SUPPRESSION OF MENDICITY.

"What man that is of ability can have the conscience to deny an alms when he cannot choose but know that there is not that due course provided, or at least used, that persons necessitous and able to work, may have it? Indeed, where there a clear means practised of employing poor persons, it were an uncharitable action to relieve them in a course of idleness”— Judge Hale.

There is scarcely any subject which can engage the attention of the legislature and the public more worthy of their serious and favourable consideration, than that which is treated of in the following article; and as the writer is of opinion that the plan for the suppression of begging, which is suggested in his letter, will, at no distant day, be adopted, at least as an experiment, which, if successful, would prove most beneficial to the community at large, and to the cause of humanity, he will offer no apology for pressing the subject most earnestly upon the notice of his townsmen, who are personally distinguished for the promotion of every work of charity. The existence of the evil which it is his object to abate, if not to remove it entirely, must be acknowledged by every person who is not altogether divested of sympathy for human misery; and as the primary motive which led to the publication of the Melange, was to call the attention of the public to the necessity and duty of doing all the good in our power during our pilgrimage on earth, where we ought to "do unto others as we would that they should do unto us," the republication of the subjoined letter is in perfect accordance with the spirit of our miscellany.

TO JAMES CROPPER, ESQ.

RESPECTED SIR,-Two reasons have induced me to take the liberty to address you thus publicly, and in my own name.

In the first place, I appeal to you in particular, on the present occasion, because I have uniformly found you to be one of the foremost amongst the active and benevolent promoters of every useful scheme for bettering the condition of your suffering fellow-men, whether white, black, British, Irish, or African.

I address you in my own name, because I stand per. sonally pledged to propose some specific remedy for a material abatement of a nuisance which has become almost insufferable.

A public meeting was recently held for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of establishing that Night Asylum for the Houseless Poor, which bas subsequently been opened in Freemasons'-row. On that occasion, adverting incidentally to the crying nuisance of street begging, I ventured to assert that the evil might be easily and effectually suppressed, with advantage to the community, as well as to those wretched people who are worthy objects of commiseration and relief. This assertion, in connexion with my name, was reported in the Liverpool Courier, and it is therefore incumbent upon me to show that I was not talking altogether at random; and that the plan to which I alluded is not a mere Utopian scheme, but one of easy practicability, although, like every thing connected with the subject of pauperism, it may be liable to some objections. Whether such objections are, or are not, of so formidable a nature as to counterpoise the good anticipated from the change I am about to propose, is a point to the mature consideration of which I respectfully claim your attention, and that of my fellow-townsmen.

With this preface I now solicit the public attention to the subjoined outline of the plan proposed for abating a general and almost intolerable grievance. I remain, respected Sir, yours, sincerely,

E. S.

OUTLINE OF A PLAN FOR THE ENTIRE SUPPRESSION OF STREET BEGGING, AND FOR PREVENTING DEATH FROM HUNGER.

It would be an unpardonable waste of time to endeavour to establish, by proofs, the generally-acknowledged fact, that mendicity is one of the greatest moral and political evils with which society is beset. The nuisance is so general and obtrusive, that we can neither avoid coming into contact with it by staying at home or by going abroad. It appeals incessantly to our sympathies, and occasions the most painful conflicts between our natural feelings and our judgment, the former prompting us to relieve, with the bare chance of doing good, while the latter checks the propensity, by suggesting the suspicion that the person soliciting our assistance may be utterly unworthy of our compassion. Any plan which offers even a distant chance of abating the nuisance is entitled to mature consideration; and under this impression we shall proceed to submit to the judgment of our readers the following desultory suggestions, which we shall preface by a few simple propositions, the justice of which we trust will not be disputed by many of our readers.

1st. In a civilized country, and especially in a country professing Christianity, no individual ought to be allowed to perish for hunger who is able and willing to work, but who cannot procure employment; or who is willing, but unable to labour.

2nd. No idle member of society ought to be allowed to make his livelihood by begging.

3rd. Persons incapacitated, by age or sickness, from earning their bread, and whose relations cannot support them, ought to be maintained at the public expense.

4th. Amidst a choice of evils we should select the least. If our readers do not recognise the justice of these propositions, they would do well to trouble themselves no further with our speculations upon this subject, as our reasoning, if it be founded upon false data, must be worthless. Those, however, who admit the correctness of these very simple propositions, will, we trust, coincide with the conclusions to which we are about to solicit their attention.

Before we proceed further we shall here state that the objects which we have at heart are as follows:

1st. To prevent starvation from hunger.

2nd. To spoil the trade of begging, by rendering it not worth following.

3rd. Entirely to get rid of that intolerable nuisance arising from the incessant application of beggars at our doors or in the streets.

4th. To give reasonable assurance to the charitably disposed that the money they may bestow shall not be thrown away upon the idle and profligate.

Although something similar to the mode by which we propose to accomplish these important desiderata has been in partial operation, in more places than one, we expect to hear it ridiculed, or denounced as absurd, impracticable, or mischievous. The apprehension of such a reception shall not, however, deter us from the discharge of our duty, for we deem it the duty of every man to endeavour to accomplish that which he conscientiously believes to be conducive to the public good.

What we propose then, is, that there should be provided what may be termed a public kitchen, where every person in absolute need of food for immediate sustenance, should, on application, be provided with sufficient to appease the cravings of hunger. The food, which should be of the

homeliest description, but at the same time wholesome and nutritious, to be eaten by the applicant there and then, and none, on any account, suffered to be taken away. This precaution would prevent the possibility of imposture; as no person who is not really hungry could possibly eat such homely food as that which would be supplied at the estab lishment in contemplation. We shall presently take into consideration some of the objections which, no doubt, will be urged against this startling proposal to give food to every one who chooses to apply for it, which, it may be thought, instead of checking the evil for which it is intended as a remedy, would tend to increase the nuisance. This objection, we trust, we shall presently show to be superficial and untenable; but we shall first point out the good effects which would result from the plan we are proposing.

1st. It would entirely and immediately suppress the practice of public begging, and would spare us the pain which is now occasioned by the exposure of wretched, halfnaked, and, apparently, famishing children in the streets. It would also put a stop to the intolerable nuisance arising from the incessant application of beggars at our doors.

2nd. Whatever expense carrying this plan into effect might entail upon individuals, they would have the satisfaction to know that their money had not been wasted, but expended in feeding the hungry.

It will, no doubt, be urged that if this plan were carried into execution, the demand for rations would be so numerous that the expense attending it would more than counteract all the good which would arise from such a mode of lispensing relief. The same objection has often been made to the establishment of the Asylum for the Houseless Poor, to which it was predicted that thousands would flock for admission; but how stands the fact?-It appears that since