126: On the Means of bettering the Condition of the Poor. [ March, 
than t6 be the occasion of any more 
bloodshed of the Romaus his fellow-citi- 
zens,” J. Me. 
Dumbartonshire. 
' —<te— 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
On the means of BRITERING the CONDI- 
TION of the Poor. 
LETTER Iil.—Fieinc. 
TAKE it to be a principle of poli- 
tics, humanity, and justice, that 
whatever the pvor can be taught and 
rendered to do for themselves, is best so 
done, both for them and the commu. 
nity, and therefore should not be done 
for them. _ I am therefore for every one 
who employs them, seeing the ‘justice 
and expedience of giving good wages, 
according to the price of the necessaries 
of life from time to time. I am for 
Giffusing universally (it ean now be done) 
the knowledge of reading, writing, and 
arithmetic. Iam for relief at their own 
houses, when necessary, and notin. works 
houses, which, at best, destroy the spirit 
and independence, and often with these 
the health, morals, and all genuine com- 
forts, of the poor, Aud [think the bess 
charity is, as far as possible, setting them 
above the want of it, that is the best cha- 
sity, because it is justice; and is so 
doing as we would have others do for us, 
if we mean (as we all suppose ourselves 
to do) that which is best. 
But there is one thing which the poor, 
at adistance from the coast, and inthe 
southern part of the island, cannot pro- 
eure in any tolerable kind and quantity 
hy their industry and money, and that 
3s coals, or fuel of any sort. 
The diso:ders of the poor, and espe- 
eimlly of their childrev, and with them 
their, miseries, their errors, and their 
«ries, arise chiefly, in our cold and very 
damp climate, from the want of sutlicienc 
warmth in their habitations. 
Mr. Parry first set the example, which 
several in bills of enclosure have followed, 
of setting apart land, and vesting it in the 
lord of the manor, the rector, the church- 
wardens, and overseers, for providing 
fuel tor the poor. And I da know that 
the rent of a moderate quantity of land, 
nearly unprofitable before the enclosure, 
is thus capable of providing fuel for be- 
tween shree and four hundred persons 
na parish, who before were necessarily 
ill supplied: though it has been by a de- 
cision, which I think, and’ which very 
high law authority thinks, very erroneous, 
by the Board of special Commissioners of 
taxes, taxed to the trustees as owners, 
under the property tax, notwithstanding 
that to them it yields no profit whatever, 
The liberality of the owners and oceur 
piers has induced tnem to fetch in the 
coals free of carriage, and this more than 
balances what is lost by the tax. 
From experience of the benefits of this 
plan, in more than one parish, I think i 
worthy of public consideration, which 
may lead to its adoption in other places. 
The land is called the Poors’ Lstate ; 
meetings are regularly held, the hooks 
very exactly kept, the distribution ine 
spected, accounts published; the poor 
have not to beg, but to receive it asa 
right, in proportion to the number of 
which their families consist. And thus 
they have fring during the greater part 
of the winter regularly, and with cer= 
tainty, and perpetually, supplied. 
Care Lorry, 
Slanton, December 21, 1810. 
For ihe Monthly Magazine, 
The Laws of soron ond L¥cyRGUS 
Contrasted. 
HE great ends of civil government 
T seem to be, to secure and promote 
the peace and happiness of sogiety by 
wise laws and wholesome discipline. 
Consequently, that must be acknowledged 
to be the best constitution, which is most 
calculated to answer these ends, The 
turbulence of a democracy, the perpe- 
tually-changing aspect of a popular form 
of government, is certainly incapable of 
maintaining either good order or public 
prosperity. Its watural fruits are anar- 
chy and instability—its ultimate con- 
sequences, slavery or destruction, Yet 
such was the polity instituted by Solon 
at Athens. An inveterate enemy to ty- 
ranny in whatever form, and to tyrants 
of every description, he ran to the oppo- 
-site extreme, and committed the adnij- 
nistration of public affairs to an incon. 
stant and impetuous people. The re- 
publicof Athens, after being the sport of 
every popular commotion, and disturbed 
by every licentious demagogue, at length 
perished, as the frail bark which is 
tossed upon a stormy sea without an an- 
chor or helm, suddenly disappears, and 
founders amongst rocks and quicksands, 
However favourable such a system of 
government might he to the refinement 
of taste, tu the cultivation of genius, or 
tu the progress of science and letters, it 
could not possibly be tranquil’ or Jasting. 
To those who have studied the history of 
man in society, and have attentively ob- 
served the natural couyse .of all popular 
governments, it will not be a matter of 
surprise, 
