as tending more effectually to keep up the spirit of independence among the industrious poor, and contributing more to the comforts of the indigent poor, than any other yet adopted. But when the system of compulsory assessment began to press on the inhabitants of Edinburgh, a Lord of Session* remonstrated against the erection of a Poor-house, stating that their maintenance in their own houses, or as boarders in other private houses, was in the spirit of their system of Poor Laws as expressed in the proclamations of William III., from 1692 to 1698, and confirmed by Act of Parliament in the latter year.The accumulating all kinds of poor in large houses is a very questionable project, but it is an error very apt to occur in the commencement of a systematic relief. At Florence in 1820, and at Brussels in 1828, I saw magnificent buildings erected, and the display of method and management was imposing. For the maintenance of the latter of these houses, sums were appropriated by the municipality from the "octroi,” or tax on all kinds of provisions brought into the town. For that of the former, it was attempted to provide by the profits of labour from the poor employed, but the deficiency was supplied by a direct taxation. But the views of those charitable and humane persons who are devoting their time and attention The late Lord Swinton.-See Communications to the Board of Agriculture, vol. vi. part 1. and sce ante p. 100. to the ameliorating the condition of the poor in France, where every mode of relief for indigence, connected with public establishments, already subsists, are directed to the adoption of a system of domiciliary relief*. That which is the practice in Scotland, is the anxious object of the wishes of France. This system has been long the practice of England; but, owing to change of time and circumstances, the administration of it has become inefficient, and the attention of the Legislature, which has been directed to this object, has effected an important change in the characters and powers of the administrators. The funds to maintain the system of domiciliary relief in Scotland have been irregularly raised, owing to the difference of charitable feelings in the possessors of them; but there is in the law of the land sufficient powers to correct this inequality and Dr. M'Farlane, nearly forty years ago, predicted the enforcement of this law. In France, the dependence on voluntary charity is very imperfect; yet there seem to be obstacles too deeply rooted in its altered and revolutionary constitution, to effect the double objects of domiciliary relief and compulsory local assessment. Scotland and England are approaching to si * See M. De Gerando, Visteur du Pauvre, passim. † Supra, p. 25. milar practice, but beginning at different points. In Scotland, the administration is perfect; the equal local assessment is just commencing*. In England, the equal local assessment is, perhaps, as complete as the varied nature of property will admit the ameliorated administration is as yet in its infancy. All three nations practically recognize the theory of the right of indigence to relief by the State, which I have attempted to prove in the present Essay. That theory is, I know, contrary to the received opinion; and therefore, when it was suggested to me that it would be dangerous to promulgate it, even if true, because it raised that claim into a right, which had hitherto rested on weaker grounds, The Magistrates of Glasgow in 1774 for the first time. elected assessors under the Act of 1579, and directed them to assess the inhabitants in the sum of £1305 10s. 10 d. for the maintenance of the ordinary and extraordinary poor for that year. Since that period, an annual assessment has been regularly laid on by fifteen honourable men, appointed by, but not connected with, the town council..... It has been the custom for a considerable time past to assess every person within the burgh who is supposed, from his property or business, to be worth £300. In 1822 the assessors for the maintenance of the poor, in estimating the property of each individual liable to pay poorrates, made the aggregate valuation amount to £5,264,700. The assessment is made on the inhabitant in respect to his whole property. The average sum raised annually for the ten years ending 1822 was £10,764. (Extracted from Statistical Table relative to the city of Glasgow, by James Cleland, p. 111, 112, 126.) in deference to the opinion of the excellent person who made the suggestion, I reviewed the theory, with reference to all the historical facts I could collect, and in all the moral and political writers whose opinions appeared to be grounded on the principles of experience. But this revision confirmed my opinion of its truth; and I owe it to myself again to say, that when my mind was first turned to the inquiry, the hypothesis with which I started was totally different from the conclusion to which I arrived. Experience, conversation, inquiry and discussion, for the last seven years, since the first publication of this Essay, have further confirmed my opinion,-yet I hope I have ever been open to conviction. If the theory be true, it cannot be dangerous, nor can it be useless; for it is a landmark in political science, and sets at rest a question hitherto the subject of contest,—I mean, the justness of the general principle on which they are founded, and, consequently, the propriety of the continuance or abolition of the laws for the relief of the poor. The power of discrimination which may be exerted under the improved administration is one of its leading advantages, as to the application of the funds raised by the public compulsory assessment. The intimate acquaintance which, through its means, the rich may obtain with the situation and characters of the poor, renders it no less advantageous towards the discriminative exercise of private charity. To this, as a help to the poor laws, Mr. Davison has called the public attention; and I fully coincide with him as to its utility. The constitution of the Select Vestry realizes the idea of that public trust for voluntary stated parochial contributions, which he has contemplated *. Some inclement winters have called forth the active charity and exertions of opulent individuals resident in the parish of Speen, beyond the legal claims of the Poor Rates; and in such distributions of the necessaries of life or provision of labour, as the several circumstances rendered necessary, the discrimination with which they were administered arose from the information constantly registered in the books of the Select Vestry. Indeed, in every case where private charity has been called into action, no method of obtaining information respecting the characters of individuals, and to render that charity discriminate, has been found so effective. But charity, although frequently confounded with almsgiving, embraces more extended objects; it may even consist, in some instances, with withholding alms; it may be, and it ought to be, exercised towards those who are not only indigent, but vicious and profligate; *Davison, p. 117, 118, 124. |