The Somerset House Cormorants, and their veracious report
Letter from T.J. Pryor
Mr Editor,
My attention has been called to the last report of the Poor Law Commissioners relative to the working of the atrocious Poor Law Bill. Therein they state that it has been the means of bettering the condition, and raising the wages of the labourers, and that their masters are kinder to them now than they were before the Whig Law came into force. Now as to the measure having bettered the condition of the labourer) and raised the wages, the statement is completely false. The rate of wages of agricultural labourers in 1834 was 8s. per week, and those who had families received bread-money for their children, which often made their money 12s. and 14s. per week. Since this law came into force the bread allowance has been done away with, and the wages of the labourers is now in some places 8s., and in others 9s. per week; but if they get the additional shilling per week, it is not in consequence of the Poor Law Bill, but owing to the produce of the farmer having risen nearly 50 per cent. in value to what it was in 1834. I will give a case in point which is that of a most honest industrious labourer, with a wife and eight children, the eldest 12 years of age, one of them only being able to go out to work, who receives 2s.6d. per week, which, with the 8s. the father earns, makes 10s.6d., to keep 10 persons, and who, if he received bread-money as under the old law, would now have 16s.6d., so that the law robs him of 6s. per week.
This is only a solitary case out of thousands; we have widows in the parish in which I reside, upwards of 60 years of age, who only receive at this inclement season, 1s.6d. in money and a 4lb. loaf to keep them 7 days; the poor labourers in the agricultural districts are nearly starving, whilst their employers are basking in the sunshine of plenty. As to their masters being kinder to them, it is completely false, for what is the consequence if the men should happen to grumble at the miserable pittance which they receive. The masters hold up the terrors of the workhouse to them as their portion, if they are not satisfied; and where is the man whose heart would not recoil at the idea of being thrust into a prison, and the dearest ties of his life separated from him? I would recommend the Bashaws of Somerset House, ere they issue another of their manifestoes, full of fallacies and falsehood, to institute an inquiry into the rapid increase of sheep stealing and other crimes, and they will find that it is this abominable bill which has driven men to commit these crimes, to satisfy the hunger of their starving children.
T. J. Pryor, Harwell
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