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London Lives 1690 to 1800
Crime, Poverty and Social Policy in the Metropolis
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active Discharge of Duty in the subordinate Officers their utmost Efforts will be
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defeated, they therefore recommend that in the printed Resolutions the Constables
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and other Peace Officers may be strictly charged to do their Duty in this respect
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by the Promise of Protection and Reward for the faithfull and active Discharge
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of it and Consure and punishment upon their Neglect. And as
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the common
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People have not a proper Idea of the Offence of begging and have in many
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Instances by their Obstruction rendered it very dangerous for the Peace
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Officers to whip sturdy Beggars, your Committee recommend the printing in
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their Resolutions that Clause of the Vagrant Act which inflicts the Penalty
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of Five Pounds upon any Person hindering the Execution of the said Act and at
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to enjoin all Persons being thereunto required in his Majesty's Name to aid
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and assist the Peace officers in the Discharge of their Duty in apprehending and
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executing lawfull Punishment upon such Vagrants; and that the Churchwardens
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Overseers of the Poor and the Parish Officers be also required to search for in
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their respective Parishes and Divisions and return to the several Magistrates
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proper Informations of the Name and Place of Abode of such Persons who
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shall for the future presume to lodge and harbour Beggars and Vagrants in
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their Houses or Out buildings of any kind in order that the Penalty prescribe
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by the said Statute may be levied upon such Offenders.
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And your Committee are of Opinion that the indiscriminate passing of every
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Vagrant Beggar brings more Charge upon the County than is necessary and as
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the Law leaves a discretionary Power to pass or not pass such Vagrants, after
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inflicting the Punishment, your Committee think that the severe Whipping of
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sturdy Beggars would be sufficient to drive them out of this County without
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the Expence of a Pass and if only Objects of real Distress were passed and
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that from
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Bridewell
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it would produce a considerable Saving; and as the
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Neglect of returning the Duplicates of the Passes and Examinations takes
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out the Sting of the Sentence and Punishment upon incorrigible Rogues, a
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Resolution of this Court should be conveyed to the acting Magistrates, that for
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the future it will be required of them to transmit to Sessions such Duplicates
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not only to serve as Records as the Law requires but as proper Vouchers for
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the Expence the County is put to by their Orders and Certificates.
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Your Committee are of Opinion that for want of some Method to detect such
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Vagrants as should presume to return after having been passed as the Law
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prescribes this County has been put to repeated Expences and considering the
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Extent of the Town and the Number of the Magistrates acting at least in
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Parochial Affairs, the Imposition is easy and the Detection very difficult; To
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