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Aug. 2, 185L] fflfl * &**&**? 725
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PERSONAL NEWS AND GOSSIP. The Court is s...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Land Of The Labouring Man. Mississip...
an idea of the feelings of the English labourers , who are compelled to toil from day to day , and year to year , under such discouraging circumstances ; how the bright and glowing sensations of young hearts are crushed and blighted by the system in operation , and what crimes are committed in consequence of the evil tempers generated through misfortune . It might have been that , ere this , a higher and better tone should have pervaded the higher ranks of ociety towards the working-man : a tone brought about by the sympathy of feeling from one to another , and by the dissemination of education . But alas , no ; for we plainly see the condition of the labourer becoming worse and worse . It might have been , that those whom chance has placed above being compelled to work , should , out of thankfulness to a Divine Providence for their good fortune , have
assisted to raise labourers from their degraded position . But , alas , no , again ; for appearances would justify the conclusion that the employer is more anxious than ever to drive lower into the abyss of privation those who create his wealth . Although physical force is not resorted to , yet the force of hunger is applied as an incentive , where cheerful pleasure should attend the success of productive industry . The real producer of wealth , in fact , derives nothing but misery in exchange for his work , and he has to view with mortification the golden eared grain waving to the breeze , and to feel the anguish that others reap the blessings he has toiled to produce ; whilst , during a cheerless winter , his soul is harrowed by gazing upon the piled-up fruits of his industry during the time he and his family starve in neglect ! Oh , what a moral is this to those who live amidst the
whirl of fashion , and spend their wealth on the follies of the age ! All of us have the same knowledge of right and wrong—we can suffer no injury to be inflicted upon us without feeling the injustice , nor can we commit a wrong without feelings of shame . It should be remembered by those who are rich , that fortune is but a temporary favour , and that any sudden organic change might make the rich poor , and the poor rich . The Divine precept teaches " that he who will not work , neither shall he eat ; " but , unfortunately , things " at home " seemed to be constituted on a different plan , and man ' s practice and Holy Writ were evidently much at variance ; at least , I must confess things looked to me in that light . I said to myself , " The Creator , in his all-wise providence , in his beneficence and goodness to man , gave
the earth that man might enjoy and reap the latent blessings that lay in its bosom . He never could have intended that individuals should be rich and multitudes poor ; that one class of men should kill themselves by idleness and gluttony , whilst another class of men faded from the earth , worn out by excessive labour and starvation . No , " said I , " God is just to all alike ,- the same breath of life that was breathed into the nostrils of the aristocrat and noble was also breathed into those of the plebeian ; the same suns warms all alike , both rich and poor ; all have the same acute feelings of pain and pleasure , of fear and hope , of happiness and misery ; and it is , therefore , but the mere chance of circumstance which places one man over another , in a pocket or pecuniary point of view ,
' The rank is but the guinea stamp , ^ . The man's the goud for u' tlwit . ' " To the labourers and the working-classes generally I would Hay , as a friend , as one who works for his livelihood , and who has not a sixpence he does not earn , I would Hay— " Are you anxious to better your condition ? " Hut why need I ask such a question ? Of course you are . Not one of you but envies your rich brewers , or your squires , or your merchants , or your superiors as the cant phrase of the world goes . Not one of yon but would like to have a day ' s hunting , shooting , or fishing ; not one of you but would like to sit down at a table well supplied with the substantial necessaries and luxuries of life . Not one of you but would like to hoc your wives happy , your iamilies well fed , your children educated—to
« ee your house a substantial building , the land attached freehold and your own . Not one of you but would like to feel that you had something which would enable you to say , I too am a lord of the Boil And , althoug h money , for its intriimie value , may bo despised , yet there m not one of you but would like to have some of the glittering gold of California in your pockotw when you put on your chapeau to go out ior business or pleasure . But doubtless you Hay , How are Hueh advantages to be gained ? Where fiL ^ ^ ? Wt lu ) 1 HeB » < B » . B" »» . *« r ull thin that you talk ot i > iiow ar 0 we t () livill t , lo ricli Growers , the imperious Tomkins , or Huodgra «» the innkeeper , or tne thouHiiiul ami one knight * of notoriety by whom we are Hurrounded ? We earn but 7 « . or H » . per week , and cannot nave enough for it pipe of tobacco , much le ,. H f ,, llin < i H , i 1 , O 1 IHI , \"
a nose art : certainly very important questions to be asked , and 1 will proceed to answer them . This letter iH written in tho United Stutea of America by o » o who will vouch for the accuracy of his » tate-]» . I lhlH Country there are millions of acres of ma , nn fine UH Hny .. tliat e - cr () w flow ovor > . » rioh bra , ' ' y culllvutcd , with u climate healthy and «« '" K n » your own native hills . Horo labour La
wealth , and it is paid for accordingly . Now , therefore , is your time to take advantage of circumstances . I will give you an illustration by speaking for a time of the State of Illinois . A gentleman there , of the highest respectability and standing , who has 200 acres of land , tells me that now he has grown old , he gets his farm cultivated on the halves system as follows : — He finds implements , seed , horses , and all necessaries , which he supplies to his man ; this man then cultivates the land and then reaps half the crop for his own benefit , the employer getting the other half . In other words , the man is housed , fed , and provided with the requirements on the farm . He merely works , and ,
as a remuneration , is paid with half the crop , inclusive too of the increase of cattle , poultry , & c . Labourers ' wages range from 10 to 15 dollars per month , * with board , lodging , washing , & c , or the average may , perhaps be quoted at 150 dollars a year . Now , there is at this moment room and requirement in this one State for 150 , 000 labourers and as many families , although emigrants are pouring in by thousands from every quarter . At the present time , various lines of railroad are in progress of construction ; a perfect network of lines , will , in fact , be made for the advantage of the farmer , and , of course , labour is necessary for the continuance of the works . Suppose , therefore ,
that labourers came here and got 150 dollars per year each , they could save 100 dollars out of the amount , for that sum eighty acres of Government land could be bought . Next year a similar sum might be saved and two horses bought with it ; a third year , and the labourer would have money to purchase implements , & c , and if he were rather short , he could borrow a trifle to buy timber to build his house . His neighbours would turn in to help him to put his house together , and then he is fairly started . The plough needs but to be driven into the earth , the seed sown , and the crop reaped ; the labourer commences to make his fortune . He can
work as much , or as little , as he pleases . If he has a family , they are well educated nearly gratuitously ; he can hunt , sport , fish , and be as happy as any prince in the land . I will speak a little further of Illinois . It is 382 miles long , and contains 57 , 900 square miles , or 37 , 056 , 000 acres . In 1810 , the population was 12 , 282 ; in 1820 , 55 , 211 ; in 1830 , 157 , 000 ; and at the present time it has a population of 853 , 059 whites , and a free coloured population of 5239 . Here is a progress for you in the short space of time alluded to ; and yet , if you cast out the sum , you will see how very small the number of people to the number of acres . Mechanics , as well as labourers of
every kind , are wanted . Nobody need despair of employment . I could give you a full and accurate description of this and the adjoining state , but I shall not have time in this letter . The staple productions of Illinois are Indian corn , wheat , and other grain ; Irish and sweet potatoes , beef , pork , horses , cattle , & c . Wine can be made . Cotton , too , for coarse purposes can be raised , as also hemp , flax , & c . Apples , peaches , plums , pears , cherries , grapes , gooseberries , and currants arrive at great perfection . The wild fruits consist of grapes , plums , cherries , gooseberries , mulberries , blackberries , persimons ( a delightful fruit ) , rasps and strawberries . The wild animals are deer , a few brown bears , wolves , foxes , racoons , squirrels , opossums , rabbits , turkey ** ,
& c . Horses , cattle , and hogs are raised with the greatest ease , and can be fed on the large waste lands . A few dolluis will purchase swine ; and in a little time the farmer has a largo stock around him fed on waste . He can slaughter and sell them in the various markets to great advantage , or salt and send the pork to New Orleans or other places . His hides , tallow , butter , cheese , & c , he can always easily sell . Wild and tame fowls can be had in abundance ; honey , wild and from domesticated bees , can be accured in large quantities ; there in a ready sale for it , as well as for the bees' wax . Minerals of various characters abound in every direction , but more on thin head will soon bo known , as a geological survey in about to be made throughout Wisconsin and IlUnoiH . Castor oil
from the Palma Christi , is also made . Towns have sprung up in « ll directions , and milln of both steam and water power are in operation . Education 1 a carefully attended to in nearly all parts of the United ? StatOH . In the backwoods of . Louisiana about three months since , 1 wan offered thirty-iive dollars per month and board , & c , to teach twenty-live boyH , but my occupation and cultivation led me to other duties . This will hIiow you how anxious the people are for education , and theGovernmentalwayHprovid ^ H public , land to pay the schoolmasters and teachnrH .
llcre , then , are u few of the advantages to emigrants offered in one mate . Wmeonmn , Iowa , tho territory of MimuHutu , and other places , havo equally great induceinentH . 1 ' or the Hake then of yourselves and your fumilicH , remain no longer in your present condition . Hy October next , 1 am informed the best part oi WiHConnin will be nurveyed and brought , into tho market . The land there will bo cheap , ho that you may get whatever advantage may arise from nuch a flale by yoUr ttgontH or otherwi . se . When goud land ih ollored for « ale , it oHen happeim that connmnieu purchase m large quantities , and then it . is retailed in que « t l > riOOU " ThiB " Uiy b ° tUe > ™ with the land
What I propose is , that you should form yourselyes ^ into societies , so as to secure united action . This is most important , because you will then be able to fill a ship by yourselves , and thus keep out of the company of the diseased and filthy emigrants who come to this country to die in the large cities where they land . I assure you it is awful to witness the scenes that at times are enacted ; and as I came as one of yourselves—an emigrant—I know what I suffered . I have seen the Irish taken to the hospitals by scores , and I have seen the vermin creeping upon them in a most disgusting manner . This is what you have to avoid if you value your lives and comfort . This is what you can avoid by united action .
In every town and village you should assemble , appoint your officers , and begin to scrape together the money somehow or other . Those who have £ 100 or £ 200 will find it to their advantage to pay the passage money of labourers , and philanthropists cannot better bestow their generosity than by aiding the industrious . I should judge that £ 5 or £ 6 per head would clear emigrants from Liverpool to Wisconsin ; though of course I cannot tell what the prices may now be for a passage across the Atlantic . As next spring will be soon enough now to arrive here , I will send you all particulars that may be necessary , with full instructions as to how to make yourselves more comfortable on the passage , & c . ; that is , if you determine to come in collected bodies .
Whatever you determine , I am willing to assist you in so far as I am able , my object being to do what I can for you to save your money and keep you out of difficulty . I know that it will go hard with some to break asunder the ties of home and their native land . I have felt what that was ; but you have to determine between two things—one to leave the country where you have no hope but to linger along from year to year without prospect of advancement ,, without proper remuneration for your toils , perhaps without being above half supplied with food and clothes :
the other , by bold , manly , and decisive conduct to come over here , where you will have everything that , as a moderate man , you can wish for . The drunkard and idler may stay at home . They are not wanted . Do not admit them amongst you , unless they reform . The steady men are the sort of people for emigrants ; those who are married , those who have large families . A family here is a fortune . And ye daughters , who have grown past the sweet nineteen ; ye who are fast advancing to the state of , what shall I say ? old maids —well , be it so , these can have husbands and
happiness yet . So , " Come over the sea , " with your brothers , and relatives , and friends , and help to keep tidy the houses of the farmers of the North-west . You shall hear more from me on some future occasion , and , meanwhile , believe me yours , J . J . Mabdison .
Aug. 2, 185l] Fflfl * &**&**? 725
Aug . 2 , 185 L ] fflfl * &**&**? 725
Personal News And Gossip. The Court Is S...
PERSONAL NEWS AND GOSSIP . The Court is still at the Isle of Wight , enjoying a little repose not before it was needed , after ttie fatigues of this tremendous London season . Good gossip rumour tells a pretty story , showing how the example which Queen Victoria haa shown her aristocratic subjects in May Fair , of punctually paying her bills , has produced a wonderful effect ; and the same authority asserts , what every west-end tradesman will be glad to verify , that it " is now considered an evidence of the highest ton to follow the example of the Court in putting an end to the Hystem of indefinite accounts ; and ho desirous are the aristocracy to second the wishes of her Majesty in thia repect , that in many of the establishments of the nobility ami gentry similar directions are given . "
Ihc Duchess of Kent returned to Frogmore from Ot > - borne House on Wednesday . Lord John lluwsell left town for the Isle of Wijrht on Thursday . . Karl Nelson laid the first Htonc of the new church of St . Mathias , Stoke Newington , on Thur . sday , with much ceremony and suitable . solemnities , religions and festive . Lord Blomfield , our Minister at Berlin , was presented to the Queen by Mr . Manteuffel on the 21 th . Lord Cowley , the British Ambassador , left Frankfort on the Ii 2 nd , lor London . He has promised to return to his post in about four weeks . Sir ( Jcorge Grey 1 ms offered a reward of £ 100 for the conviction of the men who invaded Mr . Farr ' u brickfield at ILusholme .
llie report that Cardinal Wiseman wua Koi"K to Limerick , though emanating from a respectable authority , is without foundation . Cardinal Wiseman haa not . left town . The Morning Herald states that , tho llcvcrrnd VV . llutohiKNon , of tho parish of St .. Kudellion , near VVuclobiidge , Cornwall , in the diocese of Kxeler , linn it-liaquinhed the Piotentunt for tin : Roman Catholic faith . The Limerick Chronicle announces t . hut . { Sir Wie Do Vere , liurt ., and Lady Ue Vere , of C ' urratfh CliaKC , in this county , have embraced the Komau Catholic religion . Mr . ( jI luritJtoiw ' H Letters to Lord Aberdeen Imve been published in the / Uson / itntmCo of Turin ; a notice of them also appeared in tho Deiitsc . he Alijemeine Xtutitnt / , a Leip & ic journal , whioh wan iuHtuully urized uiuf oonUMcated by the , police .
It i « rumoured in ISoiutmy that iSir Laurence Peel will retire in next cold Heanon , and that he will ho Hiicceedud uh chief juotico by tfir J . Oulvillc . 31
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 2, 1851, page 9, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_02081851/page/9/
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