SH. 1831.

GREAT BRITAIN'S CRISIS!

Reform:

Retrenchment: and Economy :

THE

HARD CASE OF THE FARMERS:

AND THE

DISTRESSED CONDITION OF THE LABOURING POOR:

A Letter

TO

THE RT. HON. SIR JAMES GRAHAM, BART

BY

THE REV. RICHARD WARNER, F.A.S.

AUTHOR OF "LITERARY RECOLLECTIONS:

"A MANUAL FOR YOUTH;"

&c. &c. &c.

SECOND EDITION, ENLARGED, PRICE 1s. 6d.

BIB

If it please Heaven, in its wisdom and goodness, to inspire the people of these realms
with CONFIDENCE in the PRESENT ADMINISTRATION,-a CONFIDENCE with which they are
already honoured, by our HONEST KING: God bless him! (the Epithet is a homely one,
but, as JUNIUS said of his praise of Lord Chatham, IT WILL WEAR WELL,) my countrymen
may hope (under Providence) to experience, ere long, the blessings of REFORM :
RETRENCHMENT: ECONOMY: and the RELIEF of PUBLIC distress. If the Nation at large
do NOT support them-but, I leave it to others to pronounce the probable result!

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR

LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, AND GREEN;

PATERNOSTER-ROW.

1831.

A PREFATORY REMARK TO THE SECOND

EDITION.

I FEEL pleasure in publishing a second edition of the following Pamphlet, as it enables me to add a few words on behalf of two classes of our population, whose unspeakable value to the State, has not (in my humble opinion), for a long series of preceding years, been duly appreciated — I mean the FARMERS; and LABOURING POOR.

The approbation of the public, emboldens me, also, to prefix my name to the present edition: although, independently of other considerations, I regard it as a right inherent in every loyal Englishman, who has a stake in his country, amid the unparalleled and alarming civil and political circumstances by which he is, at this moment, surrounded; not only, publicly, to express his regret at the existence of the evil; but, modestly, to suggest such measures, as, in his humble opinion, are calculated, either to remove, or meliorate it.

LONDON:

Printed by A. & R. Spottiswoode,
New-Street-Square.

Advertisement.

I HAD just entered upon that portion of the following LETTER, which treats of the HARD CASE of the FARMERS; and the DISTRESSED CONDITION of the LABOURING POOR; when a recently published Pamphlet by the Right Reverend G. H. Law, Bishop of Bath and Wells, fell into my hands.* It is written with all the simplicity and feeling, acuteness and sound practical sense, which characterise his Lordship's other published productions; and speaks honest truths; and suggests useful hints; well worthy the serious attention of the Legislature, and of every class of the community. I perfectly agree with his Lordship, in all his reasonings and conclusions; and frankly acknowledge, that if any thing appear to be either new or striking, in my observations on the DISTRESSED CONDITION of the LABOURING POOR, its germ may be found in the Pamphlet of the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

In times like those in which we live, and in the present critical state of the ESTABLISHED CHURCH, it was to be expected, that his Lordship's sincere attachment to that PROTESTANT CHURCH, and his warm, but rational zeal for her best interests, would lead him to speak a seasonable word in her favour, and risk the odium of her enemies, in her defence. This the Bishop has done; and my own judgment and feelings, entirely correspond with his Lordship's on this interesting point. I would

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* "REMARKS on she present Distresses of the Poor. Is. 66 well, New Bond Street; and Rivington, Waterloo Place; London."

not arrogate to our ECCLESIASTICAL ESTABLISHMENT, the character of absolute perfection; nor hold her up, as 66 a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any "such thing" (Ephes. v. 27.); but, I would maintain, that from the learning, piety, and benevolence (generally speaking) of her CLERGY - from the purity and mildness of her DOCTRINES - from the beauty and pathos of her RITUAL-from the adaptation of her FRAME to the political FORM of our GOVERNMENT and from her absolute IDENTITY with the existing CONSTITUTION of our empire-her friends and ministers, have not only a right to claim for her, the respect and esteem of those without her pale; but, to throw from themselves the imputation of an unjust partiality in her favour, when they offer to her their affection and allegiance; and breathe in her behalf the fervent wish,

Esto perpetua!

The CHURCH of England may possibly fall a victim to the "distemper of the times *;" but, should such be her destiny, we may boldly assert with the Bishop of Bath and Wells, that "England will rue the day;" for, most assuredly, she would bury in her ruins, a far larger proportion than we can afford to lose, of the PIETY, VIRTUE, HAPPINESS, and RESPECTABILITY of our country.

* See an excellent Charge by the Rev. Liscombe Clarke, M. A., Archdeacon of Sarum, July 1830. Salisbury, Brodie and Co. p. 11.