Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-07-03

more abundantly than they wero wont in times
past, that the Justices Ot assse, the Justices OF
pence, and the sheritfs should have power to ap-
prchcnd and examine diligently all such vagabonds
and to compel them to find surety for their good be-
havior, or in default To commit them to the
inil, there 10 abide till the coming OF the justices
signed for the deiverance of the ai!s who, in such
case sEall have power to do upon such fcitors and
vagabonds SD imprisoned, that that thereof to them
best shall seem by the law" The indecison of this
last vague phrase orcibly indicates the novelty OF the
evil tu be corrected, and the want of any provision
for il in The established law OF the land, well the
hesitation and perplexfy which We're felt in de-
vising proper way ol meeting Ii. The present sta.
tutn WAS soon found 10 have provided no etcctual
remedy. The subject accordingly was again brought
before the legislature in lSS, when gave rise TO
rcs Of more elaborate eiucmcnts. First il ordered
that no servant or labnrcr, whether man or woman
should depart out of the hundret rape, Or wapentake
III which he had been dwelling, on prctence either o
going to serve or dwell elsewhere. of going on
pilgrimage, without carrying with him letter patent
containing the of his going and the time OF his
return- he ought 10 returI-u!lder the KING s seal,
whlch Tor this purpose was 10 be inrusted to the
Keeping of some "go0d man in every hundred, rape,
"apentnke, ci,y, aud borough: il any one was found
wandering about without such letter, hc was to bc
immediately apprcheded AMI put III the stocks, and
Kept Til he found surety return 10 his service or
obtained letter authorizing him to dcpar; for rca-
solhole cause. Next il WAS enacted that every per-
son found begging, aud able 10 serve labor, should
lf "a s.rvu m ~ in
left his proper J,trict without t rrnuisitc tcstmo.
NAL. And now f,r the frs, timn ,y find po,ire IA
ken of tha class ot rho drsti,n,a nonr yhns, case
forms the most difficult, problem which legislation has
To solve III connection with this subject-iho who
are willing to work. but either cannot find employ
ment, or, from bodily weakness incapable Ut Ia
or The uersons coming uudcr This d.scrintinn mus,
lave existed in great nunbcrs ever since the break
ing up ofthe system of vicnage had thrown the great
erpart "tthc laborg p"puationlo from the ancient
t;r .rnmnr, ,,nu,t h.. 1,mht.d Lut ,h, L,,,sIstur.
hud sIrt ire cvrs :, the ncrnlvinr evil ne lour "A il
coud. Even nnw !. onlv hilf.pprned them. beg.
,,rs ;mrn,nt IN s.rve :, wns ordained "shnll abide
- ,h. ,i. .,J ,,,,,y ,.Lor. ,h,,. 81, d,.;u, n, th,
,;nn ~ ,h, mr,nn,mao - ry. s,n,m,, and il the
- w. r ~ ;,;. w ,u.n. ,r;II
v, INV s"'t .. ,o;,,nin ,h.n,
th.n tho so;a h.,,,,,r, sb,u draw th.m Z, o,hrr
. ''.o S"'" p'SSS ''' VIC" ~ 49, ,o,i
.""as wnnn tne hundred, rape nr wapen'aNe
"a ~ '" s WIZ "'' n "
n'c' INT H"!1 Po'!"'"''"" ,"''e' "'' 'c'o '''' 'o
t'htmiiy "U'ue uuri"@ thc'r H'e,' IL may, PetnnP'
w eih'et'eu ron 'He'c M"tu', ,iu' '.E'' w 'e uP
ported at he expense OF IN" 'haoltants Oh u; p"Se
hv ,h s,,,nto nn"n ,h J.,;tn,e moor. nnd
if so this is the earliest English law of settlement.
and the proper commencement OF our legislation On
the subject of pauperIsln: but it will he observed, that
the obligation upon the rape or hundred 10 support lie
own pnupcrs is enacted, il at all, only by implications
The legislature rs il already III sunc degree a-
seems ta have slrunk from any express declaration OF
the novel principle From the Immediately succeed
ing chapter of the statute, which Processes 10 direct
how the several foregoing ordinances shall be-
ted it ght oven he comjccturcd hut il really III
tended the paipers should be treated rs species al
criminals. 1t is ordered that ''Ghe sherls. mayors,
bai!ils and keepers of the ails shall be holden and
charged to receive the said servants abUrcrS, beggas
and vagabonds there is no exception made with RI.
| gard 10 the mpotent) aud to keep them in prison,
| fI,,nf .fft
fee any other thing taking Oi themselves or 10y any
other, rs long lhcy may be 81 imprisoned. or at
their entry or ut their going fDrh' Perhaps il was
felt inexprdient t!i, scheme of general ncar-
ceraun for all descriptions OF incndcants i'll palmer
terms. The plun probably not found to answer
very we'll and, by subsequent statute passed III
1891 (thc 18th Rich H. C.. g. we find it ordered, that
| i'll every future appropriation of any parish church
the diocesan shall direct convenient proportion o
the fruits and profits OF the bcnccc To bc distributed
yearly to the poor parshoncrs i'll aid Of their sub
sisencc and living forever. This statute was confirm
ell in li02 10y the 18th Hen. ". c. l2) From that
date we find no more mention OF the poor IN the Sta
tute Book till after the close of The present PERIOD
V, .u ;uG,r,pod man pccd he told the further his
| tory Of tbo mar laws in EnsL:-.;; - -
| rIIst ~, ,I; ,,; | y, sn'.t sa' T y. t VIE
| t-nSi'" iaooIng poPu'''o' "eSai " w cA.'ianScu
m .n' ''ee'oi. nus o1en So"S VI" "e'"Ien '"Ps'". "'
me .ie que slae, anu 5no"r nn ihe o'nGr-"t an''
| nc'cG anu ,i'En! an" NV" always oi"oHes" o"tic'
vi wien ''e t''o:"us " rI"'p"s nL'''ues anu III
| echu"'y e",'"S'"t "tioH' nave octi 'nc sS"ai hics'
'e lo"S"huS ann 'en o tnouSa'is "i n!seraole ou'-
oasis ana "ut-'h"s "hicn nave ilicSlcd society. or
ied 'ie poor houses ana prisons 10 rcpietoh, nave
| bech the heRnchnly Fic'!lns' Now. wlel' Tor the
last lew year. England mas been bordering on revo-
luton, ana Is daily growing more treInunus win the
internal agitation oi M expected volcanic explosion
III" eyes of hcrstatesmen have been turned, WIN ds'
may ana the huge social cvs thus sprung
INTO pcstlcr"us existence lt al hGnnh laX ot sefcil
millions OF pounds sterllns to support pnupers, VINO
hlSht ana ouSnt, under different social system, ~
support themselves and augment largely the NATIONAL
resources besides, the whole country Is icrmenng
with the fierce slcncn;s of conflict and confusion,
class arrnyc against class the poor against all, and
ul! agnI.st the poor.
That society in the Northern States of this Union
ia following fast in the salo road the indications
every side fearul,y distinct, The fresh and fer
tile lands of the West open asylum IN the suffer-
ing poor which Gcp!e:cs the paupcr population of the
North 10 great extent. Yet the amount OF positive
beggary and want, and OF consequent crime and
misery, which meets you everywhere in the North.
ern cities would be absolutely revolving, if it did not
excite the prOinunest sympathy and cOmmseraiiOn.
FolIrirrism and communism and the thousand other
sncalistc saivus of the same k have but illusra-
ted the impotence and futiity of n such expedrnts
to avoid alleviate the consequences of the radical
vice of FREQ Society" From such scenes il is re-
reshing to turn the eve to the happy and prosperous
"aboring population OF the South. Paupers, in
deed We have among us-tthough we have no beg
gars .o the mannr born; but these in the main are
the really old and nirm, the disabled and diseased,
"" SO' nv WIN w Wv. W W '.'' w '''' -