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ded for that purpose; and they were then dismissed to their own lodgings; with directions to repair the next day to the newly erected 〃Military Work…house〃 in the Au; where they would find comfortable warm rooms;a good warm dinner every day; and work for all those who were in a condition to labour。  They were likewise told that a commission should immediately be appointed to enquire into their circumstances; and to grant them such regular weekly allowances of money; in alms; as they should stand in need of; which was accordingly done。

Orders were then issued to all the military guards in the different parts of the town; to send out patroles frequently into the streets in their neighbourhood; to arrest all the beggars they should meet with; and a reward was offered for each beggar they should arrest and deliver over to the civil magistrate。 The guard of the police was likewise directed to be vigilant; and the inhabitants at large; of all ranks and denominations; were earnestly called upon to assist in completing a work of so much public utility; and which had been so happily begun'8'。 In an address to the public; which was printed and distributed gratis among the inhabitants; the fatal consequences arising from the prevalence of mendicity were described in the most lively and affecting colours;and the manner pointed out in which they could most effectually assist in putting an end to an evil equally disgraceful and prejudicial to society。

As this address; (which was written with great sprit; by a man well known in the literary world; Professor Babo;) gives a very striking and a very just picture of the character; manners; and customs; of the hords of idle and dissolute vagabonds which infested Munich at the time the measure in question was adopted; and of the various artifices they made use of in carrying on their depredations; I have thought it might not be improper to annex it; at full length; in the Appendix; No。 I。

This address; which was presented to all the heads of families in the city; and to many by myself; having gone round to the doors of most of the principal citizens for that purpose; was accompanied by printed lists; in which the inhabitants were requested to set down their names;places of abode;and the sums they chose to contribute monthly; for the support of the establishment。 These lists; (translations of which are also inserted in the Appendix; No。 II。) were delivered to the heads of families; with duplicates; to the end that one copy being sent in to the committee; the other might remain with the master of the family。

These subscriptions being PERFECTLY VOLUNTARY; might be augmented or diminished at pleasure。 When any person chose to alter his subscription; he sent to the public office for two blank subscription lists; and filling them up anew; with such alterations as he thought proper to make; he took up his old list at the office; and deposited the new one in its stead。

The subscription lists being all collected; they were sorted; and regularly entered according to the numbers of the houses of the subscribers; in sixteen general lists'9'; answering to the sixteen subdivisions or districts of the city; and a copy of the general list of each district was given to the commissary of the district。

These copies; which were properly authenticated; served for the direction of the commissary in collecting the subscriptions in his district; which was done regularly the last Sunday morning of every month。

The amount of the collection was immediately delivered by the commissary into the hands of the banker of the institution; for which he received two receipts from the banker; one of which he transmitted to the committee; with his report of the collection; which he was directed to send in as soon as the collection was made。

As there were some persons who; from modesty; or other motives; did not choose to have it known publicly how much they gave in alms to the poor; and on that account were not willing to have put down to their names upon the list of the subscribers; the whole sum they were desirous of appropriating to that purpose; to accommodate matters to the peculiar delicacy of their feelings; the following arrangement was made; and carried into execution with great success。

Those who were desirous of contributing privately to the relief of the poor; were notified by an advertisement published in the news…papers; that they might send to the banker of the institution any sums for that purpose they might think proper; under any feigned name; or under any motto or other device; and that not only a receipt would be given to the bearer; for the amount; without and questions being asked him; but; for greater security; a public acknowledgement of the receipt of the sum would be published by the banker; with a mention of the feigned name of device under which it came; IN THE NEXT MUNICH GAZETTE。

To accommodate those who might be disposed to give trifling sums occasionally; for the relief of the poor; and who did not choose to go; or to send to the banker; fixed poor…boxes were placed in all the churches; and most of the inns; coffee…houses; and other places of public resort; but nobody was ever called upon to put any thing into these boxes; nor was any poor's…box carried round; or any private collection or alms…gathering permitted to be made upon any occasion; or under any pretence whatever。

When the inhabitants had subscribed liberally to the support of the institution; it was but just to secure them from all further importunity in behalf of the poor。  This was promised; and it was most effectually done; though not without some difficulty; and a very considerable expence to the establishment。

The poor students in the Latin German schools;the sisters of the religious order of charity;the directors of the hospital of lepers;and some other public establishments; had been so long in the habit of making collections; by going round among the inhabitants from house to house at stated periods; asking alms; that they had acquired a sort of right to levy those periodical contributions; of which it was not thought prudent to dispossess them without giving them an equivalent。  And in order that this equivalent might not appear to be taken from the sums subscribed by the inhabitants for the support of the poor; it was paid out of the monthly allowance which the institution received from the chamber of finances; or public treasury of the state。

Besides these periodical collections; there were others; still more troublesome to the inhabitants; from which it was necessary to free them; and some of these last were even sanctioned by legal authority。  It is the custom in Germany for apprentices in most of the mechanical trades; as soon as they have finished their apprenticeships with their masters; to travel; during three or four years; in the neighbouring countries and provinces; to perfect themselves in their professions by working as journeymen wherever they can find employment。  When one of those itinerant journeymen…tradesmen comes into a town; and cannot find employment in it; he is considered AS HAVING A RIGHT to beg the assistance of the inhabitants; and particularly of those of the trade he professes; to enable him to go to the next town; and this assistance it was not thought just to refuse。  This custom was not only very troublesome to the inhabitants; but gave rife to innumerable abuses。 Great numbers of idle vagabonds were continually strolling about the country under the name of travelling journeymen…tradesmen; and though any person; who presented himself as such in any strange place was obliged to produce (for his legitimation) a certificate from his last master; in whose service he had been employed; yet such certificates were so easily counterfeited; or obtained by fraud; that little reliance could be placed in them。

To remedy all these evils; the following arrangement was made: those travelling journeymen…tradesmen who arrive at Munich; and do not find employment; are obliged to quit the town immediately; or to repair to the military work…house; where they are either furnished with work; or a small sum is given them to enable them to pursue their journey farther。

Another arrangement by which the inhabitants have been relieved from much importunity; and by which a stop has been put to many abuses; is the new regulation respecting those who suffer by fire; such sufferers commonly obtain from government special permission to make collections of charitable donations among the inhabitants in certain districts; during a limited time。  Instead of the permission to make collections in the city of Munich; the sufferers now receive certain sums from the funds of the institution for the poor。 By this arrangement; not only the inhabitants are relieved from the importunity which always attends public collections of alms; but the sufferers save a great deal of time; which they formerly spent in going about from house to house; and the sale of these permissions to undertakers; and many other abuses; but too frequent before this arrangement took place; are now prevented。

The detailed account published in the Appendix; No。 III。 of the receipts and expenditures of the institution during five years; will show the amount of the expense incurred in relieving the inhabitants from the various periodical and other collections before mentioned。

But not to lose sight too long of the most interesting object of this establishment; we must follow the people who were arrested in the streets; to the asylum which was prepared for them; but which no doubt appeared to them at first a most odious prison。


CHAPTER。 V。

 The different kinds of employment given to the beggars upon their    being assembled in the house of industry。  Their great awkwardness at first。  Their docility; and their progress in useful industry。  The manner in which they were treated。  The manner in which they were fed。  The Precautions used to prevent Abuses in the Public Kitchen from    which they were fed。

As by far the greater part of these poor creatures were totally unacquainted with every kind of useful labour; it was necessary to give them such work; at first; as was very easy to be performed; and in which the raw materials were of

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