Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-06-03

mounted 10 lbs. Tod. In 1906 II came
down TO los. Cd; and in 1903, when it
pleased the government TO retaliate mea-
sures upon the enemy, and to quarrel
with their best customers, 1t was as low
as 6s. al. In 1912, when we pursued
those measures still more closely, it feel!
still further, and was only Gs. Id. In
1916, year of peace, aud while we were
passing from that transition which had
been SO much talked of, IL was IS. 2d. (;
that was in last May and in last January
II reached the fearful point OF depression
of Is. sd. per week, from which, VIII II
certain customary expenses we're deduct
81, Little more than 3s. sd. was left To sup
port human life for seven days.
When lie heard of that unexampled
scene OF human misery, he was tempted
70 ask how il Was possible 10 sustain ex
isicnce under such circunf l!anccs, aud
whether ii was practicable 10 ADMINISTER
charitable aid! To the first question he
received the painful Intelligence, that
those miserable beings could purchase,
with lheii scaiily earnings ~ more than
half q pound of oatmeal a day, which,
mixed with little salt and water, consti-
taed the whole of their iond. IN answer
10 tire second, he was informed, that up
ora calculation of what Mouhi be neceS-
sary 10 afford them only slight nourish-
IIemt, little milk, beer aud meat, in adj
drion To their oatmeal, il appeared thai
no less sum than ~, 0U0i u week would
be requisite To talk OF charity, there
fore, was utterly ont oithe question the
case lay wholly beyond the reach OF phi
vate beueiaction, and, il remcdied at ali,
must hope for remedy frcm other sour
ces.
What was the consequence of such I'M
exampled misery. Those poor wreiclies
were compelled, for their support, to part
piece-meal with the whole of their pro-
perry, from the little furniture CT their
cottages, down TO the clothes which shell
tered them from the weather. They sub
mitted 10 their halfpound OF oatmeal aud
their salt and water, upon calculation,
that If they sat up one hour longer at
their work, they might earn indeed I'D.
more, a half-penny ofwhich would go to
the purchase of candle, anu the penny
would remain for themselves, but then
they would be the less able 10 go through
their labor on the following dav. To
such a frightiill calculation were they re-
duced, treating themselves like mere ma
chimes, and estimating by their physical
powers the utmost possible work which
they could perform. At last, however,
they were compelled to come upon the
parish, for relief. If from those particu-
lars, they assembled to more satisfactory
evidence, they would find, in all that had
happened, nothing but what might be ex-
rected to happen from the general signs
ut the times. First, he would refer to the
great diminution that had taken place in
the consumption of luxurious articles all
over the country. He alluded to u dimi.
mutton III that consumption, as attested
by the undeniable Declaration in the ex-
else and customs during the last year.
lnlIke manneritwould befound, tllatall the
districts which depended upon the mau-
ufacturc Particles ofluxurious consump-
ton, had suffered first The case of
Spltaltieltl was we'll known. The popu-
IaiIon OF that place, after having exhaust
Ell Tie whole OF the poOr's rates, had re-
ceived sum, with the voluntary contri-
buttons of individuals (Which, reflected
The highest honor upon the charitable
and liberal character of The mcfropolis)--
hear. hear equal to the whole rental of
that parish, taken at a rack rent. There
was All instance, indeed, of an estate in
that parish, which paid nearly half its
rent in poor's rates. Even the ordinary
and common luxuries of watches, Showed
tue extent TO which the present difficulty
and distress prevailed. ltappeared, from
what an honorable friend of his had stat
ed, upon former evening, that person
u,
accustomed to- travel IN the watch trade.
aud that he actually visited about two
hundred and thirty towns and cities in
the course of Il year, where he sold at
least six hundred watches. Last wear,
however, making precisely the same cir
cult, and visiting precisely the same pla-
ceS, he sold forty one. Perhaps stron-
ger symptom could not be produced of
what he had asserted, of the great dimi-
mutton IN tile consumption of articles
merely luxurious. Nor was the fact by
any means peculiar to the watcli-inakers
Of Coventry. In Eondon, as appeared
from statement some DAYS since i'm all
the public prints, there were now 5000
jOurneymen matchmakers out of en-
ployment; those who had employment
could earn omly one fourth of what
they were accustomed TO earn, and dur
ing the last month only one-sixth. The
sad persons also had been compelled TO
pledge tools used in their trade, to the
G.ifereBf pawn brokers in the metropolis.
amounting to 1901. There were other
trades in London suffering the same de-
preston, for, il he was not misinformed.
there were at the present moment, at least
$4,000 journeymen taIlors ont Of employ
meH. Another symptom of the present
distress he took TO be, the great discon-
tent excited throughout the country, by
the introduction of new machinery. For
nerly, when any machines were invent
ed, which dispensed with manual labor.
though perhaps partial discomfort might
be produced at first, yet, as the wOrkmen
speedily found other channels of employ
Jnent which absorbed the disengaped no.
pnlatiOn with lis industry, it did not a.
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