New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-19

ASSOCIATION FOR IMPROVING THg CONprrtoS OF
TIE POoR-ABsrBacr or MONTHLY RrPosr-Fec-
ruary. IS. vii be remarkable in the annals OF the
Association. Tor having relieved gore persons sod
expended more fumes than in any other month since
It's Organization And it is ~or,hy Of rote that,
among the recipients Of aid, there VS. larger pro-
portion Of respectable industrious classes. including
native mechanics, than was ever before kno sn 10
the CRY. The far greater number however, were Of
The upthrily poor, tha, properly come within the
score Of AIMS House relief, but from whom toe As
socis,ior could rot withhold aid wi,cou, exposing
tb. IN 10 the ri,k q suffering rom starvation.
Tpe following is a summary statement Of the re-
lief and expenditure;
Nuub.r Of f.rni, relieved du-i,r the mon,h....l.ss
Number o. VISITS
F1perisr since Jan i....... ss 81 "
Oteer causes beside the distress Of the times have
corsped TO impo.e weighy responsibilities upon the
Association of kind not aBticp sted. Among these
NAV be noticed the restricted smount OF outdoor
Aus House aid and the clsmor for assistance un-
necessarily excited by the Ward Relief Committees
These causes have thrown upon the Associston in
ADDITION 10 lis proper class OF poor, most OF the
indigeote OF the city.
The Association has been far misled by its sym.
psthy for the suffering, a. 10 make the delinquency OF
other charities the measure Of relief. IL could not
witness the aboundirg restitution among those who
bad claims on other OF relief without grant
ing al least. temporary aic. This soon brought upon
more wretcbedbess and want than lite resources
could supply In the emergency growing out OF the
unprecedented increase OF applicants II accepted do
NATIONS Of money generously made by the Common
Couuci. Such expression of governmental cont
deuce in the Association was duly appreciated but,
instead Of diminishing its iabors, /. greatly augmsn.-
ed them, by multiplying the claims upon ~ for II
could not consistently avoid dsbursing the public
fund il had accepted for the benefit Of the public
poor. More money mas thus been withdrawn from
ts treasury than has received, besides imposing
upon its amouers an incredible amount OF labor,
III ~ haxra Tav. II tha tr,s.
par,ment.
TIE manner in which the Institution has sustained
itselt through ihs period Of extraordinary pressure
ard difficulty aforcs new evidences OF its adaptation
TO it's object. TIE sbors of the visitors have been
increased many fold bu, so faithfully have their time
end energies been devoted 70 the work. that there
have been fewer complaints than in any fcrner yesr.
by the assiduous and searching lsbors Of the Asso-
caion for the psst eleven years, psupeiism hss not
only been kept r check but many have been recov-
cred from its debasipg power to the dignity OF self
support. II hsd TO go great An extent sifted the
seeming from the real the Fictitious from the actus
that it able exercise that intelligent dscriDn-
alton In regard to both which their ogn good and the
public interest required But souphouses snd the
II dscrimI al public relief OF the past winter have
done very much 10 removing those salutsry restraints
ano safeguards which individual 6ns and personal
visitation insure and by giving relief TO promlscuous
crowds Of men, women and children, have destroyed
in msny what little selfrespect remained, and given
a new license for dleDess and imposture To overrdn
the City. There moth ny in the e1gencies OF the
poJ uation 70 justify 80 productive of social
cebssement and however well meant, the results
are not The lees deplorable, because sanctioned by
good men.
Experience shows that il is only by stesdy adj
hereLce to those principles of moral and economic
science whose truth Is confirmed alike by every in.
stance of conformity and every instance OF disobed-
ence. that the Association can accomplish the beneh-
cent objects ofits organic alton, and prove blessing
to tlis vast community. Bv order OF the Board.
r. 81. HARTLEY, Secretary.