Star.
London, England, 1824-06-24 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.

FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF POLITICAL ECO-
NOMISTS.
Ma. EDITOR—My father has frequently stated his
conviction that the world had attained a point in civi-
lization, where an important change in the institutions
of society was equally desirable and inevitable. A prin-
cipal reason for this belief he has, in general terms,
stated to be deducible from the progress of scientific
improvements, and, as it appears to me, with much rea-
son. If the following considerations on this important
subject, which my father's numerous engagements pre-
vent him from explaining to the Public as fully as he
wishes, should place the matter in a novel or striking
point of view before anv of your Readers, I shall have
attained the object which induced me to commit them
to paper.
Let us suppose a country, the inhabitants of which
existed, in tolerable comfort,- by the produce of their
own unassisted labour. to have discovered a nation of
slaves whoexisted in full health and vigour without eating
or drinking, or sleeping ; the end and aim of whose being
was. labour; who would work for any length of time,
even at the most monotonous and disagreeable occu-
pations, without becoming either impatient or far igued ;
who always performed the allotted task with unwearied
punctuality and undeviating steady uniformity and ex-
actness, day by day, and week by week, and year by
year, yet without promise of hire or expectation of re-
ward, whose united efforts produced a gigantic and
overwhelming power, yet one which was never exerted
but in their master's service, and at his command, and
which never injured him in any way but by the effect
of accident only ; amongst whom no combinations
against their master could be formed, no opposition to
his wishes be ever shewn, nor his right of uncontrouled
direction and absolute gove:nment be ever doubted or
questioned ; with whom a touch was sufficient to ex-
press hit wishes, and to insure their fulfilment; for
whom•no treatment was cruel, nor any demands on
their exertions unjust or exorbitant; whose incidental
infirmities could be easily and certainly cured, and
whose bodies, when at last worn out by age and inces-
sant labour, their powers began to fail, might be taken
for any purpose to which the materials which com-
posed them were applicable ; yet, Avitbal, a race sus-
ceptible of infinite and increasing improvement, with-
out incjiniices, and capable of being moulded to any
thara(ner which their master reqnited them to assume.
Suppose, too, that mildoes of these shves could le
imported annually by the nation n hich had discovered
them. Then; let me ask, what would be the effect of such
an imi;o:tation ? Would the discovery, iu itself; he a
fortunate or an unfortunate one ?
I reply, it would be a most fortunate and valuable
discovery in itself; yet capable, uithout a correspond-
ing change in the Institutions of the nation, of pro-
ducing iutinite misery and mischief.
In this way.—The present Institutions of all civilized
nations render each member of the working classes de-
rendent for siu,sistence on the cleman.l in the market
for the articles, in tih, produce of which he may happen
to be employed. Whatever, the:rime, diminishes the
market demand, creates mi,ery in the same proportion.
Now the influence which the importation of such
slaves would produce is two-fold. Those aha employ
the working ciasses, ainl, by their labour, supply the
mat ket, would find theniselve, called upon to ch(u)se
between them and the newly-imported workmen. Cat:
we doubt what the decision must be ? Is not the An-
se er, which they, as men of business, must make to any
of their former servants, who might remonstrate against
a deci)ic:n in favour of the slaves, evident and conclu-
hive: " Can you exist without eating, or drinking, or
sleeping? Will you work without wages, and never ex-
hibit a sign of impatience or fatigue, however long' we
may wish to employ you? Wall yin' never compiain of
cruelty or injustice, in whatever manner you may be
treated? Even then you are ulterior, as work-people, to
this new race. flow can we be assured that you will
form no combinations against us to our injury, that you
s: ill never oppose our wishes, never diseuie our autho-
rity, or question our right of government? flow can,
we be assured, in tine, that you will give up your wishes,
your feelings, your prejudices and your interests, and
become out w iiling slaves as this invaluable nation is ?
If these dillies are so, how can you expect to 11.-.• p:e-
fei red, as workmen, to them? As supetiotendata.s, we
are willing and desirous to employ some of you, but in
any other capacity your labour is now useless to us."
Thins, than, would the new ly-imported slaves become
the 1.4.0: k-people of the nation who impoted them ; :tad
the two-fold influence of their importation would con-
sist, Ist, In a vast increase or market produce, and,
-secondly, In a diminished necessity for the Unita of the
working classes.
Now, certainly, in themselves, these effects are not
calculated to produce much misery. '1 o have too much
of everything that is desirable, find too hale to do in ob-
taining it, if it be a misfortune, is one, at least, of which
the working classes seldom complain, and one which
does not seem necessarily allied to penury and starva-
tion. Yet, assuredly, in countries where the market de-
rtand regulates the employment, and consequently the
food which the labourer can obtain, supetfluity of the
objects of desire, and increased facility in producing
them, do prove positive and lamentable evils.
In a nation, therefore, whose commercial arrange-
ments were similar to ours, the importation of a multi-
tude of slaves, possessed of the qualities I have enu-
merated, would be calculated, by affording extreme fa-
cility of production and inc!easiag its vsealth propor-
tionably, to glut its markets, :lid to deprive its labourers
of employmeet and of food, kcitate they u ete pro-
clueing too much of eve; ythinz.
Now, I believe that u state nj things, in which an in-
crease of wealth creates poverty, and in whizli thefacility
of producing the means of subsistence expooes to alarm-
iron, cannot long continue in any nation.
And this 1 believe to be the present state of things in
Great Britain and Iretand.

Great Britain has discovered an innumerable nation
of mechanical and chemical slaves; and they are bectin•
rung to produce aanost everything she requites. Her
working classes have become superiiilendants of me.
chanism, and her real wealth is increasing to an er.ur-
Ems extent.

It power and wealth constitute prosperity, her scien-
tific discoveries have made her prosperous indeed. But
if the effect of prosperity be to produce comfort and
happiness, then has Great Britain s commercial system
of arrangements (formed in a period of comparative ad-
versity, when an increase of production was the gi eatest
blessing, anl a famine the greatest evil that could be•
fall), nct only deprived her of all the benefits of pro-
;privy, but turned a blessing to a curse, and proved it-
Uf totally unadapted to the present state of knowledge