Measures for putting an End to Usury at Munich. 503 



An Account of the Measures adopted for putting an 

 End to Usury at Munich. 



\ NOT HER measure, more limited in its opera- 

 J -*- tions than those before mentioned, but which 

 notwithstanding was productive of much good, was 

 adopted, in which a part of the treasure which was 

 lying dead in the military chest was usefully employed 

 for the relief of a considerable number of individuals, 

 employed in subordinate stations under the government, 

 who stood in great need of assistance. 



A practice productive of much harm to the public 

 service as well as to individuals had prevailed for many 

 years in Bavaria, in almost all the public departments of 

 the state, that of appointing a great number of super- 

 numerary clerks, secretaries, counsellors, etc., who, serv- 

 ing without pay, or with only small allowances, were 

 obliged, in order to subsist till such time as they should 

 come into the receipt of the regulated salaries annexed 

 to their offices, to contract debts to a considerable 

 amount; and, as many of them had no other security 

 to give for the sums borrowed than their promise to re- 

 pay them when it should be in their power, no money- 

 lender who contented himself with legal interest for 

 his money would trust them, and of course they were 

 obliged to have recourse to Jews and other usurers, 

 who did not afford them the temporary assistance they 

 required but upon the most exorbitant and ruinous 

 conditions. So that these unfortunate people, instead 

 of finding themselves at their ease upon coming into 

 possession of the emoluments of their offices, were fre- 

 quently so embarrassed in their circumstances as to be 



