| REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE in 1824 on the Relief and Settlement of the Poor p 1021-1023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A TABLE showing the number of Paupers supported at the public expense in the county of ONONDAGA, during the twelve months preceding April 21, 1823, with other particulars, derived from public documents and reports furnished the Secretary of State. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Note: *** means "No return." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To your last question, we beg leave to suggest an
alteration in the present poor-laws, so as to enable the president of
the board of supervisors for the time being, by and with the direction
of a majority of the board, to issue subpoenas for such witnesses as the
said board shall direct, and to take such further measures to compel
their attendance as is usual in courts of justice, for the purpose of
enquiring into the correctness of the adjudication of any justice in the
county, as to the last place of legal settlement of any pauper they may
deem proper; and that such president of the board, be authorised to
administer any oath, to such witnesses, and making it perjury, to swear
false in the premises. The reason we assign for this is, that by the
present law, two justices go and examine, and make an adjudication.
Often-times the pauper is sick or delirious, and unable to give any
information as to his residence, and perhaps, no witnesses can then be
found to shew that he has a residence in the town or state, whereupon he
is adjudged a county pauper. Upon this adjudication, the justice makes
an order for his support at the expense of the county; when, if his
residence was duly investigated, it might be found to be in the town,
instead of the county.-- These same adjudications are presented to the
board of supervisors from year to year, and the supervisors are
compelled upon the same papers to audit the accounts as county charges,
without being able to enquire into the correctness of the adjudications
or last place of settlement of the pauper, and there is nothing
obligatory on the justice who made the adjudication to review the same;
(and it is often against the interest of the town to do so;) and in this
way the most flagrant abuses may be practised, and the counties made to
support town paupers, and even those whose last legal settlement is out
of the county.
We speak from experience on this subject. A pauper in one of the towns in this county was adjudged by two justices of that town, upon proof, to be a town pauper, and was supported as such for a long time. Afterwards, the justices upon further proof, adjudged the same person to be a county pauper, and he has since been supported by the county, and the supervisors are unable, by an existing law, to ascertain which adjudication is correct, or to effect an alteration in the present adjudication, should it be incorrect. [Letter from the board of supervisors of the county.] There have been but two appeals from orders of settlement and removal. [Letter from the county clerk.] MANLIUS. The poor are usually boarded out by the week and unemployed. [Letter from the supervisor of Manlius.] MARCELLUS. The keeping of the poor is sold at auction, annually to the lowest bidder. -- The overseers are careful that the poor fall into the hands of none but reputable men, who are under bonds to furnish them with comfortable, wholesome and necessary living. In this manner they are supported better and much cheaper than in the usual mode of furnishing the paupers with materials to live upon themselves. This method of disposing of the paupers, although it may not be within the strict letter of the law, is in my opinion the most economical mode of maintaining them. [Letter from the supervisor of Marcellus.] |
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