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Marian Keith - "The Black Bearded Barbarian"

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ESSAYS, Political, Economical and Philosophical. Volume 1.

B >> Benjamin Rumford >> ESSAYS, Political, Economical and Philosophical. Volume 1.




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 have a watchful eye over all soldiers on furlough
in the country, and when guilty of excesses, to apprehend them
and transport them to their regiments;--to assist the inhabitants
in case of fire, and particularly to guard their effects, and
prevent their being lost of stolen, in the confusion which
commonly takes place on those occasions;--to pursue and apprehend
all thieves, robbers, murderers, and other malefactors;--and in
general, to lend their assistance on all occasions where they
could be useful in maintaining peace, order, and tranquillity in
the country.

As the Sovereign had an undoubted right to quarter his troops
upon the inhabitants when they were employed for the police and
defence of the country, they were on this occasion called upon to
provide quarters for the men distributed in these cantonments;
but in order to make this burden as light as possible to the
inhabitants, they were only called upon to provide quarters for
the non-commissioned officers and privates; and instead of being
obliged to take THESE into their houses, and to furnish them with
victuals and lodgings, as had formerly been the practice, (and
which was certainly a great hardship,) a small house or barrack
for the men, with stabling adjoining to it for the horses, was
built, or proper lodgings were hired by the civil magistrate, in
each of these military stations, and the expense was levied upon
the inhabitants at large. The forage for the horses was provided
by the regiments, or by contractors employed for that purpose;
and the men, being furnished with a certain allowance of fire-wood,
and the necessary articles of kitchen furniture, were made to
provide for their own subsistence, by purchasing their provisions
at the markets, and cooking their victuals in their own quarters.

The officers provided their own lodgings and stabling, being
allowed a certain sum for that purpose in addition to their
ordinary pay.

The whole of the additional expence to the military chest,
for the establishment and support of these cantonments, amounted to
a mere trifle; and the burden upon the people, which attended the
furnishing of quarters for the non-commissioned officers and
privates, was very inconsiderable, and bore no proportion to the
advantages derived from the protection and security to their
persons and properties afforded by these troops[4].

Not only this cantonment of the cavalry was carried into
execution as a preliminary measure to the taking up of the
beggars in the capital, but many other preparatives were also
made for that undertaking.

As considerable sums were necessary for the support of such of the
poor as, from age or other bodily infirmities, were unable by their
industry to provide for their own subsistence; and as there were
no public funds any way adequate to such an expence, which could
be applied to this use, the success of the measure depended entirely
upon the voluntary subscriptions of the inhabitants; and in order
to induce these to subscribe liberally, it was necessary to
secure their approbation of the plan, and their confidence in
those who were chosen to carry it into execution. And as the
number of beggars was so great in Munich, and their importunity
so very troublesome, there could have been no doubt but any
sensible plan for remedying this evil would have been gladly
received by the public; but they had been so often disappointed
by fruitless attempts from time to time made for that purpose,
that they began to think the enterprize quite impossible, and to
consider every proposal for providing for the poor, and preventing
mendicity, as a mere job.

Aware of this, I took my measures accordingly. To convince the
public that the scheme was feasible, I determined first, by a
great exertion, to carry it into complete execution, and THEN to
ask them to support it. And to secure their confidence in those
employed in the management of it, persons of the highest rank,
and most respected character were chosen to superintend and
direct the affairs of the institution; and every measure was
taken that could be devised to prevent abuses.

Two principle objects were to be attended to, in making these
arrangements; the first was to furnish suitable employment to
such of the poor as were able to work; and the second, to provide
the necessary assistance for those who, from age, sickness, or
other bodily infirmities, were unable by their industry to
provide for themselves. A general system of police was likewise
necessary among this class of miserable beings; as well as
measures for reclaiming them, and making them useful subjects.
The police of the poor, as also the distribution of alms, and all
the economical details of the institution, were put under the
direction of a committee, composed of the president of the
council of war,--the president of the council of supreme
regency,--the president of the ecclesiastical council,--and the
president of the chamber of finances; and to assist them in this
work, each of the above-mentioned presidents was accompanied by
one counsellor of his respective department, at his own choice;
who was present at all the meetings of the committee, and who
performed the more laborious parts of the business. This committee,
which was called The Armen Instituts Deputation, had convenient
apartments fitted up for its meetings; a secretary, clerk,
and accountant, were appointed to it; and the ordinary guards of
the police were put under its immediate direction.

Neither the presidents nor the counsellors belonging to this
committee received any pay or emolument whatever for this service,
but took upon themselves this trouble merely from motives of
humanity, and a generous desire to promote the public good;
and even the secretary, and other inferior officers employed in
this business, received their pay immediately from the Treasury;
or from some other department; and not from the funds destined
for the relief of the poor: and in order most effectually remove
all suspicion with respect to the management of this business,
and the faithful application of the money destined for the poor,
instead of appointing a Treasurer to the committee, a public
banker of the town, a most respectable citizen[5], was named to
receive and pay all monies belonging to the institution, upon the
written orders of the committee; and exact and detailed accounts
of all monies received and expended were ordered to be printed
every three months, and distributed gratis among the inhabitants.

In order that every citizen might have it in his power to assure
himself that the accounts were exact, and that the sums expended
were bona fide given to the poor in alms, the money was publicly
distributed every Saturday in the town-hall, in the presence of a
number of deputies chosen from among the citizens themselves; and
an alphabetical list of the poor who received alms;--in which was
mentioned the weekly sum each person received;--and the place of
his or her abode, was hung up in the hall for public inspection.

But this was not all. In order to fix the confidence of the public
upon the most firm and immoveable basis, and to engage their good
will and cheerful assistance in support of the measures adopted,
the citizens were invited to take an active and honourable part
in the execution of the plan, and in the direction of its most
interesting details.

The town of Munich, which contains about 60,000 inhabitants,
had been formerly divided into four quarters. Each of these was
now subdivided into four districts, making in all sixteen
districts; and all the dwelling-houses, from the palace of the
sovereign to the meanest hovel, were regularly numbered,
and inscribed in printed lists provided for that purpose.
For the inspection of the poor in each district, a respectable
citizen was chosen, who was called the commissary of the
district, (abtheilungs commissaire,) and for his assistance,
a priest; a physician; a surgeon; and an apothecary; all of whom,
including the commissary, undertook this service without fee or
reward, from mere motives of humanity and true patriotism.
The apothecary was simply reimbursed the original cost of the
medicines he furnished.

To give more weight and dignity to the office of commissary of a
district, one of these commissaries, in rotation, was called to
assist at the meetings of the supreme committee; and all
applications for alms were submitted to the commissaries for
their opinion; or, more properly, all such applications went
through them to the committee. They were likewise particularly
charged with the inspection and police of the poor in their
several districts.

When a person already upon the poor list, or any other, in distress,
stood in need of assistance, he applied to the commissary of his
district, who, after visiting him, and enquiring into such the
circumstances of his case, afforded him such immediate assistance
as was absolutely necessary; or otherwise, if the case was such
as to admit of the delay, he recommended him to the attention of
the committee, and waited for their orders. If the poor person
was sick, or wounded, he was carried to some hospital; or the
physician, or surgeon of the district was sent for, and a nurse
provided to take care of him in his lodgings, If he grew worse,
and appeared to draw near his end, the priest was sent for, to
afford him such spiritual assistance as he might require; and if
he died, he was decently buried. After his death, the commissary
assisted at the inventory which was taken of his effects, a copy
of which inventory was delivered over to the committee. These
effects were afterwards sold;--and after deducting the amount of
the different sums received in alms from the institution by the
deceased during his lifetime, and the amount of the expenses of
his illness and funeral, the remainder, if any, was delivered
over to his lawful heirs; but when these effects were insufficient
for those purposes; or when no effects were to be found,
the surplus in the one case, and the whole of these expences in
the other, was borne by the funds of the institution.

These funds were derived from the following sources, viz.

First, from stated monthly allowances, from the sovereign out of
his private purse,--from the states,--and from the treasury,
or chamber of finances.

Secondly, and principally, from the voluntary subscription of the
inhabitants.

Thirdly, from legacies left to the institution, and

Fourthly, from several small revenues arising from certain tolls,
fines, etc. which were appropriated to that use[6].

Several other, and some of them very considerable public funds,
originally designed by their founders for the relief of the poor,
might have been taken and appropriated to this purpose; but, as
some of these foundations had been misapplied, and others nearly
ruined by bad management, it would have been a very disagreeable
task to wrest them out of the hands of those who had the
administration of them; and I therefore judged it most prudent
not to meddle with them, avoiding, by that means, a great deal of
opposition to the execution of my plan.


CHAPTER. III.

Preparations made for giving employment to the poor.
Difficulties attending that undertaking.
The measures adopted completely successful.
The poor reclaimed to habits of useful industry.
Description of the house of industry at Munich.

But before I proceed to give a more particular account of the
funds of this institution, and of the application of them, it
will be necessary to mention the preparations which where made
for furnishing employment to the poor, and the means which were
used for reclaiming them from their vicious habits, and rendering
them industrious and useful subjects. And this was certainly the
most difficult, as well as the most curious and interesting part
of the undertaking. To trust raw materials in the hands of
common beggars, certainly required great caution and management;
--but to produce so total and radical a change in the morals,
manners, and customs of this debauched and abandoned race, as was
necessary to render them orderly and useful members of society,
will naturally be considered as an arduous, if not impossible,
enterprize. In this I succeeded; --for the proof of this fact I
appeal to the flourishing state of the different manufactories in
which these poor people are now employed,--to their orderly and
peaceable demeanour--to their cheerfulness--to their industry,--
to the desire to excel, which manifests itself among them upon
all occasions,--and to the very air of their countenances.
Strangers, who go to see this institution, (and there are very
few who pass through Munich who do not take that trouble,) cannot
sufficiently express their surprise at the air of happiness and
contentment which reigns throughout every part of this extensive
establishment, and can hardly be persuaded, that among those they
see so cheerfully engaged in that interesting scene of industry,
by far the greater part were, five years ago, the most miserable
and most worthless of beings,--common beggars in the streets.

An account of the means employed in bringing about this change
cannot fail to be interesting to every benevolent mind; and this
is what has encouraged me to lay these details before the public.

By far the greater number of the poor people to be taken care of
were not only common beggars, but had been up from their very
infancy in that profession; and were so attached to their
indolent and dissolute way of living, as to prefer it to all
other situations. They were not only unacquainted with all kinds
of work, but had the most insuperable aversion to honest labour;
and had been so long familiarized with every crime, that they had
become perfectly callous to all sense of shame and remorse.

With persons of this description, it is easy to be conceived that
precepts;--admonitions;--and punishments, would be of little or
no avail. But where precepts fail, HABITS may sometimes be
successful.

To make vicious and abandoned people happy, it has generally been
supposed necessary, FIRST to make them virtuous. But why not
reverse this order? Why not make them first HAPPY, and then
virtuous? If happiness and virtue be INSEPARABLE the end will be
as certainly obtained by the one method as by the other; and it
is most undoubtedly much easier to contribute to the happiness
and comfort of persons in a state of poverty and misery, than,
by admonitions and punishments, to reform their morals.

Deeply struck with the importance of this truth, all my measures
were taken accordingly. Every thing was done that could be
devised to make the poor people I had to deal with comfortable
and happy in their new situation; and my hopes, that a habit of
enjoying the real comforts and conveniences which were provided
for them, would in time, soften their hearts;--open their
eyes;--and render them grateful and docile, were not
disappointed.

The pleasure I have had in the success of this experiment is much
easier to be conceived than described. Would God that my success
might encourage others to follow my example! If it were generally
known how little trouble, and how little expence, are required to
do much good, the heart-felt satisfaction which arises from
relieving the wants, and promoting the happiness of our
fellow-creatures, is so great, that I am persuaded, acts of the
most essential charity would be much more frequent, and the mass
of misery among mankind would consequently be much lessened.

Having taken my resolution to make the COMFORT of the poor
people, who were to be provided for, the primary object of my
attention, I considered what circumstance in life, after the
necessaries, food and raiment, contributes most to comfort,
and I found it to be CLEANLINESS. And so very extensive is the
influence of cleanliness, that it reaches even to the brute
creation.

With what care and attention do the feathered race wash
themselves and put their plumage in order; and how perfectly
neat, clean and elegant do they ever appear! Among the beasts of
the field we find that those which are the most cleanly are
generally the most gay and cheerful; or are distinguished by a
certain air of tranquillity and contentment; and singing birds
are always remarkable for the neatness of their plumage. And so
great is the effect of cleanliness upon man, that it extends even
to his moral character. Virtue never dwelt long with filth and
nastiness; nor do I believe there ever was a person SCRUPULOUSLY
ATTENTIVE TO CLEANLINESS who was a consummate villain[7].

Order and disorder--peace and war--health and sickness, cannot
exist together; but COMFORT and CONTENTMENT the inseparable
companions of HAPPINESS and VIRTUE, can only arise from order,
peace, and health.

Brute animals are evidently taught cleanliness by instinct; and
can there be a stronger proof of its being essentially necessary
to their well-being and happiness?--But if cleanliness is
necessary to the happiness of brutes, how much more so must it be
to the happiness of the human race?

The good effects of cleanliness, or rather the bad effects of
filth and nastiness, may, I think, be very satisfactorily
accounted for. Our bodies are continually at war with whatever
offends them, and every thing offends them that adheres to them,
and irritates them,--and through by long habit we may be so
accustomed to support a physical ill, as to become almost
insensible to it, yet it never leaves the mind perfectly at peace.
There always remains a certain uneasiness, and discontent;--
an indecision, and an aversion from all serious application,
which shows evidently that the mind is not at rest.

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