The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1816-06-17


so long an absence, oil mutual forbear.
ance and Cancellation - os Paf.
From! q London Peher.
MENDICITY.
The report made 10 the house Of
commons on the state of m.naici,y in
the metropolis has been published
The committee has ne, finished the in
vestigation, which will doubtless be
resumed, next session.-ln the mean :
time the evidence already obtained
contains many curious snd Important
facts relative TO the condition, manners
and practices of the mendicants, who
daily ask charity in the streets, and may
be seen by the following extracts,
which we have detached from the mass
details into which the examination
OF the Witnesses extended.
Number Of 6tggars.- MIR. Martin,
who conducts an enquiry into the state
of mendlcity under directions from the
secretary OF STATE, estimated the total
number of beggars in the metropolis,
lnclud ng children, at IS 2s8i The
proportion of that number having "a
right of parochial settlement in England
92S7, OF whom e6s3 belong to home
parishes. within few miles of the me-
tTopolis. This leads to the following
classification
Parochiai begpars e297
Non,pa, oehial, Irish $40 sdo
consisting of Foreigners i77
-.sHr ~.
Total 1925
of whom e2so are children.
Several of The Witnesses examined
before the committee were Of opinion,
that number of street beggars had re
Gently decreased. Sir " Conant sta
ted his conviction, from personal OBJ
serVation that The number, of beggars
in the metropolis was greater 80 years
ago than IS now not only greater IN
proportion to the population, but grea.
,e; in fact
Mode Of Living, Regulations, yc-J.
butterworthr esq. a member OF the
committee, said, in the neighborhood
where live. there is great resort
for beggars and have made some In
quiries into thei condition. Ihere.
are two public houses in Churchlane,
St CHESS, whose chief support de
p4nds upon beggars /; one called the
Beggar's Opera, which is the Rose &
Crown public house, and the other tnU
Robin Hood. The number that fire.
quent these houses at various tines,
re computed to be from two to three
1undred. ] have been informed that
they are divided into companies, aed
each company is subdivided into what
are called walks, and each company has
as particular walk /; If this walk be
Considered bene hcIalD the whole com
pany take it by turns, each person
keeping it from half an hour to three
or four hours their receipts, al nae.
Ierate calculation, cannot be less than
from three TO FIVE shilli. IS day each
person, frequently. They cannot be
supposed TO spend less at night than
naif crown, and they generally pay
sixpence for their bed. They are 10
De founi in those houses throughout
tho day, but In great numbers from
eight TO nine O'Clock in the morning,
aid late IN the evening. 1t Is their
custom to sally out early in ths morn.
'ng; and those who have any money
cit OF the preceding days earnings,
reat the rest with spirits before they
oegin the operations of the day
have been informed, that they have >
kind Of committee to organise the walks
10 be frequcnted by each person, and
hey generally appropriate the best
walks to the senior beggars, in rotation.
{ know sober hackney coachman,
Upon whose yeracily can depend,
wnp has frequently conveyed beggaIs
o their lodgings; and formerly when
ne piled in ST. GiIes's, has been call
d 20 the, houses I before mentioned,
, take Them from hence, being so in.
c;pcaled they could no, walk home -
| alsosnRd erstabd, that alter the bust
less o. The day is over, they frsqucn,
hose houses, AID partake of the best
food tbeyscan obtain, and they spen,
heIr evening,Io very riotous man.
ner the Eood ,hat 40 r,d,a, 49,, l.