One hundred years ago
AN important deputation, including men like Cardinal Manning, the Bishop of Bedford, Lord Herschell, Lord Compton, and many noted philanthrop- ists and leaders of Trade Societies, waited on Wednesday on the Premier, to press on him an inquiry into the condition of the unemployed, State aid to emigration, the opening of local works of relief, and the prohibition of foreign pauper immigration. At least, this was the sum of their requests, though each speaker denounced some one of the remedies proposed, and many of them two or three. Mr Shipton, for example, the most prominent Trade-Unionist present, would hear no- thing of aided emigration, or of work at lower wages than was usually paid. There was no real consensus at all; and Lord Salisbury, after referring to the conflict of ideas, held out very little hope. An inquiry would add to the `magnetic influence' which London ex- ercised on the pauperism of the King- dom; the workmen rejected emigration; the prohibition of foreign immigration, though allowed by international law, would be difficult and of little avail; and as to State work on full pay, it would immensely aggravate all existing mis- eries and complications. The immigra- tion from abroad bore no proportion whatever to the immigration into Lon- don from the Kingdom itself, and the increase from natural causes. He could promise only on behalf of Government a thorough consideration of the whole subject.
The Spectator, 4 February 1888
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