New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-10-22
FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF TIE So
CIETY FOR AMELlORATlNG TIE CONDl
TIoN OF THE POOR.

The aboye-named Society held its fifteenth annual
meeting on Wednesday night at the Cooper Institute
The President Mr.. JAMES BRowS occupied the chair
On the platform were the Rev. DIR. Adams, Peter
Cooper, lIorato Allen, X. Is. Mntum, \. X. Wet
more, and Others.
Mr.. HARTLEY. the Corresponding Secretary and
agent of the Society read the annual report. The re-
port the classes Of people TO whom ad has
been given the past year; has some remarks upon
"teuant houses statements relative 10 the condition
Of the poor in our city, &c. The number OF families
who have been relieved during the past year lJsl2
the number Of persons, 5i,-6S; and the number oil
visits made ~ 49, The amount OF relief afforded has
been about 90 per cent greater than that OF the year
preceding.
Mr.. MISTrRS read the Treasures report, rom
which it appears that the annual receipts OF the 800
ciey have been S6oJ.s, and the expenditures goo fo'
These reports were then adopted.
The President then introduced the Rev. Dr. BEL
LOWS who read an address upon systematic cnafty;
II being the finale To series OF lectures lie haa az
ready delivered on the same subject. lie salu ne
should take hold of the subject OF systematic charity
at difficult point. lie admitted that the charity Oh
prevention was better than that Of relief yet the lat
ter has s place and office, and il was that 10 "n!,h
he wished to call attention. II IS question nov
much is to be relieved he thought ii must BE- relieved
to abs lutte extinction. But the question, 10 "ial
manner the relief il 20 be given, brings rs 70 the
question hand. What is relief; Is not easy 9e.eu'
" ,at Is relief He did not object T. lndiscrInhate
charity for the work it did, bur because IL dii NOT
really ftltNt Tue poor bNi Aiu tiltiH
question how mucl they can be relieved Is not easy
answered. If giving One-i0urth OF all the pr"pe! ~
society would relieve the poverty 10 ne iahd, M
would be no question at al we lAs. e
in ,upposing this 10 BE- mere money question: o. IL
the difference between the rich and poor was mac ~
money. Ii is not money that makes al tle III
ference between the palace and the howell !, tne
decentralization Of the mind and the want Si ihteAIc
gence. II is not possible TO relieve the susLus ~
tie poor Immediately, and not at any time WIN mel
money. Poverty is spiritual disease anu . We aie
not yet prepared TO deal with this. one dimGui! -
the ignorance OF those to be helped another the M
perfection Of those who would help them ne "an .
OF bread i lot all poverys harishlp bnt IL / tua'
bread is all they can get. The real question II .s;
What does relief do to remove this moral dc
In this full extent society j. not competent u ene.
the poor; it requires love and charity una.
nor tie Church does Lot possess IL We ' u .
and heart TO deal successfully with II, II "olll No,
be here. The moral destnion Of the poor = !t'
only by the oral superiority OF the men, anu 'ne n.O
have hot this superfuity. The poverty o. 100 -
the measure Of its ignorance; i = the WoiA u I'm
upon society that murders lie brother; tne T
will Dot down at the supper of anDi.lon: ~ co.
difficulty i in afforiug high system o. - ~ VI
cannot get along without ioy.. We caIe put nun
about them AZ moral creatures and therefor. are NOT
prompted 10 relieve them IN that respect w ile
good is cone by charity than there i paDUr ahu eA
pense attending IL. great deal OF hove VIA piouuee
re.u 81 great deal Of love; and 20 IKE results VIII