An Essay Towards Regulating the Trade, and Employing the Poor of This Kingdom: Whereunto is Added, an Essay Towards Paying Off the Publick DebtsCary, John
History
An Essay Towards Regulating the Trade, and Employing the Poor of This Kingdom: Whereunto is Added, an Essay Towards Paying Off the Publick Debts
Cary, John
Great Britain -- Commercial policy; Great Britain -- Economic conditions -- 18th century; Poor -- Great Britain
There are other things which will employ the Poor besides our
Manufactures, and are also equally Beneficial to the Nation; such as
Navigation, Husbandry, and Handicrafts; here if these or such like
Rules were observed, they might be made more advantageous to all.
As First, Let the Justices of the Peace have Power to assign Youth to
Artificers, Husbandry, Manufacturers, and Mariners, and to bind them
Apprentices for a Time certain, at such Ages as they shall think
’em fit to go on those Employments, who should also be obliged to
receive them; and tho’ this may at first seem hard, as hindring the
Masters from taking Servants who may bring them Money, yet after some
time it will not, when those who were so bound out themselves, shall
only do for others what was done for them before; and this also may
be now made good to them, by such an Overplus of years in their
Apprentiships, as may be an Equivalent to the Money.
And as for those of elder years, who will rather Beg than Work, let
them be forced to serve the King in his Fleet, or the Merchants on
board their Ships; the Sea is very good to cure sore Leggs and Arms,
especially such as are Counterfeits, against which, the Capstern,
with the Taunts of the Sailors, is a certain Remedy.
Next, for Ale-houses, Coffee-houses, and such like Employments, let
them be kept only by Aged People, or such who have numerous Families.
Let Masters of Ships be obliged to carry with them some Landmen every
Voyage, which will increase our Seamen, and let the Justices have
Power to force them to receive such as are willing to enter
themselves, and to settle the Rates of their Wages.
Let Young People be prohibited from Hawking about the streets, and
from Singing Ballads; if these things be allowed, they are fitter for
Age.
Stage-Plays, Lotteries, and Gaming-houses should be strictly looked
after, Youth, in this Age of Idleness and Luxury, being not only
drawn aside by them, but also more willing to put themselves on such
easy ways of living, than on Labour.
These and such like Methods, being Improved by the Wisdom of a
Parliament, may tend, not only to the Introducing a Habit of Virtue
amongst us, but also to the making Multitudes of People serviceable,
who are now useless to the Nation; there being scarce any one, who is
not capable of doing something towards his Maintenance, and what his
Labour doth fall short, must be made up by Charity; but as things now
are, no Man knows where ’tis rightly plac’d, by which means those
who are truly Objects do not partake thereof; And let it be
consider’d, that if every Person did by his Labour add one
Half-penny _per diem_ to the Publick, ’twould bring in Seven
Millions six Hundred and Four Thousand one Hundred Sixty six Pounds
thirteen Shillings _per Annum_, (accounting ten Millions of People to
be in the Kingdom) so vast a Sum may be raised from a Multitude, if
every one adds a little.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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