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too much pains cannot be taken to guard the Public against a practice so fatal in its consequences to society。
All who are desirous of contributing to the relief of the Poor； should be invited to send their charitable donations to be distributed by those who； being at the head of a public Institution established for taking care of the Poor； must be supposed best acquainted with their wants。 Or； if individuals should prefer distributing their own charities； they ought at least to take the trouble to enquire after fit objects； and to apply their donations in such a manner as not to counteract the measures of a public and useful Establishment。
But； before I enter farther into these details； it will be necessary to determine the proper extent and limits of an Establishment for the Poor； and show how a town or city ought to be divided in districts； in order to facilitate the purposes of such an institution。
CHAPTER。 II。 Of the Extent of an Establishment for the Poor。 Of the Division of a Town or City into Districts。 Of the Manner of carrying on the Business of a public Establishment for the Poor。 Of the Necessity of numbering all the Houses in a Town where an Establishment for the Poor is formed。
However large a city may be； in which an Establishment for the Poor is to be formed； I am clearly of opinion； that there should be but ONE ESTABLISHMENT；with ONE committee for the general management of all its affairs；and ONE treasurer。 This unity appears essentially necessary； not only because； when all the parts tend to one common centre； and act in union to the same end； under one direction； they are less liable to be impeded in their operations； or disordered by collision；but also on account of THE VERY UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH； as well as of misery and poverty； in the different districts of the same town。 Some parishes in great cities have comparatively few Poor； while others； perhaps less opulent； are overburthened with them； and there seems to be no good reason why a house…keeper in any town should be called upon to pay more or less for the support of the Poor； because he happens to live on one side of a street or the other。 Added to this； there are certain districts in most great towns where poverty and misery seem to have fixed their head…quarters； and where it would be IMPOSSIBLE for the inhabitants to support the expence of maintaining their Poor。 Where that is the case； as measures for preventing mendicity in every town must be general； in order to their being successful； the enterprise； FROM THAT CIRCUMSTANCE ALONE； would be rendered impracticable； were the assistance of the more opulent districts to be refused。
There is a district； for instance； belonging to Munich； （the Au；） a very large parish； which may be called the St。 Giles's of that city； where the alms annually received are TWENTY TIMES as much as the whole district contributes to the funds of the public Institution for the Poor。The inhabitants of the other parishes； however； have never considered it a hardship to them； that the Poor of the Au should be admitted to share the public bounty； in common with the Poor of the other parishes。
Every town must be divided； according to its extent； into a greater or less number of districts； or subdivisions； and each of these must have a committee of inspection； or rather a commissary； with assistants； who must be entrusted with the superintendance and management of all affairs relative to the relief and support of the Poor within its limits。
In very large cities； as the details of a general Establishment for the Poor would be very numerous and extensive； it would probably facilitate the management of the affairs of the Establishment； if； beside the smallest subdivisions or districts； there could be formed other larger divisions； composed of a certain number of districts； and put under the direction of particular committees。
The most natural； and perhaps the most convenient method of dividing a large city or town； for the purpose of introducing a general Establishment for the Poor； would be； to form of the parishes the primary divisions； and to divide each parish into so many subdivisions； or districts； as that each district may consist of from 3000 to 4000 inhabitants。 Though the immediate inspection and general superintendance of the affairs of each parish were to be left to its own particular committee； yet the supreme committee at the head of the general Institution should not only exercise a controlling power over the parochial committees； but these last should not be empowered to levy money upon the parishioners； by setting on foot voluntary subscriptions； or otherwise； or to dispose of any sums belonging to the general Institution； except in cases of urgent necessity；nor should they be permitted to introduce any new arrangements with respect to the management of the Poor； without the approbation and consent of the supreme committee： the most perfect uniformity in the mode of treating the Poor； and transacting all public business relative to the Institution； being indispensably necessary to secure success to the undertaking； and fix the Establishment upon a firm and durable foundation。
For the same reasons； all monies collected in the parishes should not be received and disposed of by their particular committees； but ought to be paid into the public treasury of the Institution； and carried to the general account of receipts；and； in like manner； the sums necessary for the support of the Poor in each parish should be furnished from the general treasury； on the orders of the supreme committee。
With regard to the applications of individuals in distress for assistance； all such applications ought to be made through the commissary of the district to the parochial committee；and where the necessity is not urgent； and particularly where permanent assistance is required； the demand should be referred by the parochial committee to the supreme committee； for their decision。 In cases of urgent necessity； the parochial committees； and even the commissaries of districts； should be authorized to administer relief； ex officio； and without delay； for which purpose they should be furnished with certain sums in advance； to be afterwards accounted for by them。
That the supreme committee may be exactly informed of the real state of those in distress who apply for relief； every petition； forwarded by a parochial committee； or by a commissary of a district； where there are no parochial committees； should be accompanied with an exact and detailed account of the circumstances of the petitioner； signed by the commissary of the district to which he belongs； together with the amount of the weekly sum； or other relief； which such commissary may deem necessary for the support of the petitioner。
To save the commissaries of districts the trouble of writing the descriptions of the Poor who apply for assistance； printed forms； similar to that which may been seen in the Appendix； No。 V。 may be furnished to them；and other printed forms； of a like nature； may be introduced with great advantage in many other cafes in the management of the Poor。
With regard to the manner in which the supreme and parochi