Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-06-26
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.

We have copied into our nrst page, P"'' VI
very interesting and recent British pamphlet
| which we received few weeks ago 1t forms al
authentic picture upon which Mrs. lroIloP
and the London Quarterly reviewer ought t.
dwell, before they write again concerning TIT
evils OF American life. The author. who is
physician of the highest responsibility, mention!
in his preface that the condition of things which
he describes is not peculiar to Manchester, bu
common to the great manufacturing towns OF thu
kingdom There is no similarity to be traced II
the Manufacturing districts of the United States
The operative in our manufactures, is no more
like the Manchester one, than the American TIL
Ter Of the soil is to the being who Is portrayed
in the following extract:-Nat. Gas.
".4n English Peasant What is that defec.
tive being. with cafess legs and stopping shout
ders, weak in body and mind, inert, pusillani.
nous, and stupid, whose premature wrinkles
and furtive chances tell of misery and degrade
tionf That is an English peasant or pauper-
for the words are SYNONYMOUS. His sire was a
sauper. and his mothers milk wanted nourish-
ment. From infancy his food had been bad as
well as insufficient, and he now feels the pains of
unsatsiied hunger nearly whenever he is awake.
But half clothed. and never supplied with more
warmth than sufiices to cook his scanty meals,
cold and wet come to him and stay by him. with
the weather He is married of course-tur TO
this he would have been driven by the poor laws,
even if he had been, as he never was, sufficiently
comfortable and prudent TO dread the burden Ola
family. But though Instinct aud the overseer
have given him wife, he has not tasted the high
est Joys of husband and father HIS partner and
his little ones being like himself, often hungry,
seldom warm. sometimes sick without aid. and
always sorrowiul without hope. are greedy, SELF
ish, and vexing: so to use his own expression,
he hates the sight Of them and resorts 10 his
hovel only because hedge affords less shelter
from the wind and rain Compelled by parish
law to support his family. which meas to JON
them in consuming an allowance from the parish,
he frequently conspires with his wife to get the
allowance increased, or prevent ITS being dlmi-
nished. This brings begging. trickery and quar-
re!Ing; and ends ~ settled craft. Though he
has the inclination, he wants the courage to be-
come, like more energetic men of ms class, a
poacher or snuggler on large scale-but he pill
lers occasionally, and teaches them to lie y steal.
His subdued and sayish manner towards his
great neIghbors shows that they treat him with
suspicion and harshness. Consequently he at
once breads and hates them, but he will never
harm them by violent means. loo degraded 70
be desperate, be Is only thoroughly dePrayed.-
His miserable career will be short-rheumatism
and asthma, are conducting him to the work
house. where he will breathe his last without
one pleasant recollection. and so make room for
another wretch who may live and die the same
Seeing Unmasked, or the Causes Of
R,irM Iacendiarisn. By E. G. Wukefeld, Esq.