New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-06-04
Geuteei Beggiug.

II
slant exercise. 'Givel give! is the increas-
ing chorus. Runaway slaves begging bread
and clothes free negroes begging money TO
buv their wives or children out Of slavery;
destitute immigrants begging sixpences for
the love Of God to keep the breath in their
shadowy frames; poor widows with sick
children; wretched wives cursed with drunk
en- husbands, too happy if these have run
away; ragged, vagrant, vicious children,
cripples and invalids-what world Of beg
gary it is that we have dropped into, though
our part of it is comparatively so plenteous,
so thrifty, so happy. If New-York is such
nest Of paupers, what must London, Rome,
Pekin, be?
But We propose to deal now with gen.
teel beggary-a milder type Of the general
disease, and yet very annoying. The beg
gar to whom you throw a shilling may be a
shirk, a rogue or a sot, and your charity
may be an evil act, but it seems a small
matter, absorbs little time, and is quickly
out of mind. But genteel beggary is more
exacting, and is fast becoming as common.
A carman with two good hands (ready at
lifting bottle) loses his horse, and at once
gets up subscription to replace it, and he
is a sneak who, being solicited, refuses to
give at least a dollar; q seedy politician
wants 10 try his luck in California, and
sends round the hat in like manner; and
even young men who aspire to a college ed
ucation are not ashamed to levy on strangers
to pay the shot, in a country where plain
digging on railroad will bring its dollar a
day. Let the people of village be moved
to get up joint-stOck library or reading
room, and they set to begging the books or
journals all over creation as naturally as
duck takes to water. Let few people in
any village or growing township conclude
that none of the three or four churches
already existing there will suit their fas-
tidious tastes, but they must start another,
and forthwith they rush to their brethren in
far-off cities and perhaps to those Of differ
ent faiths to beg-beg-beg. No restraints
Of pride or shame are acknowledged-per-
haps none are felt-and beggary is almost
as common as prayer.
Now there are certain great general pur-
poses which ought 70 be, must be sustained
by contributions. The Bible, Tract and
Missionary causes, for example, arc and
must be carried on by appeals to the liber-
atty ef those who take interest therein. To
ask a congregation of Orthodox Christians
to give for their support is only asking them
10 prove the sincerity Of their professions
and the fervency of their faith. Sowitb the
various efforts Of Catholics, Episcopalians,
Baptists, Methodists, Unitarians or nyother
church to propagate and yindicate their
views respectively Of Divine Truth. There
is nothing personal, nothing really like beg
ging, in appeals fr pecuniary aid under
such auspices. Just so Of the contributions
sometimes asked Of political party to dis
feminate It's views and marshal its forces
preparatory to an important election. He
who is asked to give money! commend and
insure success to his own views Of Divine
Truth or Public Policy IS not asked ID be-
stow aims but to perform a duty. But let
collector for any church or party 20 about
soliciting from door todoor through city,
without regard to the faith Of those he ad-
dresses-trusting to his chance Of getting a
dollar here and FIVE theTe-quite as often to
be rid Of him without ofense as from hearty
good willard he would be doing what is
grossly indicate and improper. For ey-
ery thing there is q time and a season. and
fitness should never be disregarded. Ask
ing man for money, whether with pistol
or a smirk, is only excused by adiucins
some good reason for his giving it. The
improper applications are 50 numerous and
so frequent as to DO serious harm TO the
other sort. Many a man who would not
grudge q hundred dollars year for such
objects as he ought to contribute TO IS so an
noyed by incessant applications Of all sorts
that he steels his heart and padlocks his
pocket and does not give ten dollars in all.
We have spoken with no hope of inlu-
cling any immediate or general reform. The
evil has become chronic, and cannot easily
nor speedily be remedied. But free word
proyokes others, and a general exposure of
the nuisance must tend toward its ultimate
abatement. Al all events, there IS relief in
denouncing it. The waste Of time and en-
ergies, the instruction Of talents which this
system Of Wholesale and comnlicated beg