The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-11-18 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES

Sir,—Again I take up the thread of this subject, and will
endeavour, not only to substantiate what I have already
asserted, but further to elucidate that hateful system of
slavery which is carried on to such an alarming extent in
our town. Where an evil exists, I khow of no other
remedy more effectual in eradicating that evil, than by
exposing it through the public press; and I must thank
you, sir, for allowing me so much space in your valuable
columns.

Some tradesmen may argue thus—if yon get your goo.ls
cheap, what does it concern you, or anybody else, how
and by whom they are manufactured ? I answer, it does
concern us. What ! when we know that there are thou_
sands of our fellow creatures, " Pariahs of modern society,"

our own flesh and blood, are compelled to eat the bread of
sorrow and afflictjon, I say we have a right, as Christians,
to interfere, and demand that justice which they are in
every way entitled to.

NOw, sir, the like complaints of slavish toil may be
made against several branches of trade. Tailors, haber-
dashers, hosiers, glovers, hatters, linen-drapers, silk
mercors, and a host of others, proceed more or less on a
similar principle. There are many exceptions I willingly
admit ; but, nevertheless, I am dealing with facts. We
will take the first on the list, and deal with this par
titular branch of business. Is there no slavery connected
with this trade ? How are the working classes employed
in this line remunerated for their day's toil by the pro-
prietors of some of our immense establishments ? Must I
answer the question ? Yes, it is soon explained. Trow-
sers made at 12s. per dozen ! vests at 6s. per dozen ! and
other garments in proportion, according to style and
workmanship. Can this statement be denied ? I do not
say this scale of charges is always adopted—as I said
before, there are many exceptions.
How often do we hear such an expression as this made
use of by those equipped in fashionable clothing_" What
a splendid coat that is I " or " What a handsome vest you
have on ! " But does it never occur to those so arrayed in
"purple and fine linen," who are the fabricators of the
plumage in which they appear ? Does it never enter their
imagination, what misery; privation, and sufferings, have
to be endured by those toil-worn fingers, ere taste and

fashion can be satiated ? Does the thought never strike

them. that these poor creatures also are occupants of the
garret and the cellar, in the veriest tumble-down houses in
our streets, with scarcely a table, a chair, or article of furni-
ture of any description, and lacking comforts of every kinds?
Let us step in quietly among them. Look at them there,
huddled together in that loathsome apartment. What a sor-
rowing sight do we witness 1 There you will find in damp
corners, some lying on straw pallets, writhing under the
effects of sickness, or, perhaps, in the last stage of a malig-
nant fever, with the very clothes they are entrusted with to
make, often used as a covering to shield them from the
cold. Others, plying the constant needle—stitch ! stitch I
stitch 1 with misery and suffering depicted on their brow,
and no reprieve from that wearisome toil. There you
hear the hollow cough, and see the hectic cheeks. There,
before you, are to be seen, with bare mud-be-Brimmed
feet, men (lean apparitions of such) with ragged shirts,
and women with tattered shawls, and dishevelled hair
hanging over faces ploughed deep with care and trouble.
Faint and weak with hunger, to them the long, wretched,
gloomy, murky days seem never to have an end. Oh, how
wearily pass times' leaden footsteps, and how agonising
must be such a struggle for life as this I The sad reality,
I say, is enough to make one turn shudderinglv away. Is
Lazarus to sit for ever at the gate of Dives ? Blessed
sleep I short as it my be, torture not those troubled hearts
with mocking dreams. for grey morning dawn will soon
return, bringing with it the same toil over and over
again—work, work, work.

It woulfl be difficult, though I have endeavoured to
describe accurately what may be seen, to convey the
faintest idea of the impression which is produced by this
terrible mockery of existence—this life in death, if I may
so speak. Some may ask, why frequent such scenes as
these ? But you must visit such places, if you want to
convince yourself of existing evils. You must see .and
know all this before you can form the least conception of
the great magnitude of this crime; for it is a crime, and a
very great one too. Let some members of our Health
Committee visit these dense and they cannot, for a moment,
be surprised at disease *in all its fearful and varied forms,
breaking out in the alleys and narrow confined streets of
our town. Are there no steps to be taken ? Is there no
antidote to alleviate the sufferings and heart-rending
distresses of this class of people? How must I argue this
great question ? How must I handle,this great and fearful
abuse ? Sir, can you not assist me, with your all-powerful
aid, to put down this abominable, demoralising, soul-
destroying, health.destroying, grinding system—slavery ?
Yes, slavery.. what else can you call it ? It is most fearful
to reflect upon.
But let us leave this side of the picture, and examine
the other. How are the employers occupied all this time ?
These cormorants, if I may he allowed the term, are, as
a matter of course, to be found behind the counters of
their imposing establishments, in the midst of their broad
cloth, shoddy, and fustian; or in the fitting,-room, trying
on coats, pants, and vests to the well dressed of our town,
at the same time reaping a rich harvest at the expense of
these pitiable over-worked creatures. One man's afflu-
ence, it should be remembered, often involves another
man's misery and toil. "If a master will ride, his servant
must be made to drive."

This is a hard and cruel case with a numerous class ofour
common working people—spending, as is frequently the
ease, their seven days alike in work, work, work, amid
intellectual darkness and moral nint. It is not my wont
to meddle in trade matters, blit seeing these abuses
carried on to.such an overwhelming extent, where a very-
numerous portion of the indigent population is concerned.
I am only performing a duty in making them, as far as I
can, generally known. Here I must conclude for the
Dresent,_as I fear I am trespassing too much on your

pace —Yours, &c.,
Jilverpool, Nov. 14, 1856

VER ITA 9

TO THE r'ETTOR Or THE NORTHERN TIMES.

Sir,—The true, but repnlsive fact brought into your
columns by your correspondent " Veritas," in relation to
the toil and drudgery continually going on around us,
ought not to be permitted to pass without originating or
strengthening some means, by which the wrongs of the
oppressed may be alleviated, and the oppressors deprived
of their power.
The natural order of society requiring that part must
toil to support themselves by furnishing the necessities
and superfluities of others ; it would be foolish to argue
that an equality ought to subsist, and that the different
positions of master and servant ought to be abolished, and
a level maintained. This is neither necessary nor possible ;
but, in the nlace of the master and servant being equal,
a. superiority and power ought not to be usurped by the
one appointed to rule, producing what your correspondent
aptly terms slavery. The power of rendering the life of a
servant, workman, or assistant to a succession of toil and
drudgery, ought not to be vested in the hands of any
individual whose pride may cause, or whose avarice may
require, such a contradiction of all principles suggested by
justice and humanity.

But it is not only in the workrooms of shops, the garrets
of artisans, or under the taskmasters without consciences
or feelings, in accordance with their outward form, that
slavery is exacted ; but in priyate life, out of sight
of the eyes of any except the oppressors, and those by
whom they are surrounded, the powers and natures of
multitudesl whose hard fortunes have consigned them
to the tender mercies of beings, whose feelings —if
they ever possessed any are blunted, and whose
requirements are great and only equalled by their avarice.
What numbers of domestic servants are toiling from
before day-break to midnight, their strongth and endu-
rance taxed to the utmost, their necessities furnished in
the smallest possible quantities, and their :remuneration
of the most trifling character ! How many hard worked
and exhausted drudges lie down to the short slumber
granted to them, their bodies aching, their feelings
desolated ! Around, on every side, they are to be found in
the houses of those who, in the eyes of the world, pass for
good masters and liberal men—men who place their names
upon a subscription list for some out of the way but
pbpular scheme, who frequent places of amusement, and
enjoy themselves; but whe, for the sake of the miserable
economy of saving some small amount in their house-
keeping, consign those who are unhappy enough to be
under them to continual hardship and misery. Ought
such conduct to be permitted? Justice says "No," and
the feelings of every true heart re-echo the answer.
The subject only requires agitation, and " Veritas " may,
at some future time, be thanked by thousands fqr their
release from the slavery which now weigh so heavily upon
them. Yours; &c., MYREA.

The Queen of England having expressed the intention of
presenting a commemorative medal to the French troops who
formed part of the expeditionary corps in the Baltic, the
Minister of War has published a notice calling on all those
who took part in that expedition to send in before the 30th
inst. their claims, supported by proper certificates, to the
general Commanding the division.
A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SEA SERPENT.—III the absence
of any recent appearance of the great sea serpent, the
Trieste Lloyd informs its readers of the existence of a new
monster in the island of Samos, blessed with a most vora-
cious nocturnal appetite, and endangering the safety of all
the iflocks and herds on the island, as their carcases are
consumed during the night, and their well-picked Skeletons
are all that is found of them in the morning. Even the
mu'es and dogs disappear in the same mysterious manner.
The above journal says rather naively, " The monster may
be a lion or a panther, but no one is able to say which, as it
has not yet been seen, nor its hiding place discovered." As
it must have crossed the sea to visit their island, the
Samiots believe it to be some unknown gigantic amphibious
animal. A general turn.out of the inhabitants is being
offeredurgan up to sed for athpearticular day, pending which prayers are
churches, and re
lig-Pious
ana°4'
processions take place in every
the ravages parish to stopor Holy Virgin, in all the
of this voracious but inysiible
monster,