Book Description

Excerpt from A Treatise Upon the Poor Laws My Dear Sir, In presenting to you the following Treatise upon the Poor Laws, I am afraid that I cannot flatter myself with the hope of obtaining your concurrence in all the sentiments which I have expressed therein. It is, in fact, by my dissent from some of the doctrines laid downs and my repugnance to some of the measures recommended, in the Report of the Committee at which you preside, that I have been led to this publication; from which nevertheless, if I had sufficiently weighed the difficulties attending it, I should probably have been deterred. While the difference of opinion between us, and my variance, from Writers of high and established character, create in my mind a sincere distrust of the correctness of my views, I derive great satisfaction from the knowledge, that as to the nature of the measures which are at this time advisable, I cordially agree with you. Yet I confess, that the diffidence with which I oppose great authorities, is in some degree lessened by the striking disproportion which has been observable, in all persons, and at all times, between the evil alleged, and the remedy proposed. If less correct than others in my estimate of the disease, I can hardly be more unsuccessful in the cure. I am perhaps not entirely without the hope, that you will find in the following pages, some reason for resting satisfied with the course of moderate reform which you have already begun; and that, if you should be restrained, by whatever motives, from proposing to enact any of the stronger measures, upon which you have made a favourable report to the House, you will be ultimately convinced of the wisdom of your forbearance. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.