American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-01-03
FOR 9RE WATcHMAN.

Hints to the Citizens of Nel0- Castle Coanty.
The object of all institutions for the relief OF the
Poor, is to give them the greatest degree of COM
fort at the least possible expenses and, though the
taxes Of this county, for their support is enormous,
yet the degree of comfort afforded to them has not
been great, but what considerable murmurs have
been excited both amongst the paupers in the house,
and their friends out OF it. | do~not mean to nsi-
nuate by this remark, that the trustees have been
either unnecessarily profuse in the expenditure or
uattenve to the comfort of the prupers: on the
contrary, believe that they have shewn as great
degree of humanity combined with economy, as was
possible, under existing circumstances. THE reas
son OF the greatness OF the poor tax is the great
number of paupers in proportion TO the taxables:
and the only remedy, for this excessive paupersm,
is heacomplete suppression of tipping shops, and
some dsgraceful punishment for dissipation amongst
the lower classes OF society," But, We have bad
bargain, it would be wisdom to make the best Of il.
AS | have proposed the cardng aud spinning Of
cotton, as a more profitable employment for the
paupers; and the experiment has been tried in
! Philadelphia, and failed there, il may be thought
that the trial in our Poor House would be an expen-
sive experiment, without any prospect oil success
but when we consider the temptation OF sixteen
hundred dollars a year, (the Stewards salary in
Philadelphia to men of more cunning than ability,
and the almost certainty of such succeeding in get
ting the appointment of so profitable charge. it is
easy to imagine that the management would getinto
the hands Of persons who had neither the ability nor
inclination to attend to keeping the machinery in
proper repair; and that it would it actually did,
become useless and expensive.
Salaries either too great or too little, have niu-
rious effects the will be bait to enee hungry
Office hunters, and the other trap ia which none
but the needy can be taken; and in either case
assuming worth will not get the charge.
| Now, would advise the citizens of this county,
petition legislature, for revision of our Poor
Laws Let the salary for the overseer Of the poor
| be fixed at something more than what good me-
chanc could make by his industry, superin-
ducement for such off their Sc, vices Let the
laws be so modified that those who arc obliged to go
to the poor house from intemperance, (and am in
formed that numbers but little beyond he prime Of
| life are admitted there from this cause,) say let
| such be compelled TO stay some specified time after
they get recruited IN strength, as some remuneras
ton for the expense of their cure and keeping Let
the liws be so modified, that if any shall be-
convicted of being in state OF ntoxication before
proper authority he shall be sent to the poor house
TO give power to machinery By Tread-mH or other
wise, say one week for the first offeRce. two weeks
for the second, &c., let the retailer al whose house
he person became intoxicated be subject to the
same penalty, and will engage that, under the
lsuperinendence of vigorous overseer, in few
years appropriations ior charity will be limit.
ted to The deserving needy only.
| The Marriages during the year 1922, in the city
| of Philadelphia, amount to l290--Baptlsms 1870,