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AN INQUIRY 
INTO THE 
EFFECTS PRODUCED UPON SOCIETY 
BY THE 
POOR LAWS. 
BY JOHN KENNEDY, ESQ. 
(Read March 5, 1819.) 
THE various discussions which have taken 
place respecting the policy of the poor laws, 
and the contrariety of opinion that still exists 
on this important subject, have induced me 
to devote some attention to its investigation ; 
and to endeavour to determine, froma com- 
parison of the state of the poor in this and 
other countries, whether it is not for the ad- 
vantage of the community at large that laws 
of this kind should continue to be in force. 
In explaining the view of the question 
which I have been led to take, I think it un- 
necessary to say much respecting the origin 
of the poor laws; but U shall endeavour to 
shew that a provision for the poor does vir- 
