251
berty, it were then entirely his own concern to find employmentin whatever occupation he should find most profitable, from be-ing most in demand ; but if, by statutes of apprenticeship andcorporation law's, his government shall in effect say to him, Tonshall exercise no trade but that One we have prescribed for you, noreven that, in places which we have hedged about with exclusive pri-vileges, it follows, (as a necessary obligation contracted by hisgovernment), that, if his prescribed trade fails him, governmentshould charge itself with his support, having precluded him fromall other resource, by its own regulations. And hence the ne-cessity of poors’ laws, to remedy an artificial indigence erectedby legal bars to the exercise of industry. Agriculture hath, in-deed, happily never been fenced by corporation privileges; andits occupations might afford a resource for the trade fallen in o-ther employments ; but as poors’ laws must infallibly lead to theself-defensive laws of residence and removal, this resource is alsoshut up against the labourer. Happily Scotland has not yet ar-rived at this wretched consummation !
The proportion of the poor receiving more or less from poors’funds, to the whole population, probably does not exceed thatof 1 to 60 in Scotland ; and the expense of their supply maynot exceed f per cent, of the land rent. To ascertain these pro-portions accurately, would be interesting and useful, as well asthe ascertaining of the population, both as to existing number,and whether as upheld by the permanence of the individuals, orby their rapid succession.
To the amount in 1801, maybeadded as not returned,—
From correction of lists obtain-ed by Mr Chalmers,
Flaking a Total for 1801 of
AMOUNT.
In 1755.
In 1791.
In 1801.
1,255,663
1,514,999
1,618,303
- -
- -
11,50C
30,601
- -
- -
19,601
- -
- -
20,001
_ -
- -
1,700,00: