The native American., 1839-01-26
PAUPER CAsE-OUTRAGEoUs IMPOSITION


On Thursday last, ten paupers made their ap-
peaiance at the amshOuse III the Park. and tie
case being somewhat singular in its charactcrs-
tics, alt ough not unusual III its occurrence. the
commissioners requested the assistance of his ho.
nor, the mayer. in disposng Of the case. We
take the stnemeut from the daily papers, from
which ii appears that they arrived here bv the
British barQue Chieitain, on Monday, from Liv-
Ierpool. and were on Thursday taken in a body to
the almshouse. viz.
John Sharp, ii wears old. has been two weeks
in the poorhouse; Thomas Reed, 81 wears old,
afflicted with the kings evil seven years, and has
heen ten years in the poorhouse; Hugh Lacky,
% years old. has been five wears in the poor
house: John Devon, i6 years old, was ten years
in the poorhouse; William Mackay, Is wears old,
was four years i'll the ,poorhouse; James Lewis,
l6 years old, an idiot; Thomas Devon, l3 wears
old. has heen nine years in the poorhouse; Janet,e
REYNOLDS, grandmother Of John Sharp, aged SO
years, was three years in the poorhouse; Mar,
IIav, 20 years old, in the poorhouse one \, ear;
Catherine Steele, aged Ia, was three years in
the poorhouse.
The majority of them appeared in the uniform
of the poorhouse, in which some Of them had
spent The greatest part Of their lives. From the
statement Of the paupers themselves, it appeared
that their residence at the other side of the Allan
tic had been for long time in tire poorhonse a,
Edinburgh, from which they were sent to Glas-
gov, and from Glasgow to Liverpool, and from
Liverpool to New York: and their passages paid
by the overseers of the poor at Ednburg. Seven
Of them, as it has been shown, were bows, and
out Of those seven, six, and also the little girl.
were bound apprentices to man named Samuel
G.. Johnson, who agreed to take them To farm in
Upper Canada. Johnson also promised to pro-
vide for The other two male Paupers, and the old
Woman. And in confirmation of the apprentcng
part Of the business, each of the six boys and the
girl had one part Of an indenure But as one Of
the boys is an idiot, and another nearly blind.
and the grandmother too old to do much work
there is too much reason TO suppose that appren-
ticing the boys mere sham to cover the real
intention of abandoning the whole batch to the
charity of the United States. Johnson accompa.
MED them in the passage, and according to their
own account. they were most cruelty treated in
regard to their food, which was scantv, and of the
most wreiched description; and that since their
arrival here they were given nothing but bread
md water.
A hearing was had on Friday before his honor
the mayor, at which captain Conner, of the baroue
Chieflan, the consignees of that vessel and Mr..
Johnson, were present. The consignees fullv
exonera,ed themselves from all blame tney having
Qeputeu an agent 10 attend TO The bonding or COM
muing Of the passengers brought in the vessel;
but he neglected performing that duty until vester-
day morning. Captain Conner was arrested andl
held to bail in $4,000 IN two suits; one ins,itu,ed
by the mayor for not giving the requisite and e-
galnotice Of the arrival Of hi, vessel with passen-
gers, within twcny-I"ur hours after such arrival.
The other, Instituted by the commissioner o, ,hrl
aimshouse, TO recover the penalty Of $50 per
head. for importing fneign paupers. Johnson was
also held 10 bail, atthe suit Of the commissioners.
asan accessory 10 the deed. In the meantime. the
interesting family are at the almshouse, but will
be returned forthwith 10 Edinhurg, al the expense
OF 'hc owners or consienecs of the vessel in which
they arrived.
we believe it is pretty well ascertaincd that The
oVerseefs oi the poorhouso at EIinh,lrg have con-
ciuded To empty The poorhouse there bvconsign. |
mcns to Canada at the rate or forty pauners nor
month. As they will not he VERY paricnlar in in.
quiring whittier the vessel is honnd that takes
them on hoard at Liverpool, and whether they ever
arrive in Canada or not, we NAV expect them all
To favor us hy taking up their domcile in The
aInshouse; and that the other poorhouses in Great,
fr'Iain will not he behind that of Edinburg in
throwing upon MS their vagrant and undesirable
population, unless the result of the present expert
ment may deter them. So emholdened however
nave they become by the success Of former expe-
rmenis, that they send them ont in their pauper
hesSes; and we little expected that SO striking an