COMMISSIONERS.

Were the principle of the bill unexceptionable,—the parliamentary appointment of theſe Commiſſion⯑ers, merely to divide Counties into Diſtricts, would be liable to no material objection.

DISTRICT COMMITTEE.

Paſſing over the endleſs nuiſances of the Magiſtrates taking polls in the ſeveral Diſtricts—an election of this Committee by ballot, carries the impropriety of ſuch an appointment upon the face of it. If the office of a Diſtrict Committee-man prove a deſirable one, perſons of ſuperior influence will find no diffi⯑culty [4] in engroſſing ſuch power within themſelves.—On the other hand, if it turn out unprofitable, and troubleſome, they will take care to a man, not to be elected, and in that caſe none but the ignorant and incapable will be choſen.—

DISTRICT AGENT.

This Officer to be elected by the firſt Diſtrict Comlmittee, will of courſe be the choice of the moſt extenſive pariſhes, ſending a plurality of voices to the ſaid Committee.—The ſmall pariſhes,—dragged reluctantly into the corporation—muſt conſequently be at the mercy of the larger throughout every Diſtrict.—Notwithſtanding all the parade of various Committees, the ſole government of the Diſtrict would center in this ſame Agent. He would be veſted with ſuch full, and abſolute authority by your bill, that he is not even required to make any return of his examination of the three years accounts,—‘"unleſs to HIM there ſhall APPEAR any omiſſion, or miſrepreſentation."’—‘"In all matters of doubt and difficulty,—indeed,—he MAY conſult any member or members of the Diſtrict Committee near him, and act under his, or their advice, till the next Committee meeting."’—But how few doubts a man will be troubled with, poſſeſſed of ſuch powers, [5] may readily be conceived.—He is further authoriſed to relieve paupers at home, or ſend them to the workhouſe, as he may think proper: the Diſtrict Committee will therefore erect your workhouſes at a conſiderable expence to little or no purpoſe, ſhould their Agent deem it more adviſeable to adminiſter re⯑lief pretty generally to paupers at their own houſes.—Indeed the diſcretionary power to be veſted in this man throughout, may be directed by him, ſo as to clog every wheel of your plan at his pleaſure. But even admitting him diſpoſed to do what is right;—in caſes of difficulty—and many ſuch muſt daily occur—how do you direct him to act?—‘"He muſt apply to the Diſtrict Committee for inſtructions:"’—true—but ſuch Committee may not meet for a month; and after this reference to them, the matter muſt be tried further back to the County Committee, who will not aſſemble for a fortnight longer; and even then a ſufficient number of members may not attend to form a board!—What muſt be the ultimatum of all this?—The Agent will become COMPTROLLER GE⯑NERAL of the Poor throughout his Diſtrict, or leave the diſtreſſes of the indigent, and the intereſts of the pariſhioners, to the hand of chance to regulate!

Should any reſiſtance be made to the authority of this officer, the bill points out no mode of redreſs; it is probable therefore, that the neighbouring magiſtrate [6] muſt in this inſtance, be called upon for his aid, to enforce this novel ſyſtem of juriſprudence.—But after all, what APPEAL is left to the unfortunate pauper, under the probable tyranny of his new taſk-maſter? Here we are left totally in the dark.—You will hardly give ſuch appellant juriſdiction to the Magiſtrates, thus to offend the delicacy of the new created powers. Is the oppreſſed object then to ſearch for redreſs, perhaps for bread, through the perplexing mazes of Diſtrict Agents—Diſtrict Committees—and County Committees?—This would amount to little ſhort of an abſolute prohibition of juſtice; and therefore, you Sir, can beſt explain, by what mode you mean this appeal to be ſecured.

OVERSEERS.

Your idea of electing Overſeers with a ſalary, I cannot deem adviſeable. In that caſe it will always become an object with the moſt powerful pariſhioner to command the office, either for himſelf, or his de⯑pendent. The objection to the preſent mode of appointment by the Magiſtrates, in parochial ro⯑tation, you ſtate to be, ‘"becauſe no regard is thus paid to the qualification of the perſons nomi⯑nated."’—Do you conceive Sir, that your elective mode will leſſen the evil?—I am apprehenſive it [7] may have a contrary effect.—‘"The office of Over⯑ſeer,"’ you ſay, ‘"is proverbially a burthen on thoſe, who are ſo unfortunate as to be liable to it."’—It might have been ſo formerly, but the caſe is ma⯑terially altered^*. Conſiderable ſums are now raiſed by the increaſe of rates; the expenditure of theſe, gives a kind of local patronage, which men ſeem every day more deſirous of obtaining. Indeed this part of your propoſition is done away in the ſame page of your Conſiderations [p. 12,] by your own refutation.—You have no ſooner ſtated, that Overſeers are ap⯑pointed ‘"againſt their will,"’ than you thus inva⯑lidate the aſſertion. ‘"I am afraid many of theſe officers [Overſeers] are ſuch, as are ſtudious to obtain their ſituations, in order to convert them to their own advantage, or that of their friends."’

Be this as it may, as executive inſtruments only, under the magiſtracy—their proper ſtation—the preſent mode of appointment is evidently the moſt prudent.

But with what grace would the Overſeer, elected by your plan for his extreme reſpectability, ſubmit [8] to be the meer runner of the Diſtrict Agent? Few men of ordinary ſpirit would bend to ſo ſervile a degradation.

‘"Each Overſeer,"’ you ſay, ‘"is to be watchful within his pariſh, but the Diſtrict Agent is to be awake to the neceſſities of the whole Diſtrict. Does any one ſtand in need of relief? Does any want employment? Has an induſtrious man met with an accident that has diſabled him from working? Are children grown too old to be any longer kept in idleneſs? Has any vagrant introduced himſelf into the pariſh, and become an annoyance by begging, or a cauſe of ſuſpicion, by appearing unemployed? The Overſeer is to make repreſentation to the Diſtrict Agent."’

Theſe are ſuppoſed to be the bounden duties of the Overſeer, according to the laws now in force, except the ſervile part of the office—the repreſentation to the Diſtrict Agent.—And do you really believe, Sir, that this reference on every circumſtance that may ariſe, occaſioning endleſs trouble, would facilitate the deſired redreſs?—Suppoſing the Agent even con⯑ſtantly reſident within his Diſtrict,—what unavoid⯑able confuſion and expence muſt attend the re⯑peated, and often fruitleſs journies and enquiries, by various Overſeers, after this individual Agent, in order that he may inveſtigate their reſpective com⯑plaints! [9] —In a word, giving both Overſeer and Agent full credit for the trueſt zeal, and beſt in⯑tentions in the diſcharge of their duty, I think it would be found impoſſible for them to execute, what your bill ſeems to require at their hands.

COUNTY COMMITTEE.

This Committee, with qualifications equal to that of the Commiſſioners, is to be elected by ballot—and ſeems intended as a board of general controul, ‘"liable to a penalty of 10l. each for non-attendance, unleſs in caſes of ſickneſs, or ſome unavoidable accident!"’

You ſeem, Sir, to build much on the ſuperin⯑tendence of your plan, being thus veſted in the prin⯑cipal gentlemen of the county. Here likewiſe, I fear, you would experience a diſappointment.—You cannot but have obſerved, with what extreme reluct⯑ance country gentlemen attach themſelves to public buſineſs. To make their appearance at a ſummer Aſſizes, or an occaſional Quarter Seſſions, is generally the utmoſt extent of their county exertions. As a proof of this, I need only inſtance, the neglected Commiſſions of Turnpikes, Sewers, &c.—Under the dread therefore of being dragged into a dry de⯑tail [10] of unintelligible accounts, and complex items of parochial ſtatements,—the chief canvas of gen⯑tlemen on this occaſion, would be to avoid the honor of being elected to ſo troubleſome an office, which muſt ſubject them to a heavy penalty for non-at⯑tendance upon its tedious duties.—Hence it evi⯑dently follows, that the whole controuling power of this, like that of the Diſtrict Committees, muſt ſoon fall into the hands of a few intereſted Agents, who would of courſe direct the whole in a manner that might beſt anſwer their own ſiniſter views.

If the errors be thus evident, as I contend, in the formation of the parts, how will the whole of ſo com⯑plicated a machine be put into any effectual motion? In the numberleſs obſtructions which will ariſe, you muſt explore through ſuch a variety of ill-according movements, that I fear you would often diſcover the cauſe of impediment, without poſſeſſing the power of removing it.

Indeed if no objection lay to your plan on the ſcore of its impracticability—a man of your acknow⯑ledged probity muſt be ſuppoſed to pay ſome con⯑ſideration to the means by which it would be accom⯑pliſhed.—And ſurely he muſt ſhrink from the taſk, when he ſound, that it could not poſſibly be effected, but by obtruding upon the peaceful ſcenes [11] of retired life, the baneful feuds of party ſpirit—and annually involving every County-Diſtrict, and Pariſh, in all the intrigues, and riots of con⯑teſted elections!

CERTIFICATES

Contribute very much to the croſs-grained diſ⯑putes between different parties:—they ſhould either be granted generally, or totally aboliſhed. Some pariſhes make it a rule not to iſſue them; this oc⯑caſions many an induſtrious man to be removed from a place where he has long gained better wages by his labor, than he could earn in his own ſettle⯑ment. Other pariſhes, with more tenderneſs, ſel⯑dom refuſe to certify their poor, and therefore are diſappointed when they meet not with the ſame treatment in return. But Overſeers thus indemnified, care not to what expence they run the pariſh cer⯑tifying, in caſes of illneſs, &c. This in a great meaſure accounts for the reluctance often ſhewn in granting ſuch certificates. Though much may be urged on the humane ſide of the queſtion, the granting certificates is certainly productive of great public expence, and numberleſs litigations; and therefore, the general good ſeems to require that they ſhould in future be diſpenſed with.

REMOVALS.

Every perſon obtruding himſelf into any pariſh, not being able to give a proper and ſatisfactory ac⯑count of himſelf, and not departing thence within a certain limited time, after due notice given him by the Overſeer, or Conſtable, ſhould be deemed a va⯑grant, and be ſummarily puniſhed accordingly.

Every perſon, whether ſingle or married, who has been permitted, openly, to reſide forty days ſuc⯑ceſſively in any pariſh, without receiving due no⯑tice to depart from it, ſhould be deemed a ſettled inhabitant thereof; and the Overſeer be adjudged to pay a certain fine, in aid of the poor-rates, for ſuch neglect of his office. Some proviſion of this kind might ſtimulate the Overſeer, to what is ſo much wanting, an early diſcharge of this impor⯑tant part of his duty. At preſent, from the diſcre⯑tionary power which enables him to remove the in⯑truding pauper, at his leiſure, the place of ſettlement from various circumſtances, becomes doubtful: and hence ariſe the charges of removal, with the ad⯑ditional expence of defending it, whether it prove well, or ill founded.

The baneful effects of vagrancy, might in a great meaſure be prevented, if thoſe who received, and har⯑boured [18] vagrants were ſearched out, and rigorouſly proſecuted for ſuch offences. From the preſent difficulty of puniſhing the neglect of it, no reſpon⯑ſibility is annexed to this eſſential part of the public ſervice. Transfer it as an expreſs duty to the over⯑ſeer, who ſhould have the ſubordinate aid of the conſtable, and the long catalogue of felonious de⯑predations, would ſoon be diminiſhed.^*

Being veſted with equal power, church-wardens are too much inclined to thwart their brother over⯑ſeers in their beſt endeavors for the good govern⯑ment of the pariſh: worthleſs objects, to whom the overſeers have juſtly refuſed relief, often receive the protection and ſupport of a church-warden, merely from a parade of diſtinct authority. This being in general their only interference, pariſhes might be ſecured from the burden and inconveni⯑ence of it, were church-wardens empowered, in future, to act but as deputies, during the abſence or indiſpoſition of the regular overſeers, and that in caſes only of particular emergency.

APPEALS.

Appeals from orders of removal, form a very heavy part of the parochial burdens. Upon a mo⯑derate calculation, two-thirds of the appeals heard at the quarter ſeſſions, are either totally groundleſs, or prove wanton litigations between neighbouring pa⯑riſhes. Theſe notions of legal hoſtility are now ſo ge⯑nerally inculcated, that no Overſeer thinks he makes a decent figure in the records of the pariſh which is honored with his mark, unleſs his pride has been gratified with an expenſive appeal, though the object of ſuch contention, may never become chargeable a ſingle ſix-pence! It appears pro⯑bable, that queſtions of this deſcription might either be prevented, or at leaſt be heard, and decided in a more ſummary way. For this end I would propoſe, that no appeals whatever, from orders of removal, ſhould be admitted, without the previous inveſtigation and ſanction of the major part of the magiſtrates of the diviſion, (at their petty ſeſſions aſſembled) in which the appellant pariſh is ſituate; and where the appellant, and reſpondent pariſhes both lie in the ſame diviſion, that ſuch appeals ſhould be brought to iſſue before the magiſtrates of the divi⯑ſion aforeſaid, from whoſe adjudication no further [20] appeal ſhould lie to the general quarter ſeſſions, but on peril of double coſts to the appellant; one moiety whereof to be paid by the Overſeers themſelves, if ſuch their appeal be adjudged vexatious by the ſaid court of quarter ſeſſions.^*

RATES.

The ſhameful inequality of rates, has long, and juſtly been complained of, as a grievous oppreſſion [21] on the ſmall occupiers in moſt pariſhes throughout the kingdom. It is not a rare inſtance, for the little farmer, renting but ſixty acres, to pay as heavy an aſſeſſment, as the wealthy yeoman, poſſeſſing more than double that quantity of land. An equality of rate, ad valorem, would be the moſt effectual re⯑medy for this crying evil. To this the common place argument may be objected, of the impolicy of rating improvements; but ſurely it is no leſs impoli⯑tic to limit them to the wealthy only, but for whoſe grinding impoſts, the ſmaller farmers might partake of the profit, as well as the credit of agricultural improvement.

A pariſh officer, before his rate is paſſed, ſhould be ſworn that no article whatever ſtands charged thereon, but what has been, bona fide, expended for the ſole uſe of the poor.—This would be the means of excluding many of thoſe ſmuggled items of feaſting, &c. &c. which lead, in no ſmall mea⯑ſure, to the enormity of parochial burdens.

A certain ſum per mile ſhould be limitted for the removal, and bringing home of paupers; for ſo vague and extravagant are the charges at preſent on this occaſion, that pariſhes in general pay from ſeven up to fifteen pounds, for the mere incidental expence of removing two or three paupers, leſs than [22] fifty miles! and the pariſhioners very rarely enquire into ſuch ſhameful conduct. To this we may add, that thoſe accounts are too often paſſed by the mere ſignature of the magiſtrate, not only without a ſingle queſtion of enquiry, but even without the atteſting oath of the officer.—

The ſeveral duties of the Overſeer being once clearly, and expreſsly declared, an intermediate offi⯑cer between him and the Magiſtrate might be ap⯑pointed to the great advantage of the public. The inefficacy of our admirable code of poor-laws, is, evidently, in a great meaſure, owing to the too diſtant gradation between the Juſtice, and Pariſh Officer. I would therefore propoſe, for each hun⯑dred, or diviſion of a county,

A COMPTROLLER,

with a ſalary adequate to his trouble, who might be ſubject to heavy penalties for a neglect of his duty. He might be empowered to ſummon veſtry meetings of the reſpective pariſhes, in order to audit their quarterly accounts;—receive all pa⯑rochial preſentments, and other complaints againſt pariſh officers upon oath, for malconduct in the diſcharge of their duty, and make due return [23] thereof, with all other requiſite matter, to the petty ſeſſions, to be from thence returned to the general quarter ſeſſions, there to be duly enquired into, and the offending parties proſecuted at the ex⯑pence of the county. I ſee no objection to the High Conſtable of the diviſion being employed herein, with an additional ſtipend, and thus raiſed from an uſeleſs, to that of an active civil officer, between the Juſtice and Overſeer, as above⯑ſtated.—

For the comfortable ſupport of the poor, the puniſhment of the diſorderly, and the economical expenditure of the parochial funds, but little more would be found wanting. Objects of diſtreſs, by the vigilance of active officers, would ſoon be re⯑duced in their numbers. Children, from their earlieſt years, would be trained in the paths of induſtry; and, in any caſes of mal-conduct on the part of pariſh officers, the neceſſary appeal, through the Comptroller, or the neighbouring magiſtrate, would be ſpeedy in its operation, and certain in its effect. Not a ſlothful inhabitant could remain in a pariſh unaccounted for; nor a ſingle individual ſup⯑port himſelf therein, without the viſible means of procuring an honeſt livelihood. Overſeers, however, muſt have a more expreſs authority for [24] this eſſential part of their duty. Great miſchief ariſes from the difficulty which they conceive might attend ſuch rigorous exertions, by virtue of any law at preſent enacted. Juſtices of the peace ſhould, at the ſame time be empowered, on the complaint of pariſh officers, ſummarily to puniſh idle and diſorderly perſons, who refuſe to labour, or are not able to render a good account of themſelves. The preſent, and only mode of ſending them to the houſe of correction, there to await the deciſion of the quar⯑terly ſeſſions, is of itſelf often a puniſhment too heavy for the offence; and inſtead of operating to⯑wards the amendment of the culprit, nine times out of ten only qualifies him by a general contamina⯑tion of morals, for the moſt deſperate atchieve⯑ments!

WORKHOUSE.

For the really poor, and indigent, a comfortable proviſion might be made within their own pariſh, without reſorting to thoſe extenſive hoſpitals which your plan, Sir, propoſes for their general reception. I ſee no great objection to houſes of induſtry be⯑tween two, or in ſome inſtances even three pariſhes; but theſe I would recommend to be under the ma⯑nagement [25] of their reſpective overſeers, who would thus become uſeful cheques on each others' con⯑duct. Over them I would likewiſe place the gene⯑ral ſuperintendance of the Comptroller. The eſtab⯑liſhed incorporations which you have enumerated, have, no doubt, been productive of local benefit; but this plan cannot, I think, be made generally advantageous. How, for inſtance, will you in⯑corporate extenſive pariſhes rated ten ſhil⯑lings, with neighbouring ones paying only three ſhillings in the pound? The manufacturing towns of Coggeſhall, Braintree, and many others in the county where I reſide, would, by ſuch an union, throw great part of their parochial burdens, on perſons deriving not the ſmalleſt advantage from the ma⯑nufactures that occaſion them. I confeſs myſelf extremely adverſe to the practice of general hoſpitals, for the reception of great bodies of the infirm, whoſe laſt reſource is a workhouſe. The unavoidable tumult of ſuch a mixed ſociety, is ſeldom ſought for by declining age; nor will the wretch, grown grey in the ſcenes of retirement, find this a fit aſy⯑lum, wherein to paſs his few, laſt moments!—