Letters On The Condition Of The Poor - Softcover

Mathew Carey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0461584255 ISBN 13: 9780461584257

Publisher: HardPress

Synopsis

Letters On The Condition Of The Poor: Addressed To Alexander Henry, Esq., Containing A Vindication Of Poor Laws And Benevolent Societies, Proofs Of The Injustice Of The General Censure Of The Poor For Extravagance, Dissipation, Etc., Instances Of Intense Suffering In Philadelphia is a 19th-century Philadelphia tract written by Mathew Carey. The work presents a public defense of charitable institutions and statutory provision for the poor, arguing that poverty results from systemic economic forces and that existing relief systems, including the Union Benevolent Association and benevolent societies, are essential to mitigate misery. Through a sequence of letters, Carey addresses criticisms of poor laws and emphasizes the moral duty to aid widows, orphans, the elderly, and laboring families. He contests charges of idleness among the poor, provides case sketches of workers—canal laborers, seamstresses, and weavers—and condemns punitive attitudes toward poverty. The text critiques English reforms, cites alarming urban conditions in Philadelphia, and calls for measured, humane relief rather than disdain or neglect. The work underlines the necessity of organized charity, oversight to prevent abuses, and the ongoing debate over public assistance and private benevolence.

Edition details

• Publisher: HardPress
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0461584255
• ISBN 13: 9780461584257
• Binding: Paperback