that it would have been better if the Board | to that letter. This case, of course, created of Guardians had acted on the moment with considerable excitement in the neighbourmore decision; if, for example, they had hood. Rumours spread, and the want said, "There is sufficient evidence of inde- of precise knowledge caused them to be cent assaults to bring this man before the exaggerated. The general effect produced magistrates and have him committed for was one of much alarm and disquietude. So far the thing might have been Guardians belonging to different villages, met immediately. But that is not a view and frequenting different markets, were of the case which can be urged by the anxious to know whether any communiCentral Board in London. They never cation had been received from the Central took that view. This, however, must be Board in London in answer to the letter said for the Board of Guardians. All which had been sent up. Days flew over; boards, we know, act with hesitation, and a week elapsed; and on the 20th, which no board is so timid as a Board of Guar- would be the next meeting of the guardians, because, though intrusted with very dians at Sanderton, they had the mortifigreat administrative duties, their absolute cation of finding that they had no answer. authority is very slight. In this very A letter, however, awaited them from the Board, though their affairs are adminis- schoolmaster, Stallwood, whose conduct tered with ability, and although gene- had been so much impugned, and who rally they possess the respect of the was placed in so remarkable a position; community, it was not very long ago and this letter was a resignation of his that a subordinate officer having be- office on the plea of the illness of his haved in an unjustifiable manner (not wife, and contained a request that the in a manner so heinous as the present case) guardians would give him a general was dismissed. In that case these very certificate of good conduct. Well, the guardians received a severe reproof from guardians were in a very embarrassing the Central Board, and were told they had position. A week had elapsed withno authority to dismiss their subordinate out any answer being received from officer. I am not mentioning that as any London, and they felt at last that they charge against the Central Board, whose must act. They had the man called in legal authority must be obeyed; but the and informed him that they could not guardians remembering that, and acting accept his resignation, but they suspended perhaps with rather more hesitancy than him from his office. They then wrote up they otherwise would, feeling that this affair to London within an hour, sent to the at Bledlow was of a more extensive and Poor Law Board the schoolmaster's letter deeper nature than it first appeared, and of resignation, and announced the course alarmed to find that all the subordinate they had taken in suspending him from officials were under the influence of the his office. That letter must have been man Stallwood, an able man, and were written on the 20th, but no answer was disinclined to give information; feeling received to the urgent communication from that the matter ought to be dealt with the Board of Guardians on the 14th, or to authoritatively, and that the evidence the letter of the 20th. Besides suspendwhich was to be the basis of a criminal ing the schoolmaster from his office, the indictment should be precise and authen- guardians, as it was necessary to make tic, and that it would not be satisfactory provision for carrying on the schools, to have it taken by a mere Board of Guar-appointed a committee of their body for dians, which could not administer an oath the purpose. The committee made ar or conduct such an investigation with the rangements to visit Bledlow daily, to report acuteness and authority that were indis- to the union house how affairs were going pensable-influenced by these considerations, they were extremely anxious, and urged that a person of authority should be sent down from London to conduct the inquiry. They accordingly forwarded that evening, or the following morning, all the evidence which had been given, and earnestly urged the Central Board to take up the matter and institute an investigation. That letter was written on the 14th of February. No answer was ever received Mr. Disraeli on, make temporary arrangements for conducting the school, and, of course, report to the Board of Guardians at their next meeting, which would be on the 27th. During this period the guardians received no answer to their letters. But at last the Poor Law Board sent down the Poor Law Inspector of the district, a gentleman of the name of Cane, but he did not apply to the guardians, he did not apply to a por tion of them, he did not even go to the If usual place where they met-the union | the union. But, in order to avoid such house at Sanderton, but he went to Bled- consequences and such inconvenience, and, low, and there on his own authority, in a certain sense, the injuries of such a directed the schoolmaster and his wife, the course, would you lay it down as a principle matron, to send their immediate, written, that a criminal is to be left with impunity and unconditional resignation of their because the proof of his crime may offices to him. A meeting of the guardians, produce indelicate and distressing details whether casually or by arrangement, had in the society which he has outraged? taken place to make arrangements for tem- It seems to me quite impossible to susporarily carrying on the educational estab-tain such a position. Then where are lishments-both the industrial school and the union schools. Mr. Cane told them that the affair was finished, that the resignation being complete and unconditional, the places of the schoolmaster and matron were vacant, that the guardians had no further authority over the individuals; and that all that they had to do was to accept the resignations on his advice and responsibility, and to make temporary arrangements. I do not know what were the motives of the Poor Law Inspector, but of course I sincerely give him credit for the best motives. The best motives, however, in point of feeling, may be most erroneous in point of policy. I do not understand that the case of Mr. Cane was an exception to that principle. It was possible Mr. Cane might have thought, "This is a grave scandal; an investigation into these circumstances, as suggested by the guardians of the Wycombe Union, will lead to evidence most offensive to the public taste and to public morality; we shall have details of a very disgusting character; and the best thing, therefore, I can do is to hush it up." He may have been-he probably was-influenced by that feeling. Now, hushing up a private scandal may be an act of wisdom or of charity, and an act of charity is generally an act of wisdom. But when you come to a public scandal, it is a very different thing. Generally it is not wise to hush up a public scandal. It is more than a questionable, nay, it is a foolish act, because in the nature of things, enough always is known in a public scandal to attract great public attention, and unless matters are investigated they assume, in the imagination of the public, larger and more horrid features than they really possess. Nothing can be more inconvenient, nothing more distressing in any society, especially in society of the innocent character which generally pervades a quiet rural district, than an investigation into such charges as I have intimated, charges of gross immorality to be spread about in every village in But you to stop? where draw the line? When stances. By the Poor Law the power of the Board of Guardians is so limited that they have not even the power of dismissing their subordinate officers. The Board of Guardians could not dismiss a schoolmaster. The House must also remember this, that there is a provision in the Poor Law Act to the effect that any person once in the employ of the Poor Law Board, and who has been dismissed, should never, under any circumstances, be employed by the Poor Law authorities again. The Board of Guardians were most anxious that the resignation of this man should not be accepted, because the moment he resigned his office there was not the slightest reason whatever that he should not be a candidate for office in another union, as soon as the circumstances that had happened had been forgotten, or in a place where they were not known. The central authority, by not only recommending, but by sanctioning and proposing the resignation of this person, absolutely screened him from the only penalties he would incur if he were not prosecuted for his heinous conduct, and sent him forth to the world without the slightest stain on his character. The Board met for the third time on the 27th February, with two important duties to discharge. In the interval a new charge had been made against the schoolmaster. A young woman, Ann Allen, who was about to leave the union house at Sanderton, when making her farewell visit to the master and matron communicated to them that she was in the family way, and that the father of her impending child was the schoolmaster-that she had been a pauper pupil some years of her life in that school; that he had seduced her there; that he had retained his connection with her, and that she had often visited him at the school. This was a case aggravating the offence of the man. The evidence was taken down, and it was determined to send it to the Central Board, from whom the guardians had not yet received a single letter. They had then to receive a report from their committee, and that committee informed the Board that the master and matron had resigned; that their re signation had been accepted by the central authority, that their places were vacant, and that they were no longer under the authority of the Board of Guardians. The Board of Guardians refused to confirm the report of the committee, who had no right whatever to accept any Mr. Disraeli resignation, and they addressed to the "I am directed by the Poor Law Board to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th ult., forwarding a copy of a resolution passed by the guardians of the Wycombe Union, at a meeting held on that day in reference to the resignation of Mr. and Mrs. Stallwood, the master and matron of the school, together with a copy of the evidence taken by the guardians in reference to his conduct towards Ann Allen, formerly an inmate of the school. The Board have also received your previous letters of the 14th and 20th." This was how the business of the Board was transacted "In reference to the charges against Mr. Stallwood, I am directed to state that the Board have received a report from the Inspector, Mr. Cane, from which it appears that the master resigned his office unconditionally, and that Mrs. Stallwood resigned at the same time. Under these circumstances the Board direct me to point out that the acceptance of Mr. Stallwood's resignation by the guardians is not necessary to give effect to that resignation and as Mr. Stallwood is no longer responsible as an officer either to the guardians or this board, and that the Board can take no steps with regard to his alleged misconduct." What other interpretation could a body of well-meaning, honest men, used to the duties of their rural office, give to this letter, but that after all that had occurred they were now apprised by the central authority that there were no means whatever of obtaining redress for the great injuries which the society to which they belonged had sustained from this individual. I need hardly call upon the House to frame in their minds some opinion as to what must be the effect in a large rural district, containing upwards of 35,000 inhabitants, among every portion of which this story, in the course of a month, must circulate. The House can easily conceive what effect would be produced in such a society as I have described, by whom this affair had been discussed at fairs, markets, and all other public resorts. The feeling was naturally one of great indignation; they felt that they had no redress for the outrages they had suffered. I do not believe that so much feeling had for 66 a considerable period been excited in that that a portion of the general discontent part of the world. Any one would have and indignation has naturally, though unsupposed that the business had terminated deservedly, been visited upon the guardians with the letter from which I have just of Wycombe Union- a fact which has read an extract; but the matter was men-made them still more anxious that the tioned in this House, and the Board of matter should be brought before this Guardians expressed by resolution their House. What they complain of is, first dissatisfaction with the communication of all, that their letters of the 14th and which they had received from the central 21st of February, when they first sent authorities, stating that they looked upon up the evidence, were never noticed at all; it as altogether unsatisfactory," and in- secondly, they complain that the Poor forming the Poor Law Board that they Law Inspector, without conferring with the should consult their representatives and clerk or any of the guardians, went down take their advice as to the course they to the school and forced the resignation ought to pursue. And, certainly, I do not -no not "forced," for the man, I dare see why men should have Members of say, was happy enough to give it-occaParliament, or why we were elected to sioned the resignation of Stallwood and represent the interests and feelings of the his wife. Thirdly, that they informed the community, if such things as this can take guardians in the letter of the 4th of March place with impunity, and not be mentioned that no proceedings could be taken in the in this House. Rather more than a week matter, and then by the letter of the 15th after the date of the letter to which I have informed them that they might prosecute, already referred, the guardians received and, if necessary, offer a reward for his another communication from the Poor Law apprehension, which certainly was very Board. It was addressed to the clerk of necessary, because the House will be prethe guardians, and was dated October, but pared to hear that long ago Stallwood had there could be no doubt that that was a absconded. He had watched the course mistake for March 15. It was written, of events no doubt with great interest, by the way, as if there had never been any and for a long time thought he should communication between them on the sub- be able to baffle both guardians and ject. Referring to the misconduct of the Commissioners. But after the case of late master, it called the attention of the Ann Allen came out he thought that, guardians to the 93rd section of the 4 on the whole, it would be the wisest & 5 Will. IV. c. 76, which provided that thing to abscond. If no further proceedif any master or any other workhouse ings are taken he may some years hence, official should in any way abuse or ill-treat when the evidence is almost forgotten or be guilty of any other misbehaviour, and the witnesses scattered, return to the or otherwise misconduct himself towards neighbourhood without a stain on his chaor with respect to any poor person in such racter. He could say that, when a public workhouse, he might be brought before a officer, he had tendered his resignation to the magistrate, and if the offence was proved authorities, who courteously accepted it; and might be fined £20. Then, attention was he might become again a relieving officer or called to an Act of the Queen, 7 & 8 Vict. perhaps a schoolmaster. Fourthly, they c. 101, s. 59, which provided that it complain of the conduct of the Poor Law should be lawful for the Board of Guar- Board, because through their mysterious dians to pay out of the funds in their silence and neglect in not giving them the hands for the apprehension and prosecu- slightest information or advice till a month tion of any officer charged with the mal- had elapsed, and the chief offender had treatment or abuse of any poor person. disappeared, the Board of Guardians has And the guardians were told that it was itself been accused, certainly undeservedly, for them to decide whether they could of neglecting the interests of the pauper produce sufficient evidence to secure a children. This is the case which from a conviction, and that if they found it neces- sense of duty I have brought before the sary they might offer a reward for the House. I shall listen with interest to any apprehension of the accused. The letter explanation given by the right hon. Genwas signed "R. B. Cane, Poor Law Inspec- tleman, for it does appear to me to be a tor." Those are the facts of the case; case which requires ample explanation at and the general feeling which they have the least from Her Majesty's Government, produced is such as I have described; but and I shall be glad if my conclusions the House will not be surprised to hear should prove to be unfounded. I have VOL. CLXXIX. [THIRD SERIES.] I "Gentlemen of this country; we poor paupers ask for justice on the part of our poor children. We should like to know why the master's conduct is not exposed to all the world. If we were to put omitted to mention that on the 27th, when I question involved seemed to be one with the Board of Guardians sent up the state-respect to the particular powers conferred ment of Ann Allen, and protested against by the Legislature on the guardians and the conduct of the Poor Law Inspector in on the Poor Law Board respectively. The arranging the resignation of the school- Legislature had provided for the protection master, they also sent a letter, which was of the inmates of workhouses, and for the addressed to them by a pauper then in removal of any person who might maltreat the house, and which shows how keen was them; and the powers necessary to accomthe feeling among the humbler classes on plish this object had been differently disthe subject. This letter, written after tributed -some being given to the Poor consultation with the other paupers, the Law Board, and others to the local authowriter being the best penman among them, rities. The right hon. Gentleman seemed was as follows:to find fault with the course which the central authorities took in not having acted up to their powers, and seemed to think that the guardians had been badly treated, that great scandal had been produced, and that there had been some miscarriage of justice. It did not appear to him that the law required any communication from a Local Board of Guardians to the Central Board before it could inquire into the conduct of any of its officers; but a communication had been made by the guardians of this union to the Central Board concerning certain irregular proceedings that had taken place at this district workhouse school. This was the course usually followed by the guardians if they had a complaint against their officers, and the course prescribed to the Central Board was to inquire into the truth of this matter. The a rope around a child's neck, or draw a knife across its throat, or if our little females were treated in an indecent manner-if we were to do acts of such brutality, we should be tried and punished. Is there the same law in this land for one as for another? Why are our feelings to be outraged? We appeal for justice. Your humble servant, William Hoare, a pauper in the house." The wording may excite a smile, but that letter shows what is the feeling of the paupers themselves, and that feeling is shared also by the inhabitants. I do not wish to bring before the House details which would be inconvenient and are poorer not requisite, and I, therefore, only move for a copy of the letter of the Poor Law Board, signed by H. Fleming, Secretary, dated March 4, 1865. Amendment proposed, To leave out from the word "That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words "there be laid before this House, a Copy of a Letter from the Poor Law Board, dated the 4th day of March 1865, and signed by Henry Fleming, secretary, relative to the Wycombe Union,"-(Mr. Disraeli,) -instead thereof. Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question." MR. C. P. VILLIERS said, he had nothing to complain of in the right hon. Gentleman's manner of bringing forward this case. He had done so with his usual clearness and courtesy, and if there had been any inaccuracies in his statement either of the law or the facts this was due, no doubt, to the instructions he had received. As he (Mr. C. P. Villiers) was totally unaware of what was going to be brought before the House, he was not prepared to meet all the details into which the right hon. Gentleman had gone. He had marshalled his facts for the purpose of producing a particular effect, but the Mr. Disraeli | usual course was followed in this casenamely, the papers forwarded to the Central Board were immediately transmitted to the Inspector of the district, and he was instructed to ascertain whether the charges were well founded. The right hon. Gentleman had stated that the papers were sent on the 14th; but they were received, he (Mr. C. P. Villiers) had been informed, on the 16th, and on that day they were transmitted to the Inspector, whom they reached on the 17th. The Inspector was at that time engaged in other business connected with his office; but, however, he lost not a moment, but proceeded as soon as possible to the spot, which he reached on the 21st, and did that which was daily done by Inspectors. He called upon the man charged to appear before him, stated the communications which had reached the Central Board, and informed him that he had been appointed to inquire into the facts of the case. The man was told that an investigation would take place, and that his course would be either to appear before the Board, examine witnesses, and make what defence he could, or state what he could in extenuation, or |