416 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
sth, 
N R. Cobbet has, with great feel. 
ing and propriety, called the 
attention of the public to the infamous 
conduct of some London Newspapers, 
particularly of Walter’s ‘Times, in giving 
exparle statements of accusations and 
trials. The corrupt and oppressive 
traflic of the papers in this way has 
Jong been notorious, and it is suspect- 
ed that thousands per annum are made 
by some of the London papers in thus 
buying and selling justice, and in admi- 
nistering to the mutual malignity of 
parties in legal suits ! 
How, many men compromise their 
rights and buy their peace by enormous 
sacrifices, to ayoid the misrepresentations 
and perversions of these hase and 
unprincipled newspapers! 
So great an evil ought forthwith to be 
corrected by a special enactment of the 
legislature, and the crime placed among 
the highest class of social offences. 
‘ m. Ys, 2, 
Lewes, May 8, 1811. 
a 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
on the MEANS of BETTERING éhe CON 
DITION of the Puor. 
THER means of bettering the con- 
dition of the poor are these: 
A reform in the political law: by ex-. 
tending and equalizing the exercise of 
“the right of suffrage; enabling the poll 
for the election of a representative in 
Parliament to be begun and finished in 
the same day, and reducing the dura- 
tion of Parliaments to short and fixed li- 
mits. 
A sense of personal and of collective 
dignity would be thus maintained; and 
corruption would be neariy annihilated ; 
and with it the immoralities so degra- 
ding and so destructive to the poor. 
4, A reform in the laws respecting 
debtor and creditor; and this seems to 
be making some progress; favourably 
to personal liberty, industry, probity, 
the security of property, credit, and 
general welfare. . : 
3. A reform in the law of impound- 
ing and of replevin, which are of very 
frequent occurrence (at least the im- 
pounding); and are attended with much 
intricacy, disadvantage, and oppression, 
to the poor. 
4. A power of allowing costs in case of 
misdemeanor, At present formany most 
vexativus,and sometimes habitual injuries, 
Means for Bettering the Condition of the Poor. [Junel, ~ 
from their_richer neighbours, the poor 
are shut out of all remedy for want o 
this power. It is astonishing that a 
bill for this purpose could be lost. 
5. A reform in the law of capital 
punishment: the inequality, and, in many 
instances the excessive rigour, of which 
presses on the poor; and, by rendering 
prosecution and conviction, even when 
proved, very uncertain, injures them 
In another, and perhaps an equal de- 
gree. For the progress of this remedy 
the public is unspeakably indebted to 
the benevolence, devotion, and perse- - 
verance, of Sir Samuel Romilly. 
6. A methud of bringing the smaller 
offences to a speedier trial, by empower- 
ing the justices to empannel a jury of 
the hundred by precept to the sheriff 
for that purpose, and to’ hold an hun- 
dred-court once a month, in their seve. 
ral districts, for that purpose: but so 
that all prisoners upon bail, and atl com- 
mitted not more than a month before 
the quartgr-sessions or assizes, shall be 
triable at the quarter-sessions or assizes, 
and not otherwise; the intent being only 
to shorten previous imprisonment; and 
as far as may consist with this, the more 
general jurisdiction being preferable to 
the more confined, 
7. A clear and simple promulgation 
of the laws which concern the poor, 
that isy the body of the community ; 
so that all who can read may have the 
means of seeing and understanding the 
Jaws to which they are subject, and 
those who cannot, but who attend some 
place of divine service, may know this 
also, by abstracts being read monthly. 
8. A more liberal extension of the 
law which assigns counselin forma paue 
peris, to those who may have to sue or 
be sued, but are unequal to the expences. 
9, Some regulation with regard to 
the hours of labour, the construction 
of work-rooms, the heating of thém, 
&c. in those trades and manufactures 
which are most prejudicial to health. 
20, The taking off much from the 
duty on male and increasing it proportion~ 
ably on spirituous liquors. ‘This would 
at the same time lessen the enormous 
frauds on that branch of the revenue. 
’ These are he principal means by which 
the condition of the peor might be, in 
all respects g-eatly ameliorated. And 
perhaps none of them, certainly not 
many, are difficult to be put in practice, 
or at all hazardous. ' 
, Caps Lore. 
