American watchman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1822, 1822-01-15

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j Hiram Ketchum, Esq then moved ,h,, H.
hanks OF the society be presented to the para,n.
or the faithful discharge OF their duty the IA w..
\ There could be no doubt, he said, that the evL !,
ipauperism had increased TO sufficient exten,
this community, not only 10 Justify, but to call Go
i the formation oil this society. One evil, howay.
| might result from II against which we ought mos
IassduousIy to guard II almost invariably h,n
Ipened Il at when the existence of socetv Inr +,
Accomplishment Of any benevolent object was nro
Iclamed; the public expec alton Of the labor il won
81 perform, and the good il would effect was rais.
ltoo high; the consequence Of which was tia, H..
individual exertlons OF those not attached tn M.
society which would otherwise be put forth. wsr.
withheld from sort Vague imagination thai ,bo
society, by purposng 10 do that, which they as IN
dlviduals were bound to do, had released them rtor
Their responsibility. No such consequence ami
have legltimately flown from the professions of h,
institution, Tor il has never ceased to urge unon H.
public that without their active and jealous comm.
ration, nothing OF consequence could be done ,ow,ds
electing the objects which the society had in yiev
The evil Of pauperism lies deep in The foundation.
Of our social and molal institutions. 10 roet ou,
this evil lar greater power is necessary than tha
possessed ny this society Indeed, it is we'll under
stood tina this society can do little more than nyr,
tlsate the causes oil paupersn, and suggest plon,
Tor its prevention and cure The execution OF h.s4
plans must ior the most part rest with the public
7 Our institutions and the condition OF our poDuh
tlon' differ, in many important particulars from
those IN European countries. These crc umstances
were dwet upon
30 numerous are our resources, in comparison NJ
the amount Of our population, and so favorable our
nstu ions generally, TO the successful eAertions Of
our citizens that il we find voluntary paupers here
they must necessarily be sunk 10 deplh Of mo,al
idegradaion ON which nothing can raise them
ibut the dread OF suffering II their hearts are 50
destitute nf becoming pride and elevated feeling a,
ITO be insensbie all those motives to independence
irespectahi'ity, and even distinction which exist in
such abundance here, nothing can rouse them from
their torpor but the actual experience OF the ncon
lvenences attendant upon poverty. by no legal re-
,gulatians, by no mistaken beneyolence, should We
lessen or mitigate these Inconvenience, which
were designed tob and il left to Their natural ope
irs'ion would prove a most wholesome moral dIsc.
pllne Those citizens of our country, who by ihele
ldieness and prodgaliiy have brought poverty on
themselves, are less deserving COMMUNICATION than
any other paupers In precisely the same degree
that the means OF escape from III evil are abundant.
should the Inconvenience Of poverty be felt
Mr. X. pointed out some defects which existed ia
our institutions and laws. He insisted al some length
upon the perncious effects resulting from nefhcacy
oil our laws TO enforce the performance Of civil obl
gaun.. Showing that the operation oil this leauture
OF our laws wen 10 weaken the principle OF moral
honesty, which he asserted 10 he one OF the stron
gest ilsamenls thar bind, society together, and the
poverty OF our citizens was not the only nor the
most calamtous consequence &c be apprehended
from 1t. The suspicious and want OF confidence Of
the rlch' will ultimately be net by The jealouses and
hatred Of the poor, until those conflicts ensue, which
mai PROSTATE every institution, sacred for It's Wis
dom, or ven rable for its antiquity.
tie next atVerted to the consequences of our law
making provision Tor the support of the poor He
showed that the exgencies OF society never called
for thai law and that could only account for its
apPeaianc IN our atue book by the well known
disposition OF our ancestors TO engraft the laws Of
Tue moiher country into own code. The only
consequence OF law made to provide for evils which
90 not exist, was the production Of these very evils.
ouch had been the operation oil the law in question.
The character OF our poar population showed that
the operation of such law upon our native cti-
zens' mad not teen very petnicious, but the know.
ledge OF Its existence had drawn to our shores mul.
Wudes Of iofeghes who Ending no pressing ne.
cessiy here tor industry and economy had filed our
aims house. and thronged, without numbers, our
streets.
hut It was not by increasing the number Of pau.
!eIs only that provision for their permanent re.
'iei was .ernlcioIs. The mutual dependence Of
he human family, one upon another, was wisely or.
dtred by Providence, to keep alive social feelings,
and Counterfeit the tendency Of the human heart to
seihshness. IN this economy the poor held con-
spicuous place; by having them alw avs with us.they
are standing appeal to those sympahes of our
nature the exercise of which not only promotes in
avidual happiness, but gives to society its finest
impulse
Mr. Their showed that the intiscreet exercise
oil private beneVolence had tie same effect in multi.
plying paupers. as permanentfund for their relief.
ana concluded oy Recommendation of Doct Chal'
mers, system Official visitation of the poor in large
towns which had been partially introduced in our
CITY and only required the CO opet alton of in1uen
ta and benevolent citizens to carry it into full ope.