The Osceola times., 1876-11-04

i's'' NfFNit hiiN'l Abt 'sAit = u Ai1t
Keeper until discharged by order
ofthc court"
The question OF making provis.
ion tor the care and support of the
poor in every community, particu.
larry in cities, and all dcnsciy pop.
ulatcd countries, is becoming OF IN
creased importance. Appeals are
f'equcntiy made for assistance to
I 10 indivlJu ubllc, and is moie
or less responded TO according to
the ability and charitable dis
position OF those 10 whom it Is
made.
II order TO provide some general
means for giving protection to that
class OF persons termed paupers,
our legislature has imposed the
duty of providing homes for such
upon the county courts OF each
county, whose duty it is made to
determine who are, or are not
proper objects of public care and
expense. Shcrifls, coroncrs, cJnsta-
Dlcs, and justices Of the peace who
reside in, or are required in tho
discharge Of their official dutios, TO
pass frequently over any part OF the
c tnty, are charged with the duty
vi asccriniIing who arc IN II desu-
tuie and suffering condition, and
to report them to the county court,
whose duty it is made to examine
into the circumstances and condi-
tIon OF persons 50 reported, or
brought therein TO their notice, aud
TO determine whether they are, or
not paupers. In Il general sense,
all poor persons may be said to he
paupers, but not in statute meaning
Of the term. \ paupcr is def ncd
to bc poor person, particularly
~ c so indigcnt MS TO depend upon
lbe parish or town for support.
whether the poor person Is indi
gent, so infirm, sick, or disabled rs
10 become an object OF public
are and.suppor', must be first
passed upon by some competent
tribunal.
As general proposition the
court was certainly correct IN dc.
claring the law to be "that il is the /
duty OF each county to provide for
the paupcrs therein " but the T.
court, by refusing TO declare tina,
il WAS necessary for the county
court 10 pass upon or determine
the condition OF those persons who !
were to become charge upon the
county for support, in effect, as
sumed that all poor persons,
whether asceltalncc by the co~uty
court or not, should, when support !
ed or cared Tor at Indiviual expense,
become public charge upon the
county, to the extent of pay NJ for
The care, protection, aud support
thus given.
We are sensible of the difficulty
that must arise upon emergencies,
ard before time and opportunity
an b, airbrlsd 10 r the court to ucI,
aud that some who deserve protcc.
tlon and care, nay for Il time be
left to suffer or left to the charita-
bic in the vicinity where they may
be found.
But unless this question OF sup
port and care is determined by some
and is not lett open TO be
determined by the person called /
upon 10 support or give relief, it is
evident that greatly incrcScd and |
charge may be made |
upon the county in whIcl su h poor
person resides.
The law SEEM To have made pro. /
vision not only for the protection /
and care OF the panpers OF the coun
ty, but has provided II tribunal to
ascertain who are the proper sub
lccts of public charge. 1t has more
over charged n class o! its officers
with the duty Of giving iniormn.
ton Of all slch X own to them.
THIS duty may be FASTENED by indi- !
calling the attention OF those
officers to such Us may have es
capped their observation, or any |
cItzen may bring the facts to the
knowledge of the county court,
whose duty it l. to pass upon the /
condition and circumstances of the T.
subject resented Tor its conSldcra- !
ton, aud il found 10 be proper
subject of charge upon the county |
To make the necessary order for
that purpose.
Looking at the evils which may
result in individual cases from de-
lay, on the one hand, and the in
creased burdens which may he i'm.
posed upon the county on the
other by extending the right of
charge Tor care and support to all
VINO are supposed to be poor and
in need, without the object OF such
caro- beng first adiudgcd 10y the
court paupcr, and fit subject tor
public charge, we think it safest
and most conclusive to the public
good, aud IN accordance with the
spirit and intent OF the legislature,
to hold, that in order to charge the
county with the expense ot the care
and support of pauprrs, they should
first be declared such by the county
court. Surh was our decision in
the case of Brcm vs.. Arkansas
count 4, Q Ark, $40.