1804. Review of Dr GzxAinQi's Ejjuys. 3;<^ 



burthen on the Indiiftrlous ; of which they loudJy and juftly camplain. 

 By the 39th and 43d of Eh'/abeth (t!ie bafis of many fuccecdlng a<^3 

 relative to a provifion for the poor), the churchwardens of each parifh, 

 with the concnrrence of a Juilice of Peace, acquiied a difcretionary 

 power of impofing and levying a tax on the inhabitants, according ti> 

 the number and indigence of their poor. At the time when ihefe 

 afts paded, the difcretionary power mentioned was probably neceffary ; 

 and, according to the law as it now exilts and tlie prefent plan of 

 levying the poor's rates, it is perhaps (HU unavoidable. Bat it fcems 

 to me unreafonable, even dangerous to the community, that a tax 

 fliould be laid on, at the arbitrary wili of any two or three church- 

 wardens or overfeers. The aflefT.nent ought, by aft of Parhament, to 

 be limited to a moderate rate in the pound, whatever may be the nc- 

 CeflitieB of the poor. And when this fhall be found infuiTicient, the 

 deficiency ought to be made up by a voluntary contribution from the 

 opulent inhabitants. It is by a plan of this kind alone, that the moll 

 indiiftrious pait of the community can be relieved from the prefent op- 

 preflive burthen of the poor's rates ; and I am contident, from the in- 

 ilinftive defire in man to relieve the diilreffed, it will fully anfwcr every 

 purpofe intended. This will obviate, in a great degree, tliat excels 

 of charity, fo hurtful to fociety, and even fo baneful to the indolent 

 and (lorhful among the lower ranks, who fo often throw themfelves 

 unnecefTarily, from a dlllike to labour, on the charity of the public. 

 For it is well known, that the poor's rates of many pariihes in Eng- 

 land have gradually augmented to double of what they were forty 

 years ago ; and from this too great liberality, the number of poor 

 has proportionably increafed ; of which it is unneceffary to cite par- 

 ticular inilancea. 



* It has been often remarked, that many of the mechanics, porters» 

 asd other hard-working men in England, who have worn themfelves 

 gut by labour and intemperance, pay no regard to futurity, and ne- 

 gleft their offspring, becaufe of the comfortable retreat on which they 

 can rely, when they fhall come to throw themfelves and their children 

 on the charity of the parifh. It is the too liberal provifion made for 

 the poor in England, the facility with which it is obtained, and the 

 arbitraiy manner in which trie fubjeft is taxed for their maintenance, 

 that are the chief caufes of the exorbitancy of the poor's rates, and 

 the increafing number of beggars. If the dilTipated journeymen of 

 manufafkurers, and other men of labour in great towns, who are ac- 

 cuftomed to receive large wages, but fpend them, to the lalt (liilling^ 

 in wafle, are in the fmallell degree difabled, or even weary of work, 

 they nffeft inability for labour, and are put on the poor's roll. Thia 

 I underrtand they accompli fh, by un application to a Juilice of Peace, 

 from whom they procure aa order on the churchwardens, in conh- 

 <^ueDce of which they receive n^^arly aa comfortable a provifion in a 

 work-houfe, or by a weekly penfion, as men in the country of Scot^ 

 land can earn by hard labour. To fuppiy the indigent with food and 

 raiment, provided you thereby do not otfer a premium to indolence* 



preidlgalliy, 



