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Show [G.P.] [ 64 ] On SMUGGLING, and in various Species 9". ‘ Thus one who uibuld fcorngto dgéiigarhlli you ina bargain, {hall make no fcruple of trickin l THERE are many people that would be thought, and even think themfelves, bum]! men, who fail neverthelefs \in particular points of honefty ; deviating from that character i'omeu times by the prevalence of mode or cuf'rom, and fometimes through mere inattention; ""65 their lame/2y is partial onl , and not we - verfal. SIR, O N SMUG GLIN G, &c. fo that their * [This letter is extraé'ted from the London Cbrom'rle for No< wmlzer 24, 1767, and is addrell'ed to the printer of that newspaper. were to be annually audited and recorded with the jultices at the quarter-feflions. The relief to the poor in cafe of delay of payment was fummary and almolt inflant; but in return, the corporation might receive gifts and legacies, and have the benefit of all negleé‘ted annuities, to the eafing of the poet's-rate ; befides other advantages given them by the calculations, particularly that arifing from a low fiandard of interelt,which necefl'arilyrendered the terms of the annuity in proportion dearer to the poor. -It was thought that domeltic ufe and oeconomy were concerned, in thus refcuing fomewliat from profligacy and unhealthy debauchery, in applying the furplus of health and of flrength to the relief of the penui‘y and infirmities of age, and in promoting good habits ; yet without depriving the {late on the whole of effectual labour, or leaving it incumbered with the charge of individuals, who might aflifi themfclves.--But this feheme, which was propofed by Baron Maferes, regulated and fu_perintended as to the calculations by Dr. Price, and fupported by Sir George Savile and Mr. Dowdefwell, only paired the commons : It was rejeéted by the lords; chiefly becaufe the landed interelt there was alarmed at the poor's rate being made the fecurity for the annuities, in cafe ofdeflciency in the funds. However the burthen of the poor's-rate was llill felt too confidem- ble not to demand enquiry; and an aé‘t foon paired, calling fora general abfirafl ofthe returns made by the overfeers of the poor. it you a little now and then at cards; anoth er thaéi plays With the utmoft fairnefs, {hall with Great freedom. cheat you in the {ale of a horfe. But tbhere is no kind of difhonef'cy, into which otherwife good people more eafily and frequently fall, than that ofdefrauding government of its revenues by fmuggling when they have an opportunity, or encouraging fmugglers by buying their goods. Tptals raifed by the poor s-rateZ from Eafler Of which there was expended 1775, to halter 1776, on the poor alone In England ,5 1,679,585 ,6 1523 16 ' And in Wales 40,73 2 ' 33:64: . 1,7 20, I i The remainder of the fum raifgd7was applied to coiiiifygi‘ifiis ev. cept'about 26,000]. which feeins not to have been brought intii the year 3 account, Nearly one twentieth of the enormous fum expended on the poor,. was for the fingle article of rent, &c. and the liti- gations concerning fettlements and the removal of paupers made another article of nearly half the fame amount.-In Da-vemnt we find an eltimate of the poor's-rate, made towards the latter end of Charles the fecond's reign, by a reafonable medium as he flutes of feveral years : ' ' The grofs firms are, For England And for Wales Totals 33,7;3 665,362 So that while the poor's~rate of Wales has remained in a manner itationary for this period, that of England does not fall much lhort of being trebled. Since the year 1776, no farther public meafures feem to have been taken refpet‘ting the regulation of the poor. (See on the above fubjefts, The propofed aft ofparliament, with the annexed tables and inliruétions, printed for Eyre and Stmhan', alfo the Abllraft ofthc returns of the poor's-rate, printed for ditto; Dr. Price on payments, 3d edit. p. 113; and Wliitwortli's DilVCIV-lnts Vol. I. p. 39.) E.] K appeared in confequence, that there were ,5 631,609 I fell |
