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often listened with delight, not unmingled with respect, to thehonest boast of a labourer, that he had brought up a numerousfamily in honesty, and the fear of God , without being burden-some to the public, or indebted to any person; and have oftencome to the knowledge of honourable instances, in humble life,of the most generous self-devotion, inspired by filial affection,for relieving the distress of aged or infirm parents.
It is unquestionable, that where there are no poors’ rates, thesupport of the poor falls entirely upon the liberal; which, in-deed, is the best or only reason for having recourse to assess-ments. It is remarked, however, that where poors’ rates havebeen once imposed, there has been found a necessity for continu-ing them, and that they have ever been upon the increase; andthat in proportion as you increase funds, you create wants, fThis has been chiefly experienced in parishes bordering uponEngland, where English practice has been more readily imitatedand adopted. And in the nature of things, it must be expect-ed, that, as you hold out an extrinsic source of independent re-liance, you must proportionally weaken the reliance on personalexertion, superseding the necessity of economy and forethought,and opening a door to that prodigality and improvidence, whencepoverty, in most instances, is engendered. It seems indeed morethan probable, that the abolition of all poors’ laws whatsoevermight prove a great saving to the liberal, although the wholesupport of real indigence were entirely devolved upon them, in-asmuch as the enforcement of reliance upon independent indus-try, would beget those habits of provident economy and frugali-ty, which would soon reduce mendicity to such narrow bounds,that the whole existing indigence, to be then supported by theliberal, might not nearly equal that proportional part which bo®falls to their share. As in other noxious systems of artificial po-licy, abolition (gradual, no doubt) would be preferable to themere palliation of what is radically wrong. See Malthus .
One infringement on natural liberty unavoidably leads to someother; and the compulsion of charity, by poors’ rates, and con-sequent circumscription of the liberty of the lower orders, bflaws of residence and removal, are intimately connected withstatutes of apprenticeship, and exclusive corporation privileges.
If a man has a natural right to any thing, it is to the free em-ployment of his time and talents to his own advantage, in an fway that does not interfere with others in their exercise of an e-qual right. Were every person thus left in possession of bis U-
cept of charity : they of themselves contrived, as a useful public work, in which♦hey might be employed upon day’s wages, tlie construction of a foot-path alongthe road leading from Hamilton to Bothwell Bridge, and would receive nothingbut as the wages they earned at that work. It appears (2d June) that the noris going on, and that contributions continue to be given to it. .
j- 'i bis may, indeed, in a small degree, be accounted for, from the widrawing of voluntary contribution, when charity is made matter of cornpemon-