The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-09-24

~, L. IL, lHURSDA4 SEPT
country to which he belongs does not fol-
low and af1ict him abroad. He gets his
freight in good money, places it in the
hands of his owners banker, who again
draws at premium for it. The ship
owner then makes money, when all
others are suffering because he can escape
from the influence Of The bad laacs and
Dad currency Of has o,on country.
How the Mechanic is made Poor by a
bad Currency
Now will contrast the story of this
neighbor with that of another Of my neigh
bors, not rich.-le is a New England
mechanic hard working. sober and intell-
igent-a tool-maker by trade, who Yields
his own sledge-hammer. His particular
business is the making Of augers for the
south and southwest. He has for years
employed many hands, and been the sup
port thereby, of many families around
him-hlmself, meanwhile, moderately
prosperous .until these evil times came on.
Yearly however, for some years he has
been going backwards-not less indus
,rious, nor less frugal-he has yet found,
that however apparently good the prices
he might receive at the south and south
west for his tools, the cost of converting
those funds into funds current in New
England was ruinous. He has persever-
ed, however, always hoping for some
change fo- the better, and contracting
gradually the circle of his work and the
number of his workmen, until at length
the little earnings of the past wasted, and
the condition of the currency becoming
worse and worse, he is reduced to bank
ruptcy; and he and the twenty families
that he had supported are beggared by
no fault of their own. What was his
difficulty He could not escape from
the evils of bad laws and bad currency at
home; and while his rich neighbor who
could, and did, is made richer by these
very causes, he, the honest and industri-
Gus mechanic, is crushed to the earth;
and yet we are told this is system for
promoting the interests of the poor.
Al er contrasting American with Euro
pean Labor he says FRI
There is not much danger that schemes
and doctrines, such as these, shall find ia
vor with the People. They understand
their own interest too well for that. Gen
tlemen, am farmer on the sea-shore,
and have, of course. occasion to employ
some degree of agricultural labor. l am
sometimes also rowed out to sea, being
like other New England men, fond of &C.
casionally catching a fish, and finding
health and recreation in warm weather,
from the air of the ocean. For the few
months during which am able to enjoy
this retreat from labor, public or profess
sional, | do not often trouble my neigh
bors, nor they me, with conversation on
politics. 1t happened, however, about
three weeks ago, that on such an excur-
sion as have mentioned, with one man
only with me, mentioned this doctrine
of the reduction Of prices, and asked him
his opinion of it.
He said he did not like it. replied,
the wages of labor it is true, are reduced;
but then -four and beef, and perhaps cloth
ing, all of which you buy, are reduced al
so. What then can be your objections!
Why, said he, it is true that flour is now
low; but then it is an article that may rise
suddenly, by means of a scanty crop in
England or at home; and if itshould rise
from five dollars to ten, do not know for
certain that it would fetch the price of my
labor up with it. But while wages are
high, then l am safe, and if produce chan
ces to fall, so much the better for ne
But there is another thing. / have but
one thing to SELL, that is my labor; but |
must buy many things-not only flour,
and meat, and clothing; but also some ar
tcles that come from other countries; lit
tie sugar, a little coffee, little tea, lit.
| tie of the common spices, and such like.
/ Now, do not see how these foreign
articles will be brought down, by reduc.
ing wages at home; and before the price
| is brought down of the only thing l have
| to sell, want to be sure that the prices
J will fall also, not of part, but of all the
things which we must buy.
Seth Pcterson's Argument against Low
Wages.
| Now, gentlemen, though he will be as
| tonished or amused, that should tell the
story before such vast and respectable
assemblage as this, will place this argu
ment of Seth Peterson, sometimes farmer
and sometimes fisherman on the coast o
Massachusetts,, stated to me while pulling
an Gar with each hand, and with the
sleeves of his red shirt rolled up above
his elbows, against the Arguments, the the
tories, and the speeches, of the Admins
i tration and all its friends, in or out of Con
! gress, and take the verdict Of the country
! and of the civilized world, whether h.
has not the best side of the question.
i Since have adveited to this converse
I,tion, gentlemen, allow me to say that thu:
tlneighbor of mine is man of fifty, one Q
several sons of poor man; that by M
Fl labor he has obtained some few acres; hi
| own unincumbered freehold, has com
Portable dwelling, and plenty Of the poo
mans blessings. Of these, have known
+ six, decently and clearly clad, each will