Southern planter., 1832-11-24
From he Philadelphia Times and frec Pres.
CHILDREN IN FACTORIES

nuH' wholy by chidfcn--littlc creatures WIN by
sHo charter OF nature, are entitled TO on exemption
''',i' ,a'V ana ca,e, and whose proper place would
""''e mis-, as roe and joyous as tho winds
wnSh p',y around them. Thousands on thousands
mle aud saddoned fices, and feeble and rol,c,.n,
hhlhs' TO iheir ioIl--if,m which, with sligh, In.
'e'vai at noon, night alone releases them. D.v
sucoeeds day, with The same heavy task, ahs ~
same heavy heart TO perform a. Wearied hear.
s'oh' splTl'less-wiihout a Joy 20 enlyen tbe ,res
en'. "i nope 10 brighten the lu,urc- -dcs,,t,,o
.Hendiess, iorsaken- sinkng aeneath tho unconoi
burden OF toll, poverty and appressiontbev reaiyo
an 'he Ills ofuge, without ihe 6tmness nv which
sgo enshled 10 endure them. The children of
yr'ewsa' mey are made siapcs ai an acc shca
"e oaHdren Of siape' arc fresi
beneath the suilerings ola factory lie. manhood
nscn VIII oien faint. But The heart s,ckcns 10
l'hN ma, little nnocens, fresh and tender from the
ouso,n Of maternal affection, who live but in ioy
ous ,ioeuom tom restraint, and whom, under the
"h'p'e institutions OF our fathers no fate could do
press, no poverty saddcn. should ia coopsi up. 4,
thousands, ~ q discussed atmosphere, 10 tod and
Ifembe beneath the whip of the oyorscer. uniiI.
bigh'cd by oppression and suffering, they sink into
the grave
an intelligent writer speaks ofchildren very lust
" whom he remarks that "io due flaming of
.he mind, IL is requisite thnt the child should grow
up IN a certain careessncss Of spirit The natural
nobility Of child requires, for the full develop
meni OF the mental as well as phycal powers 10
have complete play. 10 train his infant limbs to
constant action, Is requisite Watch a child. and
see how unceaslng is the motion requisite to keep
nm in state OF comfort; conhne him for mo
ment, aud he is uncomfortable and unhappy. In
the carly days Of his inhncy, unable to move him.
sclfsuifcienily. the nurse keeps him in constant
motion; having acquired strength, he swings about
his arms, kicks with his little legs, cmwls, aud
throws hImseltino every possible contorlion. The
boy runs, leaps. and keeps himself FIN one inccasant
turmoil u Is mol requisite TO explain these facts
--io slate why this motion is needed suffice il,
that Il is needed But the action ol tho child
mover spontaneously continuous action of one
son. Put him to turn wheel, ind you ruin his
health and stop his growth" Is ,hero bosom
so ndumied by ayaIieo AZ 20 contemplate the hor-
rors % confinement, monolohy, and toll 70 such a
nature, without pity and ndgnauou2 For the
honor OF humanity, we hope there is not
In defence Of systeni worse in all its features
than the slave trade, II is alleged that the poverty
of the children makes this labor relief or, IN 9th
of words, that, when misfortune falls upon the
weak and innocent, The way for Christian aud
philanthropis 10 relieve them IL 10 seize on and
onsave them, drive them to a toll which, combined
with the other hardshps ofiher situation, murders
them by hundreds; and, ior this, generous bene.
aclorsO they give lhem clothes to cover their nuk-
edness, and food 10 preserve their lives aud pro.
leci their misery. The argument may convince
them, but does not satisfy us. There must be
something urong when there is such suffering and
oppression IN a free aud civilized country. Socio
" 0sCes TO these helpless nnocons protection aud
subsisieneo and, boasliul Of its afIluence, IS well
prepared to discharge the debt lf,llcrefofe, char
ny, which, in these days Is too prone 10 wander
L. foreign and ideal objects, should be deaf to the
groans the sufferer, and dead to the call of hu-
Inaniiy-dmy, the ordinary duty which all HciriLsed
communities acknowledge TO the wrclched, should
compel them 10 rescue the innocent victim from the
whip Of his taskfnaser
Il iu, howevefn nnmliaIng Dut undoubiod fact,
that, 10 produce public benefit, society must be
convinced, not thai It IS its duty, but it's interest," TO
effect a chinge. Il is the interest Of tile North,
that swcls the Tariff 10 oppresson--lti rs tue in
lerest OF the South, lhaturge Notification into lrea-
son. We're the voice Of duty listened to by either,
the patriot would not weep over the approaching
dissolution Of the Union.
Ia the same spirit, we should, perhaps, convince
! the community that the beuedis which accrue to
society by enslaylng and depressing thousands OF
/ her children, are more than counieibaanced BY
/ ITS disadvantage. The task is not a difficult one
The extension IS OF ignorance, serWlity, and crime,
Is too great no, vitality TO affect The common veal
Our factories are now the schools i0which the ten
der and plant nature OF youth goes through pro.
baton which prepares both heart and hand for the
blacklist and boldes deeds Of crime and nfamy
] Turned into promiscuOus assemblage ofgrls and
boys, with no parental care to watch and Iestrain
TO teach the loyeliness Of vrue and the loaihsome
ness OF wee, to direct their ignorance, and sustain
their lccbleness, who can doubt the result? The,
fall, as human nature, unregarded, ever will fall
into every vice which unbrldled passions, evil hab
its, aud dangerous associations, can prompt Ever,
temptation to evil surrounds lhcln, without voc,
towarn or hand TO restain; and II can be mat
ter Of no astonIshmenl that they become, al an az,
when their bosoms should be unshaduwed by sin
gle fault, oid in pice they are young IN pears
Falsehood, dishonesty, incontinenee, blasphemy
and total disregard for the decencies Qfvrlne, ar,
lengmlled upon their youthful natures-until hu
manty shudders at their early deprayiiy, and irem
bles for the community which contains them A
a more advanced age, the factory rejects them, an'
they are thrown into the bosom of Society, lifted
both scres, for any Thing which passion, interest,"
iniqury, should suggest. lgnonnt To the loves
degree, bespoed IN habits olyce, servlle from lon
slavery they unprepared for any participation
the duties or privileges of a citizen. Without Il
source save IN their bodness and iniqhity, they na