770 LAISSEZ FAIRE 
A.D. 1776 
~— 1850. 
misplaced sense of duty in this matter?, and the liberal spirit 
in which they treated the particular cases which came before 
them, rendered it almost impracticable for a capable over- 
seer? to render the parochial administration even temporarily 
efficient. As the Commissioners reported of the greater part 
of the districts they had examined, “ the fund, which the 43rd 
sf Elizabeth directed to be emploved in setting to work 
employed by individuals, in respect of their families, entirely disappear from the 
late accounts. The principal impediment to the introduction of a better system, 
he found in the power of the pauper, when refused relief by the overseer, to apply 
to the bench in petty sessions; which nothing but the advantage of an intimate 
knowledge of his own parishioners, and of uniting in himself the functions, not 
the office, of overseer and magistrate, enabled him, by perseverance, to overcome. 
I'he following case is a sample of their unwillingness to take the circumstances or 
character of the applicant into due consideration. He refused relief (Nov. 27th, 
1829) to Samuel Spencer, knowing him to have received a legacy of 4007. within 
two or three years before the application. The man applied to the bench in petty 
sessions, where Dr Webb produced to them an extract from the will (proved 1826), 
and the assurance of the executor that he had paid the pauper money since 
proving the will, to the amount above-mentioned. Notwithstanding this, they 
made an order of relief; and the man (able-bodied) has been from time to time on 
the rates ever since.” Extracts from Information received, pp. 125, 126. Appendix 
to First Report from the Commissioners on the Poor Laws, 1834, XXvirr. p. 240. 
1 Prebendary Gisborne in writing on the duty of magistrates as regards the 
poor, seems to think, that their sole function was to be merciful, and not to help 
to render the system efficient. Enquiry into the Duties of Man (1795). 
3 «At Over,” says Mr Power, “a village not far from Cottenham, I found 
a person of great judgment and experience in Mr Robinson, the principal farmer 
in that place. He is now serving the office of overseer for the fourth time. At 
present there are 40 men and more upon the parish; the average during eight 
months is 25. Part of this arises from farmers living at Willingham and 
3wavesey, occupying about one-fifth of Over parish; these persons employ none 
but Willingham and Swavesey labourers; it arises also in part from the growing 
indifference to private employment generated by the system of parish relief. 
A man with a wife and four children is entitled to 10s., and more from the parish 
tor doing nothing; by working hard in private employ he could only earn 12s., 
and the difference probably he would require in additional sustenance for himself; 
consequently all motive to seek work vanishes. Coming into office this year, 
Mr Robinson found 12 married men on the box, some of the best men in the 
parish; he knew they could get work if they chose at that time; he set them to 
work digging a piece of land of his own at 3d. a rod ; they earned that week only 
about 7s. 6d. each, though they might have earned 12s.; and the next week they 
disappeared to a man. He complains bitterly of the obstruction given to these 
exertions by the decisions of the magistrates; they are always against him, and 
he regrets some unpleasant words spoken to him very lately by oue of the bench. 
On one occasion he had refused payment of their money to some men who would 
pot keep their proper hours of work upon the road; they complained to the 
bench at Cambridge, and beat him as usual, and returned to Over, wearing 
favours in their hats and button-holes; and in the evening a body of them 
sollected in front of his house. and shouted in trivmph.” Reports, 1834, xxvII. 77.