A.D. 1776 
~1850. 
md in a 
period of 
severe 
distress the 
justices 
hegan 
LAISSEZ FAIRE 
measure, which was advocated in more than one sessi by 
Mr Whitbread?, was generally considered impracticable ; while 
there seemed to be a danger that it would deprive inefficient 
men of all employment and would depress the earnings of the 
more industrious men. 
There was very little prospect that effect would be given 
bo this proposal after 1795, when a simpler expedient for 
amplifying the receipts of the rural labourers began to be 
adopted. Owing to the wool famine and the decay of spinning, 
the women and children were left without their usual em- 
vloyment, and the rural labourer was deprived of an important 
subsidiary source of family income. The evil was severe, but 
it was probably regarded as merely temporary; spinning had 
been plentiful and well paid at Reading in 1793% but it 
appears to have been very much less remunerative, and harder 
bo get, in subsequent years, and there doubtless seemed to be 
good reasons for taking exceptional steps to tide over a 
period of bad trade, which might perhaps be of no long con- 
sinuance. The Berkshire justices met in the Pelican Inn at 
Speenhamland to consider the situation, and agreed to the 
‘ollowing resolutions: “1. That the present state of the poor 
does require further assistance than has generally been given 
them, 2. That it is not expedient for the magistrates to 
grant that assistance by regulating the wages of day labourers 
according to the directions of the statutes of the 5th Elizabeth 
and 1st James ; but the magistrates very earnestly recommend 
to the farmers and others throughout the county, to increase 
she pay of their labourers in proportion to the present price 
of provisions; and agreeable thereto, the magistrates now 
present have unanimously resolved that they will, in their 
contiguous parishes, and to attend the above intended meeting with a list of all 
‘he labourers in the parishes he shall represent, and pay their respective sub- 
scriptions ; and that the labourer, so deputed, shall be allowed two shillings and 
six pence a day for his time, and two shillings and six pence a day for his expenses. 
«gth. That Adam Moore, clerk of the meeting, be directed to have the above 
resolutions, with the names of the farmers and labourers who have subscribed to 
snd approved them, advertised in one Norwich and one London paper; when it is 
noped that the above plan of a petition to Parliament will not only be approved 
and immediately adopted by the day labourers of this county, but by the day 
-abourers of every county in the kingdom. 
«7th, That all letters, post paid, addressed to Adam Moore, labourer, at 
Heacham, near Lynn, Norfolk, will be duly noticed.” Annals, XXv. 504. 
+ Parl. Hist. xxx11. 700, XXXIV. 1426. 3 Annals of Agriculture, xx. 179, 
718