The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-10-23
For the Massachusetts Snu.
yERs JEwETT, Sec'ry.


Mr. Editor-Perhaps in no county on the
face of the globe are the poor bette. or moro
literally provided for than in MASSACHUSETTS
The provisions of our pauper laws Do honour
to the wisdom and humanity of ouI govern
ment and the manner in which tiose pro-
visions are carried into effect, does credit to
the corporations upon whom that duty de.
wolves. The consequence Of thee liberal
and humane provisions is, that few nendicants
are to be seen strolling through tie country.
But, notwithstanding the many advantages
resulting from this system, stlll Their are some
evils connected with it and growint out of II.
which 1t is very desirable 10 remsiy if it be
practicable.
II may be laid down as corret nos;t;on
that that system of supporting the toor, which
will best preserve their morals-leiye them
the most useful and productive employment
with the least expense to the pubick. is. Of
all others, to be preferred. Let US then ex-
anime the present system, and ,oint ont
some Of the evils and disadvantages lttendino
II and then suggest some new plan by which
those evils might be avoided.
so well are the poor provided for and so
well Go they live, under the presentsystem,
that 1T sometimes induces them 10 throw
themselves onthe publick for support, because
they can live better than they wdlld BY
means OF their own providing, IT is prac-
tice In most towns in the country, to et their
poor out annually to the lowest bidder. In
this manner they are scattered ID different
directions in the town, living better or worse.
as those happen to live who bid f1em Off
Livery year, perhaps, they changemasters.
The inevitable consequence is, that very lit
tie advantage either TO the publiCk, or to the
individuals keeping the poor, cab be derived
from their labour and industry. 1t is impossi-
BILE In many instances for singlein,lividual to
provide for pauper such kind Of Unemployment
as might be most proftabIy pursued. And,
therefore, great many paupers, who, under
proper system, might be adFantageously
employed, are now spending thef time in list
less iidleness, or to little better purpose.
Another Inconvenience and great evil. too
incident to the present system, is the enor-
nous expense devolving on towrF. in deciding
the legal settlement of paupess. In many
instances, town expends as mich money in
setting one single case, as wodd support The
whole OF the poor in that town for one or two
years. Aud so long as the resent system
shall continue in operation, solong will these
expenses continually arise. It needs no ar
sament, or any particular statement of facts.
to prove the truth of the foregoing remarks.
Every one who has the leait acquaintance
with the expense OF conducting lawsuits, and
the great humber Of paaper cases, must be
satisfied thai it is sore EVIL, and loudly calls
Tor remedy. And what remedy, | hear it
asked, Can be provided
answer, in the first place, not by altering
the pauper laws. If, under the present sys-
TEN, there be any defects in the pauper laws.
Better let them, as far possible, be iudicially
remedied than by any new act of legislation.
90 many cases have been adiudged under the
existing pauper laws, that the remedy for any
real or supposed evils or detects. nv Iegisla-
tive interference, would, in all probability,
be worse than the disease But, sir. in the
second place, the remedy | would provide
tor the evils above mentioned, would be to
abolish the present system, and establish an
entire new one. Let the whole expense of
supporting the poor be a State charge. Di-
VIDE the Commonwealth into convenient dis
tricts. In each district purchase as much
land as the establishment may require and
upon 1t erect connections house OF industry.
with other necessary buildings All persons
falling INTO distress aud standing in need of
support, should be supported in the house of
industry In that district where they might hap
pen to be, without regarding the legal place
OF settlement, Ii any, however; who might
need relief, should he so infrm or sick. that
they could not be removed to the house of in
custry, they should be supported by the town
IN which they were, and the town be reim-
bursed out OF the State Treasury. In these
houses OF industry, let there also be provided
work, and materials for labour, adapted to the
capacities and abilities OF all the paupers. SO
that every one (unless sick, or past labour.)
could be employed in that kind Of business
which would be most productive Let the
whole establishment be under the control and
direction OF an overseer, or overseers, las the
case may REQUIRE who should make an an
nual report to the Legislature of their steward
ship Too much would not be hazarded by
the remark, that if this system were adopted.
the expense of supporting the poor would not
probably be half what it now is. Indeed. |
nave been told, that in some large and popu-
tous towns, where tie experiment has been
made, the poor have nearly or quite maintain
ed themselves.
The difficulty under the present law is, that
The population aud wealth, as well as the
number OF paupers in any one town is too
small to render it practicable to adopt this
proposed plan on such scale, as would seem
TO promise any adequate advantages There
are also nsuperable difficulties to two or more
towns uniting for the same purpose. But
should the system proposed ever be adopted,
It Is confidently believed that it would save
an immense expense, and be promotiye Of the
usefulness OF large class of poor persons.
VINO now hang heavy on the community.
should these suggestions, thrown together in
some haste, awaken the attention of other