Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-12-23
POVERTY.

abroad has proved neither a sh0lter nor
home 10 The poor man, while 10 our more
favored land such an institution ia re-
gdrded with dread by those who are
driven 10 seek ii as a refuge sgalnstthe
ills Of lie. i is no helper tn man. Re
Lief 10 animal wants it may afford. but
II eXerls 10 mora sway over is subjects
and wakes no sympathy abroad for hem
and therefore tails 10 accOmpIi.h any
real or permanent good. The m ster Of
the poor house is almost always a hard
man. lis inmates are sure to be degra.
ded in their owu esteem aud that Of the
world.
But a graver question %arises, and the
ablest men Of France aud England,
while the remembrance ofthe past out
break is fresh in their minds, and the
fear Of a wider revolt 10 the future
states Them in the face, are earnestly
turning their attention 10 il; and that
is, what shall be done TO relieve the so.
cial expressions Of the poor2 Poverty
is no crime. Yet it IS treated as if il
were. Its hard loI is a bar 10 any thing
like comfort, or happiness or Improve
ment. Exceptions may be found. but
they are only exceptions, Tor, as a gen.
eral rule, it is true Of he Old countries
that sire and son follow the same occu-
p%ations The favored may rise. They
cannut The son lreads The same path
the sire trod. There is for both lhe
same dead level, and both are cramped
10 intellect, caIIous in heart, serfs-if
free nomlnalIy-and oppressed though
seemingly protected by The law. and
the consequence is, that among The poor
III those countries there is. as the dim
light reveals 10 them in part, some
knowledge Of the rights Of man. a hate
towards the upper classes, which makes
the more ignorant keen for an oppor-
unity to gut his hale to the very full.
while it nerves The more on~scIentious
among them with The determined pur-
pose TO reform government and society
wholly, whenever they can, Now, it
is TO arrest the growth Of the former,
and check the tendencies Of the latter,
(miDg led in with purer and higher mo.
uves,) that some OF the abler minds OF
Europe are Iaboring TO relieve The poor
from socia' oppression, by preparing
the pubic mind TO give them the op por.
unity to rise in life.
These are times, says an able Eng
I'sh writer, speaking on this subject
and after reciting the case headed IN an.
other column Ldwt for ihe Poor, and de.
nounclng its folly and justice these are
times in which it is as much the policy
and the prudence as the duty Of the mid
dIe,and upper classes Of society 10 guard
The poor against oppression. The rich,
whether they be benevolent or not, #
they be sel6shly wise, will protect the
poor man from wrongs, as they would
project themselves rom the p~erlis Of
the haired arising from the wrongs in
the fostering feelings OF millions. Cur.
mdum ne magma injuria fat miseris. -
By a strange Inversion OF regards, the
poor are treated as lfthey were the 70
bust and hardy pat of The community,
instead Of the most weak and helpless;
and when the law bears upon them, it is
most roughly and unfortunately, in
stead of with tenderness and circum-
speclion. When the many hard ntces-
sites belonging 10 the lot Of poverty are
considered, how shocking seems the ar.
bilrarv addition TO such Struggling
state ofany hinderances, difficulties, or
pains which may be spared it; and yet
we see these additions inlliclad careless
Iy and thoughtlessly, partly by the leg.
islalure, and partly by the administra
tors OF the laws, because they will not
condescenG to bring down their minds 10
an understanding Of the condition with
which they are dealing, The rich treat
the poor as The robust are apt TO treat
the sick-without the sympathy which
Of the comprehension Of the sui
Gering, How much have we heard of
protection to property2 1t is time that
The protection Of poverty should also
have its turn-lhe protection Of poverty
against errors co~nfoundlng it with crime
The protection Of poverty against vex'
nrious lnterferences and oppres'rons-
the protection Of poverty in is only es.
tate. the free exercise Of industry"
Good doctrine, this! Right in spirit
and right in practice! The p%eri's of the
arising from wrongs in the fes
.ering feelings Of millions is no lrihe:
a thing TO be guarded by law, or to be
put down by a hired soIdiery; a state of
mind which can be swayed at will. 1t
retenlive Of spirit, and strong; patient
o endure, but never forgetfuI of its in
uries; gaining and growing daily, end,
n the long run, sure 10 win its way up
wen il it have 10 wade its way through
blood
And ara than hare mn dinicullies of