BELIEF OF THE POOR. 



329 



which they propose should be given to voluntary contri- 

 butions from the public purse, must be obtained from the 

 same class of the community, we believe that there is no 

 valid foundation for the objection. On the contrary, we be- 

 lieve that the requirement of a voluntary contribution, as 

 the foundation of that department of relief to the destitute 

 which is contemplated by it, will amount only to the in- 

 viting of every class in the community to bear their rea- 

 sonable share in this good work, furnishing them with the 

 opportunity of doing so with advantage, publicly recog- 

 nizing their benevolent gifts, and providing, by means of 

 a regularly organized system of public charity, for certain 

 classes of the destitute, whose relief could with safety to 

 the community neither be provided for by compulsory as- 

 sessment, nor left to the undirected spontaneous benevo- 

 lence of individuals. 



XVI. The preceding reasons rest on an assumption that 

 the plan of making the support of the destitute poor con- 

 tingent in a greater or less degree upon voluntary contri- 

 butions, holds out an almost assured prospect of success 

 in its results. 



We are, however, disposed to say, that, even if our hope 

 of success were less strong than it is, we should still re- 

 commend that at least the experiment be made, and for 

 these reasons : 



First, if it should fail, after a fair trial, no evil conse- 

 quence would follow. 



And, secondly, we conceive that the administration of a 

 voluntary fund, aided from the public purse, would have 

 comparatively little tendency to impair the independent 

 spirit and industrious habits of the poor ; and, as we con- 

 fidently anticipate, that the remedial measures recom- 



