bill on their trial rather than tbe Poor Law Commissioners . ( Loud cries of " Heaj 5 hear . " ) He had no hesitation in stating T ^ ^ . ^ presentations of those who werein favonrof the bill , and the statements of the Poor Law Commissioners relative to the beneficial -workings of the measure were entirely without foundation . ( Cheers . ) Butif he had no confidence in the Committee of last year , from whichhe and another Member withqrewmdi ? gust , still less had he any confidence in tbe one of the present Session . The more he heard of the workhoufte system—a system of low diet— £ system -which violated the laws of nature

      ana oi Ood —( hear , hear , and loud cheers)—a system which tore -whole families from their own viUage and took tbem to a Workhouse some eight or ten miles from where their affections are centred . Those were the main principles of tbe measure , and therefore it was that he thought it could not be amended , and must be repealed . Again , as to its ^ constitutional character , that did not appear in the . bill itself—they were shown in the rules and orders of the three London gentlemen sitting at somerset House , and the country was governed bv satraps , sent down from London . Even despotism ought to be impartial—in London they were allowed a sufficient quantity of wholesome meat , with eleven pints of gruel a week ; they bad one day in--the week as a boliday , out of the Workhouse ; and the

      law for separating man and wife had not been acted upon ; but in tbe country the case wa 3 very different ; it was there carried out " in au unnatural way , and . therefore he hoped they would do alliutheir po ' wer to put an end to the Associations of Commissioners , Assistan ^ Commissioners , and Emigration Commissioners , by their counter Association . —( Cheers . )—They were no secret association —( hear , hear . )—they were a public meeting , resisting a great public grievance . —( Hear , hear . ) He hoped that the recommendation of his Hon . Friend , Mr . Fielden , would be strictly adhered to , and that their proceedings would be characterized by unanimity . He would not trespass further on their attention than to read a letter from Mr . Bowen , of Bridgewater , a gentleman who was -well known to them for the

      strong opinions which be held on this subject , and which , for tbe sound views which were contained in it , would no doubt be interesting to tbem . Tbe Hon . Gentleman then proceeded to read tbe communication which he referred to . After detailing the evils . resulting from tbe operation of the New Poor Law in the district in which the writer resided , it stated his concurrence in tbe objects of tbe meeting , aud bis determination to afford them every c-O-operation in his yo-. ver . In conclusion , tbe -srriter expre ^ ea a hope tuat this question would not aiiord a vehicle for violent orinflammatorvlauffuage . ( Llesr . he-. ir . )

      Mr . Vincent then addressed the meeting . So long as tbey were obli ^ J to so witbpetitions " to the two Houses of Parliaai ^ nt and to the Queen , tbey would never receive justice , until the . Democratic principle was fully carried into effect . ( Great cheering , uai some hisses . He called on the meeting to place co : ; j ; jpuce in the professions of no man who diuuot advocate Universal Suffrage . ( 1 reaumdous cheer ; . ) Dr . " Wade came forward , not , be said , to make a speech , but to bring back tbe meeting to its proper object . He ^ thought that the Comudttee was too limited ; . and all its members ought to be elected by tbe present meeting , and include persons of ail clashes and p : \ rrie * . ' ( Cheers . )

      Mr . Gocgh hadfaoutbt it extraordinary , when lie beard the resolutions re : ld , tbat tbe Committee sbouli have-selected persons irciu their own bodv to form a permanentCoirnnktee . He agreed witb " Dr . V- ' aue . that tbe pre . ^ nt meeting should bav e the power oi election , and sbonld choose men of all parties , ( lie-ar . bear . ) On the subject of the Poor Law Amendment Act it . < eif , he hi J to inform tbe meeting , that if the Guardians of the Pooi had acted in every parish as those of > t . Leonard ' s and Shoreditcb had acted , tbe Kew Pcor Law Bill would bave died a natural death lontr aso . ( Cheers . ) Iu that parish

      the orders-of tue Comm . ssioijers were totall y disregarded , and after much stniggUnjr , the three despots gave np tiie contest . Wheu " he , " vith a deputation waited upon Lord John Ilusseil , nothing could exceed the * lrp }> ery , ineait , a . ud juhuman coiidcct oi tbatmajD , ( Hiises . ) lie refused to take a petition to the-King bec ? . T 2 ^ e it caine irom a Poudcal Union —( hisses)—altliongb be aud bis colleagues owed their places to the support of Political Unions . ( Cheers . ) _ On that occasion be ( Mr . G . ) bad a ^ -etiuon . in favour of the LV > rc ! i- ? ster labourers . ( Cheers . )

      Earl STJixricr-E called the Gentleman to orler , because be \ v ^> going away from tbe business of the meeting . ( Great coufurion . ) Mr . GoroH proceeded amidst tumultuous applau-e . _ He told Lord John Russell that the lay appropriators of Ecclesiastical property held a rood deal of -wba . t belouged to the poor . ( Cheers . ) The Noble Lord said be was personal , to which he replied that be was speakmgto tbe Kiu / s Secretary , and not to Lord Jobn liussell . Ciieers and laughter . ) Mr . G . sat down witb seconding Dr . Wade ' s proposition . Mr . Pierce , one of the Guardians of tbe poor of St . Leonard ' s Shoreditch , also supported the proposition . He considered himself one of tbe working men who miirVi vet comtf to the workhouse , and as

      he had not yet \ : ol tbe fetters on him , he wished to have the opporCUL-. ty of tigbtiug to prevent tbeir ¦ beiiig pnt on bim . * ( Cheers and laughter . ) Mr . Mott bad tried several pairs of fetter / upon him , and other G ? : arOians of St . 7 > eonard ' . < , but none of tbem ^ would fi :. ( Loud cbeers and laughter . ) He would go any length with some of these present who introduced political topics ; buthebeffced tbeiniiot to mix up other questions with the great object of th'i ir . eeUng . ( Hear , hear . ) As a practical man be was able to corroborate tbe statement of tbe ^ voble Lord iu tbe Chair , that tbe Bill was so bad tbat it could not be Tneided . It must be entirely abrogated . ( Cheers . ) ¥ ot bis part he ( Mr . Pie ' rce ) differed frora tbe Nol » le Lord and from others on tbe

      platform on some political subjects ; but be v .-as grateful to them for their exertions in this great cause . He recommended tbe meeting not to entertain the question of Universal Suffrage until after tbe departure of the Chalrnmn . ( Hisses . ) . After ailr . sses bad been delivered by Mr . Oastler and-several other speakers , tbe xesiiutions were agreid to . and thanks were , voted to tbe chwinaa , amidst lond and repeated cheering ; and bis Lordship said that . he wonlunot detain the meeting from the business which others proposed to introduce , farther than tu . say tliu . t be was desirioos to see a full , lair , and free repreieiit-itiun cf all classes of the peopl- - ( Cheers . ) Dr . W . adh was then called to the chair , and Mr . YisrcxT bi- ^ uiibt forward a re . ^ ointion iii favour of "Universal SuiiVage . wbicb was carried unauimously .

      Untitled Article

      MORE HELL BROTH . : •«¦ - TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES . ' There is death in the pot . '! 2 i Kings , Chap . 4 . '' Go , boast or this ; A p i if thou tell ' st tlie jieary story risht , UpLD my sonL , the hearers irill shed ti ^ am ; Aud say—* Ala » > it was a piteous deed \ ' " Henry 17 ., Part 3 . Sia , —Tbe first moeting of tbe present Board of Guardians was beld on the 31 st of March . 1 S 3 / ; the routine bnrfness consequent on tbe conimcncemeut of a new . year occupied tbe day . The second meeting was . with sb ' gbt exceptions , of a similar character . Having been appointed a member of-tLe visiting-committee , and informed myself , bv personal .

      inspection , on tbe state of tbe poor then in tbe Bndgewater Workbons ? , I went carefully through the obituary , t ] is visitors' bo < 3 k , the medical weekly return , and sucb other documents as would fairiv bring under my view tbe past aud present condition of the inmates , of the Workhouse . At this time the general appearance of tbe poor in "the house was haggard and emaciated beyond description . On tbe 14 th of April there were nvelve ca- ^ es of diarrhoea on the medical weeklv return ; seveTal of tbe wretched sufferers had b en " seized in tbe course of the week . Under these alarming circumstances tbe visiting committee requested the

      medical officer to attend tbem at the Workhouse , when . that gentleman again slorngl y urged tue necessity of making an alteration in the diet . He proposed that gruel should be no longer administered , but that instead of it milk should be used for breakfast , and that rice and milk should be . substituted for bread and cheese dinners on tvro days in the ' week . The visiting committee unanimously agreed to recommend the suggestions of the medical attendant to the Board of Guardians , and a rev . member of the committee who was the appointed visitor for the week , made the following entry in the -visitors' book , in " reply to one of tbe printed questions : — ¦ ¦ \ | . ^ \

      ^ Question . —Are the inmates generally healthy , or is tkere any sickness prevalent among " them ? 1 J so , state particulars , and especially if any dan ?"' ous or highly infections cas ? of illi . V— l >; - : 5 1

      Untitled Article

      ^ ^ Anawer ^ T here i « stHl C ^ rrhcea , nuda dwpositiost . to increase . The -medW-aJ officer ! recommends rice and miik as a snbstititt * for bread aud cheese dinners on two of the days . " . The members of the nsitmg coninliltee proceeded -to .-Mm Boacd " .-of Guardians to sopgwt the recommendation of the" medical officer . The rev . gentleman who was the visitor for the weelr , vas considered the ; most proper person to state the reiterated opinion of flie surgeon , and tbe distressing condition :. ol the inmates , to the Board . This he did with the temper nnd earnestness of a Christian pastor , urging his brother men to the performance of a solemn duty . The recommendation of the TOrgeon-wa 8 strongly and feelingly advocated , and

      the feet stated , . that the did people who were allowed tea had suffered less from diarrhoea than tbe other inmates . Another member of the visiting committee , with documents in his hands , to ¦ which he referred in proof of his assertions , urged on the Board the appalling fact , that thirty persons had died in the Workhouse in nine months , out of an average of ninety-four inmates , while in the same house , on the old dietary , only nine persons had died in the parochial year , ending March , 1836 , and the same number in the previous year , out of an average of sixty-six residents . He further insisted ^ n the str ong probability afforded by the- ' rapid } ogress of the ' disease during the previous fortnight- i

      H it it would soon acquire all its former virulence . jo Tar were these statements from effecting any amelioration in the condition of the unfortunate inmates o f the workhouse , that tbe recommendation of the surgeon was not even put to tbe meeting , or any communication made to him on the subject . The matter was not only passed by as altogether unworthy of attention , but it was authoritativel y declared from the chair , that a resolution embodying such a recommendation could uot be entertained ; that the medical man had gone out of his course in making gnch a recommendation ; that , although it was competent for him to prescribe diet for the sick , he could not be permitted to make experiments on

      tne diet or those wbo were not actually on his list ; that the dietary was an important part of the regulations of tbe Poor Law Commissioners , and that tbe Board might as well talk of altering the Poor Law altogether as of making any alteration in the dietary . The immutability of the Commissioners ' dietary table being thus authoritatively propounded by the Chairman , was reluctantly received by the Board as a legal decision on tliu subject . No vote was taken , and thus a number of hul yless men , women , 4 ind children , were deliberately given up to

      thefurther operation of the fatal gruel ! Kot being disposed to acqniesce in that reading of tbe law which bad been so solemnly propounded , I attended the workhouse on the next Board-day , Friday , the 21 st of April , as one of tbe visiting committee . The disease had now made so fearful a progress tbat the forebodings of the past week had fallen sbort of the awful reality . The medical weekly return recorded tbe following ; among other cases , some of them of a complicated character , sndjKeveral of them appearing to be past all hope ol recovery .

      EXTRACT FROM THE WEEKLY IlETURS OF THE SICK IN THE BIUDUEWATim WORKHOUSE , DURING ONE week , rno . u april 14 th to april 21 st , 1837 . ,- The first eight were complicated cases , accompanied by ; , or connected with , severe diarrhoea . Subsy- . JJwDfiS . Age DWase . quent ReuinTks . BurEe , Henry 10 Cough and DiarrWa Feltham , John 11 Colic .... ; ... ...... Cox , George 3 CV . utth avii Oia rrha-a Diwl May 1 Kidner , Betty 44 Colic awd Fever Geirle , John 44 ... .. . ;¦¦" -Apr . 1 ( Ticker , Marv ........ 77 Cough and Debility " J uly ' / t Coombes ( iniant ) ...... Bovrel Affoction .... " .. ' " ' 11 Pecock , Jamas ...... 80 Ditto ..... ¦ ««/ : « 2 ; Board , % yflliam .... 2 Diarrh < ra Adanis , Margaret .... 24 Ditto Bailer , Sarah 23 Ditto Vnik ' ins , Flora 4 Ditto ' Mavl * C ' a < 3 < 3 ick , Janie 3 ...... 7 Ditto C ' addick , Thomas . 4 Ditto Parker , Jainia 60 Ditto White , Mary 40 Ditto i " " 2 ] Rotvsell . James ...... 57 Ditto .. " Boc . U Bulpin . Betty 66 Ditto . Crate , George 37 j Ditto Si-Hick , Martha ...... So Ditto " Nov . ] Penr , Henry 85 Ditto ; . " Oct . 11 Harden , Mary 24 Ditto

      Sucb was a part of the awful catalogue subjected to the inspection of th « committee , while the j , ruelpot bad scarcely ceased bubbling for the day . " The foetid stench throughout the whole honse was so intolerable , than nu intelligent and humane member of the visiting committee , who had commenced an examination of the house , declared himself " utterly unable to inspect tbe wards , " and reluctantly gave up the attempt . He assured me that nothing could induce him to repeat the effort , " us he was entirely overcome . " The wards were : bowever minutely inspected , and seldom has a more distressing and offensive exposure of human infirmity bt-en exhibited . The loathsome aud heart-rendiug spectacle defied all description . A number of ' persons of all sig ' e . s suffering mtense agony ; others involuntarily voiding their fceces , apparently worn out by the operation of the diicaie ; those who were not yet ' aflected'bear-. ii : g in their countenances the strongest marks of terror and apprehension ; and all breathinjt and absorbing a heavy feetid alinnspbere , saturated with , the poi * oin " ii « effiuria of putrid excrements Tbe efiect of thismass of suffering wasbeightened by " the consideration , that it was to be ascribed to a wilfnl and deliberate disregard ot representations repeatedl y made bytbe surgeon , and by members- ; of th « visiting committee . The member of the committee who undertook to inspect tbe wards reported on his return the pitiable condition of the inmate .-, and . " distinctly declared that the committee would be sanctioning n further whelesale destruction of the helpless poor , if they permitted thrlr own urgent representations , au ' d those of the medical attendant , to W again smothered and passed over ; that they were bound to make another , and au importunate , appeal to the board , on behalf of the wretched sufferers ; and that if they again failed to procure a-deceut . attention to the frightful condition of their perishing " fellow-creatures , "that tbey should solemnly protest against the course so obstinately pursued . " and withdraw from any further participa ' tiou in tbe crime , l declared , ' on my own part , that , whatever the-de terminationof the committee might be , " ' if decisive ' means were not taken to check this murderous system , in . " which by acquiescence w . e should all beeoinn accessories , " I would on tbat day withdraw from tb « committee , and appeal in the strongest manner 1 was able to the public . The course of proceedings thus urge-J upon tbe committee was Teadily adopted hy tb . m . They went directly from the workhouse to the Board oi" Guardians ; where , thecbainnan not being present , they escaped the infliction of another long lecture on the iiicompetency of the surgeon to propose , and of the board to entertain , any resolution condemnatory of such an important element of tlie New Poor Law as the commissioners' grm-1 . After a lengthened discussion , which ' principally turned upon what the Poor Law Commissioners might pn ? s . bly say and do , in case tbeir dietary regulation * were infringed , it was determined , as appears by't ' . u' following extracts from the minute book , to give up the deadly compound : — u Miistite-Book , . April 21 . —On reading the iniirates in the Bridge-. va . ter -Visitor's Book , it appeared that diarrhcra . still prevailed in ihe house , and that the inmates were not generally healthy . It was t . erenpon moved by . Mr . William l / iimanKing , and seconded by ihe Ilev . ' Noblett Ruddock , t'hiit the medical officer b . > reiprsted to attend the board for the purpose ot giviuu lu'forinntiou as to the state of the health of the paupers relative to the ; minute above stated . " Mr . Abraham King , medical officer , was thereupon .-eut for , who soon after attended the board , ana confirmed the report of the visitiag committee , : ^ nd stated that the paupers above . ( iO , who were al 3 : ) we ( ltea and sugar , did not - suffer from diarrhoea as inuch as those who were dieted on gruel , and recommended tbat , for the present , rice be substituted for gruel , which the board agreed to . " - Thus , by the decided- tone of the visiting committee , afttr many months of strenuous exertion . on the part of others , and even six months after the the medical attendant had solemnly called tbe atu-ntion of the board to the fact that the commissioners' gruel had produced a most distressing complication of diseases—after this long and frightful period of torture and death , a . reluetantpermissioh was extorted to abate the deadly nuisance . The effect as recorded in the visitors'book , on the next board-day surpassed the most sanguine anticipations . "Question . Is the established deitary duly oWerved ? . -- '" . - " ¦ Answer . —Milk has been substituted in lieu of sruel , for breaktast , and rice ( for bread and cheese ) for dinner , two days in the week , by order of the medical officer : ' ¦ ' Questioa . —Are the inmates generally healthy , Sec ? ¦ " . . " Answer . —The inmates are not generally healthy ; but there is a great improvement since the last report , occasioned by the change of diet . Diarrhoea has decreased from 18 to 3 cases since the last report . u April 28 , 1837 . « W . P . KINJ . " ¦ The proposal for relieving the helpless poor from tbe torture inflicted by the gruel system having been so long considered as being too daring to be entertained , the result of such relief , after eight months awfully crowded with suffering and death , was carefniiv wotz- hed by the visiting committee ; and on the ;; y the following entry npi ) ? r , rs in the i ); v — ;

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      ^ Sf 7 ^ % Movement of tbeir health ^ by Sm&'S ^ i ^!^ bv ' tWST ^ * & *? ' W . p . Xing ,: and : seconded SbsSl ' % J M »* t ^ future a ; dietary : be gbgihued agreeable to the anneSed ^ able in liet of WWe No . 3 , now , ^ use , and that ^ clerk he directed to ^ ite io the Poor Law G pi ^ oners fe jj ^^ topn P such alterations-Carried urianU he

      fK ^ commissioners ^ erepleasca : ' $ comply with this request , ^ rom the 21 st of Aprfi ; wh / n ^ f te of the inmates , of the workHo ^ e p Wre ^ TelvS pw ^ i- . Mi / Jftoiigliidi ^ Ji ^ . : ^^^^ , on several , of ^ e former victims , and Carried them off , there have been scarcely any recent ^ aseg . ¦ : The following ; persons , were among the sufferers by the deadly disease which was s 0 pertinaciously kept U ' ~ " ¦ ¦; . - ' ; - ¦ .. .. ¦ ¦ ' . . ; ¦ . - . ' .. ¦ - .. , ' : -: . ¦; . > ¦;/ ¦• ¦ ' .: ¦ ' ¦ " : . - - ; - - " « i *> ¦'¦ •• ' _ i-i- ¦ - '¦ ' ¦'¦ ¦ ¦ ' ' . '¦' ¦ ' 'From "' Names . ¦ & Reported R ^ w Sep . iS 36 i- ' < .. Disease .. ' "emarks . to May , ' ¦ - - . ¦ - ¦ ¦ . ; : " _^_ ' ..: ' ¦ " ¦ ¦ . - " ' ¦ ¦; . ) i ' ¦¦¦ , " / . ¦ ; ' . ; , 1837 , . ¦; . - " ] These were cases „ , „„ . „ ™ .- - ¦¦ ' 9 X ¦¦¦ ofdiarroeacoming Died : Brown , Ehz ... 21 . : measles . . - within'theremarl Oct . 21 . n \ m- a contained in ^ he , ' •' Palmer ^ Mib .. . 2 ^ tto letter of the medi- Oct . 26 . _ ¦• ' ¦¦ ¦¦' , , cal attendant : — ¦ : Symes , James 1 ditto "Many of the Oct . 29 . - _ , v ¦ .- ' : j-cbildreni were si-Bnm-n . John ,. 1 ditto fectea with the Oct . 29 . „ ; . ,, , white moth , thi ' Vokina , Mary 4 aitio iresnltofirritation N « r . 2 . rT " „ \ , ofthestomachanfl Hoy ] e , Emma 1 ditto bowels ; . in this Nov . 9 . . ' 8 tatetheyVB ««>»» ol-J jsedivithmeaalea . " Davej-, Joha .. 2 inflamtria .- " \ : ; : ; Jan . 2 . tionsoflungs .. : ¦ - . Wride , John .. 1 ditto Jan . 4 . ' - . - ¦ ' .. ; These were , case ? Cox , GeoTge ... 2 . tuhprcks on preceded by , or May 4 . the lungJ > accouipitnied wjith \ Vukin- < , Flora 2 ulcer in the severe diarrhoea . - May 16 ; bowels Woolcott , Geo . § niarasnius ' : Feb . P , Ww . koUTher . 4 ditto Feb . 11 . Furber , Junies ¦ ¦ 1 } ditto _ , March 4 . Stacey , Mary .. 78 nataraldecay T Oct . 18 . MtiUins , Sarah 23 consunwvtioii j-i ; . , ^^ " , . " . , ..,. ; Nov . 11 . Partridge , ! ... 02 l ] . f Mssivedebdity AI lf . Cogel , John .. 44 ;¦ rupture of I frolu & ™ fr ™> Apr . 16 . ' blood vessel J ShcDparJ , Mar . 68 / . "diarrhopa " 1 Mar . li . White , Mary .. 39 ditto Sonieoftliosecases May 21 . ¦ . Arthur , VVm .. 1 . ditto died at the -Nor V . i 5 *\) . 28 . l ' yfie , William 07 . ditfo Petherton Work- Nov . 7 . Dnuent , Henry 2 } ditto , vhouse ; where ma- Xnv . 24 . Farthing , Geo , GO ditto ¦ ¦'' Tnjtp j . rabhSafllicf ' eil Nov . 27 . Biss , Loman .. 2 } . ditto with ¦ diarrhoM Jari / 21 . AdRras , Win .. \ ditto weresent from the Jiin . 23 . Dowdeh , 'Mary 26 . . ditto . ] Bridgewater hse . i ' ub . ^ liindon , John 1 ditto J . Alisr . 2 , This list of victims ^ av / fr il as it isj onlv iiiflicates a part of the suffering inflictvd . Since the date of tfe latest - . death recorded , above , several-of the old cases ' have died in the house , ajul the ravages of the disease lviye been partly concealed by ascribing sucli de .-ith .-to "debility of old age , " A > c . Some died after htivin ^; le t the liaise ,, and others liave ., in the worili o ! Cnyier , used on a similir occasipnv " exchanged : an active disease for a mort'il liinguor . " Let tli . s niflanclioly ciiLn . lar be contrasted \ vitb tlio st . fi . toiri . ent : made by Lord Jobn Rns-en ( in his speecli of ( h ' t > 23 I of March l ; i >; f ) on " the abolition of tbe punishment of deatb in eiTtain c tst-sl His Lordship c <» U'r ; ihibiti's liimself and the nation on the fact that only 17 . peri sons-ha . ] Vieeu executed in all England and \ Vnles during \ U- » .. ytfivr . 183 i > . I'lms tbe nninb ^ r of t-x cations for murder , ripe , incendiarisin , un . l r . ) bbervfornll ib- iiwful iiTid iie t ' r . u . etive criuie . s tint r ; v " i ! re . society— : Iill , s far . s i ; irt ¦* f the dentlis o -wisiont-. t hy menVasiil water , and a ]) . ii-oiio ; is atmosphere in o // e workhouse , under the ii-elary a 11 lv . fea ! t i Pii * ofi o Poor Lfi'v Coninnssiitier . s ! " Kti-Ij' nviv stun ¦> of tlii ; stiitc'ine : its whicii . ere dkecte 1 iyy t f . « . ; Commigoners to ' he ini | u . ire . l into b / t ! i ; - * vV ;/ parties ' . who Imd wili'ijlly {) ersis : e i iii thi < ( iestniohvi- s / .-N'in ; tfter it badT . etjii tleiaonstrilted that tiiere wa- ; ' •¦ ' < Je it ' i iii the por , ' J , ' I \ 0 WKY . v ———J ^> n ^ " ^ app » ' » uuAi * j . iH ««< j ; iiB BMiait . ' . jif ' tx . ' . i ^_ . ' -ivr « aas » Biai 3

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      ! [> Ve jsntve the folLiwinjr wUr .-icts from a p ' rivsifletter , vriili a sijrbt v > l" wbirb \ v ( f , h : i . v . vb ' i'dii f .-iviiured , without comment . They will toll their own ¦ story . — - Ei > s .: N ; S . ]; ¦ ¦ . ;¦' - - . •; - ;'" , J One of the ( Juardians of n union near Ne \ y-T » iar ! . « t Cainbrid-esbi' . 'e- has last week ti ^ ori her . ^ on {" i- visit to airieiid . of niine , iinl intl'rin ^ d bi n . that he airt hi- ? brother ( iniirli-ins of tliat union all joined i . ti sen . iing in f . e r r . ' . signatiou uiib ' s .-tlie coimni -ioners \ v : m ] 1 allow t ' l . vn to { rraat niore vni-tioor rciir /\ as t ! u » ir wcrkiioase was nearl y full , aud xvfMilili » il- ) hoii ' Ur > vion-. I consider t is strike oi ' tlie Giiar < lians will ' it ; n proof tbitf it c ; tunot l ^ e carried on , i-ven witii the tfiilrtig . ' qb ^ fru-ctitvu of the first wet-kof winterl y weather . ¦ \ Vh . at ' . w >) ii ' id"it lr . iv ,-been if this weather Was to bisttiir .-e months , with wheat at 4 ? . ( 5 > L per bnshf 1 . and Ibe farmi'iM . poc ' cets empty , as they wwv from this cause only two year . ? back r "

      Our nnion house is filling fast , and yet tlie last board-day ( Tuesday ) ih ,.-y .-gave orders to' admit 1-20 more . At tbe same ; iuie I do hot tbink ' there was room for half the number . It is really n melancholy s : ght to see the poor people coming " to tbis prison workhouse , I saw ouelmau , with a wife and six children ( eigbt of tbem . ) The poor woman Was carrying . one child , and the . man another , and tbe rest walking by their side up to tbeir kheasin show . One of my men , coming home with a horse aud cart , took up another poor , -man ' , with a % yife and for . v children . The woman-had carried one cliiTd and tbe man nhotber some miles , and they were so weak , from poor living , they were nearly exhausted—they thought sometimes they must all sunk down in the

      . snow together . Tho poor . woman ' s clothes were wet tnrougb aboveher knees . The man nearly the same , and tue other two little children , under seven \ var .-v old , were walking b y tbeir side with hay baudsround their legs . This man ' s earnings had been about 8 s . per week for some time ; but the last two v ' e ' wks lie had neither . work , wa ^ es , or relief , as he told the board ,-and- ' . begged-they would allow him five or six shillings per \ veuk '; tfor " two or three weeks , till the snow was off the land , when he could get at his work again- This was refused , and these two men , % yith tbeir families ( fourteen persons )* thus forced into a prison for being poor . Before these men got to the work-house , they bad not received any relief , and were , « f course , two of Lord Brougham's "Independent labourers ^"— " liaised in society , "" Possessing a higher tone of moral and religious feeling , "—brought on by . the Whig ' . ' Boon , benefi ts .

      and bappy change ^ , " '—of giving him ( Lord Brougham ) a pension of . £ 5 , 000 a-year ^ and bis vil e crew . £ 50 , 000 more to pinch and starve our bold peasantry , our country ' s pride , down to this I But it must burst out . Our'Local Press has -sit , last began , and with the Svffutk ¦' .. CAt ' onicie- ^ the-: ' Whig paper—the fosterer and promoter of . it till no \ v . KeitberWhigorTorypaper would admit aiiytbin 0 to "infiuence the public inindj" ( as : they , called it , ) against tbe New Poor Law . Our late ex-Whig M ; P . for East Suffolk , 11 . N . Shawe , Esq ., who is a right band man with Dr . Kay—is ¦ chairman of the ^' oodbridge Board of Guardians—aud , as . - chairman of the last Quarter Sessions , he proposed a rural police to the grand jury—one of whom happened to be an intimate friend of mine—who says ' they one and all declared they would have no rural police inflicted on them .

      But we have had . soldiers - -in' some , and part of tbe London police down in other of ' tha-unions - to <> nforce the New Poor Law , and we have Iiad a part of the London police down here , to train some'in the country , paid by ¦ ¦ . subscription during the game season , A ^ luch is now nearly over . They are disap ^ pointed in establishing them . Some of them are given up , and one of their most respectaible bflicers , before he went away , honestly declared he iiever could see of what use they were at all . But I thinlc you and I can guess , that thev have ground the noor

      down to such a pitch , tbat instead of the farmer ' s property they profess to be all at once so anxious to protect , they begin to fancy themselves likely to be iii danger , and want a force which shall always be under the command of these , Boards of Giiardians . Two years back they cried oiit ,: give the"Nevr Poor Law ¦ ' . » a fair trial , V and you will find it will soon " produce so much independence , " and : such a " _ great moral good'V-the poor will be all comfortable and happy , enjoying all they want and wish for . There will be no crime , arid therefore , no police wanted . "¦ •' . ' : ^ . V , :

      I have this day had some conversation with a person , who was some _ seven or ten years assistant overseer , and was admitted to be an excellent officer * , arid , by his exertions in checking imposition , lie was well supported—b y means of wnich he lowered the rates about 25 per cent , under the old system . In fact , they got the rates down as soon as they could well be , to do justice to"the . industrious arid deserving jjoor , who , he could say , never suffered for want of common necess ' arie . s ,. ; and he has given - great satisfaction to rich . arid poor . He now holds an office under the

      New Poor Law ; , by which he helps to maintain his family , and therefore is : compelled ; to be very cautious of what he says , diid to' whoia . A poor woman j who had been in one Of these prison workhouses , came to him to intercede for her , as he did to one of the Guardians : and , after saying all he could , he h ' nishediri theseVords , as tiear as I can recollect— '' The poor woman is in such a ^ eak state , and I believe it is from the poor dieting , that if she be not attended to directly , / her days will . ' . ' . he shortened ; and now , mind , if stie dies , her blood will be upon your head . " The poor wbmuu died !!

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      Qintniaht ; : , ^^ said , ' ^ A ) i , sir , I ^ now , put of S : 'P 9 P » kitto n- ^ jjear 5 , 000 people--J ^ ill auswer for Ur-there ueverwto . auch atliiiie as '' aarpnorperson '&& : $ yiU 0 WWriL----& $ t ' l < xtonoi : s * j ;' . & > . now . In fact , I dare . npt telt . yop now wnat lido know about there matters . " - ; , ; ^/¦; :, " ^ . ¦ '"' . .. " - . - : : ' " '' "• ¦ ¦¦¦ ' ¦ .,. ;' - : ^ % ^^ iwy , ¦ » ¦ > . ' ¦ : ; / r ' . "jOuf last Quarter Union ' s acceffliits show t ! : o poor in tfle wbrkhousej men , women , and children , on the a , verage for food arid clothing , 2 ft U a . each per week , aud 3 sj Id . each for the establislnneat , whrcli is 6 s . each pw < week , and half starred into the barg ^ ijr" -when these men would have been content WtppB'PTte'J ** week each in their own ' cottages . :

      wnteais the ; fact . I contend the Guardians have no legal nght to spend ^ . each on these fourteen persons , makmgfonrjjonnds four shillings per week of otUerpeoples money , ; to make them : alf wretched and miserable ^ when 10 s . or 12 s . would do !; . 4- ^ A o * hous ^ in ™ yopinionVfeallyactonthe minds of the poor as engines and iristruimerits of tor * ment ^ nd torture . And , as to : on « j general system , ^^ » dlfff e » ce . m three dietaries in tbe > Stand a «/ 2 / th Nov . last—Gity of London , and two in the countrj- —and then see Macclesh ' eld ^ -wi ^^ «< = ?> , «

      pqi ej . . It our TKior had ( he dietary of the- city of London , it would be almost a repeal , for tliey must give them moremoney to keepthem out . « iiS ^ -J ^ , s » djniy . Union gave roast beef and plum-pudding on Christmas Day , but ho other in ^ ^ T ^ ry ^ iatl liave heani - oiV IpswichSS solicited by the rate-payers , refused when , in ^ the same . paper ,: the prisoners in Ipswich an < f Woodbridge ^ gaols returned thanks for a ; good dinri ^ of L i ^ and P lum-paddiiig , on Ghristmas -. day ' hou e " °° r pail ? P ™ ^ ^ got none ¦ in . the > ojjcl

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      ^ fSKSK jThamiseryinmctedh y 1 h ][* Ttoy ^ tian meaBii upon helpless humanity , w ay geneM and as bitte as the most : irou-hearted Malflftadanir cpnlfdWr rvpt a day ; passes but nnmerons teafft-Tetediriir caseof destitutioa pregent themselves before ¦ ¦ $ » % ^ magistracy ^ thrdnshout the country ; ca « e& wficfe thev havelittle , if any , power of adjudicstinfrnpon : and " a ^ e majority of * which are ieated ¥ y % ^ officers mth indifference , violence , itiffif contempt . . Two . ca « es ( they are of an uSrfNr bSr ^^?* !?^ oAaUy occrSen ^ S

      fS " '¦ * $ * & * t ^ a ^ st garments , and iS bronzed features bespoke years of field labonr , W tended with the tekenng , officer ^ f Greenwich , i Order to ^ obtein a little ; temporary , relief . \ The appS c ^ tated that she as single , that ^ htinfog triend in the world , and was nriable to : obtain anvemploymerttiritteficlds . She was sorry to iriakeher appearance to seek relief , but she was in a state of absplrite- want , having neither food norhome . — I've worked ? hard all my life , and now I can ' t get ant thiBgto- do ; : I oughtn't to be let ' starve-, ' said the poor woman ^ -Mr . Thackeray : They won ' t let yon starve , I dare say . You'd better go irit © the housev VV , oman : They won ' t take me in : the housesin

      , . Mr . Thackeray - Can't you get anything to do ? vyoman : NOjSift taere ' sno work to be got , if there was I wouldn ' t come here . That gentleman ( pointing : to . Mr .: Fineb , the magistrates' clerk ) was kind . enough to tell me , in the summer , that I sheoldbe ' ^ a t ? gt wor ^ ^ pea picking dovra by Gravesend * and I ve been there-abnost ever sinee ; Mr . Tinckt A pretty ^ tronff proof that the poof woman i » not idly inclined ..- - Woman : That fo «» i » o ^ tA « * v ^ vyorked hard for forty years . Hera some observations , m an almost inaudible tone * were made-by the relieving officer , firoso ; which it would appear thepoor old creature would have tb make ftnapnlieatiaiaJ to the Guardians on Thursday . The ^ Woman

      fadoressing the magistrate ) : Wbat v sir , ; shall I do tilt Ihursday ? I ' m starving , and I havn't had anyplace to sleep in since Wednesday . The magistrate * and Mr . Finch looked at the relieving officer , a * much as to-say , "God knows . we have no poweri " "I yp « not do something for tbe sufiering old crea ~ jure . ?" - The relieving officer appeared to hesitate ., doubtlessly weighing the probability of an infliction of censure upon him for excess of charity , or disrnissd from office by the Poor Law Commissionerfor having , su ^ eredhiriiself to be moved by any particle of human , sympathy in the contemplation of aged and helpless . misery . Perhaps ( said Mr . Finchto the relieving officer , ) you can give her a little

      temporary relief ? This kiud interrogation decided ther ppirit , and the . relieving officer walked over to jthe poor woman , and handed to her , what appeared tobe a ticket for food onlyi as . the recipient , in the mourrifulest tones , asked , " But what ami to do for a bed ; where am I to go ? A resting place is dehiedto an aged woman , who has worked laboriouslT for forty years of her life ! " . , . On Thursday the poor old creature was again afc tbe office . She wasi eating a piece of hard stalfe bread , and had no place wherein to rest her head . 1 bey refuse to : let me into the workhouse , " she said , ' because , as they tell me , I . cjin get plenty of y ' - '' - ^ b tale toW by thepoor creature was one , lull of dreadful privations and miseries . ' -. ' . ' The second case was tbat-of an Irishwoman , witb . a child in herarms . -V She-stated . ' that she was

      rjertectly destitiitey and tnat altliouglv she had a child lying ill , tbe autboritii's were going to remove her .-It was explained to her that she would be removed to Ireland , " And wbere ' s the kindness , sir , or that ? -.--ril - . be . ; as poor tbere as I am here . " Mr ^ Finch : ' . No ddubt ; "but tbat we cannot help ; thelaw says you must be sent , to Ireland . *• But , " said " tbe woman , " I've no kin in Ireland ; I'll be as helpless tbere as I am this moment , and your honour won ' t be after sending away the sick child . " -Ther . relieving officer- 'iiiionried ; the , maristrate that themedical man of the Union had given his opiniott = tbat the child was wc 41 enough to be removed . The * - n ' ornah : God knows , but the cliild ' s very bad , and , I wouldn ^ t be " , afterhaving it sent all the WaV to Ireland- Mr . Fihcb : We bave no powerin this * matter rormy part , I Wish we could relieve you in this * country . 'I would most willingly pay my share forsuch ; a purpose . This wretched destitute crsature hadnbrelief .

      Athird old womanmade application under the ^ lollowing circumstances : —She was a widow pauper of Greenwich \ ybikbbuse , and having been permitted to go ouffor a bpl yday , had got tipsy , ahdluvd been refused admission again into it . > Vhea it is taken into consideration tbat tbe wretched inmates of the modern poor-law prisoEs are kept without a drop of pof ter , and that a very sriiall quantitt 2 -i'H ? malt H ( l uor ' will operate powerfully upon " ill-fed age , " some little charity should surely be " admitted in" adjudicating upon the error , and the . witabolding permission to go out of tlie-workhouse for a certain time should be tb& only , as it would be the proper punishment for the offence ; But thl

      uuai-dians adopt . a system more consistent yrith . regard to economy and the weil-hcing of tbe poor . The wretclied old creature why transgresses is refused adrnission , and allowed : to starve until the case can be-entertained by the Board at its next sitting . Themagistrates told the applicant that they could not interfere , and tbat she had to blame herself for her forlorn condition . "I know I am to blame , " said the wretched creature . ; "but Urn starving- —I can't get anything to . eat . " Mr . Finch : My good woman , " we have no power to . help you . She then left the Oince . Alr . Fuicb : Really , one could almost wish that some wretched creature were starved to death ; such . a borrible instauce . of tbe operation of the law might * ' « -.. ¦ ¦ . . - ' * i . ^ « - —» . *—• -V 4 V * - ~ ^^ ^ Mutt T » 1 | ' | C ^ L ^ induce alteration

      an of it . Mr . Thackeray : That willbe the . case one of these days : we sball . hear of somebody being starved to death . GauELTY Inflicted on the Industrious Classes by the Poor Laws . —The " march of rnisery" ' goes on concurrently with the ¦ march of Maltbusian philosophy . Under the New Poor Law , the calls upon voluntary cbarity to assist the . suffering poor are rriultipliedbeyoudwhat was ever khowri ' siacetberclias been any thing in . the shape of a Poor Law in England ., ^ W ait till you see the : working of the Act ; wait till ypusee the comfort and independeiice it will promote among the poor , while it saves-ther pockets of ; tbe rich . of sums previously squandered ; upon an absurd and mischievous system of public

      chanty founded ; upon : princi ples at ^^ variance with the very , elements . of tbe all enlightening science ' of iiobtical economy , " exclaimed the Whigs . We wanted not tbe working of this bill to prove to . us that it was tyrannical in spirit and unchristian' in princi ple . JJiit we have seen , and do see , the work-. ing of the bill , and the deplorable result more ihaitconfirms our opinion of its . character . The old lawy p otwithstandipg some abuses which had crept intoits practice , was ; yreli calculated to carry ; into =. eftect the great precepts of the founder of the-Christian religion . "Feed the hungry , clothe" the , naked—visit the sick . " No distinction Avasmadebetween tbe infirm and the ; able-bodied , provided it . was shown that the latter could not get employment .

      as , in ; a country ; like this , is too often the case .: Neither was the ' " 'feeding of the hungry "; a matter of the . most pincting and sordid calculation like that which suggested tbe " - . dietary-tables" of the grinding and cheesfi-pariri g dynasty of Sometset HouseL . A calculation was not made under the old Poor Law , of the iiiinimHm . cf food upon which soulandi body could bo ' kept together , so as to make existerice > miserable by prolonging dife only for protracted : torture— -neither was perpetual imprisbriment iu : < itt : L njon Bastile made the condition , of receivirig any relief at all . Now the old law has been ; got . rid of by our Liberal Governmerit , and their own " philosophical" substitute for the lavr of Elizabeth bas . been some time at work . Where is the

      iridependence—wlicre the comfort—of the poor , which it was to have promoted ? Where the savings , to the rich ? The groans , of perishing paupers—the supplications of humane and . benevolent persons ^ ealling upon the public to come forward with V 6 lun « tp . ry funds to save thousands and tens , of thousands from : pensbing of absolute warit- —furnish the answer . Look at the ragged , squalid , famishing wretches , among whom are many yictims of the Evans buccaneerrrig war , whose heart-sickening misery traverses bur streets , and mates London , under the New Poor Law , very much resemble the capital of Ireland , under no Poor Law at all . Look at these thipgs , ; arid say . what are the advantages

      which the . great"boori" of that great Scotch philosopherj Lord Brougham—of that ' great Smithfield statesman , : Lord Althorp—of thai great Limerick . financier , Spring Rice -of that great eanadian conciliator , Lord John Russell—with the whole tribe of seniors Ghadwicks ^ Nieholles , ; <;/ & > cgenus o » 2 « e , inflicted upon this . Christian community ? In some parishes a few shillings a ; year have been saved by the cheese-paring and porkwater , system ; iii others the rates have been , actually raised . Whig :: depepdarits' have been " ' ¦ lib erally / ' provided for out of the public purse , hy extravagant salaries to Paor Law Commissioners , Assistant Commissiqnersy and all the multiplied

      officials of the system ^ while medical . relief has fceett ' bargained for . uporitsuch miserably penti ' rious tertos as to make medical relief in many cases a' jjj ere mockery . If any saving to tie public lias atfeen , from such practices ^ let us set : oS agjunst it the ^ vast expenses incurred by covering ithei * fat ^'" of the country ^ wiA IJnipn ; Ba 4 tiles ; " " ^ t us al so' set off againsHt the / vast sprns which are tibw dravcri ifroitf the pockets of the Humane ; and benevolent portions of society , in the shape of ; a voluntary rate upon themselves and ; thejn we can ; fe ^ r- -i ^ u-i- - -r md fte . advatitngo whjcli ' both ricb nnd '¦ w . v . . U > vv '¦ $ Qm ¦ b . e Whi g Vmlt ^^ Week / t j I' ^/ ,- * , : ' ¦ :: :

      Untitled Article

      a Jn ^ uman Rigoub of the Poor Law — Qn Thursday week , at Lambeth-street office , Mr , J oseph Whittle ^ a gentleman residing in the parish of Christ Church , Spitalfields , attended , and directed the attention of the sitting magistrates , th « Hori / G . C . Norton and Mr . Tickhill , to the case of a poor rnan , named Edward Bartlett , who with a wife andeight m a family ,, were reduced to a state of misery bordering on starvation . Mr . Whittle stated that on that morning the poor man Bartlett , who he : Vvas sorry to say , 'had been for some years a burden to the parish as a pauper , called on him ,, and represented tUe state of dire necessity to which himse | t , nw wile , and seven in family—namely , iive children of his own , and a nephew and niece were

      reduced j that i . e was pennyless , and tbat neither of them . had a morsel to eat since four o ' clock on the evening pvevibu *;; He ( Mr . Whittle ) recommended luin to go to the workhouse , and apply in the usual \ yay lor rehet , ana to let him know on his return what was done for him . Tne man proceeded to the woAhou . su- and though be bad , as he would state represented the digressed state of hiniself and his family , the only roply he received froin the relieving oILr-er was , taat if he v . anfed relief he must come nwnn . on n xt Tuesday . The man very naturally , : *» d that . long before that time , himself and the whole onus-. iumily must perish , and he ( Mr Whitfrom

      tle , ) knowing [ m own knowled ge that tbe case vvu ^ t .-u « Tid urgent on-, iV-lt itito be his duty to bring it under the notice and consideration of their u ; , T . < lh . s . BartlettAva . s here desired to state what took p-Mi-v on -ins makin-r application to Ihe parish . He stud t . iat on going to Spitalfields worlkhouse he s : nv AlMiond , the relieving office ^ a nd stated that ho came tiw .-e by the orders of a gentleman in the pitvh tor some relic : , and represented the state of distress hun . seif and las family were . in , tbat they i . ; ncl nov had a morsel to eat wnce four o'clock on the preceding tvening , and that , to pur-, chase that weal , he J . iid been bompelled to dispose oV't .-. u i ' M- stove ; upon which Almond replitid , " We ' . ill-very \ yell , but it you want any relief , you must corai . a-uni ou Tuwdiiy next . " Mr . Norton ob-» ervvddi ; itifa ipv .-i ; : ed-to-lii 1 n tbe object and scope <> t the Poor -Law BUI was to take the power out of tue haiidof tli

      , e AJajrisirato ., - of adininist : rin" relief to the poor , an i placing it in the hands of the CWmrciians , and thorelbre ruiv po ' . ver to be exercised by the former was very 1 niitVd indeed . It was only in . . « asei of urgent ncce ^ iry that they could interfere ^¦ ¦ M > -- atl ( l . f'ey couid only order temporary relief . Mr . WhiUlo urged that the present was a case of peat , necessity , and •¦ therefore one which came leitalj' under die cognizance of the Magistrates . lr the applicant and bis family were left without relief until next TiKsdny , as ordered by the relieving oUicey ., ¦ . ¦ the . - . snmiitr of human life must be the consequence ; and it had " bt-un declared by one of the MiffHt-ates at Worship-street , tb ! t if death took pL-itc in . con . < equpuce . of the ncK ' . cct or inattention .-of the ' prnptT oinctT to : ilord the aec-eisary relief he would hold them to the consequence . Air .- ' Norton observed that ho had no doubt if be applied to the liQirtl ( imrd ! is rii ( ! iiais

      -or : a : now , ;¦ -, ! stat : "l «!« t , „ ., „ i ,:.. na , . r ^ n > u - ( : now , sV-. i ; l stat ^ . l \ v ! iat avis hU (* livNo :-ion s ) - opini ,,, o ; , tlie object , his case would be at o . ico attendctl to . 1 , 1 r . Whittle said he would ii . m . sdf-afcuu ™ : > y the poor ' ma . n Wore . the . Hoard of Guardians to ur << c h-s ca .- ? c' and after Uviubng the Al a ^ istrate for the attention they had paid to the case , left the oJiee for that purpose . CllUEi . TY KNACTtn UNDER THE PoOR LAW Act . —At Hatcou-garden Pftlvce-office , on Tbnrsu :. iy , . . a poor young tbilou- , one of the discharged bjianisb Legion , appeared before the Magistrates in a . . state ot distress and affliction . He could scarcely walk , through lam « ie « , bis nuked flesh could besoen though his tattered garments and be vras

      ^ , evidently perishmsr , in consequence of cold and want oi nourishment ,-and his wrecehed appearance ex cited great sympathy . O-. i 'fceins : xji stioned he aaid , in a faltering tone , tbat he wished to see the Ma iri ^ trate , to as ! c his advice how to ? ct into the workhouse . He was in a . atate of disease and starviitinn .,. and be had made several applications to his parish , Stv Pancras , but he was refused relief or to be admitted into the . ' workhouse . Here he pulled up Ins trousers , aud exhibited his naked lew , bavin * no stockings , which were in a most deploirable con ^ ( M . tjori , being covered with sores , and so borrible to look at , that ewry person turned away repulsed at t io sijrbt this coiidition

      . In he had been ohti . red to sW . p in the streets ., and wander about without the means of procuring abed or food , and ho determined by-the-adMce ot an individual , to applv to Mr Lave ^ , surgeon , No . 2 , King-street , - Westminster ' who humanely gave him a letter to be taken into Charing-cross Hospital ; but Ur . Golding , of that estabushinont , on vritnessing his wretched state said , ; tbat his complaint was caused by W " ant-of uounshmeht . and cold , and that the workhouse ¦ would-be a fitter place for him than ' . an hospital and he gave him the following document , with directions to apply immediately to bis parish and present it , as his ease required immediate attention

      —! - This poor man is entirely destitute , and is in want of parish relief ; to' save him from perishino-. — B . Crplding . —Churing-crossHospital , February 14 . " Hall , the officer , was about to take tbe applicant to Mr . Bennett , when Keys , one of the overseer ? of St Panentij , entered the office . When he was introdueod to bun , Keys said it was not bis department to attend to the applicant , it was the diitv of another overseer , and he asked him when he last aiiplied to the relieving-overseer . Applicant replied tint morning , when he was refund any assistance , but he had repeatedly applied to no effect . A person present suggested to Keys that this certainly was a case which came within the meaning of tbe New PporXaw iVct , and one of" urgent necessity , '' in which a . Magistrate might exercise a power ' and rder his admission tus

      o into the work firing TTo , J ^ . ^ p raer admission into the workhouse . Keys concurred , and said it was wrong for the overseer who saw him not to admit him immediately into the workhouse , as he would have done if he' had been in h ^ lace . . 1 ^ 11 led Ae applicant irito i the presence of ; Mr , Bennett arid Mr , Rogers , followed by Keys , when the former questioned the applicant as to hi « settlement ; and he replied St . Pancras , to which be appliedjbr ; rehef ,: but was refused . Mr . Behnett asked . Keys what he could say on the subject , Keys-- 'flknow , notbiiig : of . tbe case ; 1 am not the ^ erseer he applied to , I only kno < v that the poor fellow is in a most , deplorable conditionand ought

      , to be admitted direotly into the workhouse ; and if uie pverseer had seen the state be is in he ought to hay ^ admitt ^ d biri ^ imniedi'xtely , and wiHioutbesitatl 0 . . Tbe applieanty on being further questioned , said that . his nariie was John Gill , 22 years of age / coach-painter , and his father gained a settlemerit by ' lvWg in Fitzroy-piace , Eitzroy-square ,. about eight ye . ars ; ago . He was born in St . Pancras . The applicant enlisted in the Spanish service , in wbich he served under General Evans for a considerable time , and'had been erigag-ed in several battles at St ! Sebastian , Bilboa , Victoria , &c ., in the 3 d

      Westminster Grenadiers , cominanded . by ' . Colonel Churchhill I but about nine months ago he ivas discharged at St . Sebastian , when he received £ 1 . 14 s . ' Ori feejrig ; asfed why he was discharged , ; he replied that he orilywas enlisted for a certain time . He remairiesl in St . Sebastian for three months subsequent ? to his discharge , and cajne to London . as well as he was ' able , and he had ever since beenJn the greatest distress , unaWeto . get employment . On his ' arrival at the outside of tbe office , several individuals preserited him jVith a trif ) irig sum of money . Hall then received instructions to : take him to the workhouse without delay , which be did after giviri'tbiw somti tc-niporary riourishnK-uU

      Untitled Article

      ^ eb hpaby 24 , 1 S 3 S . . ' : " - -j - ' - ^ ;^ . ' -. ; : - - - / ¦ - ¦ ^ - ^ ^ ' :: - - ' :: ' ' - " ' T ^^ : :: K " " ^^ " —^^«™ - nrnrmiK i mi inn lin iiiiiinn ' . t .--. ' ' " , , ' ¦ - • • • ¦ ' ¦ - ¦ ... . - ... .. . -. ^ . . ; ,. ; . ., . „ :. . , . _ , - . - . ;¦ ¦ , - . ¦ ,. :. ... - 5 " ; -, ;~ ^

      Poor Law Workixljs.

      POOR LAW WORKIXLJS .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 24, 1838, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct994/page/3/