The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-05-09
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rnnpS. sss 81
,r,bn hnr,loo oi tramps that iiifest the landi
are only the rcpctit ions Of q phenomenon
that seldom fails TO manifest Itself IN any
civilized land after civil and destructive |
war, LEcKEY quotes what FLETcHER OF
saitoun said OF itin Scotland in 1893, soon
after civil wars there. We copy this below
as showing pcculiarities that strongly re-
semble the present fearful overrunning OF
thiscountry by tramps:
There are at this daysin Scotland (be-
sides a great many poor families, very many
provided for by the church-boxes with
others, who, by living upon bad food, fall
into various diseases) 100000 people beg
ging from door to door. These are not
only no way advantageous, but very
grieYous burden to so poor country; ana
though the number Of them be perhaps
double to what 1t was formerly by reason
OF this present great distress, yet in all
times there haze been about 100000 OF
those vagabonds who have lived without
any regard or subsection either to the laws
Of the land, or even those OF GOD ana ma.
ture.
No magistrate could ever discover or be in
formed which way one in a hundred OF
baptized. Many murders have been dis
covered among them, and they are not only
most unspeakable oppression to poor ten
ants (who il they give not bread or some
kind Of provision to perhaps forty such VII
lains in one day are sure to be insulted Dy
them). but they rob many poor people VINO
live in houses distant from any neighbor-
hood. In years Of plenty many thousands
OF them meet together in the mountains,
where they feast and RIOT for many days;
and ut country weddings, markets, burlals,
and other like public occasions, they are to
be seen-both men and women-perpetualiy
drunk, cursing, disappearing, and fighting
together"
Then, as now, the less calm ancssless con-
siderate Of the people sought to account for
the appearance Of such social pests by citing
causes that were not in the matter at all
Then, as now, any such apology vase delu-
sion. War is a great demoralizer, and
civil war is the greatest Of all demoralizers.
Men become unfeeliug and inscriptions.
Their pursuits are interrupted, and 1t be-
comes difficult for them to throw away
their arms and return to the peaceful labors
| OF life. They would lead jolly and reck-
less daily rounds, living without money and
| without labor. Those who have been SOL
diers who fall thus low from their integ-
rity and personal independence, have their
numbers sweled by reinforcements from
the ranks OF wretches who have been, il SOL
diers at all, poor ones, who evaded the SER
vice and who lived By stealing, and who
settled down after the war into robbers and
scapegraces, who beg and steal by turns,
and will murder as well IS rob when eXl-
gency may suggest murder as the safest way
to rob and escape.
| This fearful phenomenon so often sue
ceeding the disturbances and calamities OF
war cannot be laid at the door Of legislation
or bad craftsmanship, and it only helps to
| increase the evils of the times and en-
courage the outrages and insults of the idle,
abandoned, and brutal tramps to make a
suggestion of that sort.
The social evil OF the march OF the
tramps can only be gotten rid Of by the
steady establishment of order. industry,
and personal independence and accounta-
bihty. When the financial system is COM
nestle economy restored to entire order,
Incidence and begging and thieving will be
reduced to the lowest amount in healthy
community. Nothing would more delight
those drones and thieves than to tell them
that their condition was brought about by
the goId-gamblers and stockholders and
corrupt politicians. This suggestion could
only come from politicians who would
make this sort. of strategy to help on the
disorders that may favor the accomplish
ment OF their purposes. Let us have quiet
and the restoration Of industry, and the at
mosphere will not be healthy to the lawless
tramps who seek to live without working,
and who insult or outrage all people who
refuse them anything.
The tramp belongs to the class OF dis.
eases OF a destructive civil war. and order
and system, physical and moral, are to the
disease what quinine is to malaria. II the
people could only add to the effects OF these
remedies the occasional employment OF the
whippng-post the tramps would soon dis
appear like sora after frost.
1t is well for US all to look at the disorders
OF the times in their true light. 1t is amost
Injurious dclusion to aScribe the evils we
complain of to wrong causes. There is no
good reason now for misinterpreting them.
They should be understood by us all, and it
is always great step towards applying the
remedy when we fad out the cause OF COM
plant. --------