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Pauperism.
To this class of unfortunates every Christian heart should turn with sympathy, and desire to become a Howard to them. Sad, sad indeed it is to be left to the bleak mercy of the world. That provisions for the poor increase the poor, there can be no doubt; yet, after all due allowances are made, the fact is that there are the imbecile, the unfortunate, the widow, and the fatherless, who come to extreme want without much fault on their part. The virtuous poor should always be separated from the vicious. To force them into familiar intercourse is cruelty and wickedness. Indigent persons, supported by public charge, were known but in the smallest numbers to our early ancestors. When a case of extreme want occurred, it was provided for by private charity. There seemed to be a settled resolve of the Pilgrims that they would not have here the poverty and the alms-houses they had left behind them. In Medford was illustrated these remarks as early as June 6, 1637, when we find the following vote concerning a resident here: “Whereas John Binfield died, leaving two children undisposed of, the charge of the one is ordered to be defrayed by Mr. Cradock, he having the goods of the deceased, the other child being disposed of by the country.” We see from this that the poor belonged to the whole colony, and “the country disposed of them.” The care of our forefathers to keep pure may be seen in the following vote:--March 4, 1685: The selectmen shall be empowered to prevent any person from coming into the town that may be suspicious of burden or damage to said town.This vote of Medford looked at a case then existing. April 1, 1685, the selectmen protest as follows:--
Whereas William Burges, of Cambridge, hath lately intruded himself, with his family, into the town of Meadford, contrary to law, without the approbation of the town or townsmen, and he having been warned to be gone, and yet continues in said town without liberty, we, as selectmen, do hereby, in behalf of said town, protest against him, said William Burges, and his family, as being any legal inhabitants of the town of Meadford.The first person who threw himself on the charity of Medford, and caused legislation in the town, was John Man, who
