but perfectly natural. That total insensibility to shame, and
all those other qualifications which are necessary in the profession of a
beggar, are likewise essential to form an accomplished thief; and both
these professions derive very considerable advantages from their union.
A beggar who goes about from house to house to ask for alms, has
many opportunities to steal, which another would not so easily find;
and his profession as a beggar gives him a great facility in disposing of
what he steals; for he can always say it was given him in charity. No
wonder then that thieving and robbing should be prevalent where
beggars are numerous.
That this was the case in Bavaria will not be doubted by those who are
informed that in the four years immediately succeeding the introduction
of the measures adopted for putting an end to mendicity, and clearing
the country of beggars, thieves, robbers, etc. above TEN THOUSAND
of these vagabonds, foreigners and natives, were actually arrested and
delivered over to the civil magistrates; and that in taking up the beggars
in Munich, and providing for those who stood in need of public
assistance, no less than 2600 of the one description and the other, were
entered upon the lists in one week; though the whole number of the
inhabitants of the city of Munich probably does not amount to more
than 60,000, even including the suburbs.
These facts are so very extraordinary, that were they not notorious, I
should hardly have ventured to mention them, for fear of being
suspected of exaggeration; but they are perfectly known in the country,
by every body; having been published by authority in the news-papers
at the time, with all their various details and specifications, for the
information of the public.
What has been said, will, I fancy, be thought quite sufficient to show
the necessity of applying a remedy to the evils described; and of
introducing order and a spirit of industry among the lower classes of
the people. I shall therefore proceed, without any farther preface, to
give an account of the measures which were adopted and carried into
execution for that purpose.
CHAPTER. II.
Various preparations made for putting an end to mendicity in bavaria.
Cantonment of the cavalry in the country towns and villages.
Formation of the committee placed at the head of the institution for the
poor at Munich. The funds of that institution.
As soon as it was determined to undertake this great and difficult work,
and the plan of operations was finally settled, various preparations were
made for its execution.
The first preliminary step taken, was to canton four regiments of
cavalry in Bavaria and the adjoining provinces, in such a manner that
not only every considerable town was furnished with a detachment, but
most of the large villages were occupied; and in every part of the
country small parties of threes, fours, and fives, were so stationed; at
the distance of one, two, and three leagues from each other; that they
could easily perform their daily patroles from one station to another in
the course of the day, without ever being obliged to stop at a peasant's
house, or even at an inn, or ever to demand forage for their horses, or
victuals for themselves, or lodgings, from any person whatever. This
arrangement of quarters prevented all disputes between the military and
the people of the country. The head-quarters of each regiment, where
the commanding officer of the regiment resided, was established in a
central situation with respect to the extent of country occupied by the
regiment;--each squadron had its commanding officer in the centre of
its district,-- and the subalterns and non-commissioned officers were so
distributed in the different cantonments, that the privates were
continually under the inspection of their superiors, who had orders to
keep a watchful eye over them;--to visit them in their quarters very
often;--and to preserve the strictest order and discipline among them.
To command these troops, a general officer was named, who, after
visiting every cantonment in the whole country, took up his residence
at Munich.
Printed instructions were given to the officer, or non-commissioned
officer, who commanded a detached post, or patrole;--regular monthly
returns were ordered to be made to the commanding officers of the
regiment, by the officers commanding squadrons;-- to the commanding
general, by the officers commanding regiments;-- and by the
commanding general, to the council of war, and to the Sovereign.
To prevent disputes between the military and the civil authorities, and,
as far as possible, to remove all grounds of jealousy and ill-will
between them; as also to preserve peace and harmony between the
soldiery and the inhabitants, these troops were strictly ordered and
enjoined to behave on all occasions to magistrates and other persons in
civil authority with
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