Justices shall give the party a pass to enable him to travel thither without molestation: provided that no person shall be discharged from the county-house while he shall remain indebted to the receiver of the said house.

And such persons as shall have behaved themselves in a less becoming manner, or who shall have been idle and negligent in their work, or who shall not be able to make it appear to the satisfaction of the Justices that they would be capable of procuring an honest livelihood at their own homes, or shall remain indebted to the said receiver, the said Justices shall order to continue in the said county-house till the next sessions. And if it shall appear to the said Justices by any of the means aforesaid that any of the said persons have behaved themselves in a notorious and outrageous manner, or have totally neglected or refused to work, then it shall be lawful for the said Justices to commit such persons to the county house of correction, there to remain till the next sessions, with hard labour, and with other such correction and punishment as they shall think proper.

Sixthly, The Justices shall inspect all the accounts relating to the said house, and shall have power to examine on oath the treasurer, receiver, store-keeper, with their several clerks, or any other person touching the same; and if the said accounts shall appear to them to be fair and just, they shall then sign the same: which accounts having been first examined and signed by the Governor or deputy, and so passed and countersigned by the said Justices, shall be good and effectual to all manner of purposes: but if there shall appear to the Justices upon their said examination to have been any gross mistakes, or any kind of false entry, fraud, or collusion, shall appear upon the face of the said accounts, the said Justices may, if they please, examine into and finally determine the same; as likewise may suspend or dismiss any officer who shall to them appear to have been guilty of any such false entry, fraud, or collusion; or may, if they shall see more convenient, adjourn over the further hearing and determination of the same to the next sessions; to which they may bind over all parties, and in the mean time may, if

they shall think fit, suspend the suspected person from the exercise of his office, and may appoint another to officiate in his room.

Lastly, They shall have power to enquire into the behaviour of any of the labourers, who shall have so behaved themselves as to merit rewards, and may proceed to order them severally such reward as to them shall seem proper: all which shall be publicly paid to the said labourers in open court by the Governor, who shall draw on the treasurer for the same; such reward to be paid in the presence of all who are to receive any punishment at that time.

&c., to in

LV. Whereas the punishment of whipping is inflicted in Governor, some cases in this law, which whipping is always intended spect to be severe and exemplary, the Governor or his deputy is ment. always to be present at the inflicting the same.

punish

officers to

LVI. That the Governor, or deputy governors, chaplains, How the treasurer, receiver, keeper of the house of correction, and all be chose. the other officers and ministers attending the same, shall be chose at the sessions at Hicks's Hall, by the majority of the Justices there present, by ballot; and before any of the said Justices shall be admitted to ballot he shall take the following oath:

You do swear that you will give your suffrage in the
ballot, now to be made, impartially, not out of
favour or affection, nor on account of any promise
made by you or to you, nor by the force of any
recommendation whatsoever; but as you are per-
suaded, to the best of your knowledge or belief,
that the person for whom you shall give your suf-
frage is better qualified than any other of his
competitors (if there be any-otherwise say
only "is qualified") for the discharge of the
trust for which he now appears a candidate.
help you God.

So

In like manner shall all vacancies be supplied from time to time.

Fines, &c., how dis

posed.

By-laws.

LVII. That all fines and forfeitures to be imposed or to accrue by virtue of this Act, not otherwise disposed of, shall be paid to the treasurer of the county-house, and be applied to the use of the said house.

LVIII. The Governor may make by-laws with the consent of the Justices, the same to be approved by the Lord Chancellor.

LIX. Persons tried, &c., shall plead this Act, &c.

ARGUMENTS IN EXPLANATION AND SUPPORT OF THE FOREGOING PROPOSALS

PARAGRAPH I., &c., to XIII. The appointment of a County-house and County-house of Correction, with the Regulation thereof.

PAR I. In Middlesex, &c.] It is proposed to make the trial first in the county of Middlesex, as I am best acquainted with the state of the poor in that county, and as the well regulating them there is of the greatest moment to the public; but if the plan should be approved by experience it will be very easy to extend it over the kingdom.

Ibid. In some convenient place.] This should be at some little distance from London; nor will it be difficult among the many wastes which lie within a few miles to fix on some convenient place for the purpose. I do not know myself any so proper as a common near Acton Wells, the purchase of which, though of three hundred acres extent, would be very reasonable; it being at present allotted to the use of the poor of Fulham, who derive very little benefit from it. I may add that this is a very healthy spot, and most commodiously situated; being at no great distance from any part of Middlesex, and not five miles from Hyde Park Corner.

II. The County-house to be large enough, &c.] As whatever is perfectly new is apt to affect us with surprise, and as this surprise is increased and attended with doubt and incredulity in proportion to the greatness of the object, I am well aware of the impression with which the largeness of this building will strike many minds: the idea of a body of men united under one government in a large city must have been amazing when it was first propounded to men who lived a wandering life, scattered in single families or collected in very small numbers together; though indeed our astonishment is not quite so excusable, as we see not only the possibility of such union but the advantages arising from it.

In the present case, however, I think to make it appear from reason, authority, and experience that, to answer the

ends proposed, to make the poor useful members of society, we must bring them as much as possible together; at least so as to collect the poor of a single county.

First, It is a great work, and requires many great qualifications in the person who is principally to direct it: such men are not to be found in every parish in a county; nor, if they were found, could they be induced to employ their time this way by any reward which the parish could bestow on them for not much less time and trouble will be requisite to the directing and supervising a small body of men than a body twenty times as large, when once this is brought into regularity and order. The same abilities and the same troubles which can well order and govern a small state will suffice for the government of a large kingdom. To manage the poor so as to produce the ends proposed in this undertaking is a task to which very few are equal; and those who are equal to it will scarce undertake it unless they are well paid for their pains.

Secondly, The expense and difficulty of carrying this purpose into execution will always increase in proportion to the smallness of the body of people by whose hands it is to be executed. And this is the reason why work-houses (more properly called idle-houses) have by experience been found to produce no better effect: for if the masters of these houses had a real disposition to set the poor to work, and if they had all adequate capacities for that purpose, they would by no means be able to effect it. One or two or three manufactures will not suffice to employ the various talents, skill, and strength of a small body of men, especially when this body is eternally changing. Many inconveniences will necessarily attend such houses: the manufacturer will sometimes stand still for want of work, and at others the materials will be spoiled for want of hands; whereas in such a number of persons, as are here proposed to be collected together, some will be found capable of every manufacture, and of every branch of it; and as from a certainty of finding such hands all kind of materials and all kind of tools will be provided, both the mischiefs above complained of will, of course, be avoided. I