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Archiver > NYJEFFER > 2001-03 > 0984441894


From:
Subject: Re: [NYJEFFER] Hough's 1854 book
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 19:04:54 EST


In a message dated 3/12/2001 9:32:13 AM Pacific Standard Time,
writes, quoting the 1854 Hough book:

<< I just saw something interesting as I was glancing at these pages: "In
1822-3, the poor upon the town were voted to be sold at auction, to the
lowest bidder. In 1823, the town voted against adopting the poor house,
and house of industry, recommended by the supervisors. In 1812, a penalty
of $5 voted for allowing Canada thistles to go to seed." >>

But isn't this a spoof???? Note that the LOWEST bidder wins
"the poor", not the highest.

Seems to me this is a suggestion much like Dean Swift's "Modest Proposal for
Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burden to their Parents
or the Country" (1729), a savagely satirical pamphlet which purported to
propose that the problem of starving children in Ireland be solved by using
the children as food for the rich.

The Canadian thistle penalty seems likewise to have been suggested in jest -
albeit considerably gentler. And the poorhouse was to be a "house of
industry"??? Not hardly!

Ginny Crawford

Carmel Valley CA USA


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