(page 73)
"... on garbled extracts from the matter so collected, my Lord Brougham furiously denounces the 'lazy Rustics.'"
(pages 70-73)
"... it is not by an incidental notice that this charge of laziness, which is preferred against the Agricultural Labourer, should be met. ... Among the printed Queries circulated by the Poor Law Commissioners, throughout the Kingdom, is the following.
'Question 37.
Is the INDUSTRY of the Labourers in your neighbourhood supposed to be increasing or diminishing; - that is, are your Labourers supposed to be better or worse workmen than they formerly were.'
Not believing it to be possible, that two things so utterly dissimilar as industry and ability could be confounded with each other, and united by 'that is,' it was supposed that the printer or his imp was accountable for this absurdity; but, on enquiry, this did not prove to be the case. The question, as here printed, was actually put by the Commissioners, and on the answers to that question, so absurdly put, the whole Rural Population of the Kingdom are to be condemned as sluggards. The following answer of a Cornish Magistrate shows the common sense feeling of an English Gentleman on the subject.
'I should say rather increasing. A man may be a good workman, and not all an industrious one. If you mean whether the work is better put out of hand, I should say it is.'
The answers to this puzzling question or questions, whichever it may be termed, afford no satisfactory information. The most contradictory replies were returned, in some cases, from the same Parish. From Great Missendon, in Buckinghamshire, we have the following:-
'The great mass of our labourers are certainly industrious, and ready to do a good week's work for the regular pay.'
'By inquiry of old people, and by the inference which may be drawn from the increase of the poor rates, the industry of the labourers is DIMINISHING.'
From Shrivenham, Berkshire.
'DIMINISHING, as this mode of parish relief does away with industry.'
'They are MUCH IN THE SAME STATE as they have been for many years past.'
From Bledlow, Buckinghamshire.
'I do not know that they retrograde in point of skill; but I believe there is less energy at work, and less time given to it; but then there is less pay.'
'MUCH WORSE, in every possible way of taking the question.'
The result of these enquiries, in seven Counties, as published by the Commissioners, excluding neutural and unsatisfactory answers, may be thus stated:
34 persons declare that 'industry is increasing,'
49 that it is 'much the same' or 'not diminishing,' while
66 assert that it is 'dminishing.'
Thus we have 83 against 66, admitting the Commissioners schoolboy arithmetic to be decisive.
But it is not by such a standard that the Agricultural Poor should be tried. If every answer had put a direct negative on their industry, the fact would still have been the same. To demonstrate how wantonly those laborious men have been stigmatized by Lord Brougham and his Colleagues, it is only necessary to contemplate the products of their labour. A careful analysis of the occupations of the Population in 1831, gives the following result.
| Agricultural Occupiers
not employing Labourers Agricultural Labourers |
......
...... |
114,849
799,875 |
| Total | ...... | 914,724 |
Here are nine hundred and fourteen thousand men keeping the face of this beautiful Country like a garden, and producing by their labour, with comparatively little assistance from other countries, food for nearly FOURTEEN MILLIONS of persons! In France two-thirds of the Population are employed in raising food for themselves and for the other one-third; while in England only one-third of the Inhabitants are engaged in Agriculture, supplying their own wants and those of the other two-thirds: thus making a difference of four to one in favour of the English Labourer."
Note (by Caroline, siteholder):