New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-04-07

ii, members Of the Council, in pamphlet form,
can be obtained ct the Office of this paper.
Price ono dime.
The Beggars Of Neworleans.
One Of our contemporaries remarked few
days since, that there were no paupers in New
Orleans Eyes that can see apparent wretched-
ness, ears that hear the most piteous appeals,
testify to different state Of things There
may be, indeed, a difference drawn between
paupers and beggars; and all of the latter may
not properly be classed with the former.
Beggars certainly abound. They creep steal
thily through our streets, grope feebly through
our public bar rooms; infest the entrance to our
principal places Of resort; loiter pleadingly
around groups Of gentlemen; arrest the passer
by upon the streets; are in the doorway Of the
theatre, hotel, or church--always with hand
outstretched for the expected coin.
They are right sturdy in their appeals, we
had almost said demands. A mere &c Nothing
to-day or g No money to spare,' will not re-
pulse them They hang round the marked OBJ.
ject objects Of their solicitation, until, fire.
quently, some small coin is given them to rid
ones self Of their presence and importantly,
Then, they pass on. to renew the same persecut-
ing infection upon some new victim. Hundreds
give to them, with no other view than to get rid
Of them; and none of the hundreds knows
whether the gift is worthily or unworthily be-
slowed, is charity or waste. The beggars have
learned the virtues Of persevering annoyance to
force contribution from unwilling victims.
How much Of what is given relieves or aids
real paupers, would be an interesting question
for examination, if we could arrive at the facts
Alarge portion of it unquestionably goes to i'm
posters upon public charity, the lazy and
vicious; and it becomes a matter of some inter-
est to know if the public can not be measurably
protected from imposition.
Day after day, as certain as the rising of the
sun, the same individual beggars may be seen
in the neighborhood of the Veranda, the St.
Louis, etc. They asked you for aims yesterday,
and they ask you again for aims to-day. Beg
ging is their profession or trade, and they per-
sue it with zeal and industry which might be
emulated in worthier pursuits. They have the
same well-worn tale. with slight variations to
suit the occasion; the same unwashed hand ex-
tended; the same suffering family at home
that beggar's home, which must be the most mis-
cradle of all ndescribable places or the veriest
den Of uncomfortable iniquity They know a
stranger at first sight, and they hunt him down
with most moving tales and most industrious
annoyance. Once marked, his dime is doomed; ;
or he must have high words and a loud voice
Every citizen must have noticed the three
1itt1n vho hor ri ,,Lo To-.
not failed to ask twice a day, generally on the
corner Of Common and st. Charles, for the eter-
nal dime They whine most piteously-upon
occasion they can even cry most bitterly. And
yet, when they find their imposture is known,
there is nothing obscene or disgusting in Ian
guage which will not flow from those girls of
ten, eleven, and twelve years of age, They will
tell you of suffering at home, etc., and yet we
are informed that home is den of infamy.
Why are not these little girls taken up by the
police and confined in the House of Refugee
They might yet be acknowledgement up to
honest labor, and saved from q life of infamy.
Now they are notorious nuisances and their
future is a fearful one to anticipate
There is another Casa woman, heretofore
frequently in the Work house She feigns de-
crepitude, and asks most whiningly for charity.
Inform her that you know her; tell her what
she IS; and the oath, fierce, bitter and revolving
bursts out, and all appearance of decrepitude
is gone for the moment, to be resumed when pas
sion is gone. We are reliably informed of two
cases, in which "poor, starving creatures" the
moment they were Gas they thought) unobserved,
tossed from them angrily, clean, good, substan-
tial food, given in charity. They wanted
money; nothing else; and they wanted money,
because they wanted drink.
These are illustrations of what abounds in our
streets, and what calls for the action of the
authorities and the police. Certainly, those
known as professional beggars should be talen
up; the young sent to the House of Refuge, the
old to the Work-house. There are some who
are very poor, but always honest these will
not be classed among professional beggars the
distinction is easily made. But even for these,
we are convinced, charities should be provided
only through the agency of the authorities and
the police, acting as dispensers of the liberal
humanity which should sway every heart and
order hndliness, and improved comfort and
hopeful patience in our social system. 1t is
only through the authorities and the police we
can know the deserving from the undeserving;
and, in any case, it would be wholesome i'm
proyement to remove some of the regular
traders in beggary from our streets
WING RANGERS MEETNG.-A meeting of the Wing
Rangers is called for this evening" at the Club Room
tne feari' ST. Charles street. The wings of the CITY
are invited to attend
hARfERs MAGAZINE FOR APRIL-J. G. Morgan Ex-
change Place has just received Harpers Magazine for
April one of the best numbers of the season The frt
chapters of Dickenss Bleak House make their anneor
ance in this number and they are much better than
Dickenss first chapters usually are they will produce nm
eager appetite for those which to follow The sc
tions and original articles and iudcious
and the three leaves from Punch well filed with carica
lures are excellent No should be without Harper
for April
---
ST CHARLES THEArRE.-IHe Rarels.-The great attrac-
aons which offered at the various places Of amuse
ment do not appear in the least affect the success of
the Ravels at the st. Charles. The house is crowded
every night and the audiences manifest their delight with
the entertainments by the most ertr vooant .rr,,.