OBSERVATIONS Upon a Paper entitled, Reasons humbly offered to this Honourable House why a Bill pretended to give further Powers to the Corporation for setting the Poor of the City of London and Liberties thereof to work, should not pass into a Law.  
TO the first Paragraph. 'Tis presumed no further Powers are desired by the Precedent, Governors and Assistants of the City of London, than what are granted in several late Acts to other Corporations, in order to the clearing of the Streets from Beggars.  
To the 2d. By the Bill no single person of the Corporation hath power to determine any Allowance between any Complainant and the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, but such only as live within the respective Ward where such poor person is legally settled; which Governor may reasonably be supposed as well to understand the condition of the Complainant as of any the said Churchwardens or Overseers of the Poor, and more likely to do Justice between them.  
To the 3d. There are few or no Churchwardens either in City or Country, are desirous to have their Accounts publicly examined, while their own Vestries choose the Auditors of the said Accounts, without ever consulting the Justices therein. But the Bill proposes no less than 7 of the Corporation to examine their Accounts: And if the said Accounts are just, they need not fear who inspects them; nor will any honest man be discouraged thereby from being Churchwarden, and others are not fit to be entrusted. Besides all which, any Determinations of the said Corporation are subject to an Appeal to the Justices at the next open Sessions.  
To the 4th. The Collections desired were proposed to be made as well at all other places appointed for Religious Worship as at Church-doors, and only intended to ease the several Parishes in raising Money to the Corporation by appointment of the Common Council, pursuant to 13 and 14 Car. 2.  
To the 5th. That though the Corporation have power, according to the foresaid Act of Parliament, to apply to the Common Council to raise a Year's Tax ' as often as they have occasion, yet have they endeavoured to raise only one half Year's Tax in two years' last passed; and hope they may not have any further occasion in some considerable time. And the said Corporation have not power to maintain the Impotent, but only to set those to work that are able. And what Money the Corporation have raised and disbursed, they have given an account of to the Justices of the Peace at the open Sessions, and are obliged yearly so to do by the foresaid Act. And one 3 d part of those Persons the said Paper styles [these men] are the Lord Mayor and Aldermen; and besides, divers others of the Gentlemen of the Corporation have served or fined for the Office of Sheriffs of the said City, and none are chose but by the Common Council. And whereas the Corporation are charged with requiring twelve pence per week, they proposed it only for Children, and not for other persons; which Children are fed, clothed, lodged, and taught to get their own live; and when able to maintain themselves, the Churchwardens are at liberty to take them away, and the Corporation will be willing to take more, and teach them in like manner. And the Corporation having now about 200 Children in their Workhouse, so maintained as aforesaid, the several Parishes of the City of London which send them, do by that particular only save 800 l. per ann. And the said Children are taught to read, and do go to Great St. Helen's Church twice every Sunday, and are there catechised. And the Corporation do employ a great part of their time in serving the Public, without one penny benefit to themselves; but on the contrary, they spend their own Money, and did advance a considerable Sum for carrying on that Work before any Money could be raised by the Common Council for that end. Whereas in one or two of the Parishes in Farringdon without, it has been customary to spend twenty pounds at a Scavenger's, and three or four and twenty pounds at a Perambulation dinner; which Money is generally raised by overrating the Inhabitants.  
As to the Honorary Governors, the Writer of the said Paper arraigns the Wisdom of the Parliament, who have given the like Powers to other Corporations for the encouraging their Charity, without having any respect to their Persuasions.  
To the Conclusion. Tho the said Writer Will not allow the Reasonableness of the Bill now desired by the Corporation, yet he desires to have a like Bill for Farringdon without, who yet have an equal number of their Ward that are of the said Corporation already.