1807,] 
good, unless at the same timethe charac- 
ters of the labouring class were also alter 
ed. “All that is contended for, is this fact, 
which, to an attentive and candid mind? 
must be suticiently obvious, that the cha- 
racterin this case operates more powerful- 
ly and generally, than the circumstances 
in which it is placed. It is no answer to 
these observations, that persons pre- 
viously virtuous are rendered vicious, by 
engaging in manufactures :--there 1s agreat 
difference betwee mnocence and virtue, 
Besides, their deterioration arises froin 
associating with those who are vicious. 
The fair and just criterion would be to 
educate men as they should and might be 
educated; to purliy the manufacturing 
system from every regul: vtion, which re- 
eards profit in preference tu the morals 
or health of che labouring class; and then 
to ascertain by experiments, whetiuier such 
characters In such circumstances would 
not generally (for there still would be ex- 
ceptions) possess ai the same time both 
re dese and the power te avoid pau- 
perism. 
The principles on which the preceed- 
mg remarks are grounded, will apply, 
with a little variation, to the poor-laws, 
considered as the cause of the increase 
of pauperism. The poor-laws, indepeu- 
dently of achange in the character of the 
Jabouring class, cannot sa uustactorily ace 
count for the increase of pauperis, for 
this plain and obvious reason that any 
trifling alteration, that may have taken 
place in the poor-laws, since their frst 
establishment, is by no means sufficient 
to account for that increase. Ii the 
poor-laws, alone, were to be considered 
as the cause of the Increase of pauperism, 
the number of the poor should nace 
borne the same proportion to the number 
of the whole population soon after the 
establishment of the _poor-laws, that it 
does at present. It is as erroneous to 
contend that a peor-house which had been 
established in a town fora century would 
acconnt for the increase of the poor (in 
proportion to the population of the 
towns) inthe Jatter part of the century, 
as it would be to contend, that a magda- 
len asylum established at the same time 
would account, independently of other 
considerations, on a progressive 
tation of prostitutes, if the establish- 
ment of a leval provision for the poor 
(even though it were as exceptionable in 
almost every respect as ours is) were the 
sole or the predominant cause of the in- 
crease of paupers, not only ought the 
numbers compared with the whole po- 
Mont ury Mac. No. 160, 
The Enguirer.—No. XXTIT. 
augmen- 
33 
population to have been stationary, or 
hearly so, ever since the establishment 
was in full and regular operation, but the 
ratio in the increase ought also to have 
been uniform, or nearly so, throughout 
the kingdom. The reverse, in both re- 
spects, 1s the fact | 
It is not dificult to point out the pro- 
bable process by which the See eins 
of poor-laws would operate towards a 
increase of the poor: previously ma fe 
would be kept industrious and provident 
from the dread of want, which a legal 
provision would remove; such would be 
the first of those who were not compelled 
by misfortune, that would take aivantave 
of the poor-laws: others, besides the 
mere dread of want, would be withheld 
from becoming a burden ov the parish, 
from the shame and disg: ace which would 
at first attend it. This feeling would, 
however, soou wear out with peovle who 
had no hig! her ley and no perma- 
nent principle, to make them iidustrious 
and provident. 
If no other cause had- operated, the 
two causes which have been just men- 
tioned would soon have prodaced their 
full effects; at least, they would not have 
increased in their influence to such a de! 
gree, and extended their operation so 
widel y,as to account for the presvat nuim- 
bers of the poor... It may he safely and 
fairly asked of those who ascribe ‘hic in- 
crease of pauperism, within the last hair 
century, to the poor laws, how the poor- 
lawscan account for the increase of dis- 
sipation, idieness, amid extravaganee, if 
the increase of pauperism 18 thouy! ht to 
arise from these causes? or, on the’ other 
hand, how they can account for the 
ereater number of those, who are williog 
to work, but unable to procure employ- 
ment, if the increase complained Be 13 CO 
be-attributed to this circumstance? 
Men, it may be said, are rendered care- 
less, extravagant, idle, and improvident, 
and are induced to marry, without the 
prospect, or the weill-crounded expecta- 
tion, of supporting their f family, i from the 
cer tainty that the legal establishment for 
the poor must provide and secure a main-= 
tenance for them and their children. All 
thisis allowed; but still the question re= 
curs, Whence does 1t happen, that now, 
at the beginning of the 19th century, the 
numbers who are so unprovident or de- 
based as to live in'a manner, which they 
know must reduce them to poverty and a 
poor-house, are so much greater, than 
they were at the beginning of the eigh= 
eke century? Our establishment for 
iF the 
