r and prostitute, so that, when the State
Commissioner of Charity, Dr. Hoyt, visited, in his official tour, this
Poor-house, he found _four generations_ of paupers and prostitutes in
one family, in this place!

The regular _habitues_ of Alms-houses are bad enough; but it has
sometimes seemed to me that the outside dependents on an irregular
public charity are worse. They are usually better off than the inmates
of Poor-houses, and, therefore, must deceive more to secure aid; the
process of obtaining it continually degrades them, and they are tempted
to leave regular industry for this unworthy means of support.

"Outdoor relief" is responsible for much of the abuses of the English
pauper administration.

We are convinced that it ought to be, if not abandoned, at least much
circumscribed by our own Commissioners of Charities.

Still, private alms, though more indiscriminately bestowed, and often on
entirely unworthy objects, do not, in our judgment, leave the same evil
effect as public. There is less degradation with the former, and more of
human sympathy, on both sides. The influence of the giver's character
may sometimes elevate the debased nature of an unworthy dependent on
charity. The personal connection of a poor creature and a fine lady, is
not so bad as that of a pauper to the State.

Still, private alms in our large cities are abused to an almost
unlimited extent. Persons who have but little that they can afford to
give, discover, after long experience, that the majority of their
benefactions have been indiscreetly bestowed.

When one thinks of the thousands of cases in a city like New York, of
unmitigated misfortune; of widows with large families, suddenly left
sick and helpless on the world; of lonely and despairing women
struggling against a sea of evils; of strong men disabled by accident or
sickness; of young children abandoned or drifting uncared-for on the
streets, and how many of these are never wisely assisted, it seems a
real calamity that any person should bestow charity carelessly or on
unworthy objects.

The individual himself ought to seek out the subjects whom he desires to
relieve, and ascertain their character and habits, and help in such a
way as not to impair their self-respect or weaken their independence.

The managers of the Charity I have been describing have especially
sought to avoid the evils of alms-giving. While many thousands of
dollars' worth is given each year in various for