Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-01-12
A GA7ETTE AND VIRGINIA ADVERIISER-JANUARY 70, 1853
HrnndMnY Mnndicants.

The festivities and brightness of New
Years Day, were not little marred by the
great numbers Of beggars, who ayailed them
selves of the general hilarity to make their
anncals for charity. Gay callers" as they
turried from house to house, were beset by
,warms Of impJrtunute little mendicants,
,yby had the perseverance Of sturdy veterans
IN their business. These little creatures
abounded in all the principal streets and ave.
nues but il was in Broadway where all
b,ygariom held high carnival, and strove to
excite sympathy by the exhibitions OF woe
and wr,tshcducSs. There was one partlcu-
lar style OF appeal which was specially me
nOp0lizcd by the Cinnamon, who are wonder
full experts in the arts OF mendIcIty. One
Of them cOied himself up on the sunny pave
mcnt with a placGrd attached to HIN, on
which WAS inscribed. This Chinsman is
starving" while Il short distance from him
was another of his countrymen with paper
before him. on which was written IN perfect
~ good E0glisb, Il am starving" from
which we should infer that starving for
living was rather Il prosperous business, for
there is always at least one Chnaman on
the sidewalk oi Broadway in that condition.
When one Of them goes home to his rice and
ch0p.sticks, he is probably relieved by e part
ner, VINO takes his place and enacts has part
in a truly artistic manner.
The weather was 80 warm and genial that
it was no wonder the poor and miserable
should take the opportunity OF coming out
from their wretched holes 10 bask in the sun
shine. But there was no occasion for them
% make such an OstGntatOus display Of their
infrmi:ics in the crowded highway as they
did on New Years. Every miserable paupcr
ia The city who had any bodily infrmity, ap-
reared to have come into Broadway 10 exhl.
Bit is for the purpose OF gain. Men wl;h
stumps Of arms, detOrmed children, aud
Philippians without legs, were there in great
force; and dirty faced drabs, with cOnsump.
tive children, hired for the occasion, made
attacks on TIE gay thrOng, without lntermls-
sion, during the day.
The well.dressed and sednte policemen,
who were unusually numerous in Broadway,
did not appear u think it was any business
Of theirs 10 see that the sidewalks were
not iucumbcred by squalid bcgsars and
starving Cinnamon The lazzaronI Of King
Bomba never had freer license to disp0rt
their raggciucss ia the sunshine of Naples,
than our Broadway beggars enjoyed on New
Years day.
II these poor creatures were as needy as
they appeared to be, If they were starving
and homeless, then they should have been
Immediately taken care of and sent to the
Aims. house, and the character Of the city
saved from the disgrace of permitting the
sick and feeble poor to perish in the streets
in the midst of plenty. But, if they were
imposjcrs or beggars by profession, who
choose TO beg rather than work, they were
equally entitled to the attentions of the PO-
Ice, and should have reen committed to pri-
son as yagaJonds. Oar public streets, espe'
cialiy upon holidays, ought to be kept free
from such disgusting objects as starving Chi
namcn, who make permanent locations on
the sidewalks, and obstruct the travel Of such
n crowded thoroushfare as Broadway.-N
J. YuFcS.