ABSTRACT
IThasbeenshownbywhatgradualsteps,andthrough whataseriesofenactments,sometimesconflicting,and oftenmarkedbygreatseverity,thelegislatureadvanced toarecognitionoftheprinciplethatpropertymustbe chargeableforthereliefofpoverty,andthatthe securityoftheoneisendangeredbytheextremityof theother.The43Elizabethwasthematuredfruitof thisprinciple;andinordertoshowthenecessityfor suchameasure,thevariousstatuteswhichhadbeen passedinthethreeorfourprecedingcenturiesfor restrainingmendicancyandforpunishingvagabondagehavebeenquoted,butwhich,havingbeenframed indisregardofthisprinciple,failedofthedesired effect.SuchotherActshavealsobeennoticedas werecalculatedtoaffectorthrowlightuponthe
conditionofthepeople;anditishopedthatthese noticeswillnotbeconsideredsuperfluous,orthat thehistoricalreferencesintroducedforthepurpose ofshowingthestateofthecountryattheseveral periodswillbethoughtirrelevant.Iftherebea redundancyineitherrespect,ithasbeenoccasioned byadesiretoaffordthefullestinformation,andto placebeforethereaderthebestmeansofforming acorrectjudgmentonaquestionofgreatsocial importance.
