第22章

labourers。ItwasbackedbySheridanandGrey，(60*)andthemembersforSuffolk。

TheobjectoftheBill(61*)wastoexplainandamendtheActofElizabeth，

whichempoweredJusticesofthePeaceatorwithinsixweeksofeveryGeneral

QuarterSessionsheldatEastertoregUlatethewagesoflabourersinhusbandry。

TheprovisionsoftheBillwerebrieflyasfollows。AtanyQuartetSessions

thejusticescouldagree，iftheythoughtfit，toholdaGeneralSessions

forcarryingintoexecutionthepowersgiventhembytheAct。Iftheythought

goodtoholdsuchaGeneralSessions，themajorityofthemcould’rateand

appointthewagesandfixanddeclarethehoursofworkingofalllabourers

inhusbandry，bytheday，week，monthoryear，andwithbeerorcyderor

without，respectbeinghadtothevalueofmoneyandtheplentyorscarcity

ofthetime。’Thisratewastobeprintedandpostedonthechurchdoors，

andwastoholdgoodtillsupersededbyanothermadeinthesameway。The

ratewasnottoapplytoanytradesmanorartificer，nortoanylabourer

whosedietwaswhollyprovidedbyhisemployer，nottoanylabourerbona

fideemployedonpiecework，nortoanylaboureremployedbytheparish。The

young，theold，andtheinfirmwerealsoexemptedfromtheprovisionsof

theAct。Itwastobelawful’tocontractwithandpaytoanymaleperson，

undertheageof(62*)years，ortoanymanwhofromageotinfirmity

oranyotherincapacityshallbeunabletodotheordinaryworkofalabouring

man，somuchasheshallreasonablydeservefortheworkwhichheshallbe

abletodoandshalldo。’Incaseofcomplaintthedecisionastotheability

ofthelabourerrestedwiththejustices。

Withtheaboveexceptionsnolabourerwastobehiredundertheappointed

rates，andanycontractforlowerwageswasvoid。Ifconvictedofbreaking

thelaw，anemployerwastobefined；ifherefusedtopaythefine，his

goodsweretobedistrainedon，andifthisfailedtoproduceenoughtopay

theexpenses，hecouldbecommittedtothecommongaolorHouseofCorrection。

Alabourerwithwhomanillegalcontractwasmadewastobeacompetentwitness。

ThefirstdiscussionsoftheBillwerefriendlyintone。On25thNovember

Whitbreadaskedforleavetobringitin。SirWilliamYoung，Lechmere，Charles

Dundas，andSirJohnRousallspokewithsympathyandapproval。Thefirst

readingdebatetookplaceon9thdecember，andthoughWhitbreadhadonthat

occasionthepowerfulsupportofFox，who，whilenotconcealinghismisgivings

abouttheBill，thoughtthealternativeofleavingthegreatbodyofthe

peopletodependonthecharityoftherichintolerable，anominousnote

wasstruckbyPittandHenryDundasontheotherside。TheBillcameupfor

secondreadingon12thFebruary1796。(63*)Whitbread’sopeningspeechshowed

thathewaswellawarethathewouldhavetofaceaformidableopposition。

Pittroseatonceafterthemotionhadbeenformallysecondedbyoneofthe

Suffolkmembers，andassailedtheBillinaspeechthatmadeanimmediate

andoverwhelmingimpression。HechallengedWhitbread’sargumentthatwages

hadnotkeptpacewithprices；headmittedthehardshipsofthepoor，but

hethoughtthepictureoverdrawn，fortheirhardshipshadbeenrelievedby

’adisplayofbeneficenceneversurpassedatanyperiod，’andhearguedthat

itwasafalseremedytouselegislativeinterference，andtogivethejustices

thepowertoregUlatethepriceoflabour，andtoendeavour’toestablish

byauthoritywhatwouldbemuchbetteraccomplishedbytheunassistedoperation

ofprinciples。’Thislednaturallytoanattackontherestrictionsonlabour

imposedbytheLawofSettlement，andadiscussionoftheoperationofthe

PoorLaws，andthespeechended，afteraglanceatthegreatpossibilities

ofchildemployment，withthepromiseofmeasureswhichshouldrestorethe

originalpurityofthePoorLaws，andmakethemablessinginsteadofthe

cursetheyhadbecome。ThespeechseemstohavedazzledtheHouseofCommons，

andfewstoodupagainstthegeneralopinionthatWhitbread’sproposalwas

dangerous，andthatthewholequestionhadbetterbelefttoPitt。Lechmere，

aWorcestershiremember，wasoneofthem，andhemadeanadmirablelittle

speechinwhichhetriedtodestroythegeneralillusionthatthepoorcould

notbeunhappyinacountrywheretherichweresokind。Whitbreadhimself

defendedhisBillwithspiritandabili

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