ANTI-PAUPERISM 778 
to make rules for outdoor relief. These rules, which forbade A.D. 1776 
. . . —1850. 
relief to the able-bodied, were only applied at first in the aed 
worst districts, but were gradually extended to the whole Sled 
country’, During the commercial depression of 1836, a great relief for 
strain was put upon the new system, and the Commissioners bodied; 
came in for a full share of that unpopularity which the officials, 
under the older system, had so studiously endeavoured to avoid. 
Indeed there seemed to be some doubt as to whether Parlia- 
ment would renew their powers, at the end of the five years 
for which they had been appointed. But the account of the 
work they had actually done, which they laid before Parlia- 
ment, spoke strongly in their favour. Their powers were 
continued, from year to year, until 1842, and then for five 
years; before this term of office expired, they drew up the 
General Order of 1847; this lays down rules for continuing 
to work the new system? which the Commissioners had 
introduced. The public were beginning to realise, moreover, 
that the functions which had been discharged by the Com- 
missioners could not be discontinued; and the Poor Law it has 
Board was organised as a permanent Government department en 
in 1847: The whole of England was divided into eleven BR ind 
districts, over which Inspectors were appointed. It became depart. 
: ., mend. 
their duty to see that the orders of the central authority 
were carried out, while supervision over local bodies could 
be exercised by the systematic audit of their accounts. 
The new department was also brought into closer relations 
with the House of Commons. The Commissioners had been 
occasionally placed in a disagreeable position from the fact 
that there was no official to defend their conduct when it 
was criticised in Parliament; but under the new Act the 
President of the Board was eligible to sit in Parliament and 
1 This was done by the Outdoor Relief Prohibitory Order of 1844. 
2 Aschrott, op. cit. 47. Sir I. F. Lewis, Sir J. G. Shaw-Lefevre, and Sir 
George Nicholls were the three Commissioners who accomplished this great work. 
Chadwick was their secretary. Their action, of course, was deeply resented by 
the paupers and those who were interested in the abuses of the old system; bat it 
also found many critics among doctrinaire politicians, who were afraid of the 
influence of centralised departments, and anxious that those who raised the 
eoney for the rates should have a full responsibility for the manner in which it 
was employed. McCulloch, Principles of Political Economy, 424. 
3 The Poor Law Board was merged in the Local Government Board in 1871.