Camden gazette. (Camden, S.C.) 1816-1818, November 21, 1818, Image 2
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for the Camden Gazette -
CAUSES ANIldCUKE Of PAUPER*
ISM. ? JVq. II.
IN the Gazette of the 7th inst. some re
marks and opinion^ were" offered on the
subject of making provision for the poor,
and recommending an amendment of our
laws en that subject ; or rather the aboli
tion of the whole system. Some further
considerations will now be ^resemed^with
the same objects; ifc View. ?'
Our poor laws are bottomed- on those of
England. Our act of 1 7 12 is chieHy bori,
rowed from the statute of theV43d of Eliza
beth ; and the sulttfcqqent acts of 1 7*2 2,
173$, Stc. correspond with preceding simi
* enactments in the mother country. -
The first interference of the English
- Legislature was directed to the relief of the
- impotent poor; by the contributions of the
Church; and the alms of the charitable, and
the suppression of vagrancy and idleness.
It has been doubted whether ' giving
almS to common beggars, though naturally
p raised^jecause it relieves the indigent ^nd
distressed, does not produce effects more
prejudicial thaft beneficial to society ; inas*
much &s the encouragement thfen^e arising
to idlencf^tnd debauchery i overbalances
all the private misery it can mitigate or re
lieve*. On the same prin^ipl*, that species
of charity which is displayed by " Bene
volent Societies," and other associations,
though, generally speaking, prompteChy
motives of benevolence, may nevertheless
be tegarded sfr* wfeakneas rather than a
virtu tf^y
?? The emqt&fc. by Which we are prompt
ed to .relieve our fellow creatures in <Jis
tress, is, like all our other natural passions,
feneral, fchisome degree indiscriminate k
1'md. We ityefionly SAKfeclings of com
passion,' and reject tho cold calculations of
social security d public good. But, as
moral agents, it is our duty to restrain the
minii^the consequences of Such lridul
r* gence, andv Applying thereto! the test of
? utilfcvi -
r~ TTwe were to keVtWeSterion in re
- tnemhrance we might ft Ad ample scope for
the exercise 6f ouv benevolence, with
out violating an y principle of humanity
or morality ; and at the sanae time avoid
the com mem error of giving away profusely,
or at loaftt, carelessly, without difcepimina
tion to vagrants Jpldeemraon beggars, who,
in nine cases out of tew, werit the whipping
post, mj&re than they do this misdirected and
miscalled charity ; and in bestowing this
speciesof charity, the donor is not frequent
ly moved thereto rather, by s deiiyt to re??
move a troubleaamo or disgusting object,
fhan by a seiWe of duty or real eharftv.
In' like manner, the charity which Is ex
torted by laWundcr the name of poor tax,
is equally destitute of the spirit and es
sence of charity . But independently of these
considerations, it i,s clear to all who haVo
carefully examined theinbjoct, that thobfr*!
neftt of the poor laws have never been at
tained. In En|f1and they have most woefully
failed. These, laws have only seirvetl to taX-e
iway one of thtr strongest checks to idle,
ness and dissipation, and diminish the mass
of human, happiness? and the whole busi
ness of M# *ettUmenl of the /i oar, is con- i
tradktory to all ideas of freedom. ^
It appears tc he a momentous and me
lancholy fact, that one; person in eight of
the population of Englamd, is maintained I
wholly or in part, by the poor rates, which
amount to the portentous sum of seven
millions of pounds sterling anmtally, be- |
aid#* what is collected hy begging* and the
contributions of the benevolent for char iu- t
ble purposes. The founders of the system
little foresaw the enormous annual amount j
t > he levied on the. public, e.t the numerous j
mischiefs, which at the end of two centu- I
rie* would iow from it.
The progressive eliuehsc nf pauperism
In that country* by diminishing the fund
from which relief was to be given in an in*
vursc ratio to the demand, haa at length
opened the eyes of the nation to th? failure
with which it js threatened.
llut, in England* it is generally sup
posed, tliut the evil? inhcrani in the system,
a o s;> interwoven with^ their institutions,
a id natural existense, that they cannot' he
r medied, hut onty palliated. Thia is de
nied by many : and indeed it seems strange
t iat it should b? so, considering the na
t ire and multitude of those euls which
are known to exist.
It is known that the operation of the sys
tem has contributed to rai*e the price of
provisions, and lower the price of labour.
And the effects of this law has been to im
poverish those whoso only possession is
their libor. Tt has generated a belief
anv>ng the poor, that they have . a Irgal
right to be provided for by a tax on the
more wealthv, and more mdustrioua and
iruj;al part of the community; and legui
* n *
title, to a uTsiributory part in ttio
funds thus raised. ^ ^
This s Ware they do not ask? a* a
boon, l>iit demand it ad a juwt de*tf.
If it is withheld, or distributed in
proportions different from what they
expect, they feel and express senti
ments of riiiappoirtfcfiUtJ^t indig
nation. Dep<*<fta?fl?egalprT>
v (saion* they becomt^less industrious,-!
less frugal, and gfbw more carelecs |
.about tbe4uture. ? When they have
*n opportunity of saving, they sel
dom exercised it. If they had no
such resource, the idea of fh tare want,
would impress itself oo their mindr
and stimulate tbftir exertions. * ?
^JTheical Object ofcharKy, are not
commonly those "who obtain' relief
under Uie svsteoi of public charity.
They; for the mow fekft, seek And
find shelter in private and genuine
charity. .
Tbe scantiness of the supply
which can be affohletl to th^ distress
setl, and the capnrknoafr manner of it*
dispensation, keep back the modest
and unobtrusive, and leiYMhe :field
Tree for the boV^tho clanamm ami
' persevering ? ? * - i *v :v f n &-? -Ti; u ;
The rapidity with wljich the poor
rates have en creased in England,:
holds up for our instruction a most
alaftiiiug example.
It is said hy JlfaUhus, to be an
evil, in comparison of whfeh, the rih
tional debt, with all its magnitude of
terror, is of little mottoent. ,
This ' author has, indeed, been
much deritled and censured, for his
opinions on this nw\ other subjects;
of political econonn^^p^ It is he,
li^ved that lift has nat'topu refuted.
?taerv?r
ooas awl &rgiimcu(s have been cor-,
roborated ami supported, not ouly
| by the Edinburgh Review, burby 1
still -higbar authority ; viz. "The
select coromjttee of the British house
of Commons on the poor laws a
I report ftoa ^whUih cammlttce, *>ge
I ther with the.minntes of the evidence
taken before the same, was ordered !.
to be printed in July 1817. Tliat
report notices the evils ^winging
fvom the system of pubHc charUy? as
land, andjuro-.
HS&SVes'of
( and directed to theeq&table purpose
of causing the burthen .of supporting
the poor, from failing exclusively on
"the charitable } yet it produces mAhy
ml^is:^ it Abates ^ e**rtiou(
labom
**'" ~ i-ne-.
gov for tiie wants of nicktfess'.ahd'
old a^e^M .it makes pov?(ty and
miser> the condition of reljef ; ail it
divest* of the character of benevo
lence, the contributions obtained by
compulsory enactments ; wlu:h pflp
cefcding fromno^ impulse ot ^harlty,
creatstfno feeling of gratitude. "^.'he':
report 1Mb g^^stio state, that the
result appears Iravjr been
prejudicial to the moral bab?? nnu
consequent happiness of a great bo
;.aP^Hbe people* Who aae -degraded
by dependence or parociiial relief,
while the industrious and economical
liave been oppressed hjUbe weight
of contributions taken from means
that have been welt earned And well
huslMtnded.
It also appears, from a valuable
report of a committee of tli General
Assembly of the Church of Scotland,
that in those parts of Scotland where
a regular assesment was established,
Qie wants of ihe poor, and the extent
of the assesment have gradually and
progressively encreased from their
commencement. Hilt in most places
in that country, thrir poor fund* con
tinue to he derived from voluntary
charity, and are dispensed with. that
sound discrimination which in the
ordinary transactions of lite belongs
to renl benevolence.
Experience has every where
taught, that the constant application
of additional funds, distributed
among the poor, according to law ,
will inevitably create an additional
number of applicants for relief, and
plunge them deeper and deeper into
the miseries of pauperism. Heal
charity points to other means, which
may be expressed in the words of
Ed mnnd Burke ; '? patience, laSor,
fmgnlity, -sobriety and r^U^iou |
should l)e recommended to the poor;'' J
tho-rclicf afforded would bo mote
equitable, tintl move effectual. Vol
untary charity U, despotic, anil the
relief itj* (Fords comes unexpected.*
The poor could not regard tb is fund
as one on wbtoh they could tonfi
B^TFhii, uncertainty, would teach
tfhem to phu^lheir hopes on indus
try, economy and foresight, ' The
moral 'effects of such: impressions
cannot be easily calculated .rr
^BiU, should the t>gtetatore4*e-uu
willing: to fcive up tM?Jy*wc|?of le
gislation ; yet, it seems indispen si bly J
necessary, to modify, of #1
system, so as toavoid ilie*iVllsfc%nth
w hie li, in its present form, it tnrsat
ens to overwhelm us. |fc
Tl*e management of the poor, !*
said to he a difficult problem of gov
ernment, But, it is believed, the
jfiaffitv arises trom attempting to
^i tivej^a^s, a subject,
In Scotland^. baside the common
method of providiu? for the poor by
voluntary contributions, ami , distri
(rating by the jraMjj?r^ IjfaQ^
Ite^wy Jbwfn; j^ffrtablwhed, very
culled Saving
generally, ^>hiat are called saving
banks. And fri many places iu Engt
lanl similar banks are established,
which have bee^ greatly approved*
The natove and purpose of these
institutions are not understood by
many in this country, and ^mdiaps
the state of society is not enough ad
vanced to be prepared for their es
tablishment at present. i fe > I
In their character they fcpproich
tearly to*comnuin trad ing han k or that
i ranch opts business which consists in
receiving and returning money depesi- ,
ted. And irr Scotland, interest is
paid from the time of the deposit."
rheir object is to afford to the ikwr
^ vt7? ? v r ?'">
positing their savings under safe
vqustbdy, and the. advantage of draw
ing them out again (with interest^,
The moral effects of these institu
tions *re said to be such as to be
iiigldy gratifying to every fiieudu^f
humanity and virtue. Foresight
and frugality are promoted, and the
public relieved from heavy burtheus.
jfrch small
Iw.
_ _, m?y be ?c
.... --J* in <??*& of diffii]
culty and distress. But every thing
must depend 6n the activity and teal
$e intelligence and honestly of those
wider whose management tWqrsys
*~ra is toudufeied. ' .v . . ^,"4. ,,j
The experiment might be tried, of
a bank of - this description ; Bh
Charleston, and perhapsin isorae
other places in this utiUe, with a
I ;iu? I. ^ ^
I probability or success. ,
The trustees of fen institution for
savings established- in th* town of
$alem, iif Massachusetts, hHV^latC- |
ly published a report -on the state of
the Itistitotioh, from which it appears,
that the whole amount of deposits
in the coarse of six months from
April 1 0, to OctSber 14, from 184
persons, was 20,251 dollars: and
that no deposit has be$n withdrawn
since the establishment of the insti
tntion. Aitec jle^ucting the semi
anual dividend of interest due - in
October and the expences of man
agement, the sum of 112,47 dollars
remains as an accumulating fund, to
be divided at the expiration (*f five
years, as provided by the bye laws.
This it* certainly encourage ing and
speaks to others to go and do like
wise.
, New-Orleans, Oct. 16.
We Arc enabled to state, on I he
authority of a gentleman, an officer
of the army, who left Pensacola
about a fortnight ag;o, (hat orders
have u l>een received for the uncon?
ditional surrender of that place to the
Spaniards 99 These - orders were
seen l>y the jiersoir from w hom we
derive our information ; and so far
from reinforcement heius; " expected
there from the adjoining states," we
are informed, on ihe same indisputa
ble authority that the (roups already
there axe to l.e removed, home of
tuera to !>c here, r.hd pan'
Baton Ro^vie.
We l:a\e alsu.leer, InlYrnieu by <
prni?eu>ua who ab'ivctl i.vre r--.:*
* Pensnc oia, oirbaturday, llintLefiMC
he' left the plans Ue ex pec led iv
jflpovdl of d*e troops Was ?etierali\
spoken juK; :and that Col. Kin:; ha:!
actual^ seid oif his ba^sage to Alont
- U*s y -seui, :>J
: fronj PiHiSncola. > h would appear
'Ihcrtforc, thai the information puh
^tfehedin the tjklV'ius of yea
t
NA3UMti.Lfc, Oft. "SI.
yestrr
^r^.^7-Tr... - , . . v_|0 1 1 \{}W -
ami pleasing
lgence :,
TiiK-vrv GKoyw?j jffig lSMS|8.
T^jfoiditor^qf" (he I
'r ?_ Werjiave ju?t closed a treaty v. it' i
j the Chickasaw Indians for all their
claim in ^h^stat^^P' Tennessee a id
KiMituc^yjblltiltott^vaboHt sen..
Hlffiliofttyof acres of- life heat lands in
the western coulttFyV &nd washed h^y
Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi riv
' ers, for at least. three hundred ami
Aft.. ^;Lv, . , ;
fifty miVes twenty
thousand dollars, for fifteen J
l am fr&itetfully, ,
Y our mo*^ljjj#eftL*e:ry t.
M
' ? t > < ' W*1! W' wk' t ?? \<U* '?*.*
r ? ?* ??.?? .* w^snG * ?< ? *** ?
From thfc Chai lestloo* Southern Patriot.
It a^M.that F i:.u?^ U imljUtW
to .thtfVutevpnze of n citizen of Ihc
UoitiilrStHtfs, iinprt.vemunt of
tWtoAyigntion of her liver* l?j, tStcnm
Boots; (hat th?wpF world shoul I
lead the way. in tUg useful arts, 'must
| astonish tlitttlijiiwRjjIim of Bnrti^
and lead them to conclude that man
lias rather improved than degenera
ted 4o the westeot couUnent. Mr.
Edwa^ Church. American 'Cort
sul for I5w>>t iind I/Oiieut, hfls com
menced the n?ni^i?tioA of the Giiron
4m* to-vntoufatt?set \y.btx mt fcjtatm
| Bout, in U?%
nn 'important im|?K>\-eiuwit. Tlie
fullnvnDg noliafcjfeinwtitofed frtfn
? *:Afrnwr?^JJorifhM' of UiCMfiUth
^U?US< IttjillT ' ^
? I n the ?itliftg oif S4tl? in.tf.
I lie iioyul Academy of . AjjtKt^jywl
Sciences, of thu ntyf heard a report
On. the * wplptipWEtettiaM )Hoat
Navigation, to onrjri^ an ?i>pUea
tion uwUe wiltS aMCcees I)$r Mr. JKp
(ET ? ; .rW; i ' t \ ? T
nu Consul ??f iUa
?r Brest and 1> Orient,
i led. by the King^ >>;?
iter salWy jfc- furiosity
bgpgft:vhr readers
evinced, that ly preseqling to thejjn
the V.ery iuteve^ting repnr 't.coninium
dated to the Aca<\etojf'by M. Du
ch ampSj {^i^gineev of the Hordeanv
llrid^e, Chairman ojf a Committee
1/oat and
Here follotv.s a detailed description
of Bteam Khgine, constjuete/l by
Uolton & WArra, which is too weil
?mnown In this country to he repeated
here, in which is found the follow
ing notice of an improvement made
Jby Mr. ?}huu$h. +,
" We'canriot too highly recom
mend to th? attention of mathemati
cian*, the singular and ingenious
method. by the awl of which tin*
paddles of the Boat are constantly -
maintained in a position as not to ex**
perience the slightest resistance front
the water, capable of (leadening their
motion. It is well known, ho#'
much importance has ln*en irt facl ifrcf
in ohtainhig this desideratum jit
Water Wheels, hut until the present
instance, at least to our knowledge,
every attempt to obtain this result
has proved ineffectual ; \vc cpn no\v
assure that this difficulty has been
victoriously surmounted in Mr. (J**
Wheels, which present in this res
pect a perfection equally important
??- m r?' ^ ' V<U '
The Academy (nfler hen ring <li$
above report) decreed : ^
" 1st. That the medal consecrated
annually for the improvement of the*
Useful Arts, be awarded to Mr. C.
<*2>d, That the report and delit)era.
tions of this sitting he addressed to
\lr. Thk-I'icefet."
it w ondw^Umd tUM Air. C. oI>