CHAP. II. Page Causes of Increase and Variations in the Amount of the Poor's Rate 86 Seasons of Scarcity ib. Enquiry as to the Seasons and their Effects Interference of Magistrates Occurrences in 1795 Consequences Explanation of the Increase and Decrease CHAP. III. Effects of the Mal-administration of the Poor Laws on Morals and Industry 88 90 91 92 ib. 95 Page Agricultural Labourers not contemplated by the 43 Eliz. Abuses greatest in Agricultural Counties 102 103 Questions put to the Judges as to the Legality of the Practice 104 Remedy CHAP. VI. System established in the Parish of Cookham Parish to be the hardest Master and lowest Payer Adopted in other Parishes How it operates How to be brought about Practicable in all Parishes Inadequacy of Acts of Parliament Course to be taken 105 ib. 106 107 108 110 112 113 114 We have enjoyed seventeen years of peace, during which our shipping, and our exports of home produce and manufacture, have increased in a greater proportion than ever they did in any previous period of our history; yet distress has, nevertheless, prevailed generally throughout the country, and particularly in the agricultural districts. A transition from war to peace has always produced a revulsion, as a transition from peace to war has done, and to the extent of the revulsion there always has been distress; but such distress has heretofore passed away with the consequences of the revulsion which produced it. It was reserved for our times, that distress should not only continue, but should increase, throughout so long a period of peace. But distress is not confined to Great Britain. It prevails in every country in Europe. It is only felt more severely in Great Britain than in other countries, except France, in which it is felt still more severely than it is in Great Britain. B |