The Sun.
London, England, 1824-04-01 00:00:00

ADDRESS TO THE INHABITANTS.

It was eight years on the first ofJanuarylttWeince---the Insti-
tution, in which lam now speaking, was opened. I then in-
formed you what were my intentions in erecting this building
at an expence of 6,0001., an unusual expenditure for an appen-
dage so new to a Cotton Mill Establishment. I told you that
it was formed with a view,
Ist. To improve the condition of the inhabitants of that
village.
2dly. To promote the welfare and advantage of the neigh-
bourhood.
3dly. To set an example, by which extensive amelioration
might be effected throughout the British Dominions.
And lastly : To assist in opening the road to the gradual im-
provement of every nation throughout the world.
These important objects have been already promoted to a
greater extent than I had anticipated.
There are but few of those hero present, who know
what the general situation of the working classes over
the kingdom has been during the greater part of these eight
years • or who are at all acquainted with the actual state in
which exist at present. You do not know, that in very many
situations, the working classes were only partially employed,
and paid for that partialemployment
and that many of them have
upon extreme poverty. You do
have experienced for years past all
at very reduced wages
the
miseries and evils attend :
not know, that, in other situations, where employment could be
procured with tolerable facility, and where the wages were not
reduced, the work people are still surrounded with every sort
of temptation to spend the wages they earn, and the time which
is at their own disposal in intemperance and excess ; that little
or no instruction is provided for their children, who acquire day
by day, only the ignorant and vicious habits of the streets. You
do not know, in short, in what a wretched state of immorality and
discomfort many of your fellow creatures, in similar situations to
those you now occupy, have existed and still continue to exist,
both in Great Britain and Ireland. In some counties in the lat-
ter Island, the work people are at this moment begging and
importuning for employment, for which the men are paid
from bid. to 7(1. a-day, and the women about 341. a-day ; and
even tat employment they are often utterly unable to pro-
cure.° You cannot know all this, because you have had no
opportunity of witnessing it youselves—of seeing the squalid,
unhealthy appearance, and riotous and indecent behaviour of
the inhabitants of many of the manufacturing districts—of
hearing the low and degrading language, and the ignorant
and debasing ideas, which the youngest children learn from
their older companions ; and sometimes even from their parents
themselves. Nor have you ever seen an Irish hovel, where
hogs and poultry and human beings live together indiscrimi-
nately, all sharing the same fare, which is sometimes nothing
more than cold potatoes, because they cannot afford to light a
fire to boil them, oftener than once in two or three days. And
therefore you 'have not the means of discovering, how com-
hletely you hare been protected from most of these evils, and
ow regularly your prosperity has been advanced year by year.
But this is not all. You yourselves, when you were young, did
not receive such an education as your children are now receiving.
And therefore you have not the means of ascertaining how good
an education it is. If you were taught reading, writing, and ac-
counts, your education was considered to be completed. And, in-
deed, if it had been my intention, that your children should remain
in the ignorant and servile condition in which the children of the
working classes generally are, I should have agreed with those
individuals in opinion, who say that a knowledge of reading,
writing and accounts is enough and too much to give them ;
and I should have gone on in the old way, and saved myself
the expence, which has been incurred, and the trouble and dif-
ficulties which have been encountered.—But this was not my
intention. It appeared to me, that a great amelioration in the
iste ofthese
condition of the working classes could be effected and I made
a complete alteration in the education of your children, that
they might be the sooner enabled to reap the benefit of the
projected improvement.—One who has learned to read and to
write, but who lnows:ia not makesi.eaeverythonwtoword, or proper
w u
re
w
acquirements,
i: in he ...Omxi for every useful practical purpose,
letter.as ignorant as a
, He has, after much labour, got possession of very excellent
tools, which lie cannot use. They will be of no
to him than a carpenter's tools would be to a man who had e se=
I even handled an axe or a saw. And therefore, besides reading and
writing, your children have been taught real knowledge—a know-
ledge of the most important facts, so as to enable them to discover
what the world was, what it is, and what it contains; what men
were, what they are, and what they may be. I gave your children
this knowledge, that they might become independent, acquire
the character of men and of rational beings, and that they might
know how to conduct themselves well in all respects in every
situation ; and be fitted to take a part in and to enjoy a state of
society very superior to that in which you have been accustom-
ed to live.
24. This establishment has benefited the surrounding dis-
trict by the annual expenditure of large sums of money in the
purchase of agricultural and other produce, and by giving em-
ployment to the neighbourhood ; but more especially through
the example afforded by your general good conduct and by the
superior behaviour of your children, even to the youngest of
them, who now treat each other in so kind and friendly a man-
ner, that strangers might easily mistake them for children of
the same family, trained to have a sincere affection for each
other.
idly. This Establishment has also effected some more public
ameliorations.
It was to attain this end, that for several years past I have
received here all strangers, who wished to inspect our arrange-
ments. These, however, are now very generally known, as
well as they can be learned by a hasty visit; and it is my in-
tention no longer indiscriminately to admit those who visit this
Establishment from motives of mere passing curiosity. At
the same time, I do not mean to exclude any individuals, who
are really interested in education, and in the general and per-
manent improvement of the human race. I wished, too, that
the example set by this Establishment should tend to introduce
a beneficial change in the general condition of the operatives of
Great Britain, and their ahildren. And an Act of Parliament
has been obtained, which makes it illegal to employ children
under 16 years of age, in Cotton Mills, for more than 12 hours
per day, and to prevent their admission to such employment
until they are 9 years of age. There is one stop gained for the
cause of humanity, but it is only one—only a very slight im-
provement. Children of 9 years of age ought never to be so
employed for 19 hours a day. It is a direct injury to them-
selves, to their parents, and to society. It is my wish to prevent
children, under 12 years of age being employed in any flax,
woollen, cotton, or other similar mill, to limit the hours of
working in all of them to ten hours and a half per day, the
time which for many years you have been employed ; and to
ensure a really good education to all the children. I hope the
time is not far distant, when these obvious improvements will
be willingly acceded by all the Master Manufactures and by
the Government. And it is in this manner I anticipate the at-
tainment of a great and extensive amelioration in the condition
of the working classes throughout the British Dominions.
Those who have seen the various changes which have been ef-
fected in this village during the last twenty-four years, might
easy discover the principle upon which I have uniformly
acted. I have repeatedly stated to you what this prin-
ciple is : I have published it in various forms : I have re-
commended its application by the Government; and I con-
sider it to be the most valuable principle in the world.
I shall state it to you again, and you cannot devote too
much time and attention in endeavouring to understand it, and
to act upon it.—This invaluable principle is : " That the true
and only mode by which it is possible substantially and perma-
nently to improve the condition of men, is by removing those
circumstances which are always found to make men bad and
miserable, and putting those circumstances in their place, which
are always found to make men good and happy. '—When I
speak of circumstances, I mean whatever you see, or feel, or
know to exist around you. For instance a public house is an
unfavourable circumstance : it never makes people more sober
or industrious than they were before they entered it ; and it
often has the very contrary effect. Any other temptation to
become intoxicated is an unfavourable circumstance : Intoxica-
tion never makes a man healthy, but always produces disease.
Very long hours of labour is an unfavourable circumstance : it
hurts the constitution, injures the spirit, and sours the temper.
Livin gin dirty,disorderly houses is an unfavourable circumstance:
it creates disease, makes us disagreeable to ourselves and to others,
and often drives a man from his own family and home. Purchasing
what you require of bad qualityat high prices and at long cred it,is an
unfhvourable circumstance : it injures the health, brings a family
into debt, and makes them careless about their independence
and their honesty. Bad example of any kind set to children is
a very unfavourable circumstance for them ; for children con-
tinually imitate what they see and hear, be it good or bad.
On. the other hand, healthy moderate employment is a favour.
able circumstance ; a man cannot be active, or satisfied, or
happy without it. An opportunity of spending your money in
a useful and profitable way, without running into debt, by ex-
ceeding your income, is a favourable circumstance : it makes a
family respectable and respected. The daily means of inno-:
cent enjoyment is a favourable circumstance : it makes men
prefer innocent enjoyment to improper excess ; it niakes them

• Sea Report of the Select Committee on the employment of
the poor in Ireland.

like their situations and be anxious to retain them, satisfied
with themselves and with all around them. Seeing perfect
order and cleanliness wherever you go, is a favourable circum-
stance : it creates order regularity in the mind ; it makes us
agreeable to ourselves and to others. Seeing good ex-
ample set them wherever they go, is a very favourable
circumstance for children; it will insensibly but certainly
give them good habits and good dispositions, and will make
them a pleasure to their parents and to all who know them.
Education is the most powerful circumstance in the world. It
may be made the best and it may be made the worst circum-
stance which we meet with in our lives. It may be made to
create a character so profligate, ignorant, and bigotted, that
it will be extremely difficult afterwards to change it for the
better. It may be made to create so excellent and noble a
character, as will act well under almost any circumstances that
may afterwards arise. This is the reason why I have not pur-
sued the same measures that others have done in similar situa-
tions—why I did not waste your time and mine in blaming
you, and uselessly expend your money and mine in punishing
you for the evils which these fatal circumstances had so strongly
tempted you to bring upon yourselves, and for becoming such
characters as these unhappy circumstances were well calculated
to produce in you and your children. This is the reason why
I conceived it to be a wiser course to consider the character of
all the circumstances which had been allowed to exist around
you, and, without regard to the expence or trouble, or to
the prejudices of any party, to withdraw from among you
such of these circumstances as were producing the greatest
moral and physical evils, and why I replaced these pernicious
circumstances by others, purposely devised to aid you in ac-
quiring better moral feelings, more sober and cleanly habits,
and more healthy and active and cheerful dispositions. This
is the reason why I have spared neither time nor trouble nor
money in the education of your children. If I had given each
of them a large fortune in imaney, it would probably have made
them miserable; but 1 knew that by giving each of them a for-
tune iii habits, dispositions and knowledge, very uncommon
for their age and station, I was giving them that which must of
neceesity increase their happiness,—that which nothing but a
good education could ever have procured for them. This
is the reason why I am so very anxious to make your chil-
dren, while they are yet young, the best, the wisest and hap-
piest children in the world. This can be done • and it depends,
in some measure, upon you, whether they shall become so or
not. Your education was not so good as theirs is now.
And it is much more easy to acquire valuable ideas and habits
in early youth, than at • more advanced period. Still you
ought, for your own sakes, and for the sake of your children,
to endeavour to acquire that knowledge which can alone raise
man from the lowest to the highest situation, and fit him to
enjoy any, even the most superior society. Many unfavoura-
ble circumstances still exist around you, and I cannot improve
your condition and that of your children more effectually, than
by removing such of these as are within my power. It was an
unfavourable circumstance for you, that you had no opportu-
nity of acquiring the valuable and interesting information which
is at present given to your children. In order to give you an
opportunity of doing so now, and of releaving yourself from the
ignorance to which your situation has almost necessarily sub-
jected you, the library and lecture room shall be opened for the
older as well as the younger part of the population ; and in a
short timeyou will have lectures on the most useful subjects de-
livered to you twice in a week. You do not know how very im-
portant and necessary it is for you to apply an hour and a half
each evening, after your work in the mills ceases, to your mental
improvement. You have never yet had an opportunity of
discovering how very much you have still to learn, in order
that your children may find instruction and advantage in your
society, and that you may become rational companions to one
another. It is an unfavourable circumstance for your children,
that, after they have begun to understand what they have to
learn, and begun to take pleasure in learning it, they are, at
ten years of age, taken from the schools at once, and employed
in the Mills for ten hours and a half per day. Such a change
at so early an age, however cleanly and well-ventilated your
work-rooms are kept, is most injurious for children ; they can-
not support it without injury to their constitutions, and to their
animal spirits and cheerfulness. Nor can they, at that age,
apply to their studies after their work is completed, so as to
derive any material advantage from them. Now, a robust con-
stitution, a good education, good spirits, and a cheerful temper,
are the stock in trade of the working classes. This is the
greatest fortune you can leave your children ; they are rich
if' they have it, and poor indeed if they have it not. I am
exceedingly desirous that your children should acquire this
invaluable stock in trade. They cannot acquire it at pre-
sent ; yet till they are enabled to do so, every other advantage
they may gain, is comparatively trifling. I propose, therefore,
in order to remedy this most serious evil with the least incon-
venience to yourselves, that your children shall be employed in
the mills only half the day, until they are twelve years of age,
after which they may be employed their full time if you desire
it. And if any of you cannot affbrd to allow your children this
advantage from ten years of age, they shall be permitted to
commence this half time at any period after they shall have
completed their ninth year. At the same time, I strongly ad-
vise you not to allow your children to work even this half time
till they are ten years of age, if you can possibly avoid
it. If I had merely exhorted your children to more atten-
tion in the evening school, and blamed and punished them, if
they made not the same progress after their work was com-
pleted, as they had formerly done in the day school—or if I
had merely condemned the unbending and joyless national
fvai vnogutrhaebilre
ecir-
cumstance character, which the circumstances existing in this country too
often form in its inhabitants—l should have expected little or
my
yd
nogdconduct u
cc
to
stillresruelmt
afirnoemd,
ititldtrhene unfavourable
cation broken off at the most interesting and important period,
were deprived of the power of acquiring either the know-
ledge, or the robust constitution, or the cheerfulness, which it
is both your interest and theirs that they should acquire. But
you see that I have not done this. I have begun by removing
the unfavourable circumstance itself, in as far as I could effect
this without much inconvenience to you in your present situa-
tions; and having done so, I do expect that the health and
spirits of the children, their progress in the most useful branches
of education, and ultimately your own pecuniary interests will
be really and materially advanced by the change. It shall thus
effect, by judicious arrangment, what with blame and punish-
ment I should never have attained. The lectures which I in-
tend for yourselves, shall be given to you first upon the out-
lines of general knowledge, that your minds may be properly
prepared to understand others, which shall afterwards be de-
livered to you on geography, natural history, mechanics, che-
mistry, mineralogy, botany, domestic economy, manufactures,
commerce and general history. The library will be ready for
your use on Monday the Bth of March ; and it will afterwards be
opened every evening, half an hour after your operations in the
mills cease for the day, except on 'Wednesday, and on those
evenings when lectures shall be given. I have to request, that
those who with to make use of the Library, and those who de-
sire to attend the lectures, will
.give in their names in the course
of to-morrow to their respective superintendents in the mills,
mechanical department, store and schools ; that they may be
accommodated without confusion or disorder, and with the least
inconvenience to themselves, and the parties who are to super-
intend these new arrangements. The Library will not be
opened on Wednesday evenings, in order to give those indivi-
duals,
lecture room for religious exercises.
who may wish it, an opportunity of assembling in the