Anonymous

“ The poor in London may be born for nothing, nursed for nothing, clothed for nothing, educated for nothing: they may he put out apprentice for nothing, and have medicine and medical attendance all their lives for nothing. The pauper is thus born, nursed, clothed, fed, educated, established and physicked all for nothing. He begins a pauper and dies a pauper, and at the expense of the parish he is provided with a shroud, coffin, pall and burial-ground. ”

“ Strikes, being a prolific source of pecuniary distress to the working classes, should be prohibited by law, and the Government should appoint an officer, of high legal standing, as arbitrator, who should have as his coadjutors, on every occasion of a difference of opinion between the masters and their men, a working man and an employer of labour, whose decision should be final, and capable of being carried into execution, if need be, by the arm of the law. ”

“ I answer, primarily, to the maudlin philanthropy which characterizes the community at large, in regard to both these questions.
It is asserted, with a confidence that will admit of no contradiction, that a man has a right to live, which, when interpreted, means that every man who is too debased to earn his own livelihood has a right to live at the expense of his neighbours. ”

“ Now, how are we to account for a state of things so monstrous, so intensely wicked; a state of things which, in place of elevating, lowers our fellow-creatures to the level of the very dogs in our kennels? ”

“ All tramps, and persons who have no ostensible means for gaining an honest livelihood, to be sent to prison, to earn the maintenance requisite for themselves and family, if they have one, and kept there till their friends find suitable employment for them. ”

“ In place of faring better, working less, and enjoying an amount of protection from the weather unknown to the honest of his class, he should be made to work in all weathers, much harder, and to fare worse. ”

“ The Workhouses might be converted into Infirmaries, for incurables of the working classes, or almshouses. The superannuated poor should be enabled to end their days in their own homes, or in such almshouses as it might be found advisable to establish. ”

“ Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it. In the event of the sums diverted being more than necessary for the purposes of emigration, a portion might be invested to supplement the sums paid in by the working classes to a Deferred Annuities Department. ”

“ An Emigration Department, where those, of the working classes, wishing to emigrate might make their desires known, and have all the necessary arrangements for their passage to and reception in the Colony made. Agents should be appointed in the Colonies to receive the emigrants, on their arrival, and to assist them in obtaining employment. ”

“ With the view to such assistance being furnished, free from injury to any one, the writer would suggest that, an office be established in each parish, or district of a parish, where the amount of the population requires it, of every city and town throughout the kingdom. The office should contain—
A Labour Department, where those requiring work, as well as those requiring workmen, might register their respective wants.
An association, for the employment of persons temporarily out of work, might very advantageously affiliate itself with this department. ”

“ In like manner, he who indulges in the selfish gratification of direct alms-giving should be viewed as sinning, not simply against the unhappy recipient, but also against society generally, and punished as an enemy to the well-being of the community at large. ”

“ For centuries past the clergy have preached, to satiety, on the text. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth to the Lord; while it is doubtful if there is a man living who ever heard a sermon on the text. ”

“ The writer has known of a poor person who, when remonstrated with on the absence of industrial habits, turned on the remonstrant and urged, in excuse, that until emasculated for labour, by UNSOLICITED AID, she had neither sought for nor desired assistance from any one. ”

“ Just as Pauperism finds its origin, speaking generally, in almsgiving, in like manner Crime, in the majority of instances, is due to Pauperism. It is suggested that all prisons be reformatory and self-supporting. ”

“ We read, For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any man would not work, neither should he eat. [1] In other words, the Apostle asserts, that, if a man is a lazy, idle vagabond, you may, with a clear conscience, leave him to starve ”