The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-09-30

moment, to engage in mobbing, and destroy
ing their.property. This has been done In
repeated instances in this place within a
few months past, and nothing but the pres
ence of large military force, amounting
to eight or ten thousand men, in this place
and the suburbs, prevents scene OF de-
structioE and confusion which could not be
calculated. The "esprit de corps" which
influences the movements oflarge bodies of
of the working classes certainly argues no
good. Thousands Of them either as spin
ners or weavers, are sullenly refusing to
work, and allowing their own families and
those of their friends to suffer rather than
accept the terms which are offered by their
employers. These terms are reasonable
considering the state of things here, be-
cause there are thousands still both IN
Scotland and Ireland, and in the adjacent
counties who would gladly accept these
terms, rather than starve where they now
are. You will see numerous accounts In
the English papers of the suferings in all
the manufacturing districts, and especially
in Lancashire. assure you that they do
not tell one half that exists. | have been
informed from very respectable sources,
that within a circuit of thirty miles from
this, in the northern part of the county. at
Colne, Burnley, Blackburn, and some other
places in tina. neighborhooG, there were
many families at this moment actually per-
shing from want, and diseases consequent
upon it. The spirit and energy of the low
er classes in this country are crushed /;
they cannot rouse themselves to an effort
to change their situation; for they have no
place of refuge; they have no land they
can settle on and cultivate. The thousands
of acres, which might be improved in this
country are enclosed as parks and reserves
for the pleasure and pride of their Prelates
and Mobiles. While this general distress
prevails among the lower classes, you see
no generous efforts made by those whom
Heaven has blessed with superiority, to re-
lieve the wants of their suffering country
men. They seem to look on with indiffer-
ence, needless of what may be the result.
cannot but think that unless snme remedy
is provided or some favorable change in
trade takes place to help them, before
many months elapse, they will find that
even a standing army is but feeble bar
rier to the desperation of famished multi
tude.
In looking round for the causes of their
distress, the lower classes assign various
reasons. Some impute it to their Corn
Laws-some to their heavy debt and taxa
ton, and some, believe all operatives, to
labor saving machines. These last are
marked out for destruction, and would not
exist day but for the defence Of the mill
itary. One cannot but draw the contrast
between this state fittings, and that which
exists in our favored land, where every one
can take advantage of the ingenuity of his
neighbor, and no improvements in any of
the arts of life is considered prejudicial to
the interests of any class.
1t needs no spirit of prophecy to predict,
that some change must take place before
long in this country in the relative condi-
tons of tile various orders of society,"
Whether gradually, or by CONFUSION, Time
only can decide-and to him | leave it,
wishing never again to quit the dear soil
of New England, if once more get landed
upon it. remain, yours, etc.