At length the article in the warrant which most interested that good lady was taken up, and Mr. Snow rose to speak upon it.  He spoke of the reports he had heard concerning the bad treatment that the paupers, and especially those who were hopelessly insane, had received in the alms-house, enlarged upon the duties of humanity and Christianity, and expressed the conviction that the enlightened people of Sevenoaks should spend more money for the comfort of the unfortunate whom Heaven had thrown upon their charge, and particularly that they should institute a more searching and competent inspection of their pauper establishment.

As he took his seat, all eyes were turned upon Mr. Belcher, and that gentleman rose for a second exhibition of his characteristic eloquence.

“I do not forget,” said Mr. Belcher, “that we have present here to-day an old and well-tried public servant.  I see before me Mr. Thomas Buffum, who, for years, has had in charge the poor, not only of this town, but of this county.  I do not forget that his task has been one of great delicacy, with the problem constantly before him how to maintain in comfort our most unfortunate class of population, and at the same time to reduce to its minimum the burden of our taxpayers.  That he has solved this problem and served the public well, I most firmly believe.  He has been for many years my trusted personal friend, and I cannot sit here and hear his administration questioned, and his integrity and humanity doubted, without entering my protest. [Cheers, during which Mr. Buffum grew very red in the face.] He has had a task to perform before which the bravest of us would shrink.  We, who sit in our peaceful homes, know little of the hardships to which this faithful public servant has been subjected.  Pauperism is ungrateful.  Pauperism is naturally filthy.  Pauperism is noisy.  It consists of humanity in its most repulsive forms, and if we have among us a man who can—­who can—­stand it, let us stand by him.” [Tremendous cheers.]

Mr. Belcher paused until the wave of applause had subsided, and then went on: 

“An open-hand, free competition:  this has been my policy, in a business of whose prosperity you are the best judges.  I say an open-hand and free competition in everything.  How shall we dispose of our poor?  Shall they be disposed of by private arrangement—­sold out to favorites, of whose responsibility we know nothing? [Cries of no, no, no!] If anybody who is responsible—­and now he is attacked, mark you, I propose to stand behind and be responsible for Mr. Buffum myself—­can do the work cheaper and better than Mr. Buffum, let him enter at once upon the task.  But let the competition be free, nothing covered up.  Let us have clean hands in this business, if nowhere else.  If we cannot have impartial dealing, where the interests of humanity are concerned, we are unworthy of the trust we have assumed.  I give the Rev. Mr. Snow credit for motives that are unimpeachable—­unimpeachable, sir.  I do not think him capable of intentional wrong, and I wish to ask him, here and now, whether, within a recent period, he has visited the pauper establishment of Sevenoaks.”