SW_WH1793_Page_275

attended to at the time they were brought forward;but the public mind in this country, and particularly the Parliament, do not see good objects quickly. Theproposition was made, when a leading memberbrought in a bill for amending the Poor Laws in 1806,which did not pass the Lower House. Three yearsago, the establishment of local banks for savingsoriginated in Scotland, and their utility being (as Ihad predicted) rendered manifest, they got a footingin this country. They have recently been recognizedby government, and there are now about two hun-dred establishments in different parts of Great Britainand Ireland: but as the superintendence is gratui-tous, and the organization of a nature not to ensurepermanency, (which was the main feature in myplan,) I doubt their success on the present footing. A gentleman of the name of Woodson, has propo-sed an improvement. He sent me his pamphlet, (acopy of which I inclose you,) requesting at the sametime, that my assistance and influence might beexerted in his behalf. He thought he had made a new discovery, but was surprised when I showedhim that I had brought forward a similar plantwelve years ago. I assured him, however, of my co-operation, and he is now attempting to carry hisplan into effect. If it succeeds, it will be one of thebest establishments which was ever made, for thepurpose of giving provident habits to the poor, andof rendering them independent of parish relief, whichadds greatly in other respects to their comfort. Having now reached the seventy-fourth year of myage, and having resolved, as soon as I can, in conse-quence of declining health, to resign all my publiclaborious situations, and to devote my remaining lifeto charitable objects only; in the contemplation ofthis retirement, a friend of mine wished to possessmy papers, that he might give a brief view of mypublic life. This he has done, and I hasten to sendyou a copy of it, from which you will see that I have