The New York herald., 1868-02-20

S0"6iOSS AuAiy up he WOIk OI negro EcCOu-
struction and Southern restoration.
Tho Poor Of New York.
A perpetual presence in our midst are the
poor-the chronic poor, as indigenous to
crowded cities as stunted pines to the cold,
dizzy mountain height. Able-bodied pauper-
ism-born paupers, who deliberately come into
this world seemingly to live on others-has
become an institution so engrafted on the city's
growth that the wisest Of our political econo-
mists, when questioned as to the remedy, give
their heads . mysterious shake, implying .
most bewildering perplsxity Of doubt in the
matter. The fact Is the growth Of indgcnce in
the city has been six times more than the
growth Of population. twenty-five years
ago two hundred snd thirty-fve thousand dol
lars answered ~ the city's annual contribu-
ton to support its pauper population. Last
year one million three hundred and forty
thousand dollars was the sum disbursed for
this purpose. Indiscriminate almsgiving has
wrought the mischief, and each year it is
becoming more irremediable. Sharp practice
oOV"AoO sACoo CAAVuAC AvcIb Ou tuO Clsy
charities, resolute, systematic determination to
cut them of from further help, will greatly
reduce the number and lessen the grevous
burdens of taxation weighing down SO heavily
on our citizens.
We did not set out to write up the subject Of
chronic pauperism, great and growing as the
evil Is and urgent as is the necessity Of vigorous
action tor its suppression, but to speak Of and
for that large class Of helpless and deserving
poor whom the present depression in business
has thrown out Of employment and made de-
pendent on public and private charity. Over
one hundred thousand persons in the habit Of
earning their livelihood by honest labor are
now out Of employment in this city. Such
general depression in business, such extensive
suspension OF labor, and such an amount Of
positive destitution and suffering rarely prevail
here. Public and private charities are being
largely taxed to prevent extreme destitution-
to save households from actual starvation
Private philanthropy, working unseen, the
noiseless feet Of church visitors, preaching
through their charities better, truer gospel
than ID contained in all the noisy declamations
OF our loudest mouthed clergymsn, hunt up
these deserving destitute and are relieving
their necessities. Wretched want exists to-day
all over the city. Thousands are on the verge
of starvation, and on these freezing nights the
cold steals with terrible power into their
lireless rooms The picture is sad one We
will not dwell on il further.
Deplorable as ID the present state Of things
in our city, growing out Of existing stagnation
in the labor market, there is nothing that should
excite alarm, but only o more general,
more active and more systematic benevo-
lence. All this pressing want and repe-
tition Of it at any time in the future
can be relieved and no one feel the
poorer for it The remedy Is very simple
Instead OF the multiplicity Of charitable insti-
tutions that now exist there should be grand
central organization, with one board of visitors
and another Of inspectors, their operations
extending over the whole city. The city
should be districted, and . comprehensive,
uniform and systematic mode Of distributing
charity be adopted that will prevent imposture.
A careful examination Of every case and its
former character and condition, and the causes
reducing to poverty, should be instituted, and
with the giving Of relief 1t should be made
fundamental principle to help only those who
1t is known help themselves when they can,
and prevent their falling into the dismal and
degenerate depths Of chronic pauperism. There
are now in this city some sixty societies for
philanthropic purposes, to say nothing Of our
half score Of hospitals and as many more dis
pensaries, and the indefinite number Of asy-
lums, refuge establishments and general re-.
formatory and benevolent institutions for the
aged and blind, the halt and infirm Of all pos
sIble classes. Let the last institutions remain,
but the threescore Of others we would sweep
away, and the sleek, well-fed and well-clothed
presidents and vice presidents, and secretaries
and treasurers, and all the hangers-on with
them, who absorb in good houses and good
dinners and good apparel for themselves, in
cluding the inpressively imposing white neck
cloth which most Of them wear, three-fourths
Of the money contributed by the liberal and
confding public to sustain these charities. We
would also sweep away the narrow and bigoted
sectionalism characterizing the management Of
most OF them. Charity knows no Sect no reli-
gion. With the money thus saved we would
keep from want, in such seasons as the present,
the families Of oil who are out Of employment
Happily, the worst Of the winter has passed, the
ides Of March are approaching, and with their
coming there is reasonable hope Of revived ami
nation in business, Of restoration TO employ
ment Of those out Of work, and lifting up of the
great overhanging cloud Of want and wretched-
ness now overshadowing the city.
The News from Spais.
The special cable telegram from Madrid
which We give in another column ellis the old
story Of Spain, in which country one revolt is