a colonial emigration fund, and effectual measures for procuring every practicable retrenchment. For the latter purpose, he suggests that an inspector should be appointed, whose duty it should be to inquire into the age, condition, general character, and means of living, of every person receiving parish allowance at their own houses. His duty should be to ascertain whether the pauper be married or single, the number of his children, if any, the sum received by each, and how long the family was on the parish. All such particulars were to be laid formally before certain directors; these directors to be chosen after a form hereafter described.

The agents of emigration should be recognised by government according to this plan; and they should be allowed to hold official communication with the colonial department.

With the view of giving facility and due effect to the general arrangements, it is proposed that a central board of management should be established in each county. This tribunal would act as a medium of communication between the several parishes and incorporated districts. These several boards should be controlled by, and should correspond with, a general board of management, to be established in London. The latter board would act finally in all matters that related to the passage of the emigrants, and would carry on the necessary intercourse with the colonial department.

Such is the nature of the machine destined to perform the duty of superintendants to the system of emigration. It now remains to be seen how the practical business itself is to be accomplished. It is therefore proposed, that the boards should be required to take especial care that none but proper objects, as respects health, age, sex, and general character, should be selected for emigration.

With respect to the discretion of choosing, on the ground of age and sex, the fittest persons to be sent out as emigrants, there is a great deal of precaution to be used; nor do we know that a better account of the motives which dictate this preliminary vigilance was ever given, than that contained in the very able, but unpretending work of Mrs. Martineau, in her Illustrations of Political Economy. We quote the passage alluded to, from the dialogue between the two feigned characters, Mr. Jackson and Frank.

The entire effect of emigration depends on the selection of those who are to go. The number of persons who become marriageable every year in this country is now 800,000. If these were all sent out, it is plain the country would be depopulated in the course of a single generation; but if we sent out the same number of old persons, it would make a very small difference in the amount of the people at home; and it would not be worth the colony's while to receive those who would bring little labour and no population. If, again, we sent out that number of men and boys to a colony, where there are few women already, we should afford ourselves only a half relief, and giving the colony nothing more than the present labour of these men and boys; whereas, by sending out equal proportions of men and women, we give the colony all their descendants as well as

themselves, and free ourselves from the same amount of labour, which we do not want.

A much smaller number than 800,000 would be enough then, sir, to thin our population sufficiently?

Certainly. If, instead of sending out people of all ages, we were to select those who become marriageable, one-sixth of that number, or about 133,000 emigrnting annually, would prevent our population increasing, and this might be done at an expense not exceeding a fourth of the sum annually raised for poor-rate, sending half to America and half to Australia. This would be well worth while, even if there were to be no repayment of expenses, which there might and ought to be from colonies where labour is much wanted.-pp. 113, 114.

The next consideration, after the choice of the emigrants, is the nature of the terms of emigration. Mr. Sedgwick proposes that the price of the passage being fixed, the sum should be deposited in proper hands, as a loan to the emigrant, who must agree to repay the amount by four annual instalments derived from his wages.The applicant for the assistance of the board, to enable him to emigrate, must have a certificate frou the minister and churchwarden, certifying that he is a pauper settled in a particular parish. A week's notice verbally, or in writing, is required to be given to the clergyman and churchwarden by the party who applies, in order that the proper inquiries may be prosecuted before the certificate is given.

Its being already provided that the emigrants should repay the loan advanced for their expenses, it is essential that, on their arrival, some occupation should be in readiness for them, in order that they should have the opportunity of earning sufficient to an. swer the claim.

Mr. Sedgwick proposss that a warden of parochial emigrants should be ready, at the appointed place, to receive the emigrants, and that a warden should be established in the country to which the emigrants are sent, for each of the counties of Great Britain. But, though this were the case, still the system of superintendance might, by possibility, be exercised in an imperfect manner. Our author, therefore suggests, as an effectual remedy, that a wardengeneral should be appointed, as well for the better carrying of the subordinate part of the system into effect, as for the further purposes to be afterwards mentioned.

When the emigrant arrives, he must deliver in to the warden of his county, a statement of his name and residence, into whose service he has entered, and in what capacity, the wages, the term of the hiring, and the date of entering the service. The warden is then to give notice to the settler who employs the emigrant that a loan is due, and that he should pay it in the instalments already mentioned.

So much for the first year. In the second year, prudent arrangements will be carried into effect. The number of emigrants will be

considerably reduced; and it is calculated, that if the same proportion of poor rates as was appropriated in the first year, be af. forded in the second, this sum, to the surplus of the preceding year, will constitute a total of 18,000l. applicable to the expenses of emigration. But Mr. Sedgwick proposes that the allowance of the second year, to this class of paupers, should be diminished one-half; and that, after this second year, the allowance be wholly discontinued.

The third year arrived, the overplus of the two former years is to be paid over to the Emigration Fund. But the poor rates are still to be levied for one year longer, and the proceeds to be placed in a parochial bank, which is to have the enjoyment of the following privileges: To issue its own notes, as any country bank; that it is not in its issue of notes to exceed the actual amount of its capital; that it be conducted on the principle of cash accounts, as followed by the Scotch banks. The author, after some further details, enters into an account of the peculiar advantages which attend the constitution of a parochial bank, on the plan above proposed. In order to render this institution still more beneficial, the author suggests, that there be combined with it a parochial contribution fund, principally for the support of a parochial library. The best of the other suggestions made by him, for completing the system of emigration, is the following:

It would be a sound and considerate policy to make a similar provision for those whom-as well for the benefit of the mother country as their own-we convey to Van Diemen's Land or elsewhere. Our colonies can only be prosperous in proportion as the settlers are frugal, industrious, and well-disposed. We are rearing up what will, in a course of years, become a most numerous and extensive population. As are the parents so will be the children. We shall therefore do well, on the first settlement, to assist in forming their moral habits, and with this view, to furnish them with the means, as time and opportunity may afford, of meeting together in a manner, and for a purpose, worthy of social beings. There is in the human mind a natural desire for information. If this bias is cherished, the conduct will take a moral direction; if it is not, the chance is that the character will run wild, and the man whose behaviour and manners might have been exemplary, becomes, from neglect, unprincipled and worthless, wretched in himself, and a nuisance to those about him.

It is peculiarly incumbent upon us, in that state of society which our Australasian colonies at present exhibit, to omit no means of giving effect to the diffusion of knowledge. Nothing that can tend, however remotely, to call into action the mental faculties and moral feelings of our emigrant population, should be neglected. You have-and this fact ought never to be out of mind-you have to guard a youthful population, of both sexes, against the contagion of a convict settlement. The relationship which the colonial emigrants bear to our common country, gives us an interest in their character to which we cannot be indifferent. We have, as it were, to lay the moral foundation of society in a new world. The disposition of the multitude in all nations, old and new, is often powerfully wrought upon

by unseen and apparently slight influences. A book society, planned on a liberal basis and judiciously regulated, will go far towards making the emigrant population of Australia worthy of the lineage from which they are sprung.-pp. 140, 141.

We take no part with the author, in his recommendations and suggestions: but we are quite sure, that Mr. Sedgwick will thank us for the intimation, that should any plan of this nature be really adopted, the government ought, in all conscience, to give the author of this project one of the best hulks to be had in the new establishment.

ART. XIII.—A Bill for Promoting the better Observance of the Lord's Day. Printed by Order of the House of Commons. THE success with which the true friends of religion have been able to crown their meritorious labours in vindicating the sacredness of the Lord's Day, has at length been manifested in a practical contrivance, which we sincerely hope may be efficient for its purposes. The Bill before us has just been printed. It was introduced by Sir A. Agnew to the House of Commons, and in spirit and style possesses a solemn character befitting the subject.

The preamble sets out with a declaration that, forasmuch as nothing is more acceptable to God than the true and sincere worship of Him according to His holy will, and that the holy keeping of the Lord's Day is a principal part of the true service of God, which, in a great many places of this realm, has been, and now is, profaned and neglected; and whereas, it is the bounden duty of the legislature to protect every class of society against being compelled to sacrifice their comfort, health, religious privileges, and their consciences, for the convenience, enjoyment, or supposed advantage of any other class on the Lord's Day; and whereas, the laws now in existence are found to be practically insufficient to secure the object for which they profess to provide, be it therefore enacted, &c. &c.

The Bill then proceeds to enact, that no work shall be done on any part of the Lord's Day; and that those offending against the prohibition, shall be subject to the following penalties:

That every person who upon any part of the Lord's Day shall do or exercise, or hire or employ any person to do or exercise, any labour or work of his or her ordinary calling, or in the way of trade or business, or keep open shop, or buy or sell, or cry, offer or expose for sale, or receive or deliver, any goods, wares, merchandizes, animals, chattels, articles, effects, or things whatsoever, or pay, or cause or procure to be paid, any wages or sum of money, or security for money, or make any contract of

hiring or other contract or agreement, shall forfeit and pay a sum not less than five shillings, nor more than twenty shillings for the first offence; and not less than twenty shillings, nor more than forty shillings for the second offence; and not less than forty shillings, nor more than five pounds for every subsequent offence; and, in addition to such forfeitures, every such payment, settlement, contract or agreement, and every receipt or discharge for money given on the Lord's Day, shall be utterly void and of none effect.

The remaining chief clauses of the Bill are these:

Every person who shall keep open shop on any part of the Lord's Day, shall forfeit the further sum of ten shillings for every hour beyond the first hour during which he or she shall so keep open shop.

Every person keeping any hotel or coffee-house, who shall permit or suffer any wine, beer, ale, porter, cider, spirituous or other liquors, dressed meat or other provisions, to be drunk or consumed in or upon, or to be removed, delivered or sent out from his or her premises during any part of the Lord's Day, shall forfeit for the first offence not less than twenty shillings, nor more than forty shillings; for the second not less than forty shillings, nor more than three pounds; and for every subsequent offence not less than three pounds, nor more than five pounds, and have his or her license withdrawn if any such there be.

Every person who shall be present at any meeting, assembly, or concourse of people, upon any part of the Lord's Day, for any purpose of gaming, wagering, or betting, or for any wake, fair, baiting or hunting any animal, cock-fighting, or dog-fighting, or shooting, or any pastime of public indecorum, inconvenience, or nuisance, or for public debating upon or discussing any subject, or for public lecture, address, or speech, or who shall be present at any news room, or club-room, shall forfeit for the first offence any sum not less than five shillings, nor more than ten shillings; for the secona offence not less than ten shillings, nor more than twenty shillings; and for every subsequent offence not less than twenty shillings, nor more than five pounds.

of

Every house, room, yard, or other place, which shall be open or used on any part of the Lord's Day, for the purpose of any such meeting, assembly, or concourse of persons as is hereinbefore mentioned, or for the purpose any such news-room or club-room, shall be deemed a disorderly house or place, and be dealt with as the law directs in cases of disorderly houses; and every keeper thereof, and every person who shall appear, act, or behave him or herself as master, or mistress, or person, having the care, government, or management of any such house, room, or place, shall forfeit fifty pounds; and every person who shall manage or conduct any such meeting, assembly, or concourse, or act as master of the ceremonies, moderator, president, or chairman, shall forfeit ten pounds; and every door-keeper, showman, or servant attending thereat, shall forfeit five pounds; and every person advertising or