essays-1-第3章

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heir　devotions　were　continually　interrupted　by　them；　and　were　frequently　obliged　to　satisfy　their　demands　in　order　to　be　permitted　to　finish　their　prayers　in　peace　and　quite。

In　short；　these　detestable　vermin　swarmed　every　where；　and　not　only　their　impudence　and　clamorous　importunity　were　without　any　bounds；　but　they　had　recourse　to　the　most　diabolical　arts；　and　most　horrid　crimes；　in　the　prosecution　of　their　infamous　trade。　Young　children　were　stolen　from　their　parents　by　these　wretches；　and　their　eyes　put　out；　or　their　tender　limbs　broken　and　distorted；　in　order；　by　exposing　them　thus　maimed；　to　excite　the　pity　and　commiseration　of　the　public；　and　every　species　of　artifice　was　made　use　of　to　agitate　the　sensibility；　and　to　extort　the　contributions　of　the　humane　and　charitable。

Some　of　these　monsters　were　so　void　of　all　feeling　as　to　expose　even　their　own　children；　naked；　and　almost　starved；　in　the　streets；　in　order　that；　by　their　cries　and　unaffected　expressions　of　distress；　they　might　move　those　who　passed　by　to　pity　and　relieve　them；　and　in　order　to　make　them　act　their　part　more　naturally；　they　were　unmercifully　beaten　when　they　came　home；　by　their　inhuman　parents；　if　they　did　not　bring　with　them　a　certain　sum；　which　they　were　ordered　to　collect。

I　have　frequently　seen　a　poor　child　of　five　or　six　years　of　age；　late　at　night；　in　the　most　inclement　season；　sitting　down　almost　naked　at　the　corner　of　a　street；　and　crying　most　bitterly；　if　he　were　asked　what　was　the　matter　with　him；　he　would　answer；　〃I　am　cold　and　hungry；　and　afraid　to　go　home；　my　mother　told　me　to　bring　home　twelve　creutzers；　and　I　have　only　been　able　to　beg　five。　　My　mother　will　certainly　beat　me　if　I　don't　carry　home　twelve　creutzers。〃　　Who　could　refuse　so　small　a　sum　to　relieve　so　much　unaffected　distress？But　what　horrid　arts　are　these；　to　work　upon　the　feelings　of　the　public；　and　levy　involuntary　contributions　for　the　support　of　idleness　and　debauchery！

But　the　evils　arising　from　the　prevalence　of　mendicity　did　not　stop　here。　　The　public；　worn　out　and　vanquished　by　the　numbers　and　persevering　importunity　of　the　beggars；　and　frequently　disappointed　in　their　hopes　of　being　relieved　from　their　depredations；　by　the　failure　of　the　numberless　schemes　that　were　formed　and　set　on　foot　for　that　purpose；　began　at　last　to　consider　the　case　as　quite　desperate；　and　to　submit　patiently　to　an　evil　for　which　they　saw　no　remedy。　　The　consequences　of　this　submission　are　easy　to　be　conceived；　the　beggars；　encouraged　by　their　success；　were　　attached　still　more　strongly　to　their　infamous　profession；　and　others；　allured　by　their　indolent　lives；　encouraged　by　their　successful　frauds；　and　emboldened　by　their　impunity；　joined　them。　　The　habit　of　submission　on　the　part　of　the　public；　gave　them　a　sort　of　right　to　pursue　their　depredations；　their　growing　numbers　and　their　success　gave　a　kind　of　eclat　to　their　profession；　and　the　habit　of　begging　became　so　general；　that　it　ceased　to　be　considered　as　infamous；　and　was　by　degrees　in　a　manner　interwoven　with　the　internal　regulations　of　society。　　Herdsmen　and　shepherds；　who　attended　their　flocks　by　the　road…side；　were　known　to　derive　considerable　advantage　from　the　contributions　which　their　situation　enabled　them　to　levy　from　passengers；　and　I　have　been　assured；　that　the　wages　they　received　from　their　employers　were　often　regulated　accordingly。　　The　children　in　every　country　village；　and　those　even　of　the　best　farmers；　made　a　constant　practice　of　begging　from　all　strangers　who　passed；　and　one　hardly　ever　met　a　person　on　foot　upon　the　road；　particularly　a　woman；　who　did　not　hold　out　her　hand　and　ask　for　charity。

In　the　great　towns；　besides　the　children　of　the　poorer　sort；　who　almost　all　made　a　custom　of　begging；　the　professional　beggars　formed　a　distinct　class；　or　cast；　among　the　inhabitants；　and　in　general　a　very　numerous　one。　　There　was　even　a　kind　of　political　connection　between　the　members　　of　this　formidable　body；　and　certain　general　maxims　were　adopted；　and　regulations　observed；　in　the　warfare　they　carried　on　against　the　public。　Each　beggar　had　his　particular　beat；　or　district；　in　the　possession　of　which　it　was　not　thought　lawful　to　disturb　him；　and　certain　rules　were　observed　in　disposing　of　the　districts　in　case　of　vacancies　by　deaths　or　resignations；　promotions　or　removals。　A　battle；　it　is　true；　frequently　decided　the　contest　between　the　candidates；　but　when　the　possession　was　once　obtained；　whether　by　force　of　arms；　or　by　any　other　means；　the　right　was　ever　after　considered　as　indisputable。　　Alliances　by　marriage　were　by　no　means　uncommon　in　this　community；　and；　strange　as　it　may　appear；　means　were　found　to　procure　legal　permission　from　the　civil　magistrates　for　the　celebration　of　these　nuptials！　The　children　were　of　course　trained　up　in　the　profession　of　their　parents；　and　having　the　advantage　of　an　early　education；　were　commonly　great　proficients　in　their　trade。

As　there　is　no　very　essential　difference　between　depriving　a　person　of　his　property　by　stealth；　and　extorting　it　from　him　against　his　will；　by　dint　of　clamorous　importunity；　or　under　false　pretence　of　feigned　distress　and　misfortune；　so　the　transition　from　begging　to　stealing　is　not　only　easy；　but　perfectly　natural。　　That　total　insensibility　to　shame；　and　all　those　other　qualifications　which　are　necessary　in　the　profession　of　a　beggar；　are　likewise　essential　to　form　an　accomplished　thief；　and　both　these　professions　derive　very　considerable　advantages　from　their　union。　　A　beggar　who　goes　about　from　house　to　house　to　ask　for　alms；　has　many　opportunities　to　steal；　which　another　would　not　so　easily　find；　and　his　profession　as　a　beggar　gives　him　a　great　facility　in　disposing　of　what　he　steals；　for　he　can　always　say　it　was　given　him　in　charity。　No　wonder　then　that　thieving　and　robbing　should　be　prevalent　where　beggars　are　numerous。

That　this　was　the　case　in　Bavaria　will　not　be　doubted　by　those　who　are　informed　that　in　the　four　years　immediately　succeeding　the　introduction　of　the　measures　adopted　for　putting　an　end　to　mendicity；　and　clearing　the　country　of　beggars；　thieves；　robbers；　etc。　above　TEN　THOUSAND　of　these　vagabonds；　foreigners　and　natives；　were　actually　arrested　and　delivered　over　to　the　civil　magistrates；　and　that　in　taking　up　the　beggars　in　Munich；　and　providing　for　those　who　stood　in　need　of　public　assistance；　no　less　than　2600　of　the　one　description　and　the　other；　were　entered　upon　the　lists　in　one　week；　though　the　whole　number　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　city　of　Munich　probably　does　not　amount　to　more　than　60；000；　even　including　the　suburbs。

These　facts　are　so　very　extraordinary；　that　were　they　not　notorious；　I　should　hardly　have　ventured　to　mention　them；　for　fear　of　being　suspected　of　exaggeration；　but　they　are　perfectly　known　in　the　country；　by　every　body；　having　been　published　by　authority　in　the　news…papers　at　the　time；　with　all　their　various　details　and　specifications；　for　the　information　of　the　public。

What　has　been　said；　will；　I　fancy；　be　thought　quite　sufficient　to　show　the　necessity　of　applying　a　remedy　to　the　evils　described；　and　of　introducing　order　and　a　spirit　of　industry　among　the　lower　classes　of　the　people。　　I　shall　therefore　proceed；　without　any　farther　preface；　to　give　an　account　of　the　measures　which　were　adopted　and　carried　into　execution　for　that　purpose。


CHAPTER。　II。

　Various　preparations　made　for　putting　an　end　to　mendicity　in　bavaria。　　Cantonment　of　the　cavalry　in　the　country　towns　and　villages。　　Formation　of　the　committee　placed　at　the　head　of　the　institution　　　　for　the　poor　at　Munich。　　The　funds　of　that　institution。

As　soon　as　it　was　determined　to　undertake　this　great　and　difficult　work；　and　the　plan　of　operations　was　finally　settled；　various　preparations　were　made　for　its　execution。

The　first　preliminary　step　taken；　was　to　canton　four　regiments　of　cavalry　in　Bavaria　and　the　adjoining　provinces；　in　such　a　manner　that　not　only　every　considerable　town　was　furnished　with　a　detachment；　but　most　of　the　large　villages　were　occupied；　and　in　every　part　of　the　country　small　parties　of　threes；　fours；　and　fives；　were　so　stationed；　at　the　distance　of　one；　two；　and　three　leagues　from　each　other；　that　they　could　easily　perform　their　daily　patroles　from　one　station　to　another　in　the　course　of　the　day；　without　ever　being　obliged　to　stop　at　a　peasant's　house；　or　even　at　an　inn；　or　ever　to　demand　forage　for　their　horses；　or　victuals　for　themselves；　or　lodgings；　from　any　person　whatever。　This　arrangement　of　quarters　prevented　all　disputes　between　the　military　and　the　people　of　the　country。　　The　head…quarters　of　each　regiment；　where　the　commanding　officer　of　the　regiment　resided；　was　established　in　a　central　situation　with　respect　to　the　extent　of　country　occupied　by　the　regiment；each　squadron　had　its　commanding　officer　in　the　centre　of　its　district；　and　the　subalterns　and　non…commissioned　officers　were　so　distributed　in　the　different　cantonments；　that　the　privates　were　continually　under　the　inspection　of　their　superiors；　who　had　orders　to　keep　a　watchful　eye　over　them；to　visit　them　in　their　quarters　very　often；and　to　preserve　the　strictest　order　and　discipline　among　them。

To　command　these　troops；　a　general　officer　was　named；　who；　after　visiting　every　cantonment　in　the　whole　country；　took　up　his　residence　at　Munich。

Printed　instructions　were　given　to　the　officer；　or　non…commissioned　officer；　who　commanded　a　detached　post；　or　patrole；regular　monthly　returns　were　ordered　to　be　made　to　the　commanding　officers　of　the　regiment；　by　the　officers　commanding　squadrons；　to　the　commanding　general；　by　the　officers　commanding　regiments；　and　by　the　commanding　general；　to　the　council　of　war；　and　to　the　Sovereign。

To　prevent　disputes　between　the　military　and　the　civil　authorities；　and；　as　far　as　possible；　to　remove　all　grounds　of　jealousy　and　ill…will　between　them；　as　also　to　preserve　peace　and　harmony　between　the　soldiery　and　the　inhabitants；　these　troops　were　strictly　ordered　and　enjoined　to　behave　on　all　occasions　to　magistrates　and　other　persons　in　civil　authority　with　the　utmost　respect　and　deference；to　conduct　themselves　towards　the　peasants　and　other　inhabitants　in　the　most　peaceable　and　friendly　manner；　to　retire　to　their　quarters　very　early　in　the　evening；　and　above　all；　cautiously　to　avoid　disputes　and　quarrels　with　the　people　of　the　country。　　They　were　also　ordered　to　be　very　diligent　and　alert　in　making　their　daily　patroles　from　one　station　to　another；　to　apprehend　all　thieves　and　other　vagabonds　that　infested　the　country；　and　deliver　them　over　to　the　civil　magistrates；　to　apprehend　deserters；　and　conduct　them　from　station　to　station　to　their　regiments；to　conduct　all　prisoners　from　one　part　of　the　country　to　another；to　assist　the　civil　magistrate　in　the　execution　of　the　laws；　and　in　preserving　peace　and　order　in　the　country；　in　all　cases　where　they　should　be　legally　called　upon　for　that　purpose；to　perform　the　duty　of　messengers　in　carrying　government　dispatches　and　orders；　civil　as　well　as　military；　in　cases　of　emergency；　and　to　bring　accounts　to　the　capital；　by　express；　of　every　extraordinary　event　of　importance　that　happens　in　the　country；to　guard　the　frontiers；　and　assist　the　officers　of　the　revenue　in　preventing　smuggling；to　hav