New-York tribune., 1841-12-31
.Remember the Poor

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-oftbe sea son which has stern features even fol
Tho thrifty and the affluent, but whose fcrces'
frown, are reserved for the destitute and poor
And shall we not think, amid the festivities, the
friendly greetings of tomorrow, of the condition
these sad-browed children Of Humanity-thes;
etsp-chidrcn of harsh and sullen world VII,
can refrain from calling often to mind the cond
iion of this large class of cur ellow-creaturcs-,ho
nfortlcss and the furnishing! Who will not cor
-idcr lDat there are at this moment from hiTty Z,
fty MoUSand humaH beings in cur city who ar
destitute of the means Of weeks comfortable
-ubsisience-many Of whom will rise up this morn
ing ia despair of obtaining food for the opening day
and lodging for the coming night7 Can it be thai
wealthy and luxurious, citizens realize that thcr,
at this moment, within stones throw Of
eunp'uou> halls parties, and revels frequently
hundred human beings huddled in dreary rookie
~, which pays more rent by piecemeal than
best dive lIings, yet arc dapdated, filthy and ungln
rcd of,eu two or three families in a single desola,,
room. with the wind whistng through broker
windows as they crowd around pan OF charcoal
whence they are inhaling the fumes of death Car,
our humane and silluent ladies know that, Will,
thousands idly lavished in os tentation ex,rava
5ince and pernicious indugcnces, there are just
asound them thousands of virtuous women and IN
nccent children shivcnng in cellars, garre,s end
toit"rIDs novels, rning in shrinking wrctchcdnc,,
tci the food aad clothing which they cannot fine
employment 20 earn, even where they have healh
and strength TO labor! Disease in al its most ter
iiblc forms, fed by famine, exposure and sleeping
scanty rags in fcntid dens, often in close con.
tact with the damp Garth, scarcely protected
from the nclement sky, is here actively at work.
and DEATH TOO often the only friend that proiisr>
relief.
"A sad, revolving picture, yet one that should b,
urged on the public attention. for alas the grim
reality is knocking ourdoors. Something must be
done to alleviate the condli, of the Poor, and done
now. The Alms-House is full and who that know,
"hu is dare speak of it refuge for the desli
tute? That spasmodic Charity which bestows
shilling and curse, with murmur al the dispensa
tons of Providence in filling the land with such nui-
Sauces bcggars does little to mitigate, nothue
to alleviate the stupendous evil We would no,
icpcl or check it-on the contrary, we wish al
who can be persuaded to give dollar, shi-
ing or loaf, to relieve the pressing wants
some wrctched one, would do so at once Bui
when this is done, let the attention of every reflect
ing man be turned to the adoption of eifectal mea-
surcs for the Prevention Of Pauperism and its NJ
iendant woes. This can be done, at least so far A.
TO abolish nne-,en,hs of the mscrics now arising
from dcslituton, by the adoption Of proper mcu
sures. If this City would but adopt the princp,
oi providing temporary employment, for every Eu-
man being who could do no better than work fai,
tuly for the nccessarics of life, and profcrins it IA
all us Alright rather than charity, coniidci,
that under enlightened and honest management. II
might prevent Pauperism for less than the cost ol
maintaining it. and Mt an infinite saving of human
wTetchedness.
But this subject is too vas, 10 Be presented al
the close Of AN article. We have repeatedly expa-
ta,ed somewhat upon it, and have much more yet
10 say. In this plan ask none TO concur wi b
us but entreat each TO take up the subject in HI
own way, only with ardent resolution that, by
some means or other, the horrors and degradation>
now experienced from want of employment und
through the pressure Of the necessities TO which
that employment should minister shall be bar
ished from among us With zeal and unanini,y
ih,- grea, end might speedily be accomplished
Wlie will not onrlbute his warmest sympathic,
and ardent exerton,l