Star.
London, England, 1805-11-22 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.

Si It-I call upon the Country, through the medium
of your refpe&able Paper, to reflect for a moment
on an infamous fpecies of beggary which has too long
difgraced us, and to abolifh it for ever. I mean the
rafcslly praflice of begging fubfcriptions for public
funds from the privates and drummers in his Wel.
ty's fervice. Perhaps our remark might extend to
Officers, Non.commiffioned and Subaltern, from
whom it is cruel and indelicate to afk a pledge of
their public fpirit which it is well known they cannot
give without inconvenience, and yet from the pride
of honourable men cannot chute to refufe. I with
to Goo, Sir, that the fubfcriptions required for the

ercElion of Naval Pillars, or to provide rewards for
our feamen, mutilated in the fervice of their coun.

try, were Aced for in the proper quarter—Let them
be afkcd from the rich, by fair means, and not

fquee zed out of the poor by the dirty means of raps•
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city, Limier the cloak of a mendicant.
Sure I am, that thole Gentlemen who are fo pub.
lie fpirited as to intereft thernfelves in railing and
managing the funds intended for thefe noble pur-
poles, never had it even in their contemplation to
draw any part of them from a feurce fo
ignomi-
nious; and that the very mention of it will induce
them to life their influence to flop the farther progrefs
of a praaice which difgraces beggary itfelf, and Hill
more difcredits the honourable idea of a Btitilh rub.

fcription. It is a monftrous combination of mean,
nets and abfurdity, which fubmits to all the shame
of beggary, without any thing but a mite for remu-
neration—and a mite given by whom, by the man
who bleeds for his country at the rate of a few thil-

Hogs a week, and who contributes the day's pay that
ought to purchafe the food of his children. Bluth,
Oh my Country, to receive it !
Our common foldierb and tailors defervemoft dearly
all that the wealthy part of the community can do for
them. let the felfi(h bag-holders of fortune, by whofe
flinginefs it can alone happen that it is neceffary for
the 1: lends of the Patriotic Fund to defcend fo low in
the fcale of poverty, in their acceptance, as to take,
the day's pay of a centinel, or a poor feaman before
the matt—let tilde rich men reflect what has Ihielded
their hordes and their coffers from the plunder of BM
MAP ARTE—what, but the bravery of our country's
defenders.—Yet the wealthy part of this opulent
_ _ _ _

nation cannot raife among all its owners of land, of
gold, and of capital, a fufficient turn for the Pa-
triotic Fund, without atking from drummers and
fhip-boys ! Who does not know, that, in a proper
Rate of difcipline, foldiers and failors are not free
agent., when fuch a thing as a fubfcription for public
ufes is fet afoot among them ? Who does not know that
I the recommendation given by an Officer to a private
man is a broad hint which is not fafely to be negleB-
- ? Or allowing that a fubfcription, fo difgraceful to
the rich men of the country, is not enforced by any
improper means, from whom does it come ? from the
poor, but generous man, who has too much pride to
refufe, while his fhrewder and more f Ififla comrades,
wifely enough judging that his blood, and not his
money, ought to flow for his country, keeps his
purfe for an evil day, or for his hard-earned prefent
enj•ryment.
Sir, the Patriotic Fund is a great and glorious
fcheme of relief for the inevitable miferies of war-
worn fufferers—it is the payment of a debt frcm the
rich to the poor, fince the property and exiflence of
the former is proteBed by the blood and bravery of
the latter ; it is an honorary payment, but it is
loudly called for by the circumflances of the coun-
try and the voice of humanity. But if wealthy men
felflffily hulk from this fubfcription, and if it be ne-
cellary to beg from the poor. it ceafes to refleB ho-
nour on the country. Sailors and Soldiers, even
Officers, ter the moll part, have nothing to (pare—
and it is the more pitiful to take it, the more volun-
tarily that it is given. Some will tell us, it thews how
general the noble fpirit of the country is, when the
very loweß claffes tame forward. It thews no fuch
thing, Sir. It thews, that among thofe who are belt
able to afford donations, there is not fpirit enough
when fuch means are reforted to.
I believe no man will dare to vindicate the mean-
nefs of this pralice, though it is tacitly permitted.
or flupidly conftrued into a lymptom of public fpirit,
while, in fad, it ought to raife a blufh on the cheek
of every man of property in the country, at the dal:
tardly meannefs of the rich in dividing the talk of
charity, with thofe whofe charity it is fcandalous to
fee requited. I am, Sir, yours, &c.