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There is no truths in relation to these establishments more satisfactorily evidenced, by all the experience, both of England and of Massachusetts, than that their success depends upon their being subjected to the constant supervision and inspection of a board of superintendants, composed of substantial, intelligent and active inhabitants of the town, or vicinity. It is not sufficient that these should be men, merely in easy circumstances, prudent, intelligent, and humane. It is requisite that such a board should be composed of men, bred to business, and accustomed to deal with men, in the laborious walks of life; who know what labour is; -- when work is done; -- and are capable of judging, by the eye, or by examination, whether neglect, or refusal to work, be through mere indolence, or real imbecility. It may be adopted as a principle, applicable to all establishments of this kind, that they cannot be well conducted, for any great length of time, unless at least a considerable part of the board be men of such habits and experience. Now men, of this class are always men, engaged in active business. To command their services, it is necessary that every facility should be given to their superintendance; that it should be enabled to be regular, uninterrupted and certain. The location of the establishment in a situation where access to it will, at all times, be easy and certain, for those charged with its superintendance, is therefore, in the opinion of your Committee, essential to its success; and that therefore a location upon an island is highly inexpedient. The soil of Deer island is also, is the apprehension of your Committee, another and, if not in itself, a sufficient objection, is yet, in a high degree corroborative of the opinion, they have formed. The opportunity, which agriculture affords for the economical employment of pauper industry, is one of the most favourable circumstances, to promote the success of such establishments. It is plain, that success, in this respect, depends upon whatever promotes, or prevents, success in other agricultural operations. If therefore, the first location of such establishment be on a soil, singularly inauspicious, inconvenient, or impracticable, the result must be proportionably unfavourable. A good and an easy soil not only possesses this general advantage, but there is also an incidental one, resulting from the encouragement and excitement given to the paupers themselves, by such facility in the course of their labours. It is found, that when judiciously managed, even the paupers themselves may be made to take an interest, and even a pride, in the productive results of their garden, or cultivated field; and every thing, which has a tendency to prevent disappointment, in this respect, has a tendency to excite and support the feelings, upon which such interest depends. The soil of Deer island is in a great proportion sand. Whatever there be of good soil, is high, exposed and inconvenient of access. On these accounts, as well as on others, not necessary to detail, your Committee came to the unanimous opinion, that Deer island was not a proper scite for the location of the proposed establishment.

The town lands on the neck, also some situations at South Boston, were suggested to your Committee. But as the determination upon the scite, should it result in favour of land, at present, the property of any private individual, might, if known, materially affect the value of those lands, and the price to the town, your Committee thought it most advisable not to proceed farther, until the opinion of the town was ascertained upon the expediency of establishing a house of industry. After this was settled, they apprehended that the questions concerning the location, the form, the extent of both the lands and buildings, as also of the principles, on which the establishment should be conducted, would be left best to the discretion of a responsible Committee, to be appointed by the town.

With respect to the cost of such an establishment, it is obvious this must depend upon particulars, not at present precisely to be ascertained, such as -- whether the spot, selected for its location, be on land, at present owned by the town, or on land to be purchased; -- in the last case, -- the value of such land, -- and the number of the poor, for which it will be necessary to provide in this institution. On these, and other details, of a very general character, will ultimately depend the expense of any such new establishment.

In the opinion of your Committee, however, the establishment is indispensable, in the actual condition of the pauper relations of the town, and that, in no event, the expense can be such, as to form a reason against commencing it upon some scale, suited to the actual necessity existing, in this respect. The general view and opinions of your Committee, on this subject, are these, -- that measures should be immediately taken to obtain sufficient land for the location of it; -- not less than fifty acres; -- that, in this location, considerations of local benefit, or of small difference of price, should have little, or no influence. The best position for such an establishment should be secured, with a single eye to the permanent interest of the town, and ultimate success of the institution; -- that buildings should then be erected on a plan, sufficiently extensive, to accommodate forthwith, the greatest average of able poor, which are usually tenants of the Alms House every year. This cannot exceed two hundred persons; -- that the plan of the establishment should be such as to be capable of being extended, if hereafter it should be deemed expedient, and so constructed as to separate and provide for the distinct accommodation of the different classes of the poor, whose different claims upon society have herein before been stated.