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<p n="781">active Discharge of Duty in the subordinate Officers their utmost Efforts will be<lb></lb>
defeated, they therefore recommend that in the printed Resolutions the Constables<lb></lb>
and other Peace Officers may be strictly charged to do their Duty in this respect<lb></lb>
by the Promise of Protection and Reward for the faithfull and active Discharge <lb></lb>
of it and Consure and punishment upon their Neglect. And as <rs type="placeName" id="LMSMGO55603_geo1191">the common</rs>
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<lb></lb>
People have not a proper Idea of the Offence of begging and have in many <lb></lb>
Instances by their Obstruction rendered it very dangerous for the Peace<lb></lb>
Officers to whip sturdy Beggars, your Committee recommend the printing in<lb></lb>
their Resolutions that Clause of the Vagrant Act which inflicts the Penalty<lb></lb>
of Five Pounds upon any Person hindering the Execution of the said Act and at<lb></lb>
to enjoin all Persons being thereunto required in his Majesty's Name to aid<lb></lb>
and assist the Peace officers in the Discharge of their Duty in apprehending and <lb></lb>
executing lawfull Punishment upon such Vagrants; and that the Churchwardens<lb></lb>
Overseers of the Poor and the Parish Officers be also required to search for in<lb></lb>
their respective Parishes and Divisions and return to the several Magistrates<lb></lb>
proper Informations of the Name and Place of Abode of such Persons who<lb></lb>
shall for the future presume to lodge and harbour Beggars and Vagrants in <lb></lb>
their Houses or Out buildings of any kind in order that the Penalty prescribe<lb></lb>
by the said Statute may be levied upon such Offenders.</p>
<p n="782">And your Committee are of Opinion that the indiscriminate passing of every<lb></lb>
Vagrant Beggar brings more Charge upon the County than is necessary and as<lb></lb>
the Law leaves a discretionary Power to pass or not pass such Vagrants, after <lb></lb>
inflicting the Punishment, your Committee think that the severe Whipping of<lb></lb>
sturdy Beggars would be sufficient to drive them out of this County without<lb></lb>
the Expence of a Pass and if only Objects of real Distress were passed and<lb></lb>
that from <rs type="placeName" id="LMSMGO55603_geo1192">Bridewell</rs>
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it would produce a considerable Saving; and as the<lb></lb>
Neglect of returning the Duplicates of the Passes and Examinations takes <lb></lb>
out the Sting of the Sentence and Punishment upon incorrigible Rogues, a <lb></lb>
Resolution of this Court should be conveyed to the acting Magistrates, that for<lb></lb>
the future it will be required of them to transmit to Sessions such Duplicates<lb></lb>
not only to serve as Records as the Law requires but as proper Vouchers for<lb></lb>
the Expence the County is put to by their Orders and Certificates.</p>
<p n="783">Your Committee are of Opinion that for want of some Method to detect such<lb></lb>
Vagrants as should presume to return after having been passed as the Law<lb></lb>
prescribes this County has been put to repeated Expences and considering the<lb></lb>
Extent of the Town and the Number of the Magistrates acting at least in <lb></lb>
Parochial Affairs, the Imposition is easy and the Detection very difficult; To</p>
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