The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-01-31 00:00:00

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did soot no such a cossidepied‘slielasil. it must re.
soh room a defect in it. lase esibbleitationp.
The system which creates emsmpadis by topport-
ialt it. led brew talitelpfilhilis frdmi,lto Acute soil
in &scope, to a essresrogieue. she name culture
esooriahes it, mod where, for some differ-
ence in eatersal circamahmeleh‘ It- Mill gnaw to as
great a height, andiposoUilibumore in widely,
end become is eubesedimg, es siattee
field.
The Report as correctly drew the history of the
introduction of pauperism in this city. as it pointed
out the only remedy the entire uprooting of the
opinions, lows, and habits which produced it.
It is the stature of the system to become more
necerastry in every step .0 its admoces, and by di-
minishing the indepeadossett wf them supported,
and rendering thane marchelpless mid more mi.
wettable, "to sanctify the evil as a 'littoral and uu-
avoidable calamity, sod to induce a submission to
all its odious mud oppressive comequences."
The apathy of the public on this subject, which
so nearly concerns their pecuniary iuterest, cannot
be accounted for; fur it is the only one in this
cite about which neither hope nor fear can be ex- t
cited, and the only one respecting which those who
pay taxes are content to pay whatever is demanded.
The splendour of our establishments, and the im-
poaing grandeur of our liberality. as exhibited in
our alms-house, where 1,500 to 4,000 persons are
supported by the Corporation, has gone as far by
its apparent humanity to isoptme upon the rich and
the frugal, and to subdue them ioto a tame in-
difference, as it has done by its pernicious influ-
ence to increase the number of paupers; and in
proportion as this system has had the effect of
paralysis on the poorer, it has had the effect of an
opiate on the more wealthy chivies of society; and
in proportion as by it the former are brought down
to the conditiou of paupers, the latter have been
brought down to the condition of bearing all their
burdens, without an inquiry as to the propriety or
necessity of doing so.

The -labour of investigating the subject, the po-
pular applause of so generous a support for all who
are in want, the effeminate notion that pauperism
is ow of the conditions of the social existence, and
the weak presumption that no effectual means can
be taken to remove it, hos had the effect on the
public mind of conscious helplessisess and imbe-
cility, sad has made a blind endurance of the evil
less painful than the effort necessary to avert It :
and on this account, those who would call upon
theta for the necessary exertion are branded as
•s theorists and visionaries."
The altersatirre which the Report proposes, as it
truly remarks, may appear extrevegant, when it
expresses the opinion that genuine humanity and
benevolence to the poor themselves, would dictate
•-shes -mince abolition of our pauper system c and
that the health, comfort, and virtue of a large
proportion of them would be promoted, were they
required to abandon all hope of relief from the
public. The opinion is confidently expressed, that
in a period of years there would be far less
wretchedness and vice amongst them than there
would be in a like period upon the present system.
were they left to this alternative ; and were they
placed upon this footing, they, as a race, would
become extinct.
A reference is made to the Report of his Ron.
the Mayor, to the Common Council, which has sp-
prrrcd ui our paper, in which the number of li-
cemied grog-shops is stated at nearly 1,900, and
the ouniher who sell without license at about 600,
making 2.500; and the Report states, that many
of throe shops are supported by sales to the lowest
classes of society, to the very creatures who are
themselves supported by the public; and that airily
persons of this description expend for ardent spirits
more than would be necessary to maintain them
comfortably, sere they temperate and frugal ; amid
it is apprehended, that, upon an average, where Ili.:
City Treasury gets five dollars fur the license of
dram-shop, it pays away a thousand dollars iii
consequence of the nuisance it created.
While the poor can obtain the means, they will
continue to be intempeiate ; and surely they will
continue to obtain the means, as they have hitherto,
as long as the public provide for their support.
Nothing but a moral refo►mation will deer them
from intemperance, except it be the rigours'''. a vie.
cessity for bread, which shall leave thews nothing 1,,
expend for liquor. If when reduced to this nece►-
sity they will still drink, sod if they therefore sur-
fer the want of food and shelter, the penalty fa';.
where providence, and reason, and humanity, wow. t
have it. The discipline of sufferings so produceo,
neither ought to be, nor can be intercepted, with-
out encouraging and sanctioning the vice by whit.
it is occasioned. If the lesson of this saffeiing
lost upon them, humanity will regret their inipezy
and their ruin, but will address itself to other o:,-
jecis. The mistaken, spurious charity. which i. -
heves them, is at war with their own best nitric—.
and those of the community.

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'4771

The Manager, were well aware that if the mig!,'
fabric of our pauper system was at once drstroyt, ,
and the vast expenses of the poor at once abolish. d.
there would be au increased degree of suturing
a time; but they contend that this, on account of s
tendency and ultimate results, would even on 1:,
score of humanity be preferable to a '3l'l6ml:ince
the present system.
. Were the poor obliged to support themeelvs-,
there would be hope that their lives might Ire r, -
formed, and their children trained up to indlio y
and virtue: they would feel the ueceesity of fum—
ing such a character as should serve theta in 1.,e
hour of misfortune and adversity, a character wlucn
should insure the esteem and confidence of ihe:c
neighbours and acquaintance, and commend ti,nt
to the friendly offices of Christian broevolence.
It is admitted that a sudden traosition fro.o ...!
present to a sound and healthy 'yawns would he 4; -
tended with many unwelcome circumstances. Mu.
no longer doubt that a change is necessary,
for the sake of the poor and or the public;
they are not prepared to go at nave the Ic o a .

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