DUDLEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.

DUDLEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.To the Ratepayers of the Parish of Dudley.Fellow Ratepayers,The Public Health Act being extended to the Parish of Dudley, you will in a few days be called upon to elect proper persons, as a Local Board, to carry out its provisions.As it will necessarily entail a very heavy expense on the Parish, it is of the utmost importance that those persons should be elected who will faithfully discharge the weighty duties of their office, with a due regard to ECONOMY IN THE EXPENDITURE OF THE PARISH FUNDS.Vote, then, for the following Fifteen Candidates (nominated by Messrs. Blackwell and Cochrane), who, if elected, will carefully guard the interests of the Ratepayers, and carry out the provisions of the Act at the least possible expense:—Mr. Samuel Holden Blackwell“ Elliott Hollier“ Thomas Wood“ Josiah Collins Cook“ Alexander Brodie Cochrane, Jun.The Rev. Dr. BrowneMr. Thomas Lester“ Alexander PattersonMr. John Finch“ William Chrysostom Wood“ William Timmins“ Richard Smith“ Edward Dixon, the younger“ James Evers Swindell“ George Thomson (Corngreaves)A Ratepayer.Dudley, 13th June, 1853.N.B.—AsONLYFifteen persons can be elected, any Ratepayer Voting for more than that numberwill lose the whole of his Votes. The Voting Paper must be carefully preserved by the Voter, as no second Paper will be given. When filled up it must be kept ready for delivery to the Distributor, who will call for it on TUESDAY, the 21st Instant, and who is the only person authorised to receive the same.DUDLEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.TO THE RATE-PAYERS OF DUDLEY.Fellow Ratepayers,The most important Suffrage since the passing of the Reform Bill has lately been conferred upon the Rate-Payers of Dudley, by the introduction of the “Health of Towns Act;”and you are now called upon to Elect Fifteen fit and proper Personsto carry out the provisions of this salutary Measure. This day you have had 40 Names submitted to your notice, as parties wishful to have the management of the affairs of this Parish confided to them, andit now behoves you carefully to consider who and what class of masters shall rule over you! A cursory glance at the List of Names nominated for your approval, clearly shows that some are incapacitated from age and non-residence to attend to your interests, and others want theessential qualitiesof apractical knowledge of the working of the Act.Recollect, fellow Rate-payers, that £25,000 may shortly be at the disposal of your elected Rulers, and this sum, too, will have to come out of the pockets of the Rate-payers!Improvements we want, but we must be carefulto whom, we trust these large powersto make those Amendments. Let us then elect a Class of Commissioners whom we know to be ofhonest purpose, independence of character, quickness of perception, mindful of the judicious improvements of the Town, as well as of the Pockets of the Rate-payers, and possess aconscientious determination to attend personally to the duties of this important office.Beware, then, of committing yourselves to party purposes,—political tendencies—family cliques—or honorary and never attending members. Bear in mind that it is a very common practice to escape from one set of inefficient Rulers into the arms of another, often professedly more liberal but usually more tyrannical and inadequate to the duties they profess to fulfil,—past experience, in Dudley, teaches the necessity of this caution to the Ratepayers. Have practical, honest, business-like men, who will be fearless and judicious in the discharge of their duties, andspend your money as carefully as though it were their own. Recollect, that men who have something tangible to lose are the most likely to be careful about the spending of that fund which they will have heavily to pay to.On Tuesday next you will be called upon for the Voting Paper left at your houses,write your Initials at once opposite the following names on the Voting Paper, and you will thereby elect such a Board of intelligent and responsible Commissioners, as will improve the Town and save your Pockets.VOTE FORMr. S. H. Blackwell, Iron-Master, High Street.“ Elliott Hollier, Chemist, High Street.“ J. C. Cook, Ironmonger, High Street.“ Thomas Wood, Spirit Merchant, High Street.“ A. B. Cochrane, Iron-Master, Woodside.Rev. Dr. Browne, Vicar, Vicarage.Mr. Thomas Lester, Spirit Merchant, Queen Street.“ C. F. G. Clark, Druggist, Queen Street.“ Edward Terry, Jun., Tea Dealer, Market Place.“ Richard Smith, Agent, Priory.“ James Evers Swindell, Iron-Master, Woodside.“ William Haden, Iron-Master, Dixon’s Green.“ Edward Grainger, Draper, Market Place.“ John Renaud, Glass-Master, Tower Street.“ W. C. Wood, Grocer, High Street.A FREEHOLDER AND RATEPAYER.Dudley, June 16th, 1853.DUDLEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.To the Ratepayers of Dudley.Gentlemen,The Clerk of the Quackery establishment, with his usual“quickness of perception, honest purpose, and independence of character,” has thought proper at this particular season to address you on “theessential qualitiesandpractical knowledgeof the Public Health!” IT NOW BEHOVES YOU CAREFULLY TO CONSIDER “what class of Quackery you ought to support, so that YOUR MONEY MAY BE SPENT AS CAREFULLY AS IF IT WERE YOUR OWN.” Recollect,THAT MEN WHO HAVE SOMETHING TANGIBLE TO LOSEare the men most likely to be careful of the same.£25,000 will have to come out of your pockets shortly (so says the Clerk), for “thejudicious improvements of the Town,” and fifteenconscientious and determinedCommissioners must be chosen.Beware, then, of self-interested partisans,—political turncoats, and troublesome quacks—“past experience in Dudley teaches the necessity of this caution to Ratepayers.”“O that estates, degrees, and offices,Were not derived corruptly;—that clear honourWere purchased by the merit of the wearer.”A LOOKER-ON.Dudley, 16th June 1853.

To the Ratepayers of the Parish of Dudley.

Fellow Ratepayers,

The Public Health Act being extended to the Parish of Dudley, you will in a few days be called upon to elect proper persons, as a Local Board, to carry out its provisions.

As it will necessarily entail a very heavy expense on the Parish, it is of the utmost importance that those persons should be elected who will faithfully discharge the weighty duties of their office, with a due regard to ECONOMY IN THE EXPENDITURE OF THE PARISH FUNDS.

Vote, then, for the following Fifteen Candidates (nominated by Messrs. Blackwell and Cochrane), who, if elected, will carefully guard the interests of the Ratepayers, and carry out the provisions of the Act at the least possible expense:—

Mr. Samuel Holden Blackwell“ Elliott Hollier“ Thomas Wood“ Josiah Collins Cook“ Alexander Brodie Cochrane, Jun.The Rev. Dr. BrowneMr. Thomas Lester“ Alexander PattersonMr. John Finch“ William Chrysostom Wood“ William Timmins“ Richard Smith“ Edward Dixon, the younger“ James Evers Swindell“ George Thomson (Corngreaves)

Mr. Samuel Holden Blackwell“ Elliott Hollier“ Thomas Wood“ Josiah Collins Cook“ Alexander Brodie Cochrane, Jun.The Rev. Dr. BrowneMr. Thomas Lester“ Alexander Patterson

Mr. Samuel Holden Blackwell

“ Elliott Hollier

“ Thomas Wood

“ Josiah Collins Cook

“ Alexander Brodie Cochrane, Jun.

The Rev. Dr. Browne

Mr. Thomas Lester

“ Alexander Patterson

Mr. John Finch“ William Chrysostom Wood“ William Timmins“ Richard Smith“ Edward Dixon, the younger“ James Evers Swindell“ George Thomson (Corngreaves)

Mr. John Finch

“ William Chrysostom Wood

“ William Timmins

“ Richard Smith

“ Edward Dixon, the younger

“ James Evers Swindell

“ George Thomson (Corngreaves)

A Ratepayer.

Dudley, 13th June, 1853.

N.B.—AsONLYFifteen persons can be elected, any Ratepayer Voting for more than that numberwill lose the whole of his Votes. The Voting Paper must be carefully preserved by the Voter, as no second Paper will be given. When filled up it must be kept ready for delivery to the Distributor, who will call for it on TUESDAY, the 21st Instant, and who is the only person authorised to receive the same.

DUDLEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.

TO THE RATE-PAYERS OF DUDLEY.

Fellow Ratepayers,

The most important Suffrage since the passing of the Reform Bill has lately been conferred upon the Rate-Payers of Dudley, by the introduction of the “Health of Towns Act;”and you are now called upon to Elect Fifteen fit and proper Personsto carry out the provisions of this salutary Measure. This day you have had 40 Names submitted to your notice, as parties wishful to have the management of the affairs of this Parish confided to them, andit now behoves you carefully to consider who and what class of masters shall rule over you! A cursory glance at the List of Names nominated for your approval, clearly shows that some are incapacitated from age and non-residence to attend to your interests, and others want theessential qualitiesof apractical knowledge of the working of the Act.

Recollect, fellow Rate-payers, that £25,000 may shortly be at the disposal of your elected Rulers, and this sum, too, will have to come out of the pockets of the Rate-payers!

Improvements we want, but we must be carefulto whom, we trust these large powersto make those Amendments. Let us then elect a Class of Commissioners whom we know to be ofhonest purpose, independence of character, quickness of perception, mindful of the judicious improvements of the Town, as well as of the Pockets of the Rate-payers, and possess aconscientious determination to attend personally to the duties of this important office.

Beware, then, of committing yourselves to party purposes,—political tendencies—family cliques—or honorary and never attending members. Bear in mind that it is a very common practice to escape from one set of inefficient Rulers into the arms of another, often professedly more liberal but usually more tyrannical and inadequate to the duties they profess to fulfil,—past experience, in Dudley, teaches the necessity of this caution to the Ratepayers. Have practical, honest, business-like men, who will be fearless and judicious in the discharge of their duties, andspend your money as carefully as though it were their own. Recollect, that men who have something tangible to lose are the most likely to be careful about the spending of that fund which they will have heavily to pay to.

On Tuesday next you will be called upon for the Voting Paper left at your houses,write your Initials at once opposite the following names on the Voting Paper, and you will thereby elect such a Board of intelligent and responsible Commissioners, as will improve the Town and save your Pockets.

VOTE FOR

A FREEHOLDER AND RATEPAYER.

Dudley, June 16th, 1853.

DUDLEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.

To the Ratepayers of Dudley.

Gentlemen,

The Clerk of the Quackery establishment, with his usual“quickness of perception, honest purpose, and independence of character,” has thought proper at this particular season to address you on “theessential qualitiesandpractical knowledgeof the Public Health!” IT NOW BEHOVES YOU CAREFULLY TO CONSIDER “what class of Quackery you ought to support, so that YOUR MONEY MAY BE SPENT AS CAREFULLY AS IF IT WERE YOUR OWN.” Recollect,THAT MEN WHO HAVE SOMETHING TANGIBLE TO LOSEare the men most likely to be careful of the same.

£25,000 will have to come out of your pockets shortly (so says the Clerk), for “thejudicious improvements of the Town,” and fifteenconscientious and determinedCommissioners must be chosen.

Beware, then, of self-interested partisans,—political turncoats, and troublesome quacks—“past experience in Dudley teaches the necessity of this caution to Ratepayers.”

“O that estates, degrees, and offices,Were not derived corruptly;—that clear honourWere purchased by the merit of the wearer.”

“O that estates, degrees, and offices,

Were not derived corruptly;—that clear honour

Were purchased by the merit of the wearer.”

A LOOKER-ON.

Dudley, 16th June 1853.

The Unitarian Chapel, 1853. This Chapel is situated in a retired arched gateway, in Wolverhampton Street, adjoining the old Post Office. It was originally built in 1701; but that structure unhappily shared the fate of many other Nonconformist Chapels, destroyed under Dr. Sacheverell’s fanaticism against Dissenters, for in 1714, it was burnt down by a lawless mob, but was shortly afterwards re-built by a Parliamentary Grant of £500. This comfortable and commodious chapel has been much improved and ornamented since that period, and it now seats 450 worshippers. There is also an excellent school attached to this denomination, known as Daniel Parsons’ Foundation School, having 150 children therein, under the able tuition of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis. The life of Dr. Sacheverell reveals the impression that he was a learned madman, whose craze was to preach “the Church in Danger,” and that dissent ought to be stamped out by fire and persecution. He was appointed preacher at St. Saviour’s Church, Southwark, London, in 1705, where he preached his violent crusade against Dissenters, which commanded much attention at the time. For his intemperate language, both in and out of the pulpit, he got impeached by the House of Commons, and was suspended preaching for three years, but through some powerful Court influence, he eventually managed to get appointed to the valuable Rectory of St. Andrew’s, Holborn, London, where he died in 1724. During this period of our history, the Rev. John Palmer, B.A., of Trinity College, Dublin, was appointed on February 18th, 1833, the minister of this highly intelligent and wealthy congregation. Mr. Palmer was a gentleman of great mental power, and was a good and pleasant preacher, and during the nineteen years he held this appointment he secured the esteem and regard of all good citizens. Mr. Palmer, like many of his countrymen, was a very energetic politician, and his often expressed Radical opinions at times shocked the nervous sensibility of his friends. However, after 19 years of great zeal and energy in thesacred cause he had undertaken to uphold and propagate, we find him suddenly transformed into an officer of the Crown, for in 1853, he was appointed Crown Treasurer in the Island of Dominica, whither he departed, being succeeded after a time by the Rev. Richard Shaen, M.A., who only remained a few years as minister. Some of our “oldest inhabitants” are in possession of relics and curiosities of the old burnt chapel, in the form of oaken stands and curious boxes made from the ponderous oak timbers, which were not entirely consumed in the conflagration of the chapel. The Rev. Mr. Gibson is the present genial and courteous minister. The Election for thefirst Local Board of Healthtook place on June 23rd, 1853, with the following results:

Dudley Local Board of Health.—The election of this board was brought to a close on Thursday last, and the result is as follows, the first fifteen being elected:—Dr. Browne, 1,227; S. H. Blackwell, 1,161; E. Hollier, 1,135; A. B. Cochrane, 981; R. Smith, 974; T. Lester, 951; J. C. Cook, 887; J. E. Swindell, 872; I. Badger, 870; W. O. Wood, 848; E. Dixon, 844; A. Patterson, 841; G. Thompson, of Corngreaves, 812; T. Badger, jun., 801; J. G. Walker, 793; J. Finch, 754; E. Feny, 725; W. Haden, 676; T. Griffiths, 671; W. Timmins, 633; W. Harrison, 625; E. F. Smith, 615; E. L. Cresswell, 586; J. Renaud, 504; C. Cartwright, 495; J. Marsh, 491; J. Bagott, 485; T. Danks, 471; J. Owen, 466; T. Fereday, 374; J. Guest, 246; W. Harper, 121; D. Lloyd, 117; C. F. G. Clark, 113; W. Sheppard, 105. From an inspection of the list elected, it will be seen that, with few exceptions, the ratepayers have chosen the board from the most active and intelligent members of the Board of Guardians and the late Board of Highways and Town Act Commissioners, and we hope to see the “Health Act” now carried out in Dudley in its integrity, with advantage to the general social condition of the inhabitants, and with due regard to the pockets of the ratepayers.—Birmingham Journal.DUDLEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE PARISH OF DUDLEY.The Board, in entering upon the important duties entrusted to them by the Ratepayers, have earnestly to request the co-operation of their fellow parishioners in carrying out the objects for which they have been appointed. They invite suggestions, and solicit information, and their Officers will give immediate attention to any subject directly or indirectly connected with the Public Health.OFFICERS.Mr. William Henry Brooke, Solicitor, Wolverhampton Street, has been appointed Clerk to the Board, and all general communications should be addressed to him.Mr. John Bateman, Wolverhampton Street, has been appointed Surveyor,—andMr. John Castree, Railway Parcels Office, Wolverhampton Street, Inspector of Nuisances.All communications respecting these two departments of theBoard should be addressed to these Officers respectively.The BOARDtake this opportunity of announcing that in enforcing the large and searching powers and directions of thePublic Health Act, they shall be always desirous of avoiding, as much as possible, any compulsory interference with the management of property, and any unnecessary intrusion on the privacy of the parishioners. But that extensive inspection and inquiry will be unavoidable, since the state of drainage of every house must be ascertained, in order to be rendered perfect. Interference, however, and compulsion will, in every case, be less in proportion as the parishioners shall themselves kindly co-operate in bringing about that better state of sanitary arrangement which the Act requires, and which is so essential to the public health and welfare.By Order ofThe Local Board of Health, Dudley;W. H. BROOKE,Clerk to the said Board.Dudley, August 2nd, 1853.

DUDLEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.

TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE PARISH OF DUDLEY.

The Board, in entering upon the important duties entrusted to them by the Ratepayers, have earnestly to request the co-operation of their fellow parishioners in carrying out the objects for which they have been appointed. They invite suggestions, and solicit information, and their Officers will give immediate attention to any subject directly or indirectly connected with the Public Health.

OFFICERS.

Mr. William Henry Brooke, Solicitor, Wolverhampton Street, has been appointed Clerk to the Board, and all general communications should be addressed to him.

Mr. John Bateman, Wolverhampton Street, has been appointed Surveyor,—and

Mr. John Castree, Railway Parcels Office, Wolverhampton Street, Inspector of Nuisances.

All communications respecting these two departments of theBoard should be addressed to these Officers respectively.

The BOARDtake this opportunity of announcing that in enforcing the large and searching powers and directions of thePublic Health Act, they shall be always desirous of avoiding, as much as possible, any compulsory interference with the management of property, and any unnecessary intrusion on the privacy of the parishioners. But that extensive inspection and inquiry will be unavoidable, since the state of drainage of every house must be ascertained, in order to be rendered perfect. Interference, however, and compulsion will, in every case, be less in proportion as the parishioners shall themselves kindly co-operate in bringing about that better state of sanitary arrangement which the Act requires, and which is so essential to the public health and welfare.

By Order of

The Local Board of Health, Dudley;

W. H. BROOKE,

Clerk to the said Board.

Dudley, August 2nd, 1853.

The following appeal to the Churchmen in this town was attended with success—

Dudley,July8th, 1853.Sir,The adjourned Meeting of the Inhabitants of this Parish to take into consideration the best means to be adopted for the liquidation of the Salaries of the Officers, and other debts, (amounting according to the accounts presented at the last meeting to nearly £800), due in respect of the Churches of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. James, will be held in the Vestry of St. Thomas’s Church, on Wednesday morning next, the 13th instant, at Eleven o’clock, when your attendance is respectfully and particularly requested.Signed,T. FEREDAY,E. HOLLIER,}Ex-Wardens of St. Thomas’s.

Dudley,July8th, 1853.

Sir,

The adjourned Meeting of the Inhabitants of this Parish to take into consideration the best means to be adopted for the liquidation of the Salaries of the Officers, and other debts, (amounting according to the accounts presented at the last meeting to nearly £800), due in respect of the Churches of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. James, will be held in the Vestry of St. Thomas’s Church, on Wednesday morning next, the 13th instant, at Eleven o’clock, when your attendance is respectfully and particularly requested.

Signed,

T. FEREDAY,E. HOLLIER,}Ex-Wardens of St. Thomas’s.

T. FEREDAY,E. HOLLIER,

}Ex-Wardens of St. Thomas’s.

Died, November 3rd, 1853, Mr. Geo. Bailey, Senior, formerly a Grocer and Provision Dealer, in New Street. Aged 79 years.

Died November 18th, 1853, Mrs. Henry Parkes, of Wolverhampton Street. Aged 44 years.

December 26th, 1853. A very heavy fall of snow took place this day, and continued at intervals until January 11th, 1854. All train and road traffic was suspended, and the snow drifts were 16 feet deep in many localities. The privations and sufferings amongst the poor were very great.

1854. Died January 20th, Mr. John Rann, of Hall Street, Printer. This wonderful and active old man was known to be the oldest man in Dudley, having attained the age of 98 years.

January, 1854. A new Organ was erected in St. Edmund’s Church, at a costof £360. This sum was raised by public subscription, and the highly-esteemed Rev. Jno. Davies, M.A., was the Incumbent of the Church at the time.

January, 1854. The Metropolitan Association for the Improvement of the Dwellings of the Poor, was adopted in Dudley with mucheclat. Dr. Browne was appointed Chairman, and Mr. Wm. Barns, Solicitor, Secretary, with a powerful and influential Committee. February 1st, 1854. This day a deputation of Church attendants at St. Edmund’s Church presented the Rev. A. Kerr Thompson, M.A., Master of the Dudley Grammar School, with an address from the congregation thanking him for his services as Evening Lecturer in that Church.

February 11th, 1854. A very sharp contest took place this day for South Staffordshire, betwixt Lord Paget and Lord Ingestre, which ended in a majority of 1568 votes for Lord Paget, the Liberal Candidate. Lord Ward, a Conservative by induction, who can command this constituency, by some unexplained reason, threw the whole of his weight and influence into the hands of the Liberals, hence the result of the election. We had again another pitiable exhibition of territorial influence in Dudley and elsewhere, ordering to “do as you are bid,” leading the liege vassals to do battle in a cause which it was too well-known that all utterly abhorred.

LOOK ON THIS PICTURE.Once upon a time there lived in Staffordshire a noble Lord. Among other possessions he held the lordship of a Manor close by his residence; it was, however, but a barren dignity, as the Manor was all common and waste land. However, he got an act of Parliament for enclosing the waste lands, and inserted a clausereserving all Mines to himself, should there prove to be any. Well, in time this Manor became built over. Many working menout of their savingsput up houses for themselves, and the place became very populous. The old lord died; and the next Lord, who was very young, thought Staffordshire a very nasty place, so he went to Italy and foreign parts to enjoy himself, and there revelled in luxury and extravagance. Fortunately for this Lord, his Agents found Mines under nearly all that Manor, and as their master’s wants were great, they opened all the Mines they could.But the Working Men, who had built their houses upon the surface?Row after row of houses split and cracked, and became ruins; some houses sank into the earth—it seemed as if some convulsion of nature had passed over this manor. Many poor workmen were ruined, for they had borrowed money to assist them in building their houses, and when the mortgagees found their value was destroyed, they sold them for what they would fetch. Others went to his Lord’s Agents and begged of them to leave ribs and pillars under their houses,but they would not. Some begged the Agents to patch their houses up—but no:not a day’s labour!not a barrow of mortar! not a brick! not a tile!would this Lord’s Agents give them! And the Miners kept enlarging their circle like an encroaching sea, and those, whose dwellings were not ruined, were kept in daily dread of their little property, around which clung so many pleasant memories; where, after years of toil and care, they had fondly hoped for tranquillity in old age!Well, this Lord with all his wealth was unhappy,he coveted an Earldom! The Election came on, and “Which Candidate,” said the noble Lord to himself, “shall I support? Why, I’ll support the one who will support Ministers, and if they win, why, my Earldom is safe!” So this Lord had an interview withLord Aberdeen, andhe turned his Coat(for before he was a Conservative), and his Agent went round andcommandedall his Tenantsto turn their Coats. “But,” said the Tenants, “we surely cannot support Ministers,for they have truckled to the Russian Influence, and for the first time in History,England has shown the White Feather!” But the Agent said—“Leave the Country to the noble Lord. Has he not the largest stake in it.”LOOK ON THIS PICTURE!Well, in Staffordshire there lived another Lord, not very rich. He was much younger than the Lord we have been speaking of. When he left school he went into the Army. Being a thoughtful lad he sat down, as it were, by the roadside of life: before him two paths branched off—the path of Luxury and the path of Duty. And Pleasure said to him—“Enjoy yourself.” But Duty replied—“Remember your poor Fellow Countrymen. Are not you one of their natural guardians? What were rank and wealth given you for?” Well, this young Lord listened to the call of Duty, and he vowed that his life should be useful.So he began by devoting the time he could spare from his military duties to visiting the poor and wretched. By way of a start he got together a subscription ofThree Thousand Pounds, and fitted up a large house in London, in which poor, houseless creatures, of whom there are thousands in London, who sleep in the streets and cellars, or whatever shelter they can find, might have a comfortable and clean bed, at a very trifling charge. He was now abouttwenty years of age. His occupation had become a real pleasure. He travelled much about England, and went through our large towns, and over factories, and got together allthe factshe could about the state of the Working Classes. Whilst thus employed, the Engineers on the railways struck. The Directors wanted to increase their Dividends, and took away from the Engineers some privileges they had always enjoyed; but the Engineers would not stand this, so they stood out. Unskilful Engineers were set on—accidents happened; there was great confusion and alarm. Well, the Engineers looked round for an Arbitrator, and they chose one. Whom? THIS YOUNG LORD; for they hadheard of him and his kind heart.Soon after the death of the Duke of Wellington, a large sum of money was subscribed to erect a lifeless monument to his Grace. But this young Lord Ingestre proposed that the money should be spent in securing to the poor of London free Water, and their share of the light of Heaven, the common property of us all—and other Sanitary improvements, necessary to the health and strength of the working man. It was for this that the “Times Newspaper” fell foul of the young Lord, and called him a silly young medler. But many simple folks, and especially hardy sons of toil, are still of the young Lord’s opinion. I think that the Great Duke would have wished so too, could he have spoken from the tomb. But the “Times” owed Lord Ingestre a “grudge” for supporting the Engineers against the Railway Directors, and the opportunity was taken of venting their spleen.But our young Lord had too much pluck to be set down by a Newspaper, so he just went on as before, and tried to get at the truth respecting the Working Classes, and the way to make them better off. After seeing things in England, he went to America on the same errand. Whilst there his Friends sent for him to return to England, to contest the representation of his native County against the Candidate brought forward by the Lord above spoken of, and other Lords and great folks like him. Well, when they heard he was coming, they told the poor folks all sorts of lies about the young Lord: that he was for a little loaf—that he was all for the rich—that he was against Free Trade; but, fortunately, the young Lord had time to go through the County, to see and speak to the people. And he asked them—“Is it likely that I, who have all my life been working for the Labouring Man, to secure him and his children comforts and blessings, that I am so foolish and wicked as to take away from him his bread?” And the people looked round upon the houses in ruins, and it seemed to them strange that a noble Lord should have ever thought, except at an election, of the Working Man’s good.MEN OF STAFFORDSHIRE!Are you Englishmen?If so, why do you permit yourselves to be dictated to? YourFatherswere FreeMen! Were you animated by my spirit (and I am a plain Englishman like yourselves), you would never hear of a Lordcommandingthe Votes of afreepeople.The law says, if a poor man takes a shilling, or accepts of a glass of beer at an election, IT IS AN HEINOUS CRIME.The law says if a noble Lord, though to secure an Earldom for himself,commandshis Tenants to vote his way, IT IS NO CRIME AT ALL.February 1st, 1854.SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE ELECTION.To Richard Smith, Esq. (Mineral Agent to Lord Ward), Priory, Dudley.Tipton, February, 2nd, 1854.Sir,You will, I trust, pardon me, for presuming to address you upon a matter touching the present contested Election for South Staffordshire. I refer to thepublicpart which you are taking with regard to it. You cannot, I think, complain that your proceedings should be criticised, or that they should be brought to the bar of public opinion.It is due to the Conservative party which you have abandoned—and to those servants and others who are under your influence and control—that you should publicly state the reasons why you have changed yourcolours.It is due to the first, because they believe that the change involves politicalapostasy, and an undue regard to politicalmorality. An opportunity is now afforded you of justifying the change if you can. You may give us a new chapter onEthics, headed thus:—“a change of principles proved to be morally wrong, but politically right.”It is due to those who are under your influence and control. You may be enabled to give a reason for them, inasmuch as they cannot give one for themselves.But you, doubtless, had your instructions from a certain Lord, who it is said, has subscribed a large sum to the fund to defray the expenses of the Radical Candidate.Were your instructionsimperative? If so, did you remonstrate with his Lordship? Did you not urgeone pleain behalf of yourself, and another for those whomustact upon your bidding. Had you not sufficient independence to tell the Lord that youhad been, and that you were, a Conservative; that all the influence which your office gives you had previously been thrown into the Conservative scale; that you had taught those over whom you had been placed, and those with whom you were connected,Conservative Politics; that you could not stoop so low as to undo all that you had done; that you could not ask them to act contrary to their antecedents and convictions; and that your situation was at his Lordship’s disposal. If, Sir, you had done this, you would have been honoured in your last days, and you would have been spared the reproach that has now, I regret to say, fallen upon you.But you may say my Lord is a Peer of the Realm, that his Lordship could not act so unconstitutionally, and that you ALONE are responsible. Be it so. Then it will make your case so much the worse. You may add that you took it upon yourself to canvass his Lordship’s Agents and Tenants, and that his Lordship did not wish to INFLUENCE them in giving their Votes, then the conclusion must be that you have EXCEEDED HIS LORDSHIP’S WISHES AND INTENTIONS.Can you deny the part you have taken in this matter? Can you gainsay the charge that those who do not CHANGE WITH YOU MERIT YOUR HIGH DISPLEASURE; and that in oneinstance you have shewn it so unmistakeably that one of his Lordship’s Agents, who has held his situation for a period of 16 years, with a character unsullied, has thought it due to his honour and self-respect to give up his situation rather than lick the dust?The names of those Clergymen who are under his Lordship’s patronage, and those Gentlemen connected with his Lordship’s Estates,who have boldly stood forth and declared their principles, notwithstanding your solicitations, will be ever mentioned with regard, respect, and esteem. The reproach will not fall upon them that in an hour of temptation they fellawayfrom those principles which they had professed, and towhichthey do honour.Waiting the favour of your public reply,I am, Sir,Your obedient Servant,A NON-ELECTOR.SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE ELECTION SONG.TUNE.—“All the Blue Bonnets.”March! march! Bromwich and Wednesbury;Handsworth and Smethwick, march forward in order;Tipton and Rowley, Kingswinford and Sedgley,Drive the young Tory Lord over the border.Brown Hills and Cannock Chase, march at a steady pace:Walsall and Lichfield from you will not sever.Brave Wolverhampton boys, shout with your mighty voice—“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”Chorus.March! march! march to the poll my boys;Reformers and Free-men, march forward in order:March! march! conq’ring Free Traders all;Drive the young Tory Lord over the border.Come from the forge, where your metals are heating:Come from the mines, where your minerals abound:Come from the workshops, where hammers are beating:Come from wherever a voter is found.Bilston and Willenhall; Darlaston, one and all,From Tory dominion our country deliver;Formed in one noble band, shout—join’d in heart and hand—“Free Trade, Reform, LORD PAGET for ever!”March! march! &c.Too long has our county in bondage been lying;Too long has our voice in the Senate been lost.Then up boys and work; there is nothing like trying;Resolve to be free at whatever the cost.Will you for Tory pelf, basely degrade yourself?Shall we be slaves again? never! O never!Rouse up Electors then, vote for—like honest men—“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”March! march! &c.Often of old have our sires bled for glory;But we will be wiser though worthy as they.We will stand for the right; and Old England’s proud storyShall tell of our conquest in bloodless affray.Then for freedom and worth, we will boldly go forth,And rush to the poll like a stream to the river;Making, in mighty sound, from hill and dale rebound,“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”March! march! &c.A RADICAL’S REAL CHARACTER.ARadical’sCharacter’s easy to draw:He hates to obey, but would govern the law;In manners unsocial, in temper unkind.A rebel in conduct, a tyrant in mind;Malignant, implacable, enviously sour,He hates every man who has riches or power;So impoisoned himself, he would gladly destroyThe comforts and blessings which others enjoy.SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE ELECTION, 1854.Saturday, February 11th.FINAL CLOSE OF THE POLL.Polling Districts.PAGET.INGESTRE.Bilston28094Brewood37271Handsworth448197Kingswinford930373Lichfield83130Penkridge129310Rugeley84111Sedgley323115Tamworth3645Tipton18384Walsall223194Wednesbury355191Westbromwich573329Wolverhampton641313————43252757————Majority for PAGET,1568.

LOOK ON THIS PICTURE.

Once upon a time there lived in Staffordshire a noble Lord. Among other possessions he held the lordship of a Manor close by his residence; it was, however, but a barren dignity, as the Manor was all common and waste land. However, he got an act of Parliament for enclosing the waste lands, and inserted a clausereserving all Mines to himself, should there prove to be any. Well, in time this Manor became built over. Many working menout of their savingsput up houses for themselves, and the place became very populous. The old lord died; and the next Lord, who was very young, thought Staffordshire a very nasty place, so he went to Italy and foreign parts to enjoy himself, and there revelled in luxury and extravagance. Fortunately for this Lord, his Agents found Mines under nearly all that Manor, and as their master’s wants were great, they opened all the Mines they could.But the Working Men, who had built their houses upon the surface?Row after row of houses split and cracked, and became ruins; some houses sank into the earth—it seemed as if some convulsion of nature had passed over this manor. Many poor workmen were ruined, for they had borrowed money to assist them in building their houses, and when the mortgagees found their value was destroyed, they sold them for what they would fetch. Others went to his Lord’s Agents and begged of them to leave ribs and pillars under their houses,but they would not. Some begged the Agents to patch their houses up—but no:not a day’s labour!not a barrow of mortar! not a brick! not a tile!would this Lord’s Agents give them! And the Miners kept enlarging their circle like an encroaching sea, and those, whose dwellings were not ruined, were kept in daily dread of their little property, around which clung so many pleasant memories; where, after years of toil and care, they had fondly hoped for tranquillity in old age!

Well, this Lord with all his wealth was unhappy,he coveted an Earldom! The Election came on, and “Which Candidate,” said the noble Lord to himself, “shall I support? Why, I’ll support the one who will support Ministers, and if they win, why, my Earldom is safe!” So this Lord had an interview withLord Aberdeen, andhe turned his Coat(for before he was a Conservative), and his Agent went round andcommandedall his Tenantsto turn their Coats. “But,” said the Tenants, “we surely cannot support Ministers,for they have truckled to the Russian Influence, and for the first time in History,England has shown the White Feather!” But the Agent said—“Leave the Country to the noble Lord. Has he not the largest stake in it.”

LOOK ON THIS PICTURE!

Well, in Staffordshire there lived another Lord, not very rich. He was much younger than the Lord we have been speaking of. When he left school he went into the Army. Being a thoughtful lad he sat down, as it were, by the roadside of life: before him two paths branched off—the path of Luxury and the path of Duty. And Pleasure said to him—“Enjoy yourself.” But Duty replied—“Remember your poor Fellow Countrymen. Are not you one of their natural guardians? What were rank and wealth given you for?” Well, this young Lord listened to the call of Duty, and he vowed that his life should be useful.

So he began by devoting the time he could spare from his military duties to visiting the poor and wretched. By way of a start he got together a subscription ofThree Thousand Pounds, and fitted up a large house in London, in which poor, houseless creatures, of whom there are thousands in London, who sleep in the streets and cellars, or whatever shelter they can find, might have a comfortable and clean bed, at a very trifling charge. He was now abouttwenty years of age. His occupation had become a real pleasure. He travelled much about England, and went through our large towns, and over factories, and got together allthe factshe could about the state of the Working Classes. Whilst thus employed, the Engineers on the railways struck. The Directors wanted to increase their Dividends, and took away from the Engineers some privileges they had always enjoyed; but the Engineers would not stand this, so they stood out. Unskilful Engineers were set on—accidents happened; there was great confusion and alarm. Well, the Engineers looked round for an Arbitrator, and they chose one. Whom? THIS YOUNG LORD; for they hadheard of him and his kind heart.

Soon after the death of the Duke of Wellington, a large sum of money was subscribed to erect a lifeless monument to his Grace. But this young Lord Ingestre proposed that the money should be spent in securing to the poor of London free Water, and their share of the light of Heaven, the common property of us all—and other Sanitary improvements, necessary to the health and strength of the working man. It was for this that the “Times Newspaper” fell foul of the young Lord, and called him a silly young medler. But many simple folks, and especially hardy sons of toil, are still of the young Lord’s opinion. I think that the Great Duke would have wished so too, could he have spoken from the tomb. But the “Times” owed Lord Ingestre a “grudge” for supporting the Engineers against the Railway Directors, and the opportunity was taken of venting their spleen.

But our young Lord had too much pluck to be set down by a Newspaper, so he just went on as before, and tried to get at the truth respecting the Working Classes, and the way to make them better off. After seeing things in England, he went to America on the same errand. Whilst there his Friends sent for him to return to England, to contest the representation of his native County against the Candidate brought forward by the Lord above spoken of, and other Lords and great folks like him. Well, when they heard he was coming, they told the poor folks all sorts of lies about the young Lord: that he was for a little loaf—that he was all for the rich—that he was against Free Trade; but, fortunately, the young Lord had time to go through the County, to see and speak to the people. And he asked them—“Is it likely that I, who have all my life been working for the Labouring Man, to secure him and his children comforts and blessings, that I am so foolish and wicked as to take away from him his bread?” And the people looked round upon the houses in ruins, and it seemed to them strange that a noble Lord should have ever thought, except at an election, of the Working Man’s good.

MEN OF STAFFORDSHIRE!Are you Englishmen?If so, why do you permit yourselves to be dictated to? YourFatherswere FreeMen! Were you animated by my spirit (and I am a plain Englishman like yourselves), you would never hear of a Lordcommandingthe Votes of afreepeople.

The law says, if a poor man takes a shilling, or accepts of a glass of beer at an election, IT IS AN HEINOUS CRIME.

The law says if a noble Lord, though to secure an Earldom for himself,commandshis Tenants to vote his way, IT IS NO CRIME AT ALL.

February 1st, 1854.

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE ELECTION.

To Richard Smith, Esq. (Mineral Agent to Lord Ward), Priory, Dudley.

Tipton, February, 2nd, 1854.

Sir,

You will, I trust, pardon me, for presuming to address you upon a matter touching the present contested Election for South Staffordshire. I refer to thepublicpart which you are taking with regard to it. You cannot, I think, complain that your proceedings should be criticised, or that they should be brought to the bar of public opinion.

It is due to the Conservative party which you have abandoned—and to those servants and others who are under your influence and control—that you should publicly state the reasons why you have changed yourcolours.

It is due to the first, because they believe that the change involves politicalapostasy, and an undue regard to politicalmorality. An opportunity is now afforded you of justifying the change if you can. You may give us a new chapter onEthics, headed thus:—“a change of principles proved to be morally wrong, but politically right.”

It is due to those who are under your influence and control. You may be enabled to give a reason for them, inasmuch as they cannot give one for themselves.

But you, doubtless, had your instructions from a certain Lord, who it is said, has subscribed a large sum to the fund to defray the expenses of the Radical Candidate.

Were your instructionsimperative? If so, did you remonstrate with his Lordship? Did you not urgeone pleain behalf of yourself, and another for those whomustact upon your bidding. Had you not sufficient independence to tell the Lord that youhad been, and that you were, a Conservative; that all the influence which your office gives you had previously been thrown into the Conservative scale; that you had taught those over whom you had been placed, and those with whom you were connected,Conservative Politics; that you could not stoop so low as to undo all that you had done; that you could not ask them to act contrary to their antecedents and convictions; and that your situation was at his Lordship’s disposal. If, Sir, you had done this, you would have been honoured in your last days, and you would have been spared the reproach that has now, I regret to say, fallen upon you.

But you may say my Lord is a Peer of the Realm, that his Lordship could not act so unconstitutionally, and that you ALONE are responsible. Be it so. Then it will make your case so much the worse. You may add that you took it upon yourself to canvass his Lordship’s Agents and Tenants, and that his Lordship did not wish to INFLUENCE them in giving their Votes, then the conclusion must be that you have EXCEEDED HIS LORDSHIP’S WISHES AND INTENTIONS.

Can you deny the part you have taken in this matter? Can you gainsay the charge that those who do not CHANGE WITH YOU MERIT YOUR HIGH DISPLEASURE; and that in oneinstance you have shewn it so unmistakeably that one of his Lordship’s Agents, who has held his situation for a period of 16 years, with a character unsullied, has thought it due to his honour and self-respect to give up his situation rather than lick the dust?

The names of those Clergymen who are under his Lordship’s patronage, and those Gentlemen connected with his Lordship’s Estates,who have boldly stood forth and declared their principles, notwithstanding your solicitations, will be ever mentioned with regard, respect, and esteem. The reproach will not fall upon them that in an hour of temptation they fellawayfrom those principles which they had professed, and towhichthey do honour.

Waiting the favour of your public reply,

I am, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

A NON-ELECTOR.

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE ELECTION SONG.

TUNE.—“All the Blue Bonnets.”

March! march! Bromwich and Wednesbury;Handsworth and Smethwick, march forward in order;Tipton and Rowley, Kingswinford and Sedgley,Drive the young Tory Lord over the border.Brown Hills and Cannock Chase, march at a steady pace:Walsall and Lichfield from you will not sever.Brave Wolverhampton boys, shout with your mighty voice—“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”Chorus.March! march! march to the poll my boys;Reformers and Free-men, march forward in order:March! march! conq’ring Free Traders all;Drive the young Tory Lord over the border.Come from the forge, where your metals are heating:Come from the mines, where your minerals abound:Come from the workshops, where hammers are beating:Come from wherever a voter is found.Bilston and Willenhall; Darlaston, one and all,From Tory dominion our country deliver;Formed in one noble band, shout—join’d in heart and hand—“Free Trade, Reform, LORD PAGET for ever!”March! march! &c.Too long has our county in bondage been lying;Too long has our voice in the Senate been lost.Then up boys and work; there is nothing like trying;Resolve to be free at whatever the cost.Will you for Tory pelf, basely degrade yourself?Shall we be slaves again? never! O never!Rouse up Electors then, vote for—like honest men—“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”March! march! &c.Often of old have our sires bled for glory;But we will be wiser though worthy as they.We will stand for the right; and Old England’s proud storyShall tell of our conquest in bloodless affray.Then for freedom and worth, we will boldly go forth,And rush to the poll like a stream to the river;Making, in mighty sound, from hill and dale rebound,“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”March! march! &c.

March! march! Bromwich and Wednesbury;

Handsworth and Smethwick, march forward in order;

Tipton and Rowley, Kingswinford and Sedgley,

Drive the young Tory Lord over the border.

Brown Hills and Cannock Chase, march at a steady pace:

Walsall and Lichfield from you will not sever.

Brave Wolverhampton boys, shout with your mighty voice—

“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”

Chorus.

March! march! march to the poll my boys;Reformers and Free-men, march forward in order:March! march! conq’ring Free Traders all;Drive the young Tory Lord over the border.

March! march! march to the poll my boys;

Reformers and Free-men, march forward in order:

March! march! conq’ring Free Traders all;

Drive the young Tory Lord over the border.

Come from the forge, where your metals are heating:Come from the mines, where your minerals abound:Come from the workshops, where hammers are beating:Come from wherever a voter is found.Bilston and Willenhall; Darlaston, one and all,From Tory dominion our country deliver;Formed in one noble band, shout—join’d in heart and hand—“Free Trade, Reform, LORD PAGET for ever!”

Come from the forge, where your metals are heating:

Come from the mines, where your minerals abound:

Come from the workshops, where hammers are beating:

Come from wherever a voter is found.

Bilston and Willenhall; Darlaston, one and all,

From Tory dominion our country deliver;

Formed in one noble band, shout—join’d in heart and hand—

“Free Trade, Reform, LORD PAGET for ever!”

March! march! &c.

Too long has our county in bondage been lying;Too long has our voice in the Senate been lost.Then up boys and work; there is nothing like trying;Resolve to be free at whatever the cost.Will you for Tory pelf, basely degrade yourself?Shall we be slaves again? never! O never!Rouse up Electors then, vote for—like honest men—“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”

Too long has our county in bondage been lying;

Too long has our voice in the Senate been lost.

Then up boys and work; there is nothing like trying;

Resolve to be free at whatever the cost.

Will you for Tory pelf, basely degrade yourself?

Shall we be slaves again? never! O never!

Rouse up Electors then, vote for—like honest men—

“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”

March! march! &c.

Often of old have our sires bled for glory;But we will be wiser though worthy as they.We will stand for the right; and Old England’s proud storyShall tell of our conquest in bloodless affray.Then for freedom and worth, we will boldly go forth,And rush to the poll like a stream to the river;Making, in mighty sound, from hill and dale rebound,“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”

Often of old have our sires bled for glory;

But we will be wiser though worthy as they.

We will stand for the right; and Old England’s proud story

Shall tell of our conquest in bloodless affray.

Then for freedom and worth, we will boldly go forth,

And rush to the poll like a stream to the river;

Making, in mighty sound, from hill and dale rebound,

“Free Trade, Reform, and LORD PAGET for ever!”

March! march! &c.

A RADICAL’S REAL CHARACTER.

ARadical’sCharacter’s easy to draw:He hates to obey, but would govern the law;In manners unsocial, in temper unkind.A rebel in conduct, a tyrant in mind;Malignant, implacable, enviously sour,He hates every man who has riches or power;So impoisoned himself, he would gladly destroyThe comforts and blessings which others enjoy.

ARadical’sCharacter’s easy to draw:

He hates to obey, but would govern the law;

In manners unsocial, in temper unkind.

A rebel in conduct, a tyrant in mind;

Malignant, implacable, enviously sour,

He hates every man who has riches or power;

So impoisoned himself, he would gladly destroy

The comforts and blessings which others enjoy.

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE ELECTION, 1854.

Saturday, February 11th.

FINAL CLOSE OF THE POLL.

Sunday, February 19th, 1854. The new organ, erected in St. Edmund’s Church, was opened this day with great preachings. The sum of £54 15s. 9d. was collected on the occasion. The organ, whichwas considered by competent judges to be a first-rate one, cost £360, and great praise was awarded to Messrs. C. F. G. Clark and Thomas Hughes, the Churchwardens, for their exertions in collecting the amount by voluntary subscriptions.

March 13th, 1854. Died, Mr. Justice Talfourd, at Stafford Assizes. He dropped down dead from his judge’s seat whilst addressing his charge to the grand jury. He was a humane judge, and an eminent and popular writer.

Easter, 1854. A very close and vindictive contest took place in this Parish for the election of the Board of Guardians, without either rhyme or reason. The new Liberals of the previous year’s election had secured many useful and sensible reforms in Poor Law Distribution; had introduced and carried the Small Tenements’ Act, which had given mortal offence to the Tory party, and their former dogmatical and illiterate chairman. Under such revengeful feelings, not a stone was left unturned to seek out “cause of offence,” shortcomings, etc., of the Liberal Guardians. The Tory party managed to obtain the proxy votes of the non-resident voters ofthe small freeholders, lately brought into the list of voters by the imposition of the Small Tenements’ Act, and thereby secured the election by over-reaching and unfair tactics.

The result of this unfair and unjust Election was a reversion of last year’s parochial decision, the Liberal Guardians were thrown out, and the old “let us rest and be thankful” Tories were elected to do further mischief.

ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.To the Independent and Enlightened Ratepayers of the Parish of Dudley.Fellow Ratepayers,It is very likely that in the course of a few days you will again have the opportunity of Electing your part of the Board of Guardians for this Union for the coming year. As far as I can understand, an effort is to be made, and which has been in contemplation for some months past (by means of owners’ proxies, obtained in some instances I believe by not over-scrupulous means, and which in many others would never have been given to be employed in such a manner) to unseat the majority of those parties who received your support at the last election. Let us then examine for a few moments what these gentlemen have done during the past year of their Stewardship to forfeit the confidence we then reposed in them. First, they advocated and brought about the publicity of the proceedings of the Board, which hadpreviously, notwithstanding the praiseworthy exertions of two or three of its members to the contrary, partaken somewhat of the character of a secret conclave. Secondly, the usual weekly checks for this Parish only for out-door relief has gradually diminished during the year, on an average, I should imagine from the now regularly published newspaper reports, of not less than £8 or £10 per week—next—I believe that the in-door expenses of our Workhouses are actually less at this time than when provisions were only half their present price, and less by a considerable amount per head per week than they were five or six years ago, and that the poor, both in and out, not the less cared or provided for. Fourthly, I observe that several of the gentlemen against whom this opposition is principally to be directed are amongst the most intelligent, active, business-like men of the whole Board, that they are gentlemen using their best exertions to promote the success and prosperity of the Town, anxious for its improvement, and desirous of its progress; witness their endeavours for the establishment of the Model Lodging Houses—the promotion of the scheme for the erection of a Public Hall—the alteration of the Post Office and improvement of postal accommodation—their support of the School of Design and Mechanics’ Institution, and extension of general Education—the erection of a proper Workhouse in place of our present disgraceful building, by which I doubt not our expenses will be lessened, and the comforts of its aged and infirm poor inmates at the same time increased, and by their generally evidenced desire to improve the condition of our poorer brethren, both socially and morally—thus preventing crime, obviating disease, and diminishing pauperism. Having during the past year made a continued advance in the right direction, should you be again called upon I trust that you will encourage their endeavours, and show that you appreciate their attention to your interests, by not only supporting the seven gentlemen[33]I now allude to, but also any others with whom their names may be connected in any list proposed for your sanction, by placing their names triumphantly at the head of the poll.I am, Fellow-Ratepayers,Yours faithfully,A QUIET OBSERVER OF FACTS.March, 1854.ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.To the Ratepayers of the Parish of Dudley.You are respectfully requested to Vote for the following Ten Persons (the last on the List,) Nominated by Thomas Badger, Esq.—Isaac Badger, Coal and Ironmaster.Thomas Griffiths, Gentleman.Joseph Griffin Walker, Nailmaster.Joseph Guest, Gentleman.Edward Fisher Smith, Mine Agent.William Harrison, Draper.John Aston, Mine Agent.John Renaud, Glass Manufacturer.Matthew Dennison, Chemist, &c.Francis Northall, Ironmaster.Important Notice.—As only Ten Persons can be elected, any Ratepayer Voting for more than that number will lose the Whole of his Votes. Write your Initials, at once, opposite the above Ten Names only, (which are the last Ten upon the Voting Paper,) and sign your name at the foot thereof; and then carefully preserve it (as no second paper will be given you) and deliver it to the person who left it, when he calls on Saturday, the 8th of April. If the Voting Paper is not then given, send it as early that day as possible to Mr. Shorthouse, the Clerk to the Guardians, at the Poor Law Offices, in Upper King Street. Any person qualified to Vote who shall not have received a Voting Paper, may do so on applying to Mr. Shorthouse, at his Offices as above, (not later than Saturday, the 8th of April,) and then and there fill up the same in his presence, and deliver it to him.March 9th, 1854.ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.To the Rate-payers of the Parish of Dudley.A Handbill having been circulated through the Parish, evidently the production of one of the “ACTIVE AND INTELLIGENT” Members of the present Board, calling upon you to elect them again as Guardians for the Parish; permit another Quiet Observer to submit a fewFACTSfor your consideration. You are told something about Owners’ Proxies having been obtained by unscrupulous means. Does the Gentleman allude to the hundreds of those statements, which he and his Friends byMISREPRESENTATION AND CAJOLERYobtained six months previously to the Election of the Board of Health, for the purpose of securingTHEIR OWN ELECTION, or to those hundreds of similar statements which were given to the Overseers a few weeks ago by the same party! Perhaps he and some other of these active and intelligent Guardians will admit that they gave unquestionable proof of their activity, if they would kindly state the number of miles they travelled last year, in running about from street to street, and house to house to fill up the Voting Papers, which by so doing, and imposing on theRate-payers, they Elected themselves. Having carefully watched the conduct of these parties during the last year, I find amongst the most conspicuous of their performances, the decision of the question of a Huge Union Bastile, to separate Man and Wife, Children and Parents; to a Man they have ever Voted in favour of this, and the Dudley Union will now have to pay, at the very least, £20,000 for it.And look at what these sameACTIVE INTELLIGENCEShave done for you by the Board of Health! That Board has already made and signed a Rate ofONE SHILLING AND TENPENCEin the Pound, which in a very short time you will be forced to pay; and an additional Rate is also in contemplation, which, together with two twenty-penny Poor Rates, will make 5s. 8d. in the Pound for Levies alone to pay. Among other items of reckless extravagance, the following Salaries:—Clerk to the Board, £165 per annum; Surveyor, £150 per annum; Doctor, £75 per annum; Collector, £75 per annum; Inspector of Nuisances, £120 per annum, lately increased from £40 to £120; making a total of £585; with additional extra allowance which has been paid to others to assist; and further, I am informed that to carry out the projects for Drainage, Plans, Surveys, &c., £50,000 will be required and borrowed, and the interest must be paid by draining your pockets. Next, is it fair that these SEVEN ACTIVE INTELLIGENCES shall take to themselves the credit of what the labours of the whole Board have effected in the diminution of the Expenditure, and I would askHOW IS ITthat in a time of good trade, nearly £7,000 has been spent during the past year; andWHY IS ITthat under the operation of the Tenement Rating Act, from which so great things were promised us, that the Dudley Overseers have been compelled to borrow £500, and to pay the interest out of their pockets? As to Model Lodging-houses, Public Hall, School of Design, Mechanics’ Institute, &c., of which they make such boast; all very well, I reply, provided they are paid for by private enterprize, and not by PUBLIC RATES.FELLOW RATEPAYERS.—Have your payments been less during the last year?OWNERS OF SMALL PROPERTIES.—Have you not been compelled to pay the Rates for your tenants, in addition to your own usual Rates? and to whom are you indebted for this increase of your burdens? It is a fact, that every one of the SEVEN ACTIVE INTELLIGENCES did vote for the imposition of this additional Tax on you to relieve themselves, for I believe not one of them pay a Shilling on small Property in this Parish. Improvements we want, but do not be deceived; be careful to whom you trust the Power of Local Taxation. Vote for Guardians who have a stake in the Parish, who will spend your money as carefully as they would their own. Vote NOT for those who merely seek the office to gratify their own private vanity, and serve party purposes at the Cost of the Poor hard-working Ratepayers.Vote like I intend to do, for the TEN LAST NAMES on the List, for the men nominated by your most respected Fellow Townsman, Thomas Badger, Esq.; he has long been a tried and true friend to the Town of Dudley, and would not deceive youby nominating improper ones.Fellow Ratepayers, Your Faithful Servant,ANOTHER QUIET OBSERVER.Dudley, March 30th, 1854.ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.TO THE RATEPAYERS OF THE PARISH OF DUDLEY.“Another Observer” has thought proper to intrude some remarks upon your notice. To this there could be no objection, so long astruthwas adhered to; unfortunately, the truthfulness as well as the reason of his remarks are about “as two grains of wheat in two bushels of chaff, you shall search all day ere you find them, and when you have, they shall not prove worth the search!” Let me take his observations thenseriatim—that Owners’ Proxies have been procured, and this to some extent by misrepresentation, if not something worse, is beyond doubt, and that they will in very many instances be used contrary to the wishes and intentions of the Owners, is a fact which admits also of as little doubt. No person with any discrimination can suppose that if unscrupulously obtained they will not as unscrupulously be employed. Does “Another Observer” wish you to believe falsehood by proxy, or does he wish to propagate untruth by insinuation? He knows that with regard to the Board of Health proxies were not and could not be used,—and he is defied to prove that either “misrepresentation or cajolery” was employed by his opponents to gain that election. Notwithstanding the number ofpaidagents employed by himself and others to disseminate that “misrepresentation and cajolery” of which he speaks so much, the good sense and independent judgment of the Ratepayers emphatically decided against them; and so also, if left to their own free and unbiassed opinions, will they do in the present election for the Guardians.In regard to the Workhouse question, thefactsstated by “A Ratepayer” are a sufficient answer; but “Another Observer” here again knows thathis statements are a gross exaggeration, and wilfully intended to mislead. So also are his statements in regard to the salaries paid to some of the Officers of the Board of Health. Will he, however, assert that he or his friends would or could have procured proper and intelligent persons, qualified to carry out the important works which will be required of them, for less amounts than are now paid? I trow not. But why wish you to believe that these are extra burdens imposed upon you?Why not tell you of the sums paid,IN THE GOOD OLD TIMES OF HIS FRIENDS,to the late Clerk to the Town Act Commissioners,—to the Collectors of the Town Rate and Highway Rate,—the Inspector of Nuisances under the Diseases’ Prevention Act,—the Surveyor of the Highways and other Officers?and I am much mistaken if you will not find MORE MONEYPAID FOR LESS WORK DONE! It was either because he considered “discretion the better part of valour,” or, “where ignorance is bliss, ’twas folly to be wise.” Why, too, did not this “other Observer” tell you what eitherhimselforhis friend(?), a THRICE-REJECTED-ASPIRING-WOULD-BE-GUARDIAN!!! has received of the Parish money for some years before he pretended to pass judgment on others.As to the Rates made by your Local Board of Health, what are they? Why aShillingTown Rate instead of anEighteen-pennyone as it was last year, andTwo Shillingsa year or two ago; and a tenpenny Highway Rate which has been its amount for many years—thus actually shewing that you are paying from Sixpence to One Shilling in the poundlessthan when under the old rulers. As to the expenses of Survey, Plans, Drainage, and other improvements, what has necessitated their adoption but the neglect of those who held the power in your parish years ago. Will this “Observer” assert that there is no need of them? Will he assert that there are many places in this kingdom worse off than Dudley in these respects? Can he controvert the fact that the average duration of life in Dudley is almost the shortest, if not quite so, of any place in England? or, in other words, that whilst in some places of all the people born, the average duration of their lives is 40 years, in Dudley it is only about 19—or that during this past year there have been more deaths in this parish, from fevers and other preventable causes, than during the years of the Cholera—and these, too, principally, if not entirely, caused by bad drainage, imperfect ventilation, and improper sanitary regulations.Your present high Poor Rates are only a portion of the short-comings left by those to whom you entrusted your interests in past times. Your payments now are but a legacy of that mismanagement which this “Observer” would desire you to perpetuate.What does he mean by his allusions to the projected Model Lodging Houses, Public Hall, School of Design, Mechanics’ Institute, &c.? as being provided for out of the Public Rates—insinuations as utterly false and groundless as they are base and malicious, and which could only originate in a mind incapable of a good action in itself, and therefore suspicious of others. “Have your payments been less during the past year?” he asks. I would answer there is the undeniable fact, that in the past year the cost of out-door relief to your poor has been less by nearly £500 than in previous ones. Why, I would retort, was not this diminution observable during former years, when trade was quite as good as during the past one? Then he enquires, why were the Overseers required to borrow £500 in order to provide the necessary means to meet parochial expenses? Why! Because they were compelled to wait the granting of another rate, whilst hundreds of our poor were summoned to appear before the Magistrates in order that they might be legally excused, or payment enforced, before another rate could be made; because such as this “Observer” would not compound for the payment of their rates, and, without the introduction of the Rating-of-Tenements’ Act, this must have been done at the close of every rate,—a fact alone sufficient to counterbalance any disadvantages which from its introductionmay arise, and which will ultimately be as great a benefit to the Landlord as to the poor Tenants themselves.“Another Observer” says “Improvements we want!!” Out upon such cant! why have we not had them before? why have they not been projected long ago? why, when anything has been proposed for the good and prosperity of the town, have not our men of influence, and those having a “stake” in the Parish been the first to support them? why has every thing been left to be done by the insulted “shopkeepers?” “Talk of spending your money carefully!” Who were the partieswho objected to let you know how your money was spent? who were the partieswho opposed the admission of the Pressto your Board Room? why, the very friends of this “Another Observer;” and when there are those who would not that Dudley should be second to Stourbridge, Bilston, or even Wolverhampton, such as this “Another Observer” are found to deride and revile their “private enterprize” and impute interested motives.Finally, “Another Observer” says “Vote for those who have a stake in the Parish,” and “who would not seek office to gratify personal vanity.” I ask you Ratepayers, to inspect the List proposed by Messrs.Dixon & Lester, and that advocated by this accurate “Another Observer,” and I venture to affirm, that on examination it will be found they pay a much greater amount of Rates, and thatTHEY ALSO REPRESENT BY FAR A MUCH LARGER AMOUNT OF INTERESTin this Parish. In regard to experience in parochial affairs, in regard to a knowledge of the administration of the Poor Laws, in regard to business habits and general intelligence, in regard to their attention to your interests, without wishing to utter one word in disparagement of their opponents, I fearlessly challenge a comparison. Talk of a “Stake” in the Parish, indeed! Pray, how much Rates does this “Another Observer” pay? Be not deceived by falsehood.—Be not misled by misrepresentation.—Judge by facts and not by the words of such “Another Observer.” Exercise your own impartial and independent opinions. Weigh all the circumstances calmly and impartially, and the undoubted result will be, that your confidence will again be placed in those who have not yet deceived you, and that the gentlemen nominated by Messrs.DixonandLesterwill be your Guardians for the ensuing year.With all respect, I am, Fellow Ratepayers, yours still,“THE QUIET OBSERVER OF FACTS.”Dudley, March 31st, 1854.ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.TO THE RATE-PAYERS OF THE PARISH OF DUDLEY.Gentlemen,A Handbill, headed “Election of Guardians,” and signed“anotherQuietObserver,” has been published, which contains a number of insinuations so disgraceful and false in reference to several public matters in which individually I take great interest, that however reluctant I may be to intrude myself personally upon you, I feel I should be wanting in a sense of public honor, if I were to allow it to remain without a distinct and indignant denial of its truth.Had it confined itself to the ensuing Election of Guardians I should not have thought it necessary to reply to its insinuations, because it would be an insult to the Rate-payers to suppose for a moment that they could be deceived by its one-sided statements—statements, every one of which, if not false in fact, are false and knowingly false in the inferences drawn from them. But it goes beyond the Election of Guardians, and insinuates that all the Public Institutions, which some amongst you are now endeavouring to establish and to support, are to be paid for by Public Rates.I suppose the writer of the Handbill thought that by throwing this paragraph into the form of an insinuation, and not a positive assertion, he would escape from being branded with the charge ofFalsehood, but surely he cannot be ignorant of the fact, that to deceive by the insinuation of a Falsehood is as great a breach of Truth, as to deceive by an actual falsehood itself.The writer of that Handbill, whoever he may be, knows very well that the Model Lodging Houses—the Public Hall—the School of Design—and the Mechanics’ Institute—are all supported, and supported with one exception, exclusively by Private Enterprise, and not by Public Rates. The exception to which I allude is the assistance of Government to the School of Design, to the extent of £10 during the first year of its establishment, whilst Private Enterprise alone has raised for its support during this time upwards of £400. I regret, exceedingly, that any one should have attempted thus to injure these Institutions, which are so much needed in this town, and which are so rapidly placing it on a more equal footing with the neighbouring Towns of the District.From the falsehood of the insinuations thrown out, you may judge how far the actual assertions which the writer of this Handbill ventures to make, are to be depended upon.The writer states that the “huge Union Bastile,” as he terms the new Poor House about to be erected, will separate Man and Wife—Children and Parents.He knows that the separation of Man and Wife—Children and Parents—takes place of necessity in the present Poor Houses to a far greater extent than can be the case in the new House.He knows thatnowthe children cannot remain even in thesame Houseas their Parents, but that in the new Union House they will be under the same roof, and within the reach of their Parents, at all reasonable and proper times.He also knows that Man and Wife are invariably separated in thepresentPoor Houses, and that this separation will not take place after sixty years of age in the new Union House.The writer states that the cost of the new Union House will be£20,000.He knows that the cost is limited to £12,000 by the Poor Law Board, and that this amount will be borrowed, and repaid at the rate of £600 per year, with interest at four per cent.He also knows that the economy of this expenditure will far exceed the annual amount of the instalments; or if he does not know this, it is because he will not take the trouble to examine the results attained in other Unions by the erection of proper Poor Houses. Upon this point Mr. Doyle has proved “that the pecuniary interests of the Union would be materially benefitted by the building of a workhouse adequate to its wants.”But if the desirability of a new Poor House were not so evident on the ground of economy, it would be so on far higher grounds, since the existing Dudley Poor House is described in a letter to me of the 28th instant, by one of the most respectable of the medical gentlemen of this town, “as theFOCUSof epidemic disease and starting point of Cholera, at two successive periods.”You, the Ratepayers of Dudley, will, I am sure, weigh well these words, and you will not shrink from showing the estimation in which you hold the writer of a Handbill who thus ignores the most sacred claims of Truth and Humanity.Nor does the writer confine himself to the Guardian question—he endeavours to make you believe that the Board of Health is administered with great recklessness of expenditure.As one of such Board, I am responsible only to the extent of my individual vote for its expenditure; but here again the writer endeavours only to deceive.The Rates under the Dudley Town Act Commissioners and the Board for the Repair of the Highways were during the following years as under:Town Rate.—1847-1848-1849, 2s. in the Pound. 1850-1851-1852, 1s. 6d. in the Pound.Highway Rate, for the above Six years, 10d. in the Pound.Under the Board of Health the Rates already granted are—AGeneral and District Rate,in lieu of old Town Rate, of 1s. in the Pound.AHighway Rateof 10d. in the Pound. These will be more than sufficient to meet the expenditure heretofore paid out of the Town and Highway Rates.The writer wishes to make you believe that the cost of Salaries is entirely additional under the present Board.He knows that this is not the case, and he also knows that the amount payable under the Board of Health, under this head, will be less, including Professional Charges, than under the Town Commissioners.The writer would deceive you as to the amounts to be paid for Drainage, &c., and the desirability of such expenditure. I cannot say at present what this expenditure may amount to; but the largest amount—efficiently expended in Drainage—will be the most economical to the Parish, when the saving to the Poor Rates,from the prevention of disease and death, is taken into account. Upon this point, let me again quote the words of the Medical Gentleman already alluded to (not the Officer of Health):—“The inhabitants of this Town are ill prepared to withstand the onslaught of Cholera, which would be brought to our very doors by living in such a tainted and impure atmosphere as that which exists in the very centre of the Town.”The writer of the Handbill does not tell you, that whatever may be the expenditure of the Board of Health, it will always have to be audited by a Public Officer, and the Balance Sheets open to the inspection of any Ratepayer.The Handbill would deceive you again in reference to the stake in the Parish which those proposed as guardians on the List nominated by Messrs. Dixon and Lester possess.He again insinuates, where he dares not assert. What will you think of this insinuation, when I tell you that there are Four Persons on that List, each of whom pays separately, three of them as individuals, and one as Agent of a Company, a larger amount of local taxation, as far as the Parish of Dudley is concerned, than the entire Ten upon the opposite List.I regret exceedingly, that I should be obliged thus even to allude to a matter which may appear to be personal, but I am compelled to do so. It would be false delicacy to shrink from the exposure of the deceit contained in the Handbill. I am ready at any moment to confront the writer, and to prove, not only every statement I here make, but also any inference I have drawn therefrom.For myself, I can only say, that personally I have no motive to serve in allowing myself to be nominated as one of your Guardians. If you honor me by election, I shall earnestly strive to fulfil the duties so imposed—but how painful those duties are, they only know who have accompanied me over the Poor House in this Town, which, I hesitate not to say, is a disgrace to humanity, and to the intelligence of the present day. The hours which I have spent within its walls have been amongst the most painful of my life, and there is, I am sure, no Ratepayer who would accompany the Visiting Committee in their periodical inspection of it, who would not most earnestly labour for its removal, as a religious duty which he dared not neglect.I am, Gentlemen,Your obedient Servant,S. H. BLACKWELL.Dudley, March 31st, 1854.

ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.

To the Independent and Enlightened Ratepayers of the Parish of Dudley.

Fellow Ratepayers,

It is very likely that in the course of a few days you will again have the opportunity of Electing your part of the Board of Guardians for this Union for the coming year. As far as I can understand, an effort is to be made, and which has been in contemplation for some months past (by means of owners’ proxies, obtained in some instances I believe by not over-scrupulous means, and which in many others would never have been given to be employed in such a manner) to unseat the majority of those parties who received your support at the last election. Let us then examine for a few moments what these gentlemen have done during the past year of their Stewardship to forfeit the confidence we then reposed in them. First, they advocated and brought about the publicity of the proceedings of the Board, which hadpreviously, notwithstanding the praiseworthy exertions of two or three of its members to the contrary, partaken somewhat of the character of a secret conclave. Secondly, the usual weekly checks for this Parish only for out-door relief has gradually diminished during the year, on an average, I should imagine from the now regularly published newspaper reports, of not less than £8 or £10 per week—next—I believe that the in-door expenses of our Workhouses are actually less at this time than when provisions were only half their present price, and less by a considerable amount per head per week than they were five or six years ago, and that the poor, both in and out, not the less cared or provided for. Fourthly, I observe that several of the gentlemen against whom this opposition is principally to be directed are amongst the most intelligent, active, business-like men of the whole Board, that they are gentlemen using their best exertions to promote the success and prosperity of the Town, anxious for its improvement, and desirous of its progress; witness their endeavours for the establishment of the Model Lodging Houses—the promotion of the scheme for the erection of a Public Hall—the alteration of the Post Office and improvement of postal accommodation—their support of the School of Design and Mechanics’ Institution, and extension of general Education—the erection of a proper Workhouse in place of our present disgraceful building, by which I doubt not our expenses will be lessened, and the comforts of its aged and infirm poor inmates at the same time increased, and by their generally evidenced desire to improve the condition of our poorer brethren, both socially and morally—thus preventing crime, obviating disease, and diminishing pauperism. Having during the past year made a continued advance in the right direction, should you be again called upon I trust that you will encourage their endeavours, and show that you appreciate their attention to your interests, by not only supporting the seven gentlemen[33]I now allude to, but also any others with whom their names may be connected in any list proposed for your sanction, by placing their names triumphantly at the head of the poll.

I am, Fellow-Ratepayers,

Yours faithfully,

A QUIET OBSERVER OF FACTS.

March, 1854.

ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.

To the Ratepayers of the Parish of Dudley.

You are respectfully requested to Vote for the following Ten Persons (the last on the List,) Nominated by Thomas Badger, Esq.—

Important Notice.—As only Ten Persons can be elected, any Ratepayer Voting for more than that number will lose the Whole of his Votes. Write your Initials, at once, opposite the above Ten Names only, (which are the last Ten upon the Voting Paper,) and sign your name at the foot thereof; and then carefully preserve it (as no second paper will be given you) and deliver it to the person who left it, when he calls on Saturday, the 8th of April. If the Voting Paper is not then given, send it as early that day as possible to Mr. Shorthouse, the Clerk to the Guardians, at the Poor Law Offices, in Upper King Street. Any person qualified to Vote who shall not have received a Voting Paper, may do so on applying to Mr. Shorthouse, at his Offices as above, (not later than Saturday, the 8th of April,) and then and there fill up the same in his presence, and deliver it to him.

March 9th, 1854.

ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.

To the Rate-payers of the Parish of Dudley.

A Handbill having been circulated through the Parish, evidently the production of one of the “ACTIVE AND INTELLIGENT” Members of the present Board, calling upon you to elect them again as Guardians for the Parish; permit another Quiet Observer to submit a fewFACTSfor your consideration. You are told something about Owners’ Proxies having been obtained by unscrupulous means. Does the Gentleman allude to the hundreds of those statements, which he and his Friends byMISREPRESENTATION AND CAJOLERYobtained six months previously to the Election of the Board of Health, for the purpose of securingTHEIR OWN ELECTION, or to those hundreds of similar statements which were given to the Overseers a few weeks ago by the same party! Perhaps he and some other of these active and intelligent Guardians will admit that they gave unquestionable proof of their activity, if they would kindly state the number of miles they travelled last year, in running about from street to street, and house to house to fill up the Voting Papers, which by so doing, and imposing on theRate-payers, they Elected themselves. Having carefully watched the conduct of these parties during the last year, I find amongst the most conspicuous of their performances, the decision of the question of a Huge Union Bastile, to separate Man and Wife, Children and Parents; to a Man they have ever Voted in favour of this, and the Dudley Union will now have to pay, at the very least, £20,000 for it.

And look at what these sameACTIVE INTELLIGENCEShave done for you by the Board of Health! That Board has already made and signed a Rate ofONE SHILLING AND TENPENCEin the Pound, which in a very short time you will be forced to pay; and an additional Rate is also in contemplation, which, together with two twenty-penny Poor Rates, will make 5s. 8d. in the Pound for Levies alone to pay. Among other items of reckless extravagance, the following Salaries:—Clerk to the Board, £165 per annum; Surveyor, £150 per annum; Doctor, £75 per annum; Collector, £75 per annum; Inspector of Nuisances, £120 per annum, lately increased from £40 to £120; making a total of £585; with additional extra allowance which has been paid to others to assist; and further, I am informed that to carry out the projects for Drainage, Plans, Surveys, &c., £50,000 will be required and borrowed, and the interest must be paid by draining your pockets. Next, is it fair that these SEVEN ACTIVE INTELLIGENCES shall take to themselves the credit of what the labours of the whole Board have effected in the diminution of the Expenditure, and I would askHOW IS ITthat in a time of good trade, nearly £7,000 has been spent during the past year; andWHY IS ITthat under the operation of the Tenement Rating Act, from which so great things were promised us, that the Dudley Overseers have been compelled to borrow £500, and to pay the interest out of their pockets? As to Model Lodging-houses, Public Hall, School of Design, Mechanics’ Institute, &c., of which they make such boast; all very well, I reply, provided they are paid for by private enterprize, and not by PUBLIC RATES.

FELLOW RATEPAYERS.—Have your payments been less during the last year?

OWNERS OF SMALL PROPERTIES.—Have you not been compelled to pay the Rates for your tenants, in addition to your own usual Rates? and to whom are you indebted for this increase of your burdens? It is a fact, that every one of the SEVEN ACTIVE INTELLIGENCES did vote for the imposition of this additional Tax on you to relieve themselves, for I believe not one of them pay a Shilling on small Property in this Parish. Improvements we want, but do not be deceived; be careful to whom you trust the Power of Local Taxation. Vote for Guardians who have a stake in the Parish, who will spend your money as carefully as they would their own. Vote NOT for those who merely seek the office to gratify their own private vanity, and serve party purposes at the Cost of the Poor hard-working Ratepayers.

Vote like I intend to do, for the TEN LAST NAMES on the List, for the men nominated by your most respected Fellow Townsman, Thomas Badger, Esq.; he has long been a tried and true friend to the Town of Dudley, and would not deceive youby nominating improper ones.

Fellow Ratepayers, Your Faithful Servant,

ANOTHER QUIET OBSERVER.

Dudley, March 30th, 1854.

ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.

TO THE RATEPAYERS OF THE PARISH OF DUDLEY.

“Another Observer” has thought proper to intrude some remarks upon your notice. To this there could be no objection, so long astruthwas adhered to; unfortunately, the truthfulness as well as the reason of his remarks are about “as two grains of wheat in two bushels of chaff, you shall search all day ere you find them, and when you have, they shall not prove worth the search!” Let me take his observations thenseriatim—that Owners’ Proxies have been procured, and this to some extent by misrepresentation, if not something worse, is beyond doubt, and that they will in very many instances be used contrary to the wishes and intentions of the Owners, is a fact which admits also of as little doubt. No person with any discrimination can suppose that if unscrupulously obtained they will not as unscrupulously be employed. Does “Another Observer” wish you to believe falsehood by proxy, or does he wish to propagate untruth by insinuation? He knows that with regard to the Board of Health proxies were not and could not be used,—and he is defied to prove that either “misrepresentation or cajolery” was employed by his opponents to gain that election. Notwithstanding the number ofpaidagents employed by himself and others to disseminate that “misrepresentation and cajolery” of which he speaks so much, the good sense and independent judgment of the Ratepayers emphatically decided against them; and so also, if left to their own free and unbiassed opinions, will they do in the present election for the Guardians.

In regard to the Workhouse question, thefactsstated by “A Ratepayer” are a sufficient answer; but “Another Observer” here again knows thathis statements are a gross exaggeration, and wilfully intended to mislead. So also are his statements in regard to the salaries paid to some of the Officers of the Board of Health. Will he, however, assert that he or his friends would or could have procured proper and intelligent persons, qualified to carry out the important works which will be required of them, for less amounts than are now paid? I trow not. But why wish you to believe that these are extra burdens imposed upon you?Why not tell you of the sums paid,IN THE GOOD OLD TIMES OF HIS FRIENDS,to the late Clerk to the Town Act Commissioners,—to the Collectors of the Town Rate and Highway Rate,—the Inspector of Nuisances under the Diseases’ Prevention Act,—the Surveyor of the Highways and other Officers?and I am much mistaken if you will not find MORE MONEYPAID FOR LESS WORK DONE! It was either because he considered “discretion the better part of valour,” or, “where ignorance is bliss, ’twas folly to be wise.” Why, too, did not this “other Observer” tell you what eitherhimselforhis friend(?), a THRICE-REJECTED-ASPIRING-WOULD-BE-GUARDIAN!!! has received of the Parish money for some years before he pretended to pass judgment on others.

As to the Rates made by your Local Board of Health, what are they? Why aShillingTown Rate instead of anEighteen-pennyone as it was last year, andTwo Shillingsa year or two ago; and a tenpenny Highway Rate which has been its amount for many years—thus actually shewing that you are paying from Sixpence to One Shilling in the poundlessthan when under the old rulers. As to the expenses of Survey, Plans, Drainage, and other improvements, what has necessitated their adoption but the neglect of those who held the power in your parish years ago. Will this “Observer” assert that there is no need of them? Will he assert that there are many places in this kingdom worse off than Dudley in these respects? Can he controvert the fact that the average duration of life in Dudley is almost the shortest, if not quite so, of any place in England? or, in other words, that whilst in some places of all the people born, the average duration of their lives is 40 years, in Dudley it is only about 19—or that during this past year there have been more deaths in this parish, from fevers and other preventable causes, than during the years of the Cholera—and these, too, principally, if not entirely, caused by bad drainage, imperfect ventilation, and improper sanitary regulations.Your present high Poor Rates are only a portion of the short-comings left by those to whom you entrusted your interests in past times. Your payments now are but a legacy of that mismanagement which this “Observer” would desire you to perpetuate.

What does he mean by his allusions to the projected Model Lodging Houses, Public Hall, School of Design, Mechanics’ Institute, &c.? as being provided for out of the Public Rates—insinuations as utterly false and groundless as they are base and malicious, and which could only originate in a mind incapable of a good action in itself, and therefore suspicious of others. “Have your payments been less during the past year?” he asks. I would answer there is the undeniable fact, that in the past year the cost of out-door relief to your poor has been less by nearly £500 than in previous ones. Why, I would retort, was not this diminution observable during former years, when trade was quite as good as during the past one? Then he enquires, why were the Overseers required to borrow £500 in order to provide the necessary means to meet parochial expenses? Why! Because they were compelled to wait the granting of another rate, whilst hundreds of our poor were summoned to appear before the Magistrates in order that they might be legally excused, or payment enforced, before another rate could be made; because such as this “Observer” would not compound for the payment of their rates, and, without the introduction of the Rating-of-Tenements’ Act, this must have been done at the close of every rate,—a fact alone sufficient to counterbalance any disadvantages which from its introductionmay arise, and which will ultimately be as great a benefit to the Landlord as to the poor Tenants themselves.

“Another Observer” says “Improvements we want!!” Out upon such cant! why have we not had them before? why have they not been projected long ago? why, when anything has been proposed for the good and prosperity of the town, have not our men of influence, and those having a “stake” in the Parish been the first to support them? why has every thing been left to be done by the insulted “shopkeepers?” “Talk of spending your money carefully!” Who were the partieswho objected to let you know how your money was spent? who were the partieswho opposed the admission of the Pressto your Board Room? why, the very friends of this “Another Observer;” and when there are those who would not that Dudley should be second to Stourbridge, Bilston, or even Wolverhampton, such as this “Another Observer” are found to deride and revile their “private enterprize” and impute interested motives.

Finally, “Another Observer” says “Vote for those who have a stake in the Parish,” and “who would not seek office to gratify personal vanity.” I ask you Ratepayers, to inspect the List proposed by Messrs.Dixon & Lester, and that advocated by this accurate “Another Observer,” and I venture to affirm, that on examination it will be found they pay a much greater amount of Rates, and thatTHEY ALSO REPRESENT BY FAR A MUCH LARGER AMOUNT OF INTERESTin this Parish. In regard to experience in parochial affairs, in regard to a knowledge of the administration of the Poor Laws, in regard to business habits and general intelligence, in regard to their attention to your interests, without wishing to utter one word in disparagement of their opponents, I fearlessly challenge a comparison. Talk of a “Stake” in the Parish, indeed! Pray, how much Rates does this “Another Observer” pay? Be not deceived by falsehood.—Be not misled by misrepresentation.—Judge by facts and not by the words of such “Another Observer.” Exercise your own impartial and independent opinions. Weigh all the circumstances calmly and impartially, and the undoubted result will be, that your confidence will again be placed in those who have not yet deceived you, and that the gentlemen nominated by Messrs.DixonandLesterwill be your Guardians for the ensuing year.

With all respect, I am, Fellow Ratepayers, yours still,

“THE QUIET OBSERVER OF FACTS.”

Dudley, March 31st, 1854.

ELECTION OF GUARDIANS.

TO THE RATE-PAYERS OF THE PARISH OF DUDLEY.

Gentlemen,

A Handbill, headed “Election of Guardians,” and signed“anotherQuietObserver,” has been published, which contains a number of insinuations so disgraceful and false in reference to several public matters in which individually I take great interest, that however reluctant I may be to intrude myself personally upon you, I feel I should be wanting in a sense of public honor, if I were to allow it to remain without a distinct and indignant denial of its truth.

Had it confined itself to the ensuing Election of Guardians I should not have thought it necessary to reply to its insinuations, because it would be an insult to the Rate-payers to suppose for a moment that they could be deceived by its one-sided statements—statements, every one of which, if not false in fact, are false and knowingly false in the inferences drawn from them. But it goes beyond the Election of Guardians, and insinuates that all the Public Institutions, which some amongst you are now endeavouring to establish and to support, are to be paid for by Public Rates.

I suppose the writer of the Handbill thought that by throwing this paragraph into the form of an insinuation, and not a positive assertion, he would escape from being branded with the charge ofFalsehood, but surely he cannot be ignorant of the fact, that to deceive by the insinuation of a Falsehood is as great a breach of Truth, as to deceive by an actual falsehood itself.

The writer of that Handbill, whoever he may be, knows very well that the Model Lodging Houses—the Public Hall—the School of Design—and the Mechanics’ Institute—are all supported, and supported with one exception, exclusively by Private Enterprise, and not by Public Rates. The exception to which I allude is the assistance of Government to the School of Design, to the extent of £10 during the first year of its establishment, whilst Private Enterprise alone has raised for its support during this time upwards of £400. I regret, exceedingly, that any one should have attempted thus to injure these Institutions, which are so much needed in this town, and which are so rapidly placing it on a more equal footing with the neighbouring Towns of the District.

From the falsehood of the insinuations thrown out, you may judge how far the actual assertions which the writer of this Handbill ventures to make, are to be depended upon.

The writer states that the “huge Union Bastile,” as he terms the new Poor House about to be erected, will separate Man and Wife—Children and Parents.

He knows that the separation of Man and Wife—Children and Parents—takes place of necessity in the present Poor Houses to a far greater extent than can be the case in the new House.

He knows thatnowthe children cannot remain even in thesame Houseas their Parents, but that in the new Union House they will be under the same roof, and within the reach of their Parents, at all reasonable and proper times.

He also knows that Man and Wife are invariably separated in thepresentPoor Houses, and that this separation will not take place after sixty years of age in the new Union House.

The writer states that the cost of the new Union House will be£20,000.

He knows that the cost is limited to £12,000 by the Poor Law Board, and that this amount will be borrowed, and repaid at the rate of £600 per year, with interest at four per cent.

He also knows that the economy of this expenditure will far exceed the annual amount of the instalments; or if he does not know this, it is because he will not take the trouble to examine the results attained in other Unions by the erection of proper Poor Houses. Upon this point Mr. Doyle has proved “that the pecuniary interests of the Union would be materially benefitted by the building of a workhouse adequate to its wants.”

But if the desirability of a new Poor House were not so evident on the ground of economy, it would be so on far higher grounds, since the existing Dudley Poor House is described in a letter to me of the 28th instant, by one of the most respectable of the medical gentlemen of this town, “as theFOCUSof epidemic disease and starting point of Cholera, at two successive periods.”

You, the Ratepayers of Dudley, will, I am sure, weigh well these words, and you will not shrink from showing the estimation in which you hold the writer of a Handbill who thus ignores the most sacred claims of Truth and Humanity.

Nor does the writer confine himself to the Guardian question—he endeavours to make you believe that the Board of Health is administered with great recklessness of expenditure.

As one of such Board, I am responsible only to the extent of my individual vote for its expenditure; but here again the writer endeavours only to deceive.

The Rates under the Dudley Town Act Commissioners and the Board for the Repair of the Highways were during the following years as under:

Town Rate.—1847-1848-1849, 2s. in the Pound. 1850-1851-1852, 1s. 6d. in the Pound.

Highway Rate, for the above Six years, 10d. in the Pound.

Under the Board of Health the Rates already granted are—

AGeneral and District Rate,in lieu of old Town Rate, of 1s. in the Pound.

AHighway Rateof 10d. in the Pound. These will be more than sufficient to meet the expenditure heretofore paid out of the Town and Highway Rates.

The writer wishes to make you believe that the cost of Salaries is entirely additional under the present Board.

He knows that this is not the case, and he also knows that the amount payable under the Board of Health, under this head, will be less, including Professional Charges, than under the Town Commissioners.

The writer would deceive you as to the amounts to be paid for Drainage, &c., and the desirability of such expenditure. I cannot say at present what this expenditure may amount to; but the largest amount—efficiently expended in Drainage—will be the most economical to the Parish, when the saving to the Poor Rates,from the prevention of disease and death, is taken into account. Upon this point, let me again quote the words of the Medical Gentleman already alluded to (not the Officer of Health):—“The inhabitants of this Town are ill prepared to withstand the onslaught of Cholera, which would be brought to our very doors by living in such a tainted and impure atmosphere as that which exists in the very centre of the Town.”

The writer of the Handbill does not tell you, that whatever may be the expenditure of the Board of Health, it will always have to be audited by a Public Officer, and the Balance Sheets open to the inspection of any Ratepayer.

The Handbill would deceive you again in reference to the stake in the Parish which those proposed as guardians on the List nominated by Messrs. Dixon and Lester possess.

He again insinuates, where he dares not assert. What will you think of this insinuation, when I tell you that there are Four Persons on that List, each of whom pays separately, three of them as individuals, and one as Agent of a Company, a larger amount of local taxation, as far as the Parish of Dudley is concerned, than the entire Ten upon the opposite List.

I regret exceedingly, that I should be obliged thus even to allude to a matter which may appear to be personal, but I am compelled to do so. It would be false delicacy to shrink from the exposure of the deceit contained in the Handbill. I am ready at any moment to confront the writer, and to prove, not only every statement I here make, but also any inference I have drawn therefrom.

For myself, I can only say, that personally I have no motive to serve in allowing myself to be nominated as one of your Guardians. If you honor me by election, I shall earnestly strive to fulfil the duties so imposed—but how painful those duties are, they only know who have accompanied me over the Poor House in this Town, which, I hesitate not to say, is a disgrace to humanity, and to the intelligence of the present day. The hours which I have spent within its walls have been amongst the most painful of my life, and there is, I am sure, no Ratepayer who would accompany the Visiting Committee in their periodical inspection of it, who would not most earnestly labour for its removal, as a religious duty which he dared not neglect.

I am, Gentlemen,

Your obedient Servant,

S. H. BLACKWELL.

Dudley, March 31st, 1854.

This disgraceful strangling of common sense and prostitution of all recognised rules of decent electioneering propriety came to a close with the following result:

ELECTED TORIES.

REJECTED LIBERALS.

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