Image evaluation test target (mt-3) & f// N^ -t>^ ^^V^^ fyi » a i-H H o >• k. a H t-i > w ^ ri H 81 MEMORIAl. BY THR COMMITTEE of INHABITANTS of the CITY of EDINBURGH, appointed to raise Funds for alleviating the Distress of the Honest and Industrious UNEMPLOYED TRAD'SMEN and LABOURERS, THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD STANLEY, HER majesty's PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES. The Committee of the Inhabitants of Edinburuh charged with the Sub- scriptions for the Unemployed Poor, beg to represent to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, that they are at present employing, by a fund raised by Voluntary Subscriptions, upwards of 1200 men, all of them more than three years resident in Edinburgh, who have families, to the the extent of about 5000 more individuals dependent on them, and a majority of whom have been supported by this charitable fund since April last, at wages never exceeding lOd., and generally only 6d. pe: day. The conduct of these men has been uniformly good, but there are many other men partially employed, or not three years resident, also in quest of work ; and there is no prospect of such employment in this city or neighbour, hood as can relieve the charitable inhabitants of Edinburgh of any considerable portiwi of the burden which, in one way or other, the presence of so many Unem- ployed Laboures imposes. At the same time the other claims on those charitable in- habitants are so numerous and pressing, that it is impossible to look forward to their being longer provided for in the same way as at present. The information which this Committee has received from various quarters, induces them to believe that many of these men, if transported to Canada, would very soon find employment there, — be relieved from their present state of distress and add greatly to the wealth and resources of that Colony. The Committee are aware of the objections stated against Government lending assistance to Emigration to the Colonies, but all these objections appear to them to rest fundamentally on the assumption that the present amount of annual emigra- tion " appears to be amply sufficient for the wants of the Colony," and that there is no capital there for the employment of more. The Committee earnestly request that the grounds of this opinion may be re- considered ; for they are positively assured, and have information from various quarters inducing them to believe, what was stated by Mr Justice Hagerman in his evidenoe before a Committee of the House of Commons, nearly two years ago — that occupiers of land, particularly in Upper Canada, and probably in other Colonies, are able and willing to employ many more labourers than annually emi- grate thither, although they have not capital, and cannot easily enter into arrange- ments for conveying labourers there from this country, — particularly as they have no certainty of being able subsequently to command their services. h -^ s The truth of this statement appears to be strongly confirmed by the fact, that the emigrants to Canada last year seem to have found employment as easily as those some years ago, although their number was more than double that of former years. If this be so, it need not be apprehended that any assistance given by Govern- ment to transport unemployed labourers (duly selected for the purpose) to the ports in Canada nearest to such districts, will place these men in circumstances of distress ; on the contrary, it would very rapidly create additional capital, and would be an act of munificence, equally beneficial to the over-burdened large towns in this country, and to the rising fortunes of those districts of Canada. If it be feared that such bounty of Government would be abused, by persons not requiring such aid availing themselves of it, the answer is, tha^ the test of destitution, which has been already applied to nen labouring many months for so scanty a remuneration, and the knowledge of their character thus acquired, area sufficient security that, in their case (for whom alone it is asked), this bounty cannot be misapplied. The Committee would farther beg to represent, that the condition of the Scottish towns as to unemployed labourers is much worsf than that of English towns, because the Scotch Poor Law (now admitted to be defective) makes the family of every labourer who has njaiutained himself three years in any town, chargeable on the poor's rates there, in the event of his dying or becoming dis- abled ; on which account all Scotch or Irish labourers, with families (having no claim in the place of their birth), are naturally very unwilling to leave towns where they have established themselves for that time ; and consequently, every town which has had a season of prosperity is burdened thereafter with numerous .families, for whose labour it may have little or no demand. On these grounds tl'.e Committee earnestly submit, that it would be an act of wisdom, as well as beneficence, for Government to institute a thorough inquiry into the existing demand for labour in the most fertile parts of Canad and other Colonies ; and if it shall appear that duly selected labourers can quickly find em- ployment there, to grant aid in such a manner as shall be deemed most expedient for transporting thither, early in the ensuing summer, families of good character, now unemployed and destitute in this and other towns of Scotland ; and the Committee are confident that every exertion will be made by the charitable in- habitants of these towns, to promote this most beneficial method of relieving those persons who have suffered most severely from the present depression of ^•arious lines of industry. JAMES FORREST, Lord Prnxmt. Chairman of Committee. W. P. ALISON, M. D., (\mre)ur of Sub- Coin mill r.c on I'.mi;/ ntiim. FAUnbmgfi, 2>