ceeded, Barrett said, "I think it is a Nathaniel Newman, a labourer, was pity that lucifer matches should be sold. told by Barrett that the fire broke out Cross-examined by Mr. Jeremy- in the load of straw between the two When arrived at the fire the men were barns, just as they were getting into acting as promptly as possible. Never bed, and that his box, and some articles recollect to have heard prisoners make of clothing were in the privy behind any complaint. Mr. Beckett, of Win- the house, where they were seen by chester, was sent for, who arrived about witness. twelve o'clock, and took the two pri- Mr. Jas. Deare arrived at Upper soners and Parsons into custody. Cranborne shortly after Mr. Saunders. Charles Parsons-Lived at Upper Munday was working with witness in Cranborne Farm with the two prisoners, preserving the granary, and Barrett was were the only persons on the farm. similarly employed.

Went to Sutton on the 19. of February, Mr. P. Lee, solicitor to the prosecuand returned about eight o'clock, when tion, in consequence of information he Barrett took a candle and lantern, and had received, searched the house and all three went out to rack the horses up. premises on the 21. of Feb. Found in Was in the stable about a quarter of an the corner of a room on the ground hour. On coming from the stable Bar- floor, where Parsons slept, a lid of a ret blew the candle out, and Munday lucifer match box, with some matches, said they were going to set fire to the apparently recently burnt, concealed in farm. Witness said he should have some hulls. nothing to do with it. Barrett took The examinations of the prisoners behold of his arm, and drew him towards fore the Rev. Robert Wright, were the straw, Munday saying he would kill read to the court. The confession made him if ever he told. Munday drew a by Munday shortly after the commission match through the sand paper, and set of the crime, charged Munday and the fire to the straw in the middle of the witness Parsons with the offence. wagon. We all three returned to the Mr. Jeremy, on the part of the prihouse, and went into our bed-rooms. soners, called Thos. Brindell, a private On looking out and seeing the two barns in the 12th regt. who was confined in on fire, went to turn the horses out, Winchester gaol for exceeding his followed immediately by Barrett and parole, in the same ward with Parsons, Munday. Saw Mr. Saunders come and had heard him say, "There is not up and held his horse, and also the a man in Sutton but I would accuse to horses of other gentlemen, as many as get myself free, I know they will take he could. Barrett jumped over the my word first, because I am the pales and told me that Mr. Dallas, the youngest. I will nail up two next asparson, wanted to speak to me, and that I should say I knew nothing about it. Went with prisoners and master to his other house.

sizes."

Joseph Kelly, another private in the 12th, confined with Brindell, heard Parsons use similar expressions, which

Cross examined-Have lived with he had written down at the request of Mr Saunders since Michaelmas. Was Daniel Rose, a prisoner in the same twelve months at Mr. Russ's with Mun- ward.

Mr. William Russ, of Wonston, gave Munday a good character during the three years he was in his employ.

day, and was turned away for carelessness. Munday had thrashed me once at Mr. Russ's. Had said I should like to see Upper Cranborne Farm on fire. The judge, addressing the jury, said Had been in gaol a month before I said that the charge, which was one of a that Munday had set fire to the property. very serious nature, rested almost solely Never said "that I would say any thing on the evidence of the boy Parsons, to clear myself; that there was not a whose testimony should be looked at man in Sutton but I would accuse to with some degree of caution. Had he clear myself." been an accomplice, no case would have been made out against the prisoners. THE following letter to Parson MalThe boy had stated that he took no thus was written in Long Island fifteen part; but was forced by the two pri- years ago! My readers will see the nesoners. The learned judge, in recapitu-cessity of republishing it at this very lating the evidence, observed that the critical period.

depositions could not be received as evidence, and therefore the jury must dismiss them from their mind. If the Jury should consider the evidence of Parsons true, and sufficiently corroborated, they would find the prisoners guilty, but should any doubt exist, the prisoners should have the benefit of it. The jury, after a short deliberation, réturned a verdict of guilty.

To

PARSON MALTHUS.

On the rights of the poor; and on the cruelty recommended by him to be exercised towards the poor.

PARSON,

North Hampstead, Long Island, 6. Feb. 1819.

Mr. Justice Patteson, before passing I have, during my life, detested many sentence on Tuesday morning, observed men; but never any one so much as that the evidence against the prisoners you. Your book on POPULATION condid not strike him with the same sense tains matter more offensive to my feelof their guilt as it did the jury. During ings even than that of the dungeonthe trial he entertained strong doubts of bill. It could have sprung from no their guilt. The conduct of the boy mind not capable of dictating acts of was such at least to cast a suspicion on greater cruelty than any recorded in the his evidence. It was quite clear, from history of the massacre of St. Bartholothe evidence of Kelly and the other mew. Priests have, in all ages, been witness, that all the testimony which the remarkable for cool and deliberate and boy gave in the box was not true; but unrelenting cruelty; but it seems to it was for the jury, and not for his have been reserved for the church of lordship, to decide on the effects of his England to produce one who has a just evidence. After mature consideration claim to the atrocious pre-eminence. they found them guilty, and it was his No assemblage of words can give an lordship's duty to pronounce the sentence appropriate designation of you; and, of the law. Since the trial the jury in- therefore, as being the single word timated to his lordship a wish to recom- which best suits the character of such a mend them to mercy. He had con-man, I call you parson, which, amongst sidered the case with much anxiety. It other meanings, includes that of bowaş very rarely indeed that a mitigation roughmonger tool.

of sentence took place in convictions for It must be very clear to every attenarson. He had not completely made tive reader of your book on Population, up his mind on the subject; he would that it was written for the sole purpose still consider it, and without holding out of preparing beforehand a justification any hopes to them, he would merely for those deeds of injustice and cruelty, say, that if he could satisfy his own of which the Parish Vestry Bill appears mind that, consistently with his duty he to be a mere prelude. The project will could recommmend them to the mercy fail; the tyrants will not have the of the crown, he would do it; but as he power to commit the deeds, which you had not made up his mind finally, he recommend, and which they intend to would pronounce upon them the sen-commit. But, that is no matter. It is tence which the law directed. The right that the scheme should be exlearned judge then passed sentence of posed; in order that, as we ought to death upon the prisoners in the usual take the will for the deed, we may be prepared to do justice to the schemer and to the intended executors of the scheme.

form.

In your book you show, that, in eer

tain cases, a crowded population has eunuch; no, nor from a hermit; no, nor been attended with great evils, a great from a man who has condemnedhimself deal of unhappiness, misery, and human to a life of celibacy; but from a priest degradation. You then, without any of a church, the origin of which was the reason to bear you out, predict, or leave incontinence of its clergy, who repre it to be clearly inferred, that the same sented views of chastity as amongst the is likely to take place in England. Your damnable errors of the church of Rome; principles are almost all false; and your and have, accordingly, fully indulged reasoning, in almost every instance, is themselves in carnal enjoyments; what the same. But, it is not my intention can describe our feelings, when we find to waste my time on your abstract mat- that the proposition comes from a priest ter. I shall come, at once, to your of this luxurious, this voluptuous, this practical result; to your recommenda- sensual fraternity, who, with all their tion to the boroughmongers to pass piety, were unable to devote their own laws to punish the poor for mar

rying.

vessels to the Lord!

But, before I proceed further, let us have your proposition before us in your own insolent words; first, observing that, at the time when you wrote your

I have in my possession a list of 743 parsons (of the church of England I mean) who have taken an active part in the Dungeon and Oliver proceedings, book, the boroughmongers began to he either as justices of the peace, or as sup- alarmed at the increase of the poor-rates: pressors, unlawfully, of my publications. they boasted of wonderful national prosThey have threatened hawkers; they perity; wonderful ease and happiness; have imprisoned many; they have wonderful improvements in agriculture; starved the families of not a few; they but still the poor-rates wonderfully inhave threatened booksellers; they have, creased. Indeed they seem to increase in many instances (not less than twenty with the increase of the boroughthat have come to my knowledge) mongers' national prosperity, which caused Paper against. Gold," to be might, I think, very fairly be called the excluded from reading-rooms, though eighth wonder of the world. that is a work which ought to be read by every one, high as well as low, rich as well as poor. I much hate these execrable parsons; but, the whole mass put together is not, to me, an object of such perfect execration as you are. You pers, assumed, without any internal

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are, in my opinion, a man (if we give you the name) not to be expostulated with: but to be punished. And, I beg the public to regard this paper of mine as intended merely to prove, that you deserve the severest punishment that outraged laws can inflict upon you.

Being in this puzzle, the boroughmongers found in a priest the advocate of a method to rid them of their ground of alarm. You, overlooking all the real causes of the increase of the pau

proof, and against all experience, that the giving of relief is the cause of the evil, and then you came to your proposition of a remedy. The words, the infamous words, are as follows:

66

"To this end I should propose a re"gulation to be made, declaring, that no child born from any marriage taking place after the expiration of a year from the date of the law; and no illegitimate child born two years "from the same date, should ever be "entitled to parish assistance. After

66

The bare idea of a law to punish a labourer and artisan for marrying; the bare idea is enough to fill one with indignation and horror. But, when this is moulded into a distinct proposal and strong recommendation, we can hardly find patience sufficient to restrain us "the public notice, which I have profrom breaking out into a volley of "posed, had been given, to the punishcurses on the head of the proposer, be "ment of nature HE should be left; he who he may. What, then, can de- "the punishment of severe want; all scribe our feelings, when we find that "parish assistance should be rigidly dethis proposition does not come from an "nied him. HE should be taught that "the laws of nature had doomed him | sumed by fire and brimstone, and that "and his family to starve; that HE Onan was stricken dead, that adultery " had no claim on society for the small- and fornication are held, in the New "est portion of food; that if HE and Testament, to be deadly sins: I will not

"his family were saved from suffering the " utmost extremities of hunger, he "would owe it to the pity of some kind "benefactor, to whom HE ought to be " bound by the strongest ties of grati" tude."

I never yet knew a parson who understood grammar, so that I am little surprised at this HE, which, according to the words, means the child (though it may be a girl); but which HE does, I

dwell upon anything in this way, because you, being a parson, would laugh in my face. I will take you on your own ground; the laws of nature.

The laws of nature, written in our passions, desires, and propensities; written even in the organization of our bodies; these laws compel the twosexes to hold that sort of intercourse which produces children. Yes, say you, but nature has other laws; and amongst

suppose, mean the man, who shall dare those are, that man shall live by food, to marry or to have a bastard by some and that, if he cannot obtain food, he unmarried woman; and yet, in this lat- shall starve. Agreed, and, if there be a ter case, what mean you by talking of man in England who cannot find, in the the man's family? Cruel, impudent, and whole country, food enough to keep muddleheaded: a parson all through! him alive, I allow that nature has I will, however, suppose you, by HE, to mean the man: and will, if I can, coolly remark upon this atrocious proposition.

doomed him to starve. If, in no shop, house, mill, barn, or other place, he can find food sufficient to keep him alive; then, I allow that the laws of nature condemn him to die.

"Oh!" you will, with parson-like bawl, exclaim, " but he must not com

You talk of the "punishment of nature"; you talk of "the laws of nature " having doomed him and his family to " starve." Now in the first place, the mit robbery or larceny!" Robbery or laws of nature, the most imperative of larceny! what do you mean by that? all her laws, bid him love and seek the Does the law of nature say anything gratification of that passion in a way about robbery or larceny? Does the that leads to the procreation of his spe- law of nature know anything of these cies. The laws of nature bid man as things? No: the law of nature bids well as woman desire to produce and man to take whenever he can find preserve children. Your prohibition is it, whatever is necessary to his life, in the face of these imperative laws, for health, and ease. So, you will quit you punish the illegitimate as well as the law of nature now, will you! the legitimate offspring. I shall not You will only take it as far as serves talk to you about religion, for I shall your purpose of cruelty. You will take suppose you, being a parson, care little it to sanction your barbarity: but will about that. I will not remind you, that fling it away when it offers the man one of the articles of the church, to which food. articles you have sworn, reprobates the Your muddled parson's head has led doctrine of celibacy, as being hostile to you into confusion here. The law of the word of God; that the same article nature bids a man not starve in a land declares that it is lawful for all Christian of plenty, and forbids his being punished men to marry; that one of the church for taking food wherever he can find it. prayers beseeches God that the married Your law of nature is sitting at Westpair may be fruitful in children; that minster to make the labourer pay taxes, another prayer calls little children as to make him fight for the safety of the arrows in the hands of the giant, and land, to bind him in allegiance, and says that the man is happy who has his when he is poor and hungry, to cast him quiver full of them; that the scriptures off to starve, or, to hang him if he take tell us that Lot's neighbours were con- food to save his life!

That is your law of nature; that is a nature, the common possession of all the parson's law of nature. I am glad, how- people. The social compact, entered ever, that you blundered upon the law into for their mutual benefit and proof nature; because that is the very tection; not Castlereagh's "social sysground on which I meant to start in tem," which means the employment of endeavouring clearly to establish the spies and blood-money men, and the rights of the poor; on which subject I have, indeed, lately offered some observations to the public, but on which subject I have not dwelt so fully as its importance seemed to demand; especially at a time, when the poor ought to understand clearly what their rights

are.

When nature (for God and religion are out of the question with parsons); when nature causes a country to exist and people to exist in it, she leaves the people, as she does other animals, to live as they can; to follow their own

existence of mutual suspicion and constant danger to life and limb. The social compact gives rise at once to the words mine and thine. Men exert their skill and strength upon particular spots of land. These become their own. And, when laws come to be made, these spots are called the property of the owners. But, still the property in land, especially, can never be so complete and absolute as to give to the proprietors the right of withholding the means of existence, or of animal enjoyment, from any portion of the people; seeing that

inclinations and propensities; to exert the very foundation of the compact was their skill and strength for their own the protection and benefit of the whole. advantage, or, rather, at their pleasure. Men, in agreeing to give up their rights She imposes no shackles other than to a common enjoyment of the land and those which the heart and mind them- its fruits, never could mean to give up, selves possess. She gives no man in any contingency, their right to live dominion over another man, except and to love, and to seek the gratification that dominion which grows out of of desires necessary to the perpetuating superior cunning or bodily strength. of their species. And, if a contingency She gives to no man any portion of the earth or of its fruits for his own exclusive enjoyments. And, if any man, in such a state of things, cannot get food sufficient to keep him alive, he must die; and, it may truly enough, there, be said, that "the laws of nature have doomed him to be starved."

arise, in which men, without the commission of any crime on their part, are unable by moderate labour that they do perform, or are willing to perform, or by contributions from those who have food, to obtain food sufficient for themselves and their women and children, there is no longer benefit and protection to the whole; the social

But, when this state of things is wholly changed; when the people come compact is at an end; and men have to an agreement to desist for their a right, thenceforward, to act agreeably

to the laws of nature. If, in process of time, the land get into the hands of a comparatively small part of the people, and if the proprietors were to prevent, by making parks, or in any other way, a great part of the land from being

mutual benefit, from using their cunning and strength at their sole will and pleasure. When the strong man agrees to give up the advantage which nature has given him, in order that he may enjoy the greater advantage of those regulations which give protection to all, he cultivated, would they have a right to must surely be understood to suppose, say to the rest of the people, You shall as a condition, that no state of things is breed no more; if you do, nature has ever to arise, in which he, without doomed you to starvation? Would they having broken the compact on his part, have a right to say, "We leave you the is to be refused not only protection from punishment of nature"? If they were harm, but even the bare means of ex- fools enough to do this, the rest of the istence. The land, the trees, the fruits, people would, doubtless, snap them at the herbage, the roots are, by the law of their word, and say, "Very well, then,