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TO THE

INDUSTRIOUS CLASSES,

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This was the state of our great grandfathers and great grandmothers, who little thought of

On the Causes of the present Pover-what was to befall their descend

ty and Misery.

London, 9th Feb, 1820. BELOVED COUNTRYMEN AND COUNTRY WOMEN.:

The picture, which our country exhibits, at this moment, while it sinks our own hearts within us, fills the whole civilized world with woder and amazement. This country has been famed, in all ages, not only for its freedom and for the security its laws gave to person and property; but for the happiness of its people; for the comfort they enjoyed; for the neatness and goodness of their dress; the good quality and the abundance of their household furniture, bedding and utensils; and for the excellence and plenty of their food. So that a LORD CHANCELLOR, who, four hundred years ago, wrote a book on our laws, observes in that book, that, owing to these good laws and the security and freedom they gave, the English people possessed, in abundance, "all things that conduce to make life easy and happy."

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ants! The very name of England was pronounced throughout the world with respect. That very name was thought to mean high-spirit, impartial justice, freedom and happiness. What does it mean now? It means that which I have not the power to describe, nor the heart to describe, if I had the power. England, now contains the most miserable people, that ever trod the earth. It is the seat of greater human suffering; of more pain of body and of mind, than was ever before heard of in the world. In countries, which have been deemed the most wretched, there never has existed wretchedness equal to that, which is now exhibited in this once flourishing, free and happy country.

In this country the law provides, that no human being shall suffer from want of food, lodging, or raiment. Our forefathers, when they gave security to property; when they made laws to give to the rich the safe enjoyment of their wealth, did not forget, that

B

Printed by H. HAY, 11, Newcastle Street, Strand; and published by WM. COBBETT, jun,

269,

Strand.

there must always be some poor, "If you beg you shall be punished." And, as we well know, punishment is frequently inflicted for begging.

and that God wished, that the poor should not perish for want, they being entitled to an exist ence as well as the rich. Therefore, the law said, and it still says, that to make a sure and certain provision for the poor, is required by: the first principles of civil society. He who is rich to-day may be poor to-morrow; and he is not to starve because he is become unfortunate.

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But, what do we see before our eyes at this moment? We see, all over the kingdom, misery existing to such an extent, that the poor-laws are found insufficient, and that a system of general beggary is introduced, under the name of subscriptions, voluntary contributions, soup shops, and the like, and, in the Metropolis, where our eyes are dazzled with the splendour of those who live on the taxes, we see that a soci. ety has been formed for raising money to provide a receptacle for the houseless poor during the night; that is to say, to give a few hours shelter to wretched beings, who must otherwise lie down and die in the very streets! To-day we read of a poor man expiring on his removal from one country-parish to another. Tomorrow we read of a poor woman, driven back from the door of one

Upon this principle of common humanity and of natural justice the Poor Laws were founded; and those laws give to every one a right, a legal as well as an equitable right, to be maintained out of the real property of the country, if, from whatever cause, unable to obtain a maintenance through his or her own exertions. To receive parish-relief is no favour! it is no gift that the relieved person receives; it is what the law insures him; and what he cannot be refused without a breach of the law, and without an outrageous act of injustice and op-poor-house in London, carried pression.

Such being the law; that is, the law having taken care, that relief shall always be at hand for the destitute, the law has forbidden begging. It has pointed out to every destitute person the place where he can obtain legal and effectual relief, and, therefore, it has said: "you shall not beg.

The

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back to expire in another poor-
house before the morning.
next day we read of a man found
dead in the street, and nearly a
skeleton. While we daily see
men harnessed and drawing carts
loaded with gravel to repair the
high-ways!

Is this England! Can this be
England! and can these wretched

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sent and past, and of the more horrid sufferings, which we now but reasonably anticipate. To man, therefore, must we look for an account for these evils, into the cause of which let us, without any want of charity, but, at the same time, without fear and without self-deception, freely inquire.

My good, honest, kind and industrious country-people, you have long been deceived by artful and intriguing and interested men, who have a press at their command, and who, out of taxes rais

This change never can have taken place without a cause. There > must have been something, and something done by man too, to produce this change, this disgrace-ed from your labour, have perful, this distressing, this horrible suaded you, that your sufferchange. God has not afflicted the country with pestilence or with ings arise from nothing that man famine; nor has the land been in. can cause or can cure. But, have vaded and ravaged by an enemy. only a little patience with me, Providence has of late, been more and, I think, that I am able to than ordinarily benevolent to us. convince you, that your sufferThree successive harvests of un-ings and your degradation have common abundance have blessed, arisen from the weight of taxes or would have blessed, these imposed on you, and from no Islands. Peace has been undis-other cause whatever: turbed. War appears not to have been even thought possible. The sounds of warlike glory have, even. yet, hardly ceased to vibrate on our ears. And yet, in the midst of profound peace and abundant harvests the nation seems to be convulsed with the last struggles of gnawing hunger.

It is man, therefore, and not a benevolent Creator, who has been the cause of our sufferings, pre

When you consider, that your salt, pepper, soap, candles, sugar, tea, beer, shoes, and all other things are taxed, you must see, that you pay taxes yourselves; and, when you consider, that the taxes paid by your richer neighbours disable them from paying you so much in wages as they would otherwise pay you, you must perceive, that taxes are dis

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the taxes have gone on increas-poor-houses, and others perish

ing.

ing from actual want. The far

The tax on salt is fifteen shil-mers are daily falling into ruin; lings a bushel. Its cost at the the little farmers fall first; the sea-side, where a kind Providence throws it abundantly on our shores, is one shilling. Owing to the delays and embarassments arising from the tax, the price comes, at last, to twenty shillings! Thus, a bushel of salt, which is about as much as a middling family uses in a year (in all sorts of ways), costs to that family eigh-change, will be worse and worse

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big ones become little, and the little ones become paupers, unless they escape from the country, while they have money enough to carry them away. Thousands of men of some property are, at this moment, preparing to quit the country. The poor cannot go ; so that things, without a great

for all that remain, except for those who live upon the taxes.

And how are these taxes disposed of? We are told by im

teen shillings, at least, in tax ! Now, if an industrious man's family had the 18s. in pocket, instead of paying them in tax, would not that family be the bet-pudent men, who live on these ter for the change? If, instead of paying 6d. for a pot of beer, (if beer a man must have) he had to pay 2d. would not he be 4d. the richer? And, if the taxes

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were light instead of heavy, would not your wages and profits enable you to live better and dress better than you now do?

They, who have good health, good luck and small families, make a shift to go along with this

taxes, that we, the payers of the taxes, are become too learned; that we have been brought too near to the government; that is to say, that we have got a peep behind the curtain. It is well known, that a great deal has been said about educating the poor. At one time, even the poverty was ascribed to a want of education amongst the labouring classes.— They were so ignorant! and that was the cause of their misery.

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