Produced by Bryan Ness and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive.) THE LAW AND THE POOR BY HIS HONOUR JUDGE EDWARD ABBOTT PARRY AUTHOR OF "DOROTHY OSBORNE'S LETTERS," "JUDGMENTS IN VACATION," "WHAT THE JUDGE SAW," "THE SCARLET HERRING," "KATAWAMPUS," ETC. "Laws grind the poor and rich men rule the law." OLIVER GOLDSMITH: "The Traveller." LONDON SMITH, ELDER & CO., 15, WATERLOO PLACE 1914 TO THE MAN IN THE STREET THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED, IN THE PIOUS HOPE THAT HE WILL TAKE UP HIS JOB AND DO IT. CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE INTRODUCTION ix REFERENCES xv I. PAST AND PRESENT 1 II. THE ANCIENTS AND THE DEBTOR 20 III. OF IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT IN ENGLAND 36 IV. HOW THE MACHINE WORKS 58 V. WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION 76 VI. BANKRUPTCY 106 VII. DIVORCE 125 VIII. FLAT-TRAPS AND THEIR VICTIMS 152 IX. POVERTY AND PROCEDURE 172 X. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT 189 XI. THE POLICE COURT 213 XII. LANDLORD AND TENANT 233 XIII. THE TWO PUBLIC HOUSES: I. THE ALEHOUSE 252 XIV. THE TWO PUBLIC HOUSES: II. THE WORKHOUSE 271 XV. REMEDIES OF TO-DAY 285 XVI. REMEDIES OF TO-MORROW 299 INDEX 311 INTRODUCTION "But, say what you like, our Queen reigns over the greatest nation that ever existed." "Which nation?" asked the younger stranger, "for she reigns over two." The stranger paused; Egremont was silent, but looked inquiringly. "Yes," resumed the stranger after a moment's interval. "Two nations; between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy; who are as ignorant of each other's habits, thoughts, and feelings, as if they were dwellers in different zones, or inhabitants of different planets; who are formed by a different breeding, are fed by a different food, are ordered by different manners, and are not governed by the same laws." "You speak of----," said Egremont, hesitatingly. "THE RICH AND THE POOR." BENJAMIN DISRAELI: "Sybil, or The Two Nations."