Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

MR. FENNO,

I HAVE with concern observed several numbers in your paper, violently, and in my opinion improperly, censuring the Managers of the Alms-House and House of Employment ; the attack must come from a source where jealousy, rivalry, or some other equally predominant passion of the mind, carried unfortunately to an intemperate degree, governs the man ; otherwise I am confident he would not have taken so much pains unnecessarily to alarm the public by declaring the tax to be insupportable and what ought not to be submitted to. This, however, will have but little weight, as most of the citizens have taken pains to make themselves in some degree acquainted with that institution ; they look upon it as of the first importance, whilst they believe it to be the most useful and benevolent in the United States. With respect to the objections made by the author of the attack (who is ashamed to give his name to the public) they may be answered in a few words.

The Error of 4s discovered in the manufacturing account published is admitted, although of little importance in the pending dispute, by a writer, under the signature of W.

In as simple a manner as possible to ascertain the actual expenditures of the Alms-House, for one year (as stated by W.) it is evident the average cost of each individual amounts only to one dollar per week the year through, notwithstanding the Managers of said house are obliged to pay at the rate of three dollars per week to the Pennsylvania Hospital for the maintenance of Maniacs, &c. sent to the latter, as they will not receive them on more favorable terms, which I have no doubt will be admitted by this anonymous writer, if he has any knowledge of the management of the Hospital, (of which there is but little doubt ;) so that if the paupers are maintained at one third of the sum charged by another public institution, I should be glad to know how such insinuations and accusations as are thrown out by this spurious writer, can apply to the mismanagement of the Alms-House ; for although the sum expended by the one House may be four times as great as that of the other, yet the number relieved are twelve times greater.

It must be confessed by every discerning person, that, instead of our city being infested by beggars, as was the case a few years ago, there are now comfortably maintained in this house, and it is an uncommon sight to see a beggar in the streets at the same time it is admitted there are some cases where the benefits of the institution have been extended to persons not entitled to them, but such cases are few, and the censure more properly applies to the out door overseers, however, it is impossible at all times to prevent deception.

As to the product of the manufactures, and the evident declension of labour about which so much has been said, I will ask, how it can be expected a number of persons, brought to the Alms. House in consequence of the infirmities of old age, sickness, lunacy or insanity, can be supposed to produce much by their labours, and I will venture to say there are not twenty men in the house at one time who are capable of work except occasionally to pick oakum, and that the decrease in the production of labor is in a great measure owing to the alterations which have taken place in the system; for as the number of hearty idle persons, able to do work, formerly admitted, were much more considerable than at present and for several years past, of course the manufactures were and ought to have been more extensive. The Alms House may now more properly be called an Infirmary, than a House of Employment.

I will only add that as every allowance ought to be made by a generous public, and no doubt will (the pains and assiduity of the writer alluded to. to the contrary notwithstanding) in consequence of the many drawbacks and disadvantages, under which the Institution has labored, by the dreadful yellow fever, which raged with great violence for two successive seasons, and consequently increased the number of distressed and unhappy objects nearly in a two fold proportion, the conclusion is evident that the expences to the public have unavoidably augmented, and although the taxes for the last two years are greater than they were ever before, I believe the benevolent citizens of, Philadelphia will not complain of the burthen, but rejoice at the happy success and noble purposes to which their money has been applied in relieving many of our miserable and unhappy fellow creatures.

CHARITAS.