Seffion of Parliament.

229

upon the third reading in the house of commons, April 7.

1758. The HISTORY of the laft of making a confiderable advantage. And with regard to feamen's tickets it is fuggefted, that they are left for years unpaid, on purpofe that the purfers of our men of war, and other rich men who are the friends of the minifters for the time being, may have an opportunity to pur- A was read a first time, April 26, and afchase them at a monftrous discount from our poor neceffitous feamen.

Thus it appears, that minifters and their friends may make many and great advantages by running the nation deeply in debt to the navy; and the people, who are always jealous of thofe in power, are apt to fuggeft fuch ugly reafons, when they can form no idea of any one that is good, which, in this cafe, no man is able to do; because if our minifters should, in any one year, be obliged by any accident to run into a greater expence upon the head of the navy, than was provided for by the preceding fellion, it is easy for them, it is even their duty, to lay an ertimate of the extraordinary expence incurred before parliament, and to move for its being provided for in the very next seffon. Minifters are but the ftewards of the people, and as no honeft and faithful teward will allow his matter to run in debt, without giving him due notice of it, fo no minifter ought to allow the people to run imperceptibly in debt: It is therefore the duty of every minifter, to lay every thilling of debt contracted, before the reprefentatives of the people, in the very next feilion of parliament, and it is the duty of every reprefentative to lay it in the most plain and publick manner before his conftituents. This feems plainly to be the defign of our prefent ruling minifters, otherwife none of them could have thought of fuch a bill as this I have now given an account of; and I must add, that nothing could tend more to the honour of the gentlemen who are now at the head of our admiralty and navy boards, than their being the patrons and promoters of a bill, for eftablishing a regular method for the punctual, fpeedy, and certain payment of feamen's wages, and for preventing frauds and impofitions attending the fame.

The other bills of a publick nature, which were brought in laft feffion, but had not the good fortune to be paffed into laws, were as follow, viz.

A bill for inlarging the terms and powers granted and continued by feveral afts of parliament, for repairing the harbour of Dover, in Kent, and for reftoring the harbour of Rye, in Suffex, to its ancient goodnefs, which was thrown out

*

B

C

D

A bill to continue an act, made in the 6th year of his prefent majetty's reign, for the better regulating of laftage and ballaftage in the river Thames, which

terwards dropped.

A bill to refrain and limit the vending and difpofing of poifons, which was paffed by the commons, May 23, and fent to the lords, where it was dropped. If it had included all forts of diftilled liquors, as well as other poifons, it would have been a most useful bill for the morals, as well as health of the people.

And, a bill for regulating the manner of licenfing alehoufes in cities and towns corporate within England, which was read a first time, May 13, and afterwards dropped. If it had reftrained the licenfing of alehoufes; and limited them to a certain number in each parish, it would, like the former, have been a most useful bill for the morals, as well as health of the people. But as both would have tended to diminish the publick revenue, no fuch bills can ever be expected to pafs, whilst it is raifed by taxes upon vulgar luxury.

I now come to thofe affairs, wherein fome bill was, or feemed to be intended, but no bill was actually brought in, and the first of this kind was that relating to E corn. I have already fhewn how ready our parliament was to give all poffible re lief to the poor in this refpect, and have given an account of the bills paffed into laws for this purpose †. But as the gentlemen of the houfe of commons were refolved to prevent, if poffible, any such F diftrefs for the future, as before-mentioned, a committee was, on December 16, appointed, to confider of proper provi fions, for preventing the high price of corn and bread for the future; and to report the fame to the house with all convenient speed. For which purpose they G were impowered to fend for perfons, papers, and records; and it was ordered, that all who came to the committee fhould have voices. On December 21, there was prefented to the houfe, and read, a petition of the mayor, bailiffs, and burgeffes of the borough of Newcastle under Line, in Staffordshire, reprefenting the miferies and hardships to which the poorer fort were reduced, by the then prefent high price of provifions; and alledging, that the then prefent dearnefs of corn was not (as the petitioners apprehended) occafioned by a real fcarcity of that article in

H

• See Lond. Mag for last year, p. 372.

+ See ditto, p. 533.

their

Seffion of Parliament.

May

exhaufted, and from the badness of the then last year's crop, as a great deal of it proved light in the ear. In short, the opinions of the people without doors were fo various, that it required the molt ferious and mature deliberation to determine what was most proper to be done for the future, with regard to which the reports from the committee were as follow, viz.

230 The HISTORY of the laft their neighbourhood or county, but by an artificial carcity, created by the millers and badgers, to whom it had, for fome time paff, been almost a general practice, in the faid county, for the farmers to fell their corn, at their own houfes, instead of bringing it to market; that the millers A ground theirs into flour, which they fold out wholefale, mixing it with pernicious ingredients of a lower value; that the January 28, The lord mayor of Lonbadgers brought their corn to market, but don reported the following refolutions of by confederating amongst themselves to the committee, 1. That in order to preexpofe to fale but fmall quantities at a vent abuses and frauds in buying and feltime, by buying up what little the farmers Bling corn and grain, and to reduce it to yet brought to market, before those that one standard, all perfons be obliged to wanted it for their own ufe could fupply buy and fell all forts of corn, grain, meal, themfelves, and by many other contri- and flour, by weight only. 2. That the vances, had brought it up to the exorbi- bounty given for the exportation of corn tant price it then bore, which the poor and grain, thould be ascertained by the were obliged to pay, as they could not weight of fuch corn and grain; and, poffibly be fupplied from any other per- C 3. That the affize of bread be fixed fons; that if these practices were fuffered agreeable to the price and weight of the to continue, the petitioners believed, that corn and grain, of which fuch bread all kinds of grain would foon be at a fhall be made. Thefe refolutions were much higher price than they were at even then only read at the table; and it was at that time; and further reprefenting, ordered, that the faid report should be that when farmers brought their corn, taken into further confideration on the and other produce of their farms, to third of March then next. market, and there fold them to the confumer, all fuch commodities were at a reafonable price; and that it was undoubtedly the intereft of a trading nation, to take care that the ufeful and induftrious manufacturer might be furnished with a fubfiftence for himself and his family upon moderate terms, by which means the price of labour would be kept down, and the petitioners would be able to underfel their rivals at foreign markets; and therefore hoping, that the houfe would take the premiffes into their most serious confideration, and provide fuch remedy as fhould be thought moft proper.

This petition was referred to the faid committee, as were many others upon the fame fubject, fome of which reprefented the fame grievances complained of in this petition; and besides the grievances which gave occafion for bringing in and paffing the bills I have already mentioned, fome reprefented against the mobs and riots which frightened people from bringing their corn to market; and against grain and flour not being fold by any certain and uniform weight or meafure throughout the kingdom; and against buying or felling corn any where but in open market, and not by fample; and against dreffing or boulting mills. But in fome of the petitions it was allowed, that the high price, in part, proceeded from the old ftock of grain being, in a great meafure,

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February 2, The lord mayor of London reported the following refolution of the committee, viz. That the pravifions made in relation to engroffing of corn, by an act of parliament paffed in the 5th and 6th years of the reign of Edward the Sixth, intitled, An Act against Regrators, Foreftallers, and Engroffers; and by another act paffed in the 5th year of queen Elizabeth, intitled, An A touching Badgers of Corn, and Drovers of Cattle to be li cenfed; and by another act paffed in the 15th of Charles the Second, intitled, An Act for the Encouragement of Trade, have been found inconvenient, and have rendered the fupplying one part of this kingdom with corn, from another part thereof, very difficult; which refolution was agreed to by the house, and thereupon a bill was ordered to be brought in, to explain and G amend the laws against regrators, foreftallers, and ingroffers of corn; and the lord mayor, and Mr. recorder of London, Mr. Rofe Fuller, the lord register of Scotland, and Mr. William Noel, were ordered to prepare and bring in the fame, to whom Sir John Philipps was afterwards ordered to be added.

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a

March 9, The house resolved itself into committee of the whole house, to confider further of the faid report made Jan. 28, but came to no refolution. And Jan. 11, upon a motion made by Sir John Philipps, an inftruction was ordered

to

༥

1758.
The POOR LAWS
to the aforefaid corn committee, to in-
quire into the abuses of millers, mealmen,
and bakers, with regard to bread, and to
confider of proper methods to prevent the
faid abuses, and for better fettling the
allize of bread.

B

might very well be indulged with the exclufive privilege of trading to the countries where they have fo long been settled; but, in my humble opinion, it is too much to fuffer them to monopolize all traffick beyond the line. The Hudfon's Bay company, I likewife apprehend, might also be rendered more beneficial to the nation: A few get large fortunes at prefent by that trade: Freighting three or four fhips in a year anfwers their purpose well enough; but how much more the nation might get by laying that trade open, or, at leaft, putting the managers of it under fome better regulations, will, I hope, be enquired into by the higher powers.-But to return to my subject.

This is all that was done in this im- A portant affair during laft feffion; for fo many difficulties were found in every regulation propofed, that it was at last refolved to fufpend doing any thing until the next feffion; and even then it is to be feared, that nothing very effectual can be done; for when men have loft all fhame, and have no regard to character, provided they can by any means get money without running the risk of the gallows or the pillory, which is the cafe with The prefent method, for every parish too many in this nation at prefent, it is to maintain its own poor, is, in a great hardly poffible to prevent the poor from measure, the cause of the many difficulbeing oppreffed and skinned by the rich, C ties and hardships they labour under. The without arming our governors with fuch laws made for their relief are confulted an arbitrary power as is inconsistent with by parish officers, only to know how to a free government. get rid of them, not give them bread. To understand fettlements, certificates, removals, put out apprentices, and jockey or over reach a neighbouring parish, are Dall deemed neceffary qualifications, and

[To be continued in our next.]

To the AUTHOR, &c.
SIR,
HE

of

the money spent upon them is fufficient to maintain a great part of their poor: So that the laws relating to the poor, instead of being calculated for their relief, feem rather to be framed for the extinguishing of charity; tho' that cannot be fuppofed to have been the intention of the makers of them: It was only an oversight in them, which, I hope, the prefent generation will remedy.

corporations, and the restraining laws that confine the labouring manufacturer, mechanick, &c. to the parish they belong to, have a tendency, as I humbly conceive, to cramp induftry, and oblige the lower clafs of people to live upon pa- E rifh allowance, when otherwife they might provide for themselves and families in a comfortable manner. As the case stands at prefent, should a fpirit of industry prompt them to remove from their corpo- As the number of inhabitants is the ration, parish, or fettlement, and to try ftrength of a kingdom, and its wealth is to get their bread in any other part of the F in proportion to the quantity of labour, kingdom, they are liable to be fo far how much then is it the intereft of the treated like a criminal, as to be sent to ftate to cherish the numerous offspring of the house of correction, and paffed at a the poor (who may be deemed the feeds great expence to the place they came from. of our wealth) and protect and relieve This is a piece of cruelty which the molt the diftreffed, left they perish thro' want? barbarous nations are ftrangers to, and is For if we fuffer them to perifh, who will utterly irreconcileable with that spirit of G fill our fhips with manufactures, or conhumanity and charity which our country fume the produce of our lands? If they justly boasts of: It is alfo very bad policy fink, the nation muft foon become conin a ftate, whose wealth and grandeur is temptible. And especially in time of war fupported by commerce. I cannot com- it is more incumbent on us to be extremely prehend how trade can flourish, unless it careful of the offspring of the poor; be open and free, and every member of while fo many thousands are cut off yearly the commonwealth have liberty to fettle H by fickness or the fword, in the land and where moft for their interest. fea fervice, we should redouble our vigilance, to prevent a farther decrease of the people by mifery and indigence, to which many women and children are reduced, by the abfence or lofs of the fathers and husbands in the wars. And we ought to

As to exclufive charters for trading companies, it may be allowed that fome of them are neceffary evils, which is the moft that can be faid in favour of them. The East-India company, for example,

confider

232
confider befides, that when the war is
over, tho' we have totally ruined the
commerce of France, and, in confequence,
may expect to have a very flourishing
trade; yet, if we should not then have
hands enough to improve all the advan-
tages that may fall in our way, the defi-
ciency must be made good by a fupply of
foreigners flocking over to us; or else we
muft let flip thofe advantages, and they
will be transferred to other nations.-But
to return again to our point.

METHOD to prepare SEED-WHEAT.

May

ing. The legislature may easily know how much money is annually raised, in the parishes throughout England, for the poor, and how many are maintained by each parish; and from this knowledge, a fcheme may be formed, in time, for their easier Aand better fupport.

It is very oppreflive to particulars, that parishes fhould be reftrained to the main- B taining their own poor, and none else. Some pay from four to fix fhillings in the pound, while others do not pay above a groat; and in the latter the poor are not better maintained by their numerous and wealthy inhabitants, than they are in the former; the allowance is the fame. But C as the whole country has an interest in the fupport of the poor, I think the burthen ought to be equally laid; every chriftian nation fhould be confidered but as one great parish, and a general fund, for the relief of the helpless and indigent, ought to be established in it, inftead of providing for them in that mongrel-like manner which has too long prevailed.

It is greatly for the landed intereft, that the poor fhould confume the produce of the earth, whether they can provide for themselves or not. The price at market is more or lefs, according to the demand. Starve but a tenth part of the people, the market must be immediately glutted, and confequently the price fink in proportion.

It is no difficult matter to point out a remedy for this great national evil, so as that the poor may be no great burthen to any body, and, in fuch a manner, that no individual may want the neceffaries of life. In this plan the lion and the wolf will protect the young lamb. If ye know thefe things, happy are ye, if ye do them; that our light may fhine forth like the fun at noon day.

I am, &c.

RUSTICUS.

As we gave Mr. Yelverton's fuccessful
Method of Hufbandry, in our laft, p. 165,
it may not be unacceptable, to thofe Readers
who are Encouragers of Agriculture, if
we fubjoin, from Mr. Maxwell's Prac-
tical Husbandman, the following curious
Letter.

A Letter from (the late) Mr. Lockhart, of
Carnwath, to Mr. Hope, of Rankeilor.
SIR,

N compliance with your defire, I fend

IN

you an account of the method I followed laft year in preparing my feedwheat. I got it from a gentleman at Bruffels, who had it from one in Normandy, that kept a great part of his Deftate in his own management, and was reckoned an artist in agriculture. He recommended this method as what he conftantly followed, and as attended with fuccefs in all forts of grain. I made the experiment laft year; and, whether from this, or what other caufe, I fhall not fay, E but fo it was, that I never had fuch wheat in this place: Mr. Brigs faid, he thought it better than yours, tho', fure I am, the foil is not near fo good, nor was it fo well prepared. The inclosure had been fix or seven years in grafs, had carried first a crop of oats, next of peas, and, without F any fallowing, or dung, this crop of wheat. So far by way of introduction next comes the receipt.

G

Some politician arithmeticians, if I remember right, have calculated that, in a well regulated commonwealth, the number that ftands in need of being fupported by charitable contributions, does not exceed the fortieth part of the people; when it does, it must be owing to mismanagement in the rulers of the ftate, or to fome H publick calamities, which no human wifdom can foresee or prevent. Now fuppofing the number of people in England to be five millions, the fortieth part is 125,000, who, I fuppofe, might be very comfortably maintained for a million sterl

"Take as much water as will. fully cover the quantity of grain you intend to ufe; add thereto a reasonable,quantity of a mixture of horfe, cow, and fuch other dung, as you can conveniently get, fo as not to make the water too thick; add likewife, for every boll you are to steep, about a peck, or fixteenth part of fuch fort of grain. Boil all thefe till the grain is reduced to a mufk'; and keep the kettle or caldron covered. Next drain off the water; and, while it is lukewarm, infuse your grain for three days, as my author directed me; but I kept mine in the liquor only half that time, otherwife, I am fure, it would have burfted, for it fwelled prodigiously. Wherefore, I imagine, that when it is fteeped three days, it must be

of

Of Inclefing ARABLE FIELDS.

intelligent gentleman's letter, it feemas
reafonable to think, that nothing can be
more natural for impregnating grain than
the strength and ellence of itfelf.
fince nitre is added, it is best to be cau-
tious; for it has been found, by experi-

I had almoft forgot the principal ingredient, viz. a pound of nitre, or faltpetre, to each boll you infufe, which must be diffolved in the water when it is paft boil Aence, that falts, tho' they have the virtues

mentioned, kill or deftroy the

Tegetative powers, when the application is immoderate, either with refpect to the quantity, or the time the grain is teeped to that there has often been a necelity to fow over again with the fame, or fome other To make the better judgment B grain. concerning this fo critical an affair, the nature and condition of different grains are carefully to be confidered; but, by a courfe of obfervations and experience, the most certain knowledge and direction are to be obtained: Meantime, it is belt to obferve the maxim, Avoid extremes.

E

a tenant of mine fowed on the fame day I WH

did; and I design to compare two or three times a week, and make what obfervations occur to me in their progrefs. I defign to try this way with barley; and, that I may form a judgment with more certainty, I will fow the ridges alternately with feed fteeped and not fteeped : If you think it worth your while, I wish you would do the like, and then we will compare notes.

F

I was likewise told, that this G Liquor poured upon itrawberry-beds, or any other vegetable, in the fpring, when the juices begin to rise, has great effects.

Seven or eight months ago, I faw a book of husbandry (a tranflation from the French) in which was this infufion, with fome small variation of no moment: But H I have forgot where I faw the book, what was the title of it. I am, &c.

ог

Mr. MAXWELL'S REMARKS.
The above is a most promifing receipt:
For, befides the obfervations in this very
May, 1758.