Star.
London, England, 1820-01-13 00:00:00

RELIEF OF THE POOR

Yesterday some Gentlemen of the City waited
;Ton the Lotto MAYOR, at the Mansion House, for
the purpose cf receiving his Lordship's sanction'to
r: An for the temporary relief of the poor, starving,
hau.eless population. Amongst those who attended
vive \ir. HICKS. of Cheapside, and Mr. BODKIN, Se-
w-Carr to several Societies for the benefit of the In-
c Lent. • It was represented by Mr. BODKIN, that a
Letter having appeared before the Public, in which
the %;•riter offered a large Warehouse for the tempo.
r.trr advantage of the Pour, several Gentlemen de-
teriined uot to let such an op ()nullity of doing a
v,•!v extensive service to the community pass. It was
soua ascertained that :‘l,r. Hicks was the proposer;
and as the offer was made at a time of such incle-
tlencv and privation, when every one observed in the
streets poor shivering creatures, who were many of
then enable to get home to their parishes, but most
of them without parishes at all, there could be no
la:sization as to the adoption of any plan which wa,
calculated to afford temporary relict'. The sanction
cf. the LORD MAYOR would tend to a very consider-
t.hle exertion on the part of the upper orders, and
the streets would soon be cleared of the miserable
tbject, ho were starving and freezing in all the
Fai,lic places.
l‘lr. Aide; man HUNTER said, that the Plan, as a
teuiporary c.:_•, was unexceptionable; but it was to
Ge ailprehendel, that the City would become the re-
ceptacle of all the beggars of the Metropolis, if the
tradezvous was to be within the precincts. Such a
circumstance must cause great inconvenience in dis-
tracts which were already crowded with their own
and casual Poor.

Mr. Ilicics replied, that as the Plan had only a
to:nror:try object, the inconvenience, if any resulted
i:, must be. very inconsiderable. lie considered,
ildced, that if his offer were accepted, facilities
Voilld be obtained for passing to their parishes those
w!.o 11.1,1 parishes; and those who had none might be
:aced, in some way of earning their bread, through
ineans of some admirable Societies, which are
a!i.ording proofs of the sympathies of the opu-
Pe:-haps upon no occasion were there seen
numbers of wretched creatures in the streets;
sarL.ly ,temporary disadvantage might be over-
: .);:ed, upon an occasion which seemed to be ex-
: enle. The case was, in fact, one of life and death;
fact, to pruve which it was unnecessary to call evi-
,:ence.—nr. HICKS'S view struck those who joined in
the Liiscuion, as irresistible, but some prudential
:onsiderations broke in for a few moments.

It was argued, that the burden might be taken off
raliblles by the Plan, and that all parts of the coun-
try might disgorge the aillictel and perishing part of
tiieir population into London. Already the lagis-
trate% iound the Metropolis seemed rejoiced to throw
ri their own hAnds all teiponsibility %kith respect to
l'cor; and how eagerly would this voluntary
offer to supply food and house-room be snatched at
by Ow c Who had improperly shifted the obligation
from their own shoulders?

Mr. Melts observed, in answer to this, that instead
ci taking off the burden from parishes, the Plan
rould effectually fix it upon them; for those who
saga refuge should be sent off to their parishes the
.ay.after, under the care of an Officer. Several cases
l.ad come within his observation, which convinced
him that there were numbers who would. rather un-
dergij, even the penalty of death, than go home where
they were once respectable, in the apprehension of
the diigrace attendant upon reduced circumstances.
Some days ago, a young woman was brought to the
Mansion House, in extreme distress. Her case was
%;::y singular, but there was no question of its truth.
Slie had been Assistant at a School in the Country,
a:-,d came to London to see her mother, who was on
ler death-bed. After the performance of the last
daties to her parent, who had lingered till the place of
rl:e poor girl was supplied at the School, she had no
of refuge to which she could for a moment
think of going. Most of her clothes were left with
the pawnbroker, and she was obliged to leave her,
I,dging, from inability to pay. In this state, she
wandered about, and was, after a few days, observed
by a humane but poor woman, sitting-in a Church,
in the utmost distress. The relicf she obtained could
not last long ; she wandered about the streets for two
siays a:-.d two nights, w ithout haring tasted a morsel
of victuals, and at length was found, almost frozen
to death, by the Police. Inquiry was made into her
character by the o Parvisiunal Protection Society,"
a:n! it was fGand irreproachable. Her letter to one
of the Members of the Society was in his possession,
and was a proof that she bad the power of express-
i::g her gratitude fur the assistance rendered to her
that admirable Establishment.—Mr. HICKS men-
tioned aacher case of powerful interest, and said it
was in a great measure for the relief of poor, help-
less, unprotected, unoffending creatures, like those,
:hat the Plan was proposed.
The LORD MAYOR agreed to the Plan without he-
!itation. Ile observed, that in a case of such extre-
:nity, all-nice objections must be avoided. Inconve-
might certainly arise, but they could not be
: amidst the general good provided by the airange-
r...tnt proposed.
Si:- CLAUDIUS BUNTER declared, that he should
r-qst readily subscribe.
Several other Gentlemen gave the same pledge.
was suggested by Mr. lionttiN, that if the Lord
:,:rayor would take the Chair, this day, upon that sub-
the Poor would feel the effects.
This was at once adopted, and his Lordship pro-
mised 1.0 take the Chair.
Mr. llicKs stated, that he was convinced that np-
w.:rds of tl,OOO would be collected at the Meeting.

THE WEATHER.—Variations is the Thermometer
lot the four last days:
uneay, Jan.
9, Morn. to deg._ N. oi:g...ANfe.wri.lawkineadsof.anow.
Winnday 10 ... 21 deg.
Itynday 11 ... 14 deg. Snow;. thaw. S. W. 34 deg.
W‘dilesday 12 ... 96 deg. Scow ;N. F. wind
Partridges, in consequence of the severity of the
%eather, have already become sn extremely weak, as
lc fall an easy prey to every species of vermin, and if
:lot speedily aelieved by food, will become as scarce
as they were after the winter of 1814.

--; • --
CANTERBURY, JAN. 11.—since Sunday the mow
Lt,ien to a considerable depth in this city and its
1.-:::ity, And between it and the metropolis,- so that
.r.:Te!.ing on the main roads has been in some mea-
"-- impeded, the London mail not arriving this
:•••• till nearly an hour after the usual time.

MEETING for the RELIEF ef the INDIGENT.

A Meeting, pursuant to public notice, took place
this morning, at the warehouses of Mr. H wick in Lon-
don-wall, the Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR
in the Chair.

The LORD MAYOR, upon taking the Chair, said, he
was vc;-y happy to find such a number of respectable
Gentlemen present, after the short notice which had
been given. The object for which they had met needed
no comment. To be the foremost in acts of charity,
had always been the distinction of Englishmen. His
Lordship then read the proposed Resolutions, which
stated—That during the present very severe weather,
it would he highly beneficial to the Poor of the City,
that an Asylum should be formed for their relief;
that a Subscription be entered into immediately, to
forward that uesirable object; that a Committee be
formed to manage the Subscription; and that the
offer of Mr. Iltocs, of the use of his Warehouses, be
accepted.
Sir CHARLES FLOWER seconded the Resolutions,
which were carried unanimously.
The Lotto MAYOR then said, that as they could
not be better employed than in a work of Charity,
they had better begin with subscribing a Fund for
the purpose.
Every Gentleman seemed anxious to give some-
thing to the Fund, and in about half an hour nearly
three hundred pounds were subscribed. A Commit-
tee was formed, which adjourned to the King's Head,
in the Poultry. The great warehouse has four floors,
and is capable of containing one thousand persons.
The Committee will begin their operations to-day.

ON CULTIVATING DARTMOOR.