Re-printed from the New Hampshire Gazette, May 24, 1771

“Kept to Constant Labour”

“Industry and Frugality are the Hands of Fortune”

This maxim is no where better observed than in Holland, a Country naturally poor, but by the Industry of the Inhabitants made populous and opulent unequalled by any Nation in the World.  The maintenance of the poor, which is a vast burden to most populous countries, is very little expense to the Dutch;  for in their wise government they have laws calculated to prevent the increase of the poor, although to employ all those who are so incapable to take care of themselves, in such a manner as to be scarce any charge to the state.  As the support of the poor in all the large towns and cities in America, is a very heavy burden upon the people, it is humbly proposed that a method be taken in every large town similar to what is practiced in the flourishing cities in Holland, viz, that  a suitable number of the principal gentlemen in each town or city be chosen as overseers and guardians of the people, to promote every thing that tends to the public welfare and to check the progress of any thing that would be injurious:

• Once in three months visit every house and family
• Enquire how each person in every family, (from the highest to the lowest) is employed.
• Ensure Every idle person be sent to the work-house, and kept to constant labour
• Prepare an account annually laid before the town of the manufacturers made in each family, together with all other matters relating to the public interest.

Such a method as the above would undoubtedly be productive of many great advantages if adopted in our towns and cities…A visitation once a quarter to every family by the overseers would be a mighty stimulus to industry, not only to the poor, but to persons of every condition.  Every one would be ambitious to excel in that which is so laudable, those idle hours that now run down the stream of time to waste, would be employed to valuable purposes, thus poverty might be shut out of every house, and banished the streets, the city become the seat of wealth, honour and pleasure.