The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1818-04-14

row. ESD ENoCH PREBlE, Esq. ffon- oAmus Il
Freeman, HENRy SMITH, Esq. Mr. SAMUEL
Task. Mr.. WI1LlAM SWAN, and Hon. Asa
CLAp, we're appointed Committee lof The
purposes mentioned in their Report, which,
was accepted al the adjournment Of the meet
ing on the 3Oth ult. and ordered 10 be printed
and distributed for the benefit OF the town.
The subject being interesting to other towns
also, we give it place in the Gazette that all
may profit by the usefu h ints il suggests =
THE REPORT.
THE Committee appointed ''to see ifthe town
9 will apply to the Justices ofthe Court OF Ses-
8 sions to have building erected in this town TO
be used BY the County as House Of COrrec-
C tfon, or adopt any other measures that may
q tend to check the increase of Pdupers, restrain
8 the practice of begging and promote the inter-
. est and good order Of the town. have patient
ly investigated the subject committed to their
consideration, and now present the following
Report -
Two questions seem to claim particular at
tention, viz.
1. WHAT measures, if any, can be adopted by
the town to prevent the increase and diminish
the expence and evils Of Pauperism and prevent
the practice Of begging and
2. Is it expedient for the town to apply to the
Court to erect in this town House Of Correction:
In viewing the subject at large the Committee
have been led at once TO search for the true eau
ses Of Poverty And they appear to be the same
in THIS town which are usual in other seaport
towns of considerable population and business.
Poverty is the consequence Of MISFORTUNE or
MISCONDUCT. Under the head Of -hiyortltne may
be ranked ignorance, Sickness loss Of Husbands
and Parents, Toss Of Property or tcdnt Of sasTl-
ctent capacity to acquire or manage 1.-Under
the head of Misconduct, may be ranked, InteHl-
peTanee, DebGucheTy, Gambling, Dissipation and
Ifleness.
THOSE who through MISFORTUNE have be-
come poor and destitute, are always entitled %
pity and relief: and when the hand Of private
Charity does not remove their suferings, the
present system Of maintaining them in the Aims
House, Diminishing partial supplies to those
who reside at their respective homes in town, ap-
pears TO be as salutary and iUdieious As any that
can be adopted and - long As due attention j.
paid 10 those in the Alms-House, with respect 70
their instruction and their moFals--thciF cieanli-
ness and their comfort and - long a. habus n
constant industry are ciosd and rtglir VI those
who are capable Of labour, and constant employ
ment given them, the town will L. daily reCeiv-
IN from such lahouF considerable sum towards
relmbursIng them the expenses incurred - sup
Ai&An humane ANNAAAAkA&hs w &&A
% those 81 the aboEe-named class 81 Poor, who
reside at their respective homes, " many a them
are toand 10 be tlapRs and rhgiartm, that there
can bs 40 well-grounded expectation II any re-
Im6grsement from their labuuFs and cxertlaAs.
The number Cffhas class ct Peer People, depends
almost entirely upon events, prosiacI.tll tAeT
nature and beyond human cantrau4 except ia
the case % the children who, by being placed
Az service ~ good families, Instead 81 bang per-
HMaA a. "a Az -
once be relieved from IH4aleGiate want. AID by
instruction and good hallts become useful IA lille
and mot only able 70 maintain themselves, but
their parents.
hITH regard ~ those. who through their own
MlSC0NDItI A, cfeither "a the KINDS before men
toned, have become Faupers they arc certain
~ entitled 20 less commiseTation and generally I
receive it-aEd - long this aatseoRGsef Is the
evident cause "a theiF poverty 2nd i uniformly \
oontaatlfng i 30 lcng they are proper subjects 4
for the House of Correction. where they will be |
maintained by their own labour, under a strict
discipline, without the power OF wasting their
earnings and where ther s0eiety and example
cannot IMPURE the morals or disturb the peace and
gagict Of the ia tia0ltS poor.
IN all parts OF the world, a certain portion Of
the community is composed of those whose aicss
or irrcgat1r hablts SO confirmed that the hope
OF retaining them is vain-they have lost the /
aHtottao9a 10 lie fI7fa0uS ana respected and are
not ashamed to be raoaous and despssed While
they continue at liberty IN the practice of their
gross irregularities, Society must inevitably he
injured and the bonds of moral and religious OBJ
legation weakened-But II they were at once re-
moved from public view to proper place OF
confinement, where the poison OF their principles
and conduct could not contaminate the gaSlas 1
generation : how many thousands of children
would grow up in Virtuous habits and good prin-
clples, who are now gradually and constantly /
drinking IN this poison, and preparing themselves
TO suffer all the miseTies of overly aud its atten
dant evils and temptations
IF there be any ia this town whose habits and
conduct are such as 10 render them dangerous To /
the morals OF the sogalg and anSuspertng-any |
whose lntemperance, impurities and Disorderlv
conduct, mark them out as objects Of Censure ana
p0nlshment-theg furnish decisive and melan- |
choly proofs Of of the great causes Of Pauper
asna Here, again, the fiouse Of Correction i !
presented to view as the proper place Tor their
confinement; altho' they may not he chargea-
bic 10 the town IS PaaPers: because their sener-
oil character and conduct has direct tendency
70 make panpers of others.
HAVING made the foregoing remarks. the Conn
mlttee leel it to be their duty distinctly u notice
salutary Law CT this commonwealth passed an 1
the 70 at March, a. ID. l788-the pro, isions I'll
which are so intimately connected v it'll the sub
Ject under consideration, thar they are anxious
they should be more fully known and understood.
The first section Of this Law provides that there
shall De erected in each county by the Lourt Of