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Theproposalsunderthefirstheadprovidedthatsettlementmightbegained
byfiveyears’residenceasahouseholder，ifthehouseholderhadnotbecome
chargeableorbeenconvictedofcrime，orbeenabsentformorethansixweeks
inayear。TwoJusticesofthePeaceweretohavepoweroncomplaintofthe
parishauthoritiestoadjudicateonthesettlementofanypersonlikelyto
becomechargeable，subjecttoanappealtoquarterSessions。
Theproposalsunderthesecondheadaimedpartlyatvestryreformand
partlyatratingreform。Inthoseparisheswheretherewasanopenvestry，
allratepayerswerestillequalasvoters，butWhitbreadproposedtogive
extravotingpoweratvestrymeetingsinproportiontoassessment。(22*)He
wishedtoreformrating，bymakingstockintradeandpersonalproperty(except
farmingstock)，whichproducedprofitliabletoassessment，byauthorising
thevestrytoexemptsuchoccupiersofcottagesastheyshouldthinkfit，
andbygivingpowertotheJusticesofthePeacetostrikeoutoftherate
anypersonoccupyingacottagenotexceedingfivepoundsinyearlyvalue，
whoshouldmakeapplicationtothem，suchexemptionsnottobeconsidered
parochialrelief。Healsoproposedthatthecountyrateshouldbecharged
ineveryparishinproportiontotheassessedpropertyintheparish，and
thatanyparishwhosepoorratewasforthreeyearsmorethandoublethe
averageoftheparishrateinthecounty，shouldhavepowertoapplytoQuarter
Sessionsforreliefoutofcountystock。
Whitbread’sproposalsforstimulatingthriftandpenalisingidlenesswere
astrangemedleyofenlightenmentandchildishness。Heproposedtogivethe
parishofficerspowertobuildcottageswhichweretobeletatthebest
rentsthatweretobeobtained：buttheparishofficersmightwiththeconsent
ofthevestryallowpersonswhocouldnotpayrenttooccupythemrentfree，
oratareducedrent。HeproposedalsotocreateaNationalBank，something
ofthenatureofaPostOfficeSavingsBank，tobeemployedbothasasavings
bankandaninsurancesystemforthepoor。Withthesetwoexcellentschemes
hecombinedaridiculoussystemofprizesandpunishmentsforthethrifty
andtheirresponsible。Magistratesweretobeempoweredtogiverewards(up
toamaximumof£；20)withabadgeofgoodconduct，tolabourerswho
hadbroughtuplargefamilieswithoutparishhelp，andtopunishanyman
whoappearedtohavebecomechargeablefromidlenessormisconduct，andto
brandhimwiththewords，’criminalPoor。’
InhisunemploymentpolicyWhitbreadcommittedthefatalmistake，common
toalmostalltheproposalsofthetime，ofmixinguppoorreliefwithwages
inawaytodepressanddemoralisethelabourmarket。Theable-bodiedunemployed，
men，youths，orsinglewomen，weretobehiredoutbyparishofficersat
thebestpricetobeobtained。Thewagesweretobepaidtotheworker。If
theworkerwasasinglemanorwoman，orawidowerwithnochildrendependent
onhim，hisorherearningsweretobemadeupbytheparishtoasumnecessary
tohisorhersubsistence。Ifheorshehadchildren，theyweretobemade
uptothree-quarters，orfour-fifths，orthefullaveragerate，according
tothenumberofchildren。Nosinglemanorwomanwastobehiredoutfor
morethanayear，andnomanorwomanwithdependentchildrenformorethan
amonth。
Theproposalswereattackedvigorouslybytwocriticswhowerenotoften
foundincompany，CobbettandMalthus。Cobbettcriticisedtheintroduction
ofpluralvotingatvestrymeetingsinanexcellentpassageinthePolitical
Register。(23*)’ManyofthosewhopayratesarebutastepOrtwofrom
pauperismthemselves；andtheyarethemostlikelypersonstoconsiderduly
theimportantdutyofdoing，incaseofrelief，whattheywouldbedoneunto。
“But。”Mr。Whitbreadwillsay，“isitrightforthesepersons
togiveawaythemoneyofothers。”Itisnotthemoneyofothers，any
morethantheamountoftithesisthefarmer’smoney。Themaintenanceof
thepoorisachargeupontheland，achargedulyconsideredineverypurchase
andineverylease。Besides，asthelawnowstands，thougheveryparishioner
hasavoteinvestry，mustitnotbeevident，toeverymanwhoreflects，
thatamanoflargepropertyandsuperiorunderstandingwillhaveweight
inproportion？Thathewill，infact，havemanyvotes？Ifheplaythetyrant，
evenlittlemenwillriseagainsthim，anditisrighttheyshouldhavethe
powerofsodoing；but，whileheconductshimselfwithmoderationandhumanity，
whilehebehavesasheoughttodotothosewhoareben
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