PAUPERS 



This is what is meant by a pauper in England. But, at New York, 

 a pauper is, generally, a man who is unable, or, which is more 

 frequently the case, unwilling to work ; who is become debilitated 

 from a vicious life ; or, who, like Boroughmongers and Priests, 

 finds it more pleasant to live upon the labour of others than upon 

 his own labour. A pauper in England is fed upon bones, garbage, 

 refuse meat, and &quot; substitutes for bread&quot; A pauper here expects, 

 and has, as much flesh, fish and bread and cake as he can devour. 

 How gladly would many a little tradesman, or even little farmer, 

 in England, exchange his diet for that of a New York pauper I 



303. Where there are such paupers as those in England, there 

 are beggars : because, when they find, that they are nearly starved 

 in the former character, they will try the latter in spite of all the 

 vagrant acts that any hell-born Funding system can engender. 

 And, who ever saw a beggar in America ? &quot;I have ! &quot; exclaims 

 some spye of the Boroughmongers, who hopes to become a 

 Boroughmonger himself. And so have I too. I have seen a 

 couple since I have been on this Island ; and of them I will speak 

 presently. But there are different sorts of beggars too as well as 

 of paupers. In England a beggar is a poor creature, with hardly 

 rags (mere rags) sufficient to cover its nakedness, so far even as 

 common decency requires. A wretched mortal, the bare sight 

 of whom would freeze the soul of an American within him. A 

 dejected, broken down thing, that approaches you bare-headed, 

 on one knee, with a trembling voice, with &quot; pray bestow your 

 &quot; charity, for the Lord Jesus Christ s sake have compassion on a 

 &quot; poor soul &quot; ; and, if you toss a halfpenny into his ragged hat, 

 he exclaims in an extacy, &quot; God Almighty bless your honour ! &quot; 

 though you, perhaps, be but a shoe-black yourself. An American 

 beggar, dressed very much like other people, walks up to you as 

 boldly as if his pockets were crammed with money, and, with a 

 half smile, that seems to say, he doubts of the propriety of his 

 conduct, very civilly asks you, if you can HELP him to a quarter 

 of a dollar. He mostly states the precise sum ; and never sinks 

 below silver. In short, there is no begging , properly so called. 

 There is nothing that resembles English begging even in the 

 most distant degree. 



394. I have now been here twenty months, and I have been 

 visited by only two beggars. The first was an Englishman, and 

 what was more to me, a Surrey man too ; a native of Croydon. 

 He asked me if I could help him to a quarter of a dollar ; for, it is 

 surprising how apt scholars they are. &quot; Yes,&quot; said I, &quot; if you 

 &quot; will help my men to do some work first.&quot; He said he could not 

 do that, for he was in a hurry. I told him, that, if a man, with a 

 dollar a day, and pork for the tenth part of a dollar a pound, could 

 not earn his living, he ought to be hanged ; &quot; however,&quot; said I, 

 &quot; as you are the first Surrey man I ever saw in America besides 

 &amp;lt;c myself, if you be not hanged before this day week, and come here 

 &quot; again, I will help you to a quarter of a dollar.&quot; He came, and 



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