Mr. URBAN,

S

March 1.

As the subject of the Poor Rates is of general interest, and likely soon to come again before the Legislature, it may not be improper to turn the attention of your Readers to it, by some remarks on the prevalent complaints made against this provision for the Poor, and on the remedies suggested. That this tax is a great grievance is certain, so great as in some particular places to exceed all the other direct imposts of the State: but still exaggeration in describing it is not unusual. It is sometimes stated at eight millions per ann. Now it appears (from the Report of the Select Committee on the Poor Laws, printed by order of the House of Commons, July 4, 1817), that in the year ending March 25, 1815, the money raised in England and Wales, by Poor Rates and other* Rates, amounted to 7,068,9997.; of which sum 5,072,0287. were expended for the maintenance of the Poor. Thirty years before, the annual expenses, on account of the Poor, were little more than two millions: but in those thirty years, taxation, the produce of land, the income of the country, the price of necessaries and commodities, have all increased in a greater proportion than the Poor Rates, taken generally throughout the kingdom. My meaning is, that a Rate of five millions in 1815, was not a greater burden upon the national property (its increased value being considered), than two millions in 1785, which sum would then go as far in maintaining the Poor as five millions in 1815, on account of the increase in the price of provisions. I am inclined to think that, though the number of paupers has increased beyond the proportionable increase of the population, yet

* Church Rates, County Rates, Highway and Militia, Report, p. 5.

paupers individually do not receive,

at least in populous places, as much as they formerly did, in proportion to the price of the articles of life.

Another matter to be considered is, that the Poor are the instrument by which a nation makes great exertions, naval and military, in commerce and manufactures: and after the unprecedented exertions made by this country in all ways for the last thirty years, it is naturally to be expected that many Poor, from infirinity and disability, should continually drop for support upon the community; and that upon a sudden cessation or relaxation of these exertions (which took place in consequence of the Peace), many should be thrown out of work. It must also be recollected, that during the period above mentioned, not only has the property, which was in existence, been augmented in value, but much new property has been created in addition (exempted from the Poor Rate); for instance, the profits of all minerals, except coal, floating capitals in trade, and funded property. The cessation of payments to Militia men's wives has in some degree exonerated the County Rate, at the expense of the Poor Rate.

All these considerations appear to me to diminish the pecuniary grievance of the Poor Rate. But its moral effects are stated, and with too much reason, to be pernicious. This principle of a compulsory provision, it is said, divests charity of the character of benevolence, and produces no gratitude, but on the contrary, discontent; relaxes industry, and leads to dependence, and importunate beggary, and to incalculable misery, by creating an unlimited demand on funds which cannot be perpetually augmented *. Yet, surely this is a

* See Parliam, Rep. p. 4.

strained

196

strained and theoretical description of the matter, rather than a practical one. The increase and burden of the Poor were alluded to in 1699, by King William, in a Speech from the Throne; and in the preamble of the 13th and 14th Charles II.; and never more strongly than in the Acts passed in Queen Elizabeth's time for the express purpose (whether the result has been successful or not is another question) of remedying these grievances. The truth is, we shall always have the poor with us;" it is one of the conditions of humanity. The burden will be felt more or less at different times by different parts of the community, in consequence of the course of uncontrollable events: and it is impossible to administer relief without creating a want and increased demand for it. It must be acknowledged, that the payments to Militia men's wives have diminished the shame and disgrace of pauperism, and the eking out labourers' wages from the Rates is a great abuse of the general system of relief. Still, in these and other instances, the valid objection in my mind, is to the execution, and not to the principle, of the Law.

It is a mistake to affirm that the law of compulsory provision for the Poor is either "new or peculiar to Great Britain *." Tithes, from the time of their institution (whether in the 9th or 10th century), were of this description. The primitive Christians, at their public assemblies, remembered the Poor, each according to his ability and public opinion probably made this contribution a real tax, as at this day in Scotland. Nor is there, I believe, a single European country, in which voluntary charity supplies a sufficient fund for the Poor. True it is the tax is not paid directly as in England; but after the benevolences are exhausted, the State makes up the deficiency (in Protestant and Roman Catholic countries) out of the produce of the general taxes, raised by compulsory assessment. I understand, that at Rotterdam 4 or 5000 Poor (a twelfth part of the population) fall in winter time upon the Government taxes for support and at Amsterdam a still greater number, in proportion to the large population of that immense

*Parliam. Report, p. 4.

town. At Brussels, in Germany, and in Switzerland, the same system prevails, of supplies from the State to the Poor, distributed through the Clergy of different persuasions, or Directors appointed for the several districts, or Regents of particular institutions; and in the twelve arrondisements of the City of Paris, as many as 80,000 individuals have at one time been receiving relief at their own houses, in addition to the public Establishments, particularly the Hospital, or rather town, called the Salpetriere, containing more than six thousand females. Large funds for these charities are no doubt afforded by voluntary benevolence, and by testamentary bequests, which are sometimes a condition of obtaining priestly absolution, and by the ecclesiastical revenues: but these resources are not found sufficient in populous places.

At Liege and Verviers in the Netherlands, large manufacturing towns, it is said numbers perished in thestreets from famine, in the winter of 1816: and whoever has witnessed the importunities of the swarms of wretched mendicants in that neighbourhood, must acknowledge that there are alternatives worse than a compulsory provision for the Poor.

There are some obvious benefits arising from it; for instance, the burden is equally laid upon persons of property, according to their ability; while in yoluntary contributions the richest are not always found the most charitable: and the Poor Rate in England has no doubt helped to melt into the mass of society hordes of gipseys,beggars,robbers,and free-booters, who in former times lived wildly on the publick, to the terror and annoyance of peaceable persons.

In a word, although the Poor Rates in England are a heavy pecuniary burden, and some bad moral effects flow from the system, we have only a choice of grievances. The burden is, perhaps, not greater than in other countries (in which the money is raised differently), not greater than we ought to bear, and must bear, in some shape or other, unless we would see the Poor perishing with cold, nakedness, and hunger, at our doors. Experience does not hold out reasonable expectations that voluntary charity will supply adequate relief; if it would,

the

the burden would fall exclusively on the charitable, which is unjust in principle; and in point of practice, the probability is that the funds would not, in the way of benevolence, be administered with so much care, frugality, and discrimination, as they are under the present system, with all its faults. At all events, there are no grounds for concluding that the voluntary payments on the whole would be less than the present compulsory assessments. And if the amount of money distributed should not be lessened, the pecuniary burden and the moral grievance would remain as at present some benefit would arise to certain individuals at the expense of others, but none to the community at large.

These observations relate to the principle only of the Rate; for, in the administration of relief every one will agree that the funds should be apportioned as equally and economically as possible among proper claimants, with sound discrimination, after the strictest scrutiny and examination of each particular case; and that vagrancy and mendicity should be stopped and punished, and no relief given to the able-bodied, without work being exacted in return. Let it be remembered, that these objects were expressly designed to be effected by the Statute of Elizabeth, which was not framed by theoretical men from any refinement in policy, but grew out of actual circumstances, and was an effort to meet difficulties which the country had attempted to prevent or cure by other means in vain. (To be continued.)

Mr. URBAN,

FAR-NIENTE.

March 2. THE HE following Account of the Red River Settlement, near Lake Winnipeg in British North America, is taken from a Tract drawn up with the view of inducing Settlers to establish themselves on the Red River, and likely to become an advanced post of great importance, with reference to the enlightening and converting the Indian Tribes:

The territory named Ossinoboia is situated on the West and South

of the great Lake Winnipeg. It is watered by considerable streams, and extends from lat. 52° 30′ Southward, to the boundary of the United States, near the source of the Missisippi.

The climate is remarkably salubrious. The general aspect of the country is level, varied only by hills of gentle acclivity, except where the steep banks of rivers intervene; and it lies on a basis of limestone, which is here, as in most other parts of the world, the concomitant of a fertile soil. To the Eastward of the Red River, and near the shores of the Lake, is a wood country; but to the Westward there are vast tracks of open grassy plains, which are frequented by innumerable herds of buffaloes. Every species of agricultural produce common to Britain may be cultivated with success. This territory is included within the charter of the Hudson's Bay Company, to whom the property of the Crown is granted by the Crown. The Company have lately conveyed a part of their territory for the purpose of settling, reserving only their exclusive right to the fur trade. A Settlement was commenced in the autumn of 1815, in consequence of this grant, at the confluence of the Red and Ossiniboyne Rivers. In this Settlement crops of every kind have been abundant. The spontaneous produce of the country, in fish and buffalo meat, is very great.

In order to carry more completely into effect the views of the Settlement intended by the Company, it is in contemplation to lay out a number of townships adjacent to the Lake and the principal navigable Rivers; each to be three miles broad in front, and to extend back about five miles, so as to contain at least 10,000 acres of land. Townships will be granted on the sole condition of a stipulated number of Settlers being established on the land, within a limited period; or a township may be purchased for 400l. One half of the money arising from the sale of townships, within 20 years, is to be vested in trustees, as a fund applicable to the general improvement of the Colony. The trustees are to have power to assign 200 acres out of every township for the support of a Clergyman, and 50 acres for that of a Schoolmaster *.

Mr. URBAN,

A. H.

March-3.

The Place, and Wayland Smith, Berks, chiefly extracted from Mr.

HE following account of Cum

* See Church Mis. Report, 1820.

Lysons's

CUMNER, in the hundred of Hormer and deanery of Abingdon, lies about three miles nearly West of Oxford. It is built on the brow of a hill, commanding an extensive view over the Counties of Oxford and Gloucester. The manor belonged, from a very early period, to the abbot and convent of Abingdon. Cumner-house, which had been always reserved in the hands of the abbots, as a place of retirement in case of sickness or plague at Abingdon, was granted by Henry VIII. to Thomas Penthecost, alias Rowland, the last abbot, for life. After his death, it was the seat of Anthony Forster, esq. who lies buried in Cumner Church. His epitaph represents him as a very amiable man, very learned, a great musician, builder, and planter; but his character stands by no means clear of the imputation of having been accessary to the murder of the Countess of Leicester, at his own house at Cumner, whither she was sent for that purpose by her husband. Sir Richard Verney, one of the Earl's retainers, was the chief agent in this horrid business. He was assisted by a villain who, being afterwards apprehended for a different cause, acknowledged the above murder, and was privately destroyed. Verney is reported to have died about the same time in a deplorable manner*. A chamber is shown in the ruined mansion, which adjoins the church-yard at Cumner, called the Dudley-Chamber, where the Countess is said to have been murdered, and afterwards thrown down stairs, to make it appear that her death was accidental t. She was buried at Cumner, but her body was afterwards removed to St. Mary's Church in Oxford.

The manor of Cumner was granted in 1546 to George Owen, esq. and John Bridges, M. D. and passed afterwards to Anthony Forster above

mentioned. It now belongs to the Earl of Abingdon, in whose family it has been for many years.

Part of the old mansion, which was formerly the abbots' place, is fitted up as a farm-house. The shell of the remainder, though in a state of dilapidation, is nearly entire. Over a chimney-piece, in one of the rooms, are the arms of the abbey of Abing. don, a lion rampant, and some other coats. Some part of it appears to have been rebuilt after the Reforma. tion, by Mr. Forster, who placed over the great gate at the entrance of the court, in the front of the house, the following inscription:

JANUA VITA VERBUM DOMINI. ANTONIUS

FORSTER, 1575‡.”

This mansion, which was the rectorial house, is held on lease, under the great tythes. the Earl of Abingdon, together with

WAYLAND SMITH.

About a mile Westward from White Horse Hill, is a mutilated Druidical remain, bearing the appellation of Wayland Smith. A singular tradition is connected with this name; for the peasants in the neighbourhood relate that this mysterious spot was formerly inhabited by an invisible blacksmith, who good-naturedly shod any horse that was left here, provided a piece of money was deposited at the same time to reward the labours of the workman. The remains of this vestige of antient custom indicates its having been a large Cromlech elevated on a barrow, and surrounded by a circle of upright stones.

Ancient Anecdotes, &c. from VALERIUS MAXIMUS, by Dr. CAREY, West Square. (Continued from p. 136.)

BY

Y no nation was greater respect paid to old age, than by the Lacedæmonians: of which a remarkable instance publicly occurred at Athens. · While a Lacedæmonian embassy was in that city, an aged Athenian came into the crowded theatre, where he could not obtain a seat among his fellow citizens. But, having made his way to the part where the Lacedæmonian embassadors sat, they all instantly rose to pay

Bibliotheca Top. Brit. IV, 19.