96 KDtJCAtlON OF THE WORKING CLASSES. 



sums now paid for the support of goals, police, criminal prosecutions, 

 poor-houses, &c., would undoubtedly be saved. Whether the sup- 

 port of these are provided for by the government, or paid by the 

 people as county rates or poor i*ates, the question remains the same ; 

 it comes from the industrious classes, and ought, if any means can 

 be devised, to be saved them. Any state of society we can conceive 

 vnW present its darker as well as its brighter parts ; goals and peniten- 

 tiaries will be found necessary, but upon a much smaller scale than 

 at present. The poor will at all times require the assistance of the 

 wealthy ; age and natural infirmities will to the end of time be sup- 

 plicants for charity ; but when the fact is ascertained that crowds 

 may be seen daily seeking relief, the remote cause for the major part 

 being compelled to do so would be found to be the indulgence of 

 some vice, which early moral training would have remedied. Much 

 might be said of the saving to the community in the decreased 

 amount of money which would be required for the support of our 

 infirmaries, dispensaries, and other similar charitable institutions, 

 much of the disease and misery being clearly ascribable to ignorance. 

 Sickness, from living in close, ill- ventilated appartments, want of 

 proper clothing, and proper attention not being paid to cleanliness, 

 are among the number, nearly all which might have been prevented 

 had they been instructed in youth. That it is the province of a 

 government to take upon itself the education of the people, may be 

 proved further, that it alone is in possession of the requisite ma- 

 chinery to carry out any plan of such an extensive nature ; the money 

 by taxing those only who are able to pay is thus properly raised. 

 That the poor have a right to look for this assistance I think ought 

 not to be questioned ; the gi'eater number of the poorer classes are 

 only able (when employment can easily be obtained) to provide 

 food and clothing for themselves and families, and thus are prevented 

 (even did the desire generally exist) from giving their offspring that 

 amount of instruction it is desirable they should obtain. Nature is 

 taxed to the utmost possible extent; twelve and fifteen hours' labour 

 and toil are cheerfully given for the public service, and it is not, in 

 my opinion, making any unreasonable or extravagant demand, that 

 their children should be raised from that dark state of ignorance in 



