Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1829-09-02

nav threaten itwith the smallest danger
constantly appeal to these feelings, IN sup
mort of any side they chance to esPouse
THey have relied upon the strength 0. th'
affection, for their success in binding the
Judgment. In this way, commerce, the
fine arts, large cities, luxury, 4 navy,
founded debt, a regular military force, ant
Incorporated companies, have all been
successiyely assailed. But indeed, wha
measure of policy can be named, however
remedial, or palliative, or even positively
benefcent its character, in which some OF
these vigilant guardians of the public wei
fare have not discovered danger to rePub
Jican institutions? Ifthey can then, "snufl
the approach of tyranny in every breeze, ,
whether it is tainted" or not, it is not at
all surprising that manufactures share IN
the common denunclations. But, as this
string, howeverrudely touched, never fails
10 produce correspondent vibrations IN ma
nv an honest bosom, the objection must
not be passed by. 1t shall be met and an
swered.
So far as this objection is founded on
the supposed ignorance and immortality
of the manufacturing class, ii has already
been amply refuted. BUTT further suPPoses
that manufactures favor an unequal dlstrI-
button ofwealth, that they tend to create
with class of opuent capitalists, another
of needy dependents, who, bestowing their
votes according to the will Of their employ
ers, naturally augment the natural lnHu-
ence of wealth, and may thus establish a
monied aristocracy. 1t is worthy of re-
mark, that while the general suffrage has
been objected to, as giving too much weight
to dependent class, and as thereby endan-
gering the right Of property, the Preced-
ing objection supposes that the same class
will be instrumental in giving an undue
influence to property. Bat in truth, these
suggestions, though opposite in character
are not irreconcileable. The extension Of
the elective franchise to the laborlns class
es, which has taken place, or will take
place, every where in our country, tends,
in some ways, to lessen the influence Of
wealth, and in others, to increase It: and
although one tendency may not exactly
balance the other, the difference seems not
likely to be sufficiently uniform or great, to
furnish grounds for serious apprehension
Besides, manufactures do not create an
INDECENT class; they, on the contrary, by
It with employment, lessen Its
indulgence and dependence, and whIteyer
may be the dependence Of the manuiac-
turing laborer on the capitalist, It does no
seem to be essentially greater than that of
tenants on their landlord, of sailors onthe
ship owner, or Of common journeYmen Oh
the master mechanics, all of which rela
tons seem to be lnsepardble from the con
dtIon Of a civilized and commercial cou
munlty; and whatever may be their Ina1
ence on the laborlng classes. such lnhn
ence must be diminished by that which
provides for them, as manufactures do, d
new and extensive field Unemployment
But the answer to all the objections to
is, that when by the pro
gress of population, our numbers shall be
come greater than are necessary to pro
vide food for the community, part Of tn
excess must find employment and supper
in manufactures, or starye. There can
be no alternative; and whatever may b.
the evils attendant on manufactures, they
are rremediable. BY establishing them,
hen, before the redundancy of numbers
make them necessary, and when the stan
dard Of human comfort is high as il Is with
us at present, the same standard, or some
thing near it, may by the force Of habit b.
retained, in dense population; and the
prudential checks, be thus called sooner IN
to operation, and acquiring new force, may
prevent redundancy, and those dire evils.
of famine and disease, which are its ordl
nary correctives, This standard of what
Is necessary to comfortable existence, is
very various, and it may be greatly affected
both By political and moral causes. The
difference between this standard IN Eng
land and Ireland, is the main cause OF the
denser population of Ireland.
Upon the whole, then, we believe that a
manufacturing community may be as NOR.
al and intelligent as any other, that the
contrary hypothesis is one ofthose common
instances Of false reasoning, in which par
Gcular facts are converted into general
it has obtained currency be.
cause it is not without plausibility, and
because it furnishes a ready theme for
defamation ofthe same rank as the gener
eral depravity Of mankind-the vices OF
civilized society--the innocence of a state
of nature-the degeneracy of modern
times, with many Others on which men,
ran talk and write very anan.v and gIO