Remarks on the report of Her Majesty's Commissioners on the Poor-Laws of Scotland, presented to Parliament in 1844, and on the dissent of Mr. Twisleton from that report / by William Pulteney Alison.

  • Alison, William Pulteney, 1790-1859.
Date:
1844
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the report of Her Majesty's Commissioners on the Poor-Laws of Scotland, presented to Parliament in 1844, and on the dissent of Mr. Twisleton from that report / by William Pulteney Alison. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    quence is, that the children are first beggars, then they steal, and are sent to prison in great numbers.-—Vol. 1., p. 122, Mr J. Wright, Town-Councillor, and Manager of the Charity Workhouse in the Canongate. The Canongate has tried to get rid of paupers with 6d. a-week, —Is. and Is. 6d. to those with large families. We were very anxious not to get them on at all, if we could avoid it. A widow with a family has some families who give her washing at lOd. or Is. a-day when employed. To get quit of this woman, we offered the workhouse—she declined. Another, having children of 12 or 14, would not go in, because she would then leave her family to starve, or acquire bad habits; and the consequence was, that the workhouse was relieved of the burden^ The offer was made, *' knowing that she would refuse. Sometimes we say, ' This * woman is going to be a burden. If she will not accept, we get quit of her; if she accept, we refuse, giving her something,—for *' we cannot take many in.' Then it is illusory on the part of the committee to offer the work- house, as they have not accommodation V Undoubtedly.— Vol. i. pp. 174-5. The Very Rev. Principal Lee, formerly Minister of the Canongate. The Charity Workhouse (in the Canongate) was shut up at one time—^the aged people were boarded—the children sent to the country. But it was ascertained, after very diligent inquiry, that the children were altogether neglected—brought up rather like inferior animals than human beings—set to sleep in stables—not *• sent to school. Some sustained injuries during that period which rendered them unfit for labour.—Vol. iii., p. 857. Dr Greville, Manager of the House of Refuge. Is it your conviction that the smallness of the allowance granted to the poor on the roll leads them to maintain themselves by begging and theft ] I have no doubt whatever that sucli is the fact. «' Do you think their destitution has a bad effect on their moral habits 1 Not a doubt of it. Within my experience the moral