1^9 2. on poors ratis-. 2T 



dbm*. The misfortune is, that great as the sums col- 

 lected for the poor are, the complaints of the deficien- 

 cy of the poors funds, and the necefsitj of augmen- 

 ting them still farther, is as great as ever it was. The 

 truth is, that, under the operation of these laws, the 

 hoRest and industrious are pillaged, and the idle and 

 abandoned part of the community encouraged to prac- 

 tise vice and prodigal difsipation. No wonder then 

 if the late chancellor (Thurlow,) when he heard of" 

 an application that was intended to be made by the 

 magistrates of a city in Scotland, for a power to afsefs 

 the people with a poors rate, fhould alk with some 

 kind of surprise, " If the people of Scotland were 

 gone mad I" For he thought that nothing but insanity 

 could induce any body of men, having the example 

 of England before their eyes, to wifh to load them- 

 selves with such an opprefsive burden as the poors 

 rate. Happy it is for Scotland that no poor rate 

 can be legally imposed on its inhabitants without a 

 new act of parliament for the purpose f ; and happier 



• By accoun s laiil belbre parliameDt in che jear 1786, it appeared 

 that the poors ratts .n England, enm- 1776, anioun.ed on tlie whole to 



L. 1,527,780 

 And in the year 1786, they were no lefs than ' . . . - z,iS4,904- 



L. 755.124 

 So that in the course of B(«f years only, the poors rates in England had 



^ri«en seven hundred and fitty-live thousand me Jiur.drad ai d twemj-tbur 



founis per annum. At the sjmc rate of incieuse, the poors rales in half 



a century would greatly exc ed the whole land rents of England. The 



poors rates in Wales were more tJian dcutled in th<8e nine jeais. 



The reader will observe 'hat great as thcs.' sums are, it is only a fart 

 «f the funds allotted to the support of the poor in England; as all monies 

 mortifed for charitable purposes, or other charitable funds, are not inckidd 

 in it. These additional funds, by a laie account g vcn in to parliament,. 

 equal the poors rates nearly. 



j- Many persons will think I here speak raflily. It is however said 

 with due consideration; as I hope to be able to prove to the satisfaction of 

 the readisr at some future period. • - - ' 



