The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-03-26 00:00:00

There are :a certain (1,....4 of writers an! speakers who No one hat looked into the Lail uf it mare than I have..
assert that a tenant farmer hoes, am slick, his r.litica: It ivill, however. s 1111 l etimes hap; in tto.i. it is to this
consequence; that hit imaition AC a C matt voter is mil- ailvantag•a •.1. the Isla:rarer to boy cmram at 1'...• km rim and
hied by his 'serum:tag a conoty rentiox tenant en way J. see it 4rini oil, rather than to hay aar. Ile ii. th :re-
[Arlo estato. I alms this. Ido not ere lit ail the stand., fr-. thankfiil to the ivirt of hi, Wat:',l in corn from him
I hear of landimals C.illllllroy, their k lini•ti t.l v..., 7 ;aster. I therelwe sot no brioiela of 510 t..., hut ratlavr
;widest their eau.saiences. It may he very into Ord il an e terd .a a kiwi:m.4i in such a nous ; but it youlil be
tl'io great anal”rity of wait i, diaints ml a 5tv,,...;1, t ; ..1 dish am,: to or tiii.; as an act of kind:n:44, and this hi
unit their votes ter whom tley know C. mar 1 m.1;o:i!; it in a w.ir wii:cli mails an amine l'radi! omit of it. Vol
are interi.deii. lost al iit many olio. r toat tor i e ,rried have a rigitt to limo fair value of your e arn. Yet ml all
lay cle•dion. el es vote, mil ihreetly to they regal,' til 52.1 it LI your nta only
o m at the market price of the day,
dill
merit of the candidate, bat t a oblige ti dr frUaiiha. It is unless, on a fair, tionsiler:il agreement, valuatary on
it,.., that iii id !audior la wial* I e..;th rosret wa: it . Imtli aialec it I: agreed to li.:y al -ray. iio. • aver, . • ;who.
otherni me. hot ml s:, n:1:. .111.. qua a ri,i. a 4;41,3 i for warp of a curt An av,:...7.., ....111.1u, V. ..... I.; i lalir ,• .

,
iBto:v:4 ufthj I. imtry ur Mi-set tvez ;14
tl 1,-Se:a p or f of itt.iivi.l•llll4,
I beliore, and I buo, &Irmo f.,r, if noy,.lnaidi4,r.l,

_. . . . ..
1 tt .! , ,o 4 411A1.111,... :'.:l 01.. 111 km,: it c.r.:.;.ui.,•c.•
t.) t lit,: f.trnt or tLtiry prwitsoc mai: for o..en
! m.rket. :,t a vataa it call.l illyar f :WA in aly artte.c.4
__.
i %vb.:ever,

- - _
wlaa wand,' try to restelio the freest eeocle, if the
fralcht-e. Now, es to the princielat of duty herein h-
eeler!, ; have see, ev-axionel ill efrect from what maty
eahe I the chaining of tenantry of 1••10 estete.
lodating to:gather, nuOing Ps one Imly, to. in alattuat every
strung suppott, the head out. but I have only sten Mail
in Celle% where neighlasuring landlords may inehnomily
have Lanni on laid harma with each other, ottoman:au, r
eaten any couvieti ~ a , , that it is in Ramie degree 4 sluty
in separtie tenantries, to muiemart. that hanoltonl *here-
ever they conacientiouely ann. I believe It to he Otie Of
the great bombes supparta of our constitution, that
landed property sheath.' have gramt political weight—
that at is most impertankto permanent interests of the
renting occupiers that it Phonild do so. Where sine man
ever genet a VOW from tarty steeling alone, hoer many
thotiaassln, (acting no real party interett, vote to oblige
those uhsae good will they slea.r., to preserve, se far
from Iltiokirg a tenat.t, who hat tio peeving essamiew
theta ha:luta 1.1 the inatter, wroog for votin.c, at the rule
with hit brother tenants, in atipport of the lendlorant
wishes. I think I tint only prudent, but in cvo my
way jintifical. Ile thins strengthen, than 'madam of the
landlord, anal inakem the wet;ht of Ilia kaaa.a.usootta tall en
omestiona toffee :Mg the iltie I kilow it is
is 411 the fan.a. r awl the mandato:tamer Cr' in tim name
boat, and
measure a truth, but there can he tin dolibt but that the
real safety of the State eaaiai,t4 of the life of that igi-
lance, whielt secures to each fair play in the good
gorerninent of all. The plough link the beel the
loom Perchasea. It wanlal be useless to produce, were
there not eutisunirrs with Money to matte the market.
Thu foodenseducing interent, awl that which buys food
bait does not embark capital ii, its production, will
usturally enough atrite the beet bartain tie y can with
each other. The justest bargain will be that which ia
toweled upon bah having alone their best for them-
selvea in the matter. It i.; wise bar inanufacttirera to
laser their " lthemlar uaf r • cc" awl other nietons
of combination, tt h I t It t El —tat .4 ~ . , ..ng _oge..ter -.ley Hay push
in the political field their on a, interest. Is it les i wise
and right for the landed int r.,4,1111Viil rs I,ccupirrs,
to act in ut , i ~,, ti preserve their particular prol erty ?
When M. ant pretty generally sollowed to Make
party their con ;Melte°, I lee, 110 sin in others making
their life-interest their party, and doing what tiny
can for it. I think, thea, that where lie conscienti molly
can, it is rather a duty than otherwise for touoits
to support ' the laitallorls, hut I altogether deity
that tho 'landlord ' in pistil's.' in using any-
thing the least approaching to caampulnien. It
'should he a grateful tribute of respect freely given ; it
cats never bat a right that any man, iai a free land, should
be conscience-I.mnd in a matter in which the law ale
eared him to be free. (timers.) at me now proceed
to regard the duty of the tenant towards those he em-
ploys. I can quite ea inpathise with the difficulties
which beset a farmer employing ninny labourer& The
law of settlement anal other rennet afraid him mall
choice as to who he meat hire. Ile lass a direct
interest in the einployinefat of all who belong to his
parish, for when any are sett of employ, lie Wei through
the poor rate to pay towards their 'support. It is
clear to mo that the iiitelligence so required ill the
labouring class does not develope in proportion to
the demand for it. The largo amount of valuable
stock now kept requiros a great deal of skilled attom-
than. The implemental are moro nuateroun, anal in
their construction munch:idly complicate I to requir,
from Mame entntsted with them • goal deal of laanl
knowlealLaa. The farm: aro ro large, that even with
the Mal of snperintenolin ; foremen, a great deal must
still he left to the dim:retie:l of ordinary lalmurers, :
which requires 4 certain amount of thought, as well AA
mere hand skill. Little buyoud holding plough, aowing
by hand, team management, laaminj, reaping, anal mow- I
ing used to he top/in:it of a labourer ; a great dual re 1
is required now. The farms of uno generation mood be
the school for the neat—the tenant.; of them tho chief
Lechers. That he may make the greatest profit the
farmer lomat Mealy economy in lahour. basing this, he
will soon leant cheap labour to be vary often dearly
bought. liii duty is to aneourage industry anal skill, by
giving to bath their proper plena, making all wl he I
employs see 1114 it is tht ir istterast nu well aa his owe
that they should l. aluallfic,l to earn more by work by I
working better. Minim, will go a low; way to beget
pains-taking z ad in hired labourers. At be 4 their his
is a hard 'struggle ; it snay l,e made one with nothing to
to cheer Owen in it. A kind tonal fooling mast v
will easily itaduce thew to bend to life's burdens, hive
content, to servo to their best, ono who luta sympathy
towards them. A farm may bee ~,,, u as school of evil, as
it may become one of great geed. If the labourer is
only looaked at for his labour ; if your fields, barna,
stables, are open to any licence in word and deed, am
that your work it alone, I hay you do not fulfil yoor duty.
It may form no part of lea-ac or agrecineut that you
should check vice, encourage aleceitcy tonal virtue, but
there are duties natxritten in law which to every
respectable man are, or should be. as binding 113 any
haw. Justly would you complain of your clergy if they
failed to tell the bilaourer aluty ; rementher every
Scala is, lay his example, a preacher. It hecolUe a you,
then, to u,ic your example. your influence to promote
what is good ; boldly to diecourago all that it evil
attempt those who must see so much of you—owe so
much to yuu. Continued employment under ono
anaskr is a very great advantage, and if this is mado
more or leas dependent upon geed general character,
industry, and skill, it becomea not only • powerful
Income; of repremaing evil, bat a very great sual to industry
anal virtue, in that it afford.; that direct encouragement.
FO necessary to develope anal protect them. I 11111 well
aware that farmers ata exposed to a great deal of petty
depredation. I say it is your duty in every hasten,* to
to cheek thaa by all the moans in your puwor, even with
this utmost severity, if necoatary ; at the same time,
you are bound net wantonly to eNllOflO your labourers to
temptation. A great deal of your property must be
only under the protection of the good principles of
those yua employ. Still there is also a great deal to
which you can, by it proper precaution, anal vigihnee,
give every reasonable security. Bear in mind that the
" winking" at trifling mimes 11, in reality, sowing the
weds of great crimes. Many a wait whose stealing a
handful of corn daily was connived at, has ended in steal-
ing sheep or fowls. Lot it be underatood upon your
farms that it is with you a principle of duty never to
connive at anything wrong, and you will thus soon
raise and keep tap an honest tone amongst your Well.
I can quite enter into your difficulties in the
matter. Cestoin hat, alas I oh t sanctioned
certain kinds of petty dishonesty, anal there
are those who now fear to chock it. It may
require seine little moral courage, but (het man is nut
fit to hold up late hood as honeat, in open market, who
from fear or favour, willingly connives at Ilishunesty on
his farm. In whatever way you hire labourers, ever
make the terms of the agreement as clear as possible
to them, anal then justly abide by them. The highest
character I ever heard given of au employer is that 0 be
is a just man, but kind ; will have what is right, but
given it himself." Never make homer a ntere goad to
get work out of jaded men. It may pin something to
the barn on an emergency, but in the end it will produce
habits which degrade the anon, drive then' to the public
house, to be dialioneet to pay their core there. Nevor
suffer any cruelty to the beasts or horses ou your farm.
Not only is it against your own interest in every me,
but it begets a brutal habit in thus amen or boy. If
alloweal to vent an ill-temper on a dumb animal, which
they are too cowardly to show to any of their own kind.
that temper becomes their master—slaves tro it, at last
it leads them to deeds of violence of a serious a liar-
actor. The religious profession of a labourer is his own
choice. If not in aceonlance with your own, or that of
any who may seek your influence in the matter, I hold
it your duty not to interfere. Neither church or chapel
will thrive for god, if these who in heart are with one,
are made by pressure they dare not resist, to attend the
<other. Avoid rodent altercation with your non ; angry
words breed very fast, anal the cross between those, of
an angry master and an angry aervaut produeea a breed
refloctlog no good on either. It has little real weight.
You may be feared becatme you are violent, but the Men
will not respect you. The fear will make them cunning
to conceal error; respect would have made them avoid it.
I moat now say a few tater& on the subject of wage's
As traders in labour it is clear that you ca t be
expected to give more for it than the market price,
that is the price at which yen can fairly obtain it. Ilut
your n.arket is not in reality a fair one. The wan
goon to purchase labour, anal the man who is in
the market to sell, arc alike in a fake position. The
law of setticauent contract the Gehl of the labourer
who has to sell lain labour. It also restricts you to a great
degree ha the choice of your men, for it has made it in
one sense almost general net to employ as litany as you
can of those settled in your own parish. Tito matt
cannot seek • master, or the minter a man, juat where
they like ; except, perhaps, at harvest time, whon menu
men wall go front home for a few week's work. They
are compelled to take wages, far more determined by
custom than by the operation of au.
s fair competition
in the labour market. In fact, it is only where the
hawk are chart in a diatrict. that the Labourer ean
himself make any advance on the lurk%) of his own ,
labour. I have no right ha blame you for it state of •
things over which you haa e no conked I whit both
masters and men were free front Chia restriction.
Until they are, local custom will rule Welje4, anal the
bad man anal the good man must work pretty much
upon tile 1121110 level. Assuming it to be so. I have
only to tweak of your duty undsr this state at thiogs.
I leave spoken of the propriety of your making every
condition of hiring plain at the Mane, anol your just
adherence to such conditions. Jet tne add that if you
hire by measure—by piece-work—thia Collllllet is not
only most proper, but it is your baundeu duty to follow
it up by acting out the contract in a liberal spirit,
taking ware that the men have no reason whet-
ever to complain that any, even tits least ail viiiit„..ges SI as
taken of them. Again. it in 0rt.4., Lite ~,„to,„ to 1,.)
conic part of the wages api kind. As the ntle, anal in
tboory, this is now generally cosaidered a bad plan.

The taesatit fernier de e.% lei his is as i lelava I
he cit the psirchlau of an of r: sr anis-lea: a Well
price. Tim ereeter portiou If te et eblejny whiali has a
hoe fr., time to Cane heal Iti I et t:es al ,er of tha
teimistr.v g .iterell s-, in I of p eyiag the man in
kind, 1.0 ariaen frosts the conduct ..r A me ameng tham,
of whom the majority are asliame I Tille may be
matter of regret. It is to no ne 'atter for nurpr:s s.
Tie. re will, in every pea 10 es ary c liiw, bo mea
who °pat gain losfere jostioe.s.-4 atate fr en
C y awn knewleilge the! whilst I
have known
in years gone by but to, noir c.w.o.', where
maastera have in the I..yinent of laUll LI kinel bew
salty of the groseisat tyraiany and dishonesty, I have
ale, ',mown very many ninstera wit° liars:acted in remit
mesesseut in the mo A lll.vrti ate t kial apirit. Ever hear
in mind the! this Is'nf jeasaieut" is 01,111 to ereat
abuse, imamate:a aa th, libostrer der s not fer 1,1. braal'a
stake eomplain, and seldom is in it. rsition to litel
friends or morel coerage C. represent to
Cm nevem the nature of hia wrenee 'ha, labourer
is far more at the mercy of tho tenant than Hie litter is
at tin mare), of the 'onetime!. Ace.,., would then he
dealt justly with, it 11111. t be your ilai y to eive jistine to
these to whom it is eine. I new 'steed' to the con ,i.lera.
time of the linty of the layette:. The life if a lair serer
is one, to. to speak, from lima Ito mouth. Ilia hand can
hardly ever receive eandiags for which there is not
&Malt I tewerda Imia owe, awl the Lap of those
dependent upon hie,,. Ilia hankie strength, and labour
are his capital, awl thew. hseliaa to levee from one day
ti r, that each use mey had the retina, te
aSur.l hie, the neeenarie • of, et least, is very freed life.
Ile may, meter veer !arum-able eke Lances. Leine in
enestate work, enca enetiels to t a %reels Or two's
or suddeu want f empleyincitt. Ile very
s slilein out ds. name. Ile is aurrountle I with tisinpta-
con • and thihroll,4•A, I aliohut toe Oferll preventel from
al this. Ilia duty is to prudeutly regard, from
time C. time, Ilia rel pesition, i.e., Cm demands %vitiate
are . art .in to be maids of him in his home, awl the
me ON by which be can hope to meet thee,. Econetny
is a tiecensity of his life; hx has sei margin for the
leant waste. Ilia wife, if he is married, ha; the task to
altar° with him of malting the two mule, wages awl ex.
pease, iheat. If be hat children, their support is tot
the only spiestion, lint how, to naa a cottaws expression,
they eau bu " gruwed up." In sptietnesa—to tind the
toed for their uwa isieutlis. A labourer requires
thought at Maine, RS well as thou-'ht and anerey at his
work. It will be his duty diligently to avail himself of
every hmeat means of adding to las store, tearing in
mind that a pentad or thirtv :daillinga in lintel, is not
that mach to spew'. The wear awl tear of el-the,, awl
sloea, the fuel for winter, well the rant—these are all
cartain claimants, though at the time perhapa not im-
mediate wants, they are not only to be watched for,
hut provided for. It is no dishonour to him that he
must often be in nead of makeupe of the bounty lent.
The imor exist that the charity of else rich may hi them
fine life ; hut let him remember that his best and surest
claim on the charitable, will be a cherecter for industrY,
lion--sty, and being a good servatit of tlel and mau. A
clean house, however poorly famished, tily, well-be-
haved children, however poorly clot I tho Ulan and the
wife ~1,-swing to be, if p .or, Mill respected—these are
file real pamperts to sympathy. aud I firmly believe
them are few such fatuities to whom Owl will not
direct it in an hour of need. Never let him throw
away • chance of getting a good plain educa-
tion fur his children, aud let I • take all mere
that the habits of Isis house are in accordance
wish the teaching hi. children get at school. It may
he hard for him le preserve ovary rula we should call
decent, in mir slwellinga ; but the father and mother of
a family under the worst of circtinistinces, con do a
great elmil to blunt the edge of exposure to evil, to pre-
vent bail gutting worse. It has been my lot tosee in many
a wretelwd dwelling efferts made to uphill delicacy,
which however apparently hopeleas to an unpractiasel
eye, ware to me of this great value, that they made evi-
dent the fact, the family acknowledged what was
temeleat anl rlol,t, owl WWI not utterly beaten in the
attee.pt to carry it out: Thu labourer agrees
to give to l,i- tu. star, in return for • certain payment,
a fair day's work from day to day, so long WI their
mutual mageaeinent continues. It is not, however, a
mere matter of time going to work, but it is his Clear
duty to ciercise all necessary skill and exertion on the
particular labour in which he is employed. Ho may
work ever: hour of the day, and yet rub hit feaster, if
lie &to not seek to do has best. A great amount et con-
fidence must be put in him. A honest man will carry
out to tho utmost iu his power all that he is trusted to
perform. A labourer may often allow iejstry to Ids
tat:eater's property, which he could, if so disposed, have
prevented. Now, it moat lIIUCII Ilia duty to protect Ilia
'neater wherever lie ean an it is himself C. do him no
injury. I eennot think that man honest who would
never rob, lainoelf, but who would still tetanal by to sou
oViers rob his master. Perhaps one of the most value-
-1.10 Haines in a labourer is a character for thorough
carefulness. Ile may, like others, be linble to error, ba
the cause • tentionally of damage to his entpleyees
property, lint if he is known at one not prompt to make
excuse, but rather in never Pim:thine from telling the
whole truth, he will he more valued awl respected that.
a man, however skilful, on whom word no dependence
can he placed Again, it is the duty of a labourer to be
teachable. It is not for him to question the propriety
of au order, but to seek at once to understand it, that
tie may diligently execute it. Never lot laisn hesitate
to ask advice, when las feels that he mosls it. It is
letter to annoy even a hasty emulator, by asking the real
meaning of an order, than to set about it only partially
understanding it. There is now a great deal of encourage-
ment given, in the shape of public rewards, for skill in
curtain kneels of farm work. A good labourer will do
well to try and qualify himself to compete with mums
for those prizes. But there are important branches of
labour on the fann in which no master's eye can easily
detect the implication or the neglect of a servant.
Mowing, ',toughie-% hoeing, sheep-shearing, hedging,
thateling—all apoilc at once the skill bestowed upon
then,. Not so the reel amount of care given to the live
amek, the treatment of teams in Wall out of the ateble.
There can be no doubt, but that in these duties a bad
servant can deceive, especially were the teams are
worked and the stock kept some distance fent' the
homestead. Now it is as much the duty of the labeurer
to e hitamelf a valuable servant when Ito cuuld
deceive, al then his value must at once clearly prove
itself. 'Thu 111101 who in all mesons gets his bread by
farm labour is jest the last nn.ii who can be ignorent of
the effect weather Ilaci Upon hi: ineater's interest. Ho
knows well enough that there will be often Olasoll3 when
a large number of men are still taking wages, whose hire
could at the time be dispeuted with, as in reality there
is scarcely anything for them to do. lie also knows
that at times there will be a sudden and very pressing
demand for great extra exertion and prolonged hours of
work on the part of the usual farm staff. Now were it
possible that these ups and downs in the labeurcea life
could he made a matter of sound calculation, there
would be little difficulty in the case, but this cannot be.
All then that can be (10130 is for both sides to try and
act as justly as they can. If the employer, often for
weeks, pays mou wages, who, without loss to himself
lie could for that time discharge, that is their gam for
what hinders work on one farm will generally do so
over • large district. If at other them lie mica thean for
extra work and more of it, without any extra remunera-
tion, it is not a gide to him with which they
can justly quarrel. A real upright labourer,
whilst his family puts a proper value on his services,
will even to far identify himself with hie master's
interest as to be ready in a day of unavoidable trial to
freely give extra wervice, and will find his reward in
doing so, even he obtain it not from his master's grati-
tude at the time. There is nothing inore unworthy of •
labourer of good character than a desire to take his
muter at a disadvantage, because by the hand of Prer
vidence the hardest work has been averted until a
moment when it requires great zeal and great exertion
to save it. To endeavour to make the trial of the
matter a pretext for extorting unwarrantable hire is
thur a-rung. I hear • great steel of the merit of
tong servica with one master. It speaks well for the
servant. but the merit is not all his.. There must hare
been great forbearance on both aisles'. Neither man
nor moiler are ever so perfect that either can say all
the merit of a hang connection Wee all hie Own. It is
the duty of the labourer to do all lie Call to preserve a
diameter for sobriety. The bread of hia children,
his own bread, depends upon his worth and his steady
employment. The hualeuel'a breath is ewe gone.
Whilst he can work, and yet be • drinking man, het is
robbing the mouths at home of that he wickedly
apenals on his own degrading gratification. But the
love of strong drink grows fast s-n the food it obteins :
as it grows, it destroy hien who is its victim ; he
bee sums a man who menet be trusted, a curse to his
hums and a curse to hieirelf. lie lime made drink hie
market, awl Midi too tato the blare of it he has
beenne. Ile hes-eines a blasphemer by it, an idler ;
he had to thieve for it, for he cannot earn all that it
will have. He awakes at list to the conviction he
has drank misery into his house, direaso into Win.
self. None respect Min, few will employ him ; he has
made life a burden because he sought pleasure by the
path of guilty fully. No man becomes a drunkard
all at once. It is a laborious duty to
shun even the least leanine to that love of strong drink,
which none know better than the English labourer, is
the foulest Genie of his clam. A strung, good labourer
has little choke in the companions of his slay's toils.
Ile may he subject to much offunoe daily in all he holds
dear to himself, to those of his children who may work
on the mine farm. It is his duty, if he cannot avoid
that which is evil to the ear and the eye, to take care
that it reaches not te pollute his heart. Let !nal bridle
lis own lip-u, sock to teach his claiblrin to do the same.
It, his clam, tint evil of refinement, which in other
clan--s, hides, if it does not check evil, has little
exiatence. Ills own youneer days have taught him how
ei Ida children singlet 'learn much, too much of this
wurld'a sin. It is his duty to preserve tallow Ins own