AN ADDRESS, &C. XXi 



be entertained as to the immense advantage that will he de- 

 rived from their adoption in the United States; and I beg 

 leave to urge their being instituted where the sphere of your 

 influence extends. Mechanics and others in Europe, who de- 

 pend upon their labour far their support are paid at so low a 

 rate, that in order to lay up a small sum every week, they 

 are obliged to deprive themselves of some of those things 

 which in this country would be deemed the necessaries of 

 life; but in the United States, such is the high rate at which 

 those engaged in mechanical or agricultural labour, are paid, 

 that no such sacrifices are necessary; it is only requisite to 

 part with a small sum over and above what is necessary to 

 furnish them amply with every comfort which a reasonable 

 being can desire; a sum which if not thus disposed of would 

 certainly be spent in useless articles of dress, or in idle 

 amusements. By placing their savings in a bank, the per- 

 son will have the satisfaction of knowing that they are safe 

 beyond the possibilityof loss; and that they will daily accumu- 

 late, and be ready at a moment for him, when the hour of 

 real need shall arrive. While however urging the adoption 

 of this truly important oeconomical measure, I cannot avoid 

 stating that they ought in all cases to be organized by the 

 public authority of a city, county or town; because an idea 

 of security, (so essential to the desired extension of their be- 

 nefits,) will be attached to ihem, and this, an association of 

 private persons might not excite; it is moreover as much a 

 duty of the public authority to provide the means of prevent- 

 ing mendicity, and to encourage moral habits among its ci- 

 tizens, as to enact laws for the relief of existing poverty, or 

 for punishing crimes actually committed.* 



In the spring of 1816, several cases of serious indisposi- 

 tion, and some of mortality, occurred in the town of Boston 



* See Appendix G. 



