the Poor in Bavaria. 241 



CHAPTER I. 



Of the Prevalence of Mendicity in Bavaria at the Time 

 when the Measures for putting an End to it were 

 adopted. 



AMONG the various measures that occurred to me 

 by which the military establishment of the coun- 

 try might be made subservient to the public good in 

 time of peace, none appeared to be of so much impor- 

 tance as that of employing the army in clearing the 

 country of beggars, thieves, and other vagabonds, and 

 in watching over the public tranquillity. 



But, in order to clear the country of beggars (the 

 number of whom in Bavaria had become quite intol- 

 erable), it was necessary to adopt general and efficacious 

 measures for maintaining and supporting the poor. 

 Laws were not wanting to oblige each community in the 

 country to provide for its own poor ; but these laws had 

 been so long neglected, and beggary had become so 

 general, that extraordinary measures and the most inde- 

 fatigable exertions were necessary to put a stop to this 

 evil. The number of itinerant beggars, of both sexes 

 and all ages, as well foreigners as natives, who strolled 

 about the country in all directions, levying contributions 

 from the industrious inhabitants, stealing and robbing 

 and leading a life of indolence and the most shameless 

 debauchery, was quite incredible ; and so numerous were 

 the swarms of beggars in all the great towns, and par- 

 ticularly in the capital, so great their impudence and so 



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