is situated. The origination of the committee will be most completely shown by inserting the regulations which it has adopted.

By-laws of the Committee of the Spitalfields Association.

General Committee.

1. That this committee do consist of a treasurer, secretary, and fortytwo members, with liberty to increase its numbers.

2. That this committee do meet every other Tuesday, subject nevertheless to the call of the secretary at the requisition of six of its members.

3. That this committee do meet at a quarter past eight in the morning of the days aforesaid, the time to be determined by the middle watch of three, and that every member be liable to a fine of one shilling who may not come into the committee-room before the reading of the list of members be concluded, without alleging an excuse that may be deemed reasonable by a majority of the members present.

4. That in the decision of any question where the numbers are equally divided, the chairman shall have an additional vote.

5. That not fewer than seven members shall constitute a quorum for transacting business.

6. That the treasurer be appointed chairman of the committee, and that it be the duty of the chairman to read the fair minutes, to keep order, and to put such questions as may come before the committee during its sittings.

7. That if the treasurer be not in the committee-room before the reading of the list of members be concluded, the members present shall choose a chairman from among themselves.

8. That this committee do elect its own members by ballot, one fourth of the members present objecting, to exclude, and that the ballot be taken at the next sitting after a name shall be proposed.

9. That no member of the committee shall absent himself during its sitting without permission from the chair.

10. That all receipts and disbursements be entered on the minutes of this committee, and that all drafts on the treasurer be signed by two of its members during the sitting of the committee.

11. That the order of business in the committee be as follows.-1st, To read over the list of members.---2d, To ballot for new members.--3d, To read over the minutes of the last sitting--4th, To receive the report of subcommittees.---5th, To take new propositions into consideration.

12. That a ledger be kept, in which all cases requiring relief, consistently with the views of this association, shall be entered, and an account kept of the relief from time to time afforded.

13. That an index be kept, which shall contain the name and residence of every family visited by the district committees, with a reference to the number of that subcommittee, and to the ledger or files, as the case may be.

14. That all moneys received by the treasurer for fines be appropriated to the use of the association.

The Subcommittee of Management.

15. That a committee of three members be chosen to be called the subcommittee of management, who shall meet once every week, or oftener if necessary, and keep minutes of their proceedings,

16. That any cases of distress reported to this subcommittee shall be immediately referred to the visiting subcommittee in whose district such case may be situated.

17. That it be the office of this subcommittee to superintend the ledger, and see that none of the cases entered, therein are neglected by the visitors; to arrange the depots and the supply of food and clothing, to receive the reports of the visiting subcommittees both of cases visited and relief administered, to audit the treasurer's accounts, to receive and distribute new cases, to prepare a report to be laid before the meetings of the general committee, and to act in all emergencies not provided for in the By-laws. 18. That a clerk be appointed, who shall be exclusively under the orders of this subcommittee.

19. That Spitalfields and its neighbourhood be divided into districts, and that a visiting subcommittee be appointed to each.

20. That the visiting subcommittees do attend to such cases as may be referred to them, as speedily as possible.

21. That although it has been deemed eligible that the visiting subcommittees should consist of two or more members, it is not considered essential that the visits should always be performed by more than one member of a subcommittee.

22. That the particulars of every new case be entered on paper ruled and printed for that purpose, specifying such cases as may be considered to require further or frequent attention, by placing upon them the letter L. signifying that they are to be entered by the clerk in the ledger: and that such report of all families visited be presented to the subcommittee of management next after such visit may have been made; and after the ledger cases are entered from them, they shall be filed for a reference at any future time.

23. That the visiting subcommittees also present to the subcommittee of management weekly, accounts of any relief granted by subsequent visits to the ledger cases, and the subcommittees shall be provided with books, of which the reports shall be a copy, and shall be sent to the clerk previous to the sitting of the said committee.

24. That, as it appears, from the reports of several members of this association who have minutely investigated the circumstances of very many distressed families in Spitalfields, that the funds of the association will not admit of relief being granted to the poor in any considerable degree proportioned to their wants, the several subcommittees are not expected to do more than to administer to their immediate necessities.

25. That, therefore, it is by no means consistent with the views of this association to discharge arrears of rent, bakers' bills, or any sum or sums of money due upon any account whatsoever.

26. That it is the decided opinion of this committee, that it will contribute more to the interests of society and to the welfare of the families who may be relieved by this association, that all relief afforded them in regard to food and clothing, should be given in food or clothes rather than in money to purchase them.

27. That therefore, as it is in the contemplation of this committee to establish one or more depôts in some central situation in Spitalfields, with a view to furnish such of the poor as may be distressed, with sundry articles of food at a low price, it be recommended to the several visiting subcommittees to enable the poor they may visit to obtain assistance by that means, in preference to giving them money.

28. And that, as some individuals, particularly children, may be found almost destitute of clothing, the several visiting subcommittees do give tickets for a necessary supply, addressed to the subcommittee of manage ment, in preference to giving money to the poor themselves to purchase it. 29. That nevertheless, as cases may occur in which it may be difficult to abstain from granting immediate assistance, the several subcommittees shall, in such cases, be at liberty to afford such relief in money, as to them may appear consistent with the views of the association; but it is the opinion of this committee, that no sum exceeding five shillings and sixpence be granted to any one family at one time.

30. That any new case presented to any member of the subcommittees beyond the lints of their district, be immediately by him handed over to the subcommittee of management.

31. That all cases requiring the care and attention of the female committee be handed over to it without loss of time; but as the said committee undertakes only the care of the female part of a family, the visiting subcommittees will, of course, attend to the general situation of the family, and afford such relief as may be consistent with the views of this association.

32. That it be the care of the several visiting subcommittees as much as possible to guard against granting assistance to such families as may not absolutely stand in need of it; and in order to prevent this, that they personally investigate the situation of those who may apply for relief, and particularly, it weavers, that they inspect the state of their looms, &c. and that no relief be given in consequence of any application, previous to such inspection.

33. That the several visiting subcommittees do endeavour to promote industry, sobriety, and orderly conduct amongst the poor; that they recommend their constant attendance at places of divine worship; and that they carefully avoid granting any pecuniary or other assistance where there may be reason to suppose it would have a tendency to encourage idleness,

34. That the several members of the visiting subcommittees do earnestly recommend the placing of such boys as may be of the proper age in the Spicer-street school, and that they also recommend vaccination among the poor, and distribute the tickets printed by this committee for that purpose.

From the construction of these regulations, it is manifest that the object is not to support the poor in idleness, but to enable them to bear up under their present difficulties until Government may have found the means of giving new spirit to our languishing commerce, and thereby full employment to our industrious poor: but it is not to be supposed that any public measure can, by a sort of magic, instantly convert scarcity into plenty, and repair all the complicated mischiefs which the manufactures have experienced in consequence of a stagnation of trade. If, however, things should happily revert to their old channel, and the industrious mechanic find full employment, it will be long, very long, before many of them will be able to redeem their beds, clothing, and furniture from pawn, and pay their long arrears at the bakers and chandlers.

The committee is now engaged in fitting up a shop, near the centre of Spitalfields, for the sale of salt-fish, rice, and other articles of provis on, at reduced prices, to those who bring tickets from the visiting subcommittees. Relief has been already afforded to several hundred families, and the ladies' committee has been found extremely useful, particularly in the cases of lying-in women.

The East India company has very humanely contributed its aid by admitting 160 persons as temporary labourers in their warehouses on the recommendation of the committee; and it is but justice to the poor men thus benefited, to state, that they have expressed their gratitude in a joint address to the company signed with their names; and have also presented a similar one to the association; we are the more inclined to mention this circumstance, as erroneous statements of the situation of the poor in Spitalfields have found their way into some of the most respectable morning papers: these mistaken accounts are highly injurious to the wretched objects of the committee's care, having a tendency to paralyse the hand of charity and dry up the sources of relief. With a liberal subscription much imight be done towards diminishing the pressure now so severely felt; and as the families are regularly visited at their own apartments by members of the committee, relief will only be given to those who manifestly need it; and thus the public have full security that the funds will not be wasted upon improper objects, but made to produce the greatest possible quantity of good*.

Donations and Subscriptions are received by the Treasurer, Samuel Hoare, juu. Lombard-street.

By the following Bankers: Hoare, Barnetts, Hoare, and Co. Lombard-street; Barclay, Tritton, Bevan, and Co. Ditto;

W. Fry and Sons, St. Mildred's Court, Poultry;

And by the members of the Committee,

Allen, Joseph, Dalston, near Kingsland; | Barclay, Robert, jun. Lombard-street;

Allen, William, Plough-court, Lom

bard-street;

Arch, John, Cornhill;

Barclay, David, 6, Old Jewry;

Barclay, Gurney, Ditto;

Barrett, Richard, Beech-street;

Bedford, Peter, 32, Steward-street,:

Old Artillery-ground;

Bradshaw, Joseph, Lombard-street;
Buxton, T. F. Brewhouse, Brick-lane;

For a correct description of the circumstances of the poor in Spitalfields, our readers are referred to a "Letter to Samuel Whitbread, Esq. M. P. containing observations on the distresses peculiar to the Poor of Spitalfields, arising from their local situation, by William Hale."

Janson, Halsey, Bull's-head Passage,
Wood-street;

Kincey, Thomas, 213, Whitechapel;
Lister, J. J. Tokenhouse Yard;
Messman, Daniel, Spital-square;
Meyrick, Edward, 21, Vine-court, Spi-
talfields;

Pepys, W. H. Poultry;
Phillips, William, George-yard, Lom,
bard-street;

Pratt, Rev. Josiah, Doughty-street;
Pryor, Robert, Shoreditch;
Richardson, Thomas, Lombard-street;
Sanderson, John, jun. Old Jewry;
Sanderson, Richard, Ditto;'
Sewell, George, Lombard-street;
Sterry, Henry, Basinghall-street;
Watson, Jos. B. Mildred's-court;
Woods, Samuel, George-yard, Lom-
bard-street;

Wood,Thomas, Budge-row, Walbrook;
Zachary, Thomas, Bishopsgate-street,

The Book of Cases may be seen by application to any member of the Committee.

Plan of the Philanthropic Society of Mile End, established March 5, 1803, for the Relief and Discharge of Persons imprisoned for Small Debts; and other Objects.

THE annual subscription to be twelve shillings.-Five guineas constitutes a life subscriber.

The affairs of the society are under the management of eighteen directors, with a treasurer and secretary, chosen from the subscribers, who choose one as president; six of whom go out annually, by rotation, and are ineligible to be re-chosen until after the expiration of twelve months. The vacancies> are filled up by ballot, a fortnight preceding the first week in March.

Every subscriber, who has been so one month, may vote in the choice of directors, and ladies may vote by proxy..

The directors have the management and disposal of the moneys subscribed, at such periods as they may think proper, in discharging and relieving poor persous imprisoned for small. debts, and for the relief of such poor persons, or families, as