The Wages Of Virtue (A Poor Man at the Gate Series, Book 8)

by Andrew Wareham

  "'The poor are always with us', Mr Andrews. I shall not attempt to circumvent the dispositions of the Lord, sir. Every man's salvation lies in his own hands, sir - charity must not undermine the desire to better oneself."

  "And where such desire does not exist, Mr Baker?"

  "Then the rookeries await, and the temptations of the criminal world, and the gallows and the transportation ships. Possibly thought could be given to increasing the number of battalions of the line in the army, sir - the feckless to be placed under the discipline they cannot offer themselves, and then sent overseas to the benefit of us all."

  "One might hope that the red coat could be a mark of honour, Mr Baker!"

  "Officers' scarlet may be, sir, but for the rank and file it is a sign that they cannot make a living elsewhere!"

  James spent three weeks, travelling from the spinning mills to the weaving towns in Lancashire and then returning by way of Birmingham and its small arms manufacturies, chosen because they were said to have the most skilled of all workforces.

  Those men who were in work - the great majority in a time of boom - dwelt for the most part in clean terraces; the drinkers amongst them showed poorer in the nature of things, but generally it seemed that the industrial hands lived better than farm labourers, certainly had drier housing.

  The undeserving poor - those who did not work for whatever reason - existed in squalor and vice, their poverty unrelieved by decency or any regard for the niceties of civilisation.

  "Nothing can be done for them, Mr Baker, it is clear that they are irredeemable. Even the children are hardened sinners before they reach the age of reason. One is inclined to doubt whether they are even truly human, you know, sir - many can hardly speak, converse only in grunts it seems. Unwashed, in every way unclean; living only for gin; their hands forever outstretched in beggary - there is no solution, other than to sweep them up and take them away. Poverty such as theirs must be recognised as self-inflicted degradation, sir, a felony, a crime against proper order. Botany Bay is the place for them!"

  Baker, busy writing the report, agreed - charity given to the idle and slovenly could only act to reinforce their malicious self-harm - they must be given nothing other than the stimulus to better themselves.

  "The unfortunate must be helped to make a recover that is not only our duty, but the path of reason and Utility. For those who will not work - then the treadmill, oakum-picking, bone-crushing, night-soil collecting, sewer cleaning - all of those occupations shunned by the virtuous - should be theirs under guard and in chains if need be, with the flogging triangle to encourage diligence!"

  "Quite right, sir, and so we shall tell them in London."

  The report produced and agreed by James to be good, far better than he could have written for himself, Mr Baker offered his farewells. Prodded by Jennifer at breakfast, James proposed further employment to him.

  "I believe, Mr Baker, that it may well be the case that I shall be asked to undertake other similar commissions to that we have just completed. Should the Whigs form a government, then I may well be offered a place, probably in Colonial, even Imperial, affairs. I will need my own lieutenant then, and that gentleman would necessarily rise with me, either in Whitehall as an increasingly senior public servant, or in Westminster as a favoured member. Such being my expectation, sir, you might wish to consider taking a salaried place as my assistant - something more than the simple secretary in effect."

  Baker had a small allowance from his mother, just enough to live on while he attempted to establish himself in Public Life; the prospect of turning his very bare competence into a respectable income was very persuasive.

  "The house is large, for London, Mr Baker, and it would be practical to offer you a bedroom and sitting room of your own, so much more convenient for the late hours kept at Westminster."

  The House of Commons typically sat from four in the afternoon to ten o'clock, occasionally till midnight; in the full flow of a gifted orator such as Fox or Sheridan had been, sittings might last another ten or twelve hours beyond that.

  Living in meant Baker would have almost no living expenses to meet - he would be able to patronise a good tailor!

  They did not discuss the matter of salary - it would have turned patronage into a vulgar, commercial transaction. Instead it was suggested that Mr Baker might wish to open an account at Mostyns Bank - one of the officials there would deal with the more sordid matters.

  James, quite naturally, sought Robert's approval for his initiative - hiring a secretary was a little more than setting on a footman, or even a butler.

  "Very wise, James! I shall deal with the salary, if you do not object - better handled through the firm, I think. Three hundreds would be ample, in the circumstances."

  James had intended no more than half that sum, raised no objection as he would be paying none of it. He did not enquire why Robert had chosen to take on the burden.

  Robert made a point of meeting Mr Baker a few days later, just bumping into him at Westminster, knowing he would be there. Baker had been introduced to James by Brougham, and it seemed wise to make clear to him where his loyalties must now lay.

  "Should my brother suffer any decline in his health - which is unlikely but not impossible in his circumstance - then he would withdraw from Public Life, of course. In such case I would not wish you to feel that the relationship with the Andrews family must be severed, sir; there would be a vacancy in his seat that could well fall to you. The Family has, in any case, interest in a number of constituencies and you will wish, I presume, to enter the House as a relatively young man."

  The salary, at least one half more than Baker had hoped for, coupled with the offer of a career, carried obligations; Baker gave Brougham a very polite bow and greeting when next they passed, but made no attempt to offer any conversation.

  Book Eight: A Poor Man

  at the Gate Series

  Chapter Eight

  The town carriage drew up in the precincts of the House and the second groom dropped from his seat on the box next to the driver and quickly let down the two steps and offered his arm to assist the young master to alight. The lackey's face was carefully blank, no expression or emotion permitted - what he thought of a young man who had to be waited on, cosseted as if he were his own grandmama, he kept to himself. Using the town coach indeed! Most young men would drive themselves in their own tilbury or curricle or phaeton, proud in their skill with the reins - this one would do better in a dowager's lozenge landau.

  "We shall return in four hours, Mr Benjamin, at about eight o'clock."

  Benjamin Goldsmith, MP, nodded, settled his frockcoat, placed his hat precisely and walked through the doors, recognised by the porters as he had been a member for a month now. He was to stand in the House for the first time today, his maiden speech, arranged in advance with the Speaker, a bland affirmation of support for an uncontroversial government measure, a tidying up of legislation on Weights and Measures. Members on both sides of the House would listen to him politely, while he kept to the conventions governing first speeches; it was his opportunity to overcome the natural shyness that should overtake any man speaking for the first time in the old, august chamber.

  He obeyed the rules strictly: he addressed the Speaker in an assured but not brash or loud manner, made three sensible comments about the matter in hand and commended the bill to the House and sat down, all in less than ten minutes.

  Mr Huskisson smiled from the Front Bench, pleased for the young man. It was not unknown for members to stand almost mute, dumbstruck and stuttering on their first attempt to address the House; just occasionally an arrogant young man would display confidence, attempting to harangue the House and demonstrate his own remarkable qualities. Mr Goldsmith had evidenced himself to be able and sensible and must be given the early opportunity to show if he could be useful to the Party.

  It helped that Goldsmith came from a rich background - he would not fall into debt and beg assistance of the Party to avoid scan
dal. He was a part of the Andrews interest as well, sat for the constituency Walker had held for years; Huskisson glanced behind him, saw the little weasel Clapperley congratulating the young man, confirming his standing.

  A nasty man, Clapperley, but his loyalty to Lord Andrews had been unfailing, was perhaps his sole redeeming feature - possibly just sufficient to warrant a baronetcy in recognition of his years of service. Not a peerage, though, that would cause too many eyebrows to rise. He was a little old-fashioned in his overt dedication to self-enrichment - it was fashionable now to at least offer a patina of public service, of concern for the well-being of all, of simple patriotism - but Clapperley was unabashed in his pursuit of gold. Successful without doubt, Huskisson reflected, he must have put away at least twenty thousand in each of the past ten years. A son to inherit as well - it might just be sensible to have a word with Lord Liverpool, and then with the man himself - if there was to be a dynasty then it was as well to settle them firmly on the right lines.

  Three days later Huskisson ran into Clapperley in the lobbies, invited the little man to join him over a glass, an invitation that was immediately accepted, knowing it to be more than a passing courtesy.

  "You have been a member for more than twenty years now, Mr Clapperley, and occupying a post under the Administration for the last ten, I believe."

  "I have, Mr Huskisson. The late Lord Andrews - my mentor, you might say, a man I dearly respected as well, one whose presence I valued and sorely miss - encouraged me to become a member when I was no more than an obscure provincial attorney-at-law. I have been glad to serve since."

  "And now you have a son, I know - are there cadet members of the family?"

  "Two daughters, but no surviving younger son."

  Huskisson bowed his head - so many children died too young.

  "I cannot remember whether you have an estate, Mr Clapperley?"

  "A house and a hundred or so acres of garden and park is all, Mr Huskisson. To the north of the town of Liverpool by a few miles, on the coast and not so far from the village of Southport."

  "A family seat, in fact?"

  Clapperley caught the implication, the veiled enquiry whether he could maintain the dignity of a title in his present dwelling.

  "No more than twenty bedrooms, Mr Huskisson, but I have been considering throwing out a wing, for the better entertainment of the neighbourhood, you know."

  "Very good! I believe that Lord Liverpool may well wish to beg a few minutes of your time in a day or two, sir. You will be in London this week?"

  "I am fixed in the Metropolis, Mr Huskisson, until the House rises."

  Many members made only a token showing at Westminster, even if located in London choosing to attend very few debates unless there was an enjoyable controversy. The House of Commons had been cram-packed during the days of the Royal Divorce, but had rarely seen one half of its members since. Clapperley, pointing out in reproof that he would be ever-present, was making a play of his devotion to the course of duty.

  "I wish more of our people could say the same, sir!"

  Later in the week Clapperley was summoned to the presence in Number Ten and was informed that a baronetcy was his and that he should make his bow to the King at the levee to be held early in the following week.

  "I have it in mind, sir, that you should take a wider interest in our overseas business. We have come into possession of a number of small, and some potentially very large, places outside of the Sugar Islands and India, and have very little idea what to do with them. Some cannot be more than naval bases and dockyards, I think, but there are others, in Africa especially, that might advantageously be made the site of various plantations, or so I am told. The thing is, sir, we do not know just what we have hold of. I would be obliged to you if you would set up a small office with no more than, say, six public servants, whose function would be to discover just what might be made of these colonies. It is in the interest of the whole nation that we should be informed of these things, so there should be no overweening secrecy to your endeavours."

  Clapperley thanked Lord Liverpool for the opportunity to serve his country even more than he had in the past, gladly assented to the charge given him, withdrew from the office with a broad smile on his rat-like countenance. He made his way to his chambers in London and began to compose a letter to young Lord Andrews, as Liverpool clearly expected of him.

  Recruitment of six young men to form his new staff was the next piece of business; the salaries would not be great, eighty to one hundred pounds typically, but the positions offered an excellent entry into Public Service for otherwise unemployed third and fourth sons who could hope for promotion over the years. Who did he know who would benefit from such patronage and could do him eventual favours in return?

  At least one of the posts should go to a neighbouring great family in Lancashire, two if possible, but only if there were suitable candidates available - the tenants of these positions should really be able to read and write. One or two must go to the offspring of one of the major London merchant or banking houses - there would be commercial opportunities in the new colonies and it would be useful to have an immediate point of contact. For the rest, there were always families with influence and too many sons and nephews to dispose of. Liverpool knew this, of course, and had made the offer as a reward to him and the Andrews interest as a whole.

  Mr James Andrews made a point of greeting him soon after.

  "Sir Erasmus! May I wish you joy of your new dignities, sir?"

  The whole family had sniggered on discovering Clapperley's true Christian name - the great divine of the Protestant Reformation seemed singularly inappropriate a patron to such a man.

  Clapperley bowed in response, permitted a satisfied smile to cross his face.

  "I suspect that I owe thanks to my esteemed benefactors of many years, Mr Andrews. I believe that you are to take an interest in matters of the new colonies for your people, sir; you will probably be aware that I am to call myself Secretary in our present government and shall create a small office with a similar function. I will always be very happy to discuss our mutual tasks, sir."

  That was all as it should be and wholly correct; James carried out the instructions given by his brother and asked whether the matter of the satisfactory governance of Egypt had been brought to the gentleman's attention.

  It had not.

  "Cotton, Sir Erasmus, grows in the south of Egypt, in the Soudan. Our mills buy almost exclusively from the Southern States of America, and thus the whole of our national prosperity is dependent on that one supplier. Plague, or pestilence amongst the bushes, or even war, could destroy our whole being; as could, for example, the abolition of slavery."

  Clapperley had not been aware of the potential for catastrophe; he assured James that he would never forget it in future.

  One of his clerks might well be given the task of discovering just where cotton grew and how its supply might be broadened, though he thought it probable that the mill-owners themselves would have undertaken the task already and that the sole solution might be the annexation of this Soudan. John Company and the Levant Committee had interests in the area of Egypt and they might be able to give him information on its government and particularly on what must be done about the Ottomans.

  "In the immediate present, Sir Erasmus, nothing can be done about the Ottomans, for we dare not cause their Empire to collapse. Not because the world would not be a better place without it - far from it! But we lack the power to fill the vacuum ourselves, sir!"

  The speaker was a member of the Board of the Honourable East India Company, and found it necessary to be pompous in order to underline what an important fellow he was. Clapperley nodded gravely, making a show of assimilating the gentleman's words of wisdom, so generously shared with him.

  "We dare not let Russia take control of the Dardanelles and achieve entrance to the Mediterranean. The Black Sea Fleet is not small, after all! We do not want Austria to take the whole of the Balkans into
her sphere of influence, for she would then expand into Italy to an even greater extent and would probably seek a foothold on the shores of North Africa, quite possibly closing the Eastern Mediterranean to us, certainly being a nuisance. France we can ignore for a few more years - she is in no condition to go adventuring yet and her sole activity at the moment is to train an army and a navy for the Egyptian pasha, a Mameluke, I believe. Spain is moribund, of course. Persia may well be stirring, certainly would take some part of the Ottoman's present territory. Any action we took that weakened the Turks would strengthen our potential adversaries, Sir Erasmus, so we must be careful indeed. I do not think we dare even consider the annexation of Egypt for many years, sir, it now being the sole possessor of fighting forces that we need take seriously. After the Napoleonic failure we are well aware just how perilous military operations can be on those shores."

  "And the Barbary pirates, sir?"

  "Must go. Piecemeal, I would suggest, wiped out as the occasion arose rather than in a concerted campaign. Were we to go to war then we might precipitate a more general conflict."

  That was all rather disconcerting.

  "What do we know of this new Egyptian army?"

  "Commanded by a vicious but very able barbarian, Sir Erasmus. The word is that they are to descend on the Greek rebels and may expect to eradicate them very rapidly, and quite probably the whole of the Greek population as well. There is already word of every family of Greek villages being taken into Egypt in slavery, their land given to Mussulmans."

  "And do we know what is to be done in response, sir?"

  "Nothing! The Congress of Europe will have nothing to say to rebels, whoever they may be. Russia wishes to aid the Orthodox, but will not act in defiance of England and Austria, and Canning has accepted Castlereagh's supine policy in full. It is thought that the Mediterranean Fleet will suppress piracy, by every means, including wiping out pirate harbours, but little else is likely to happen."