Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1841-11-20
From the Cesil Wing.
HARD TIMES.

i sIhe taxes are indeed very heavy, and 1t
those laij By The gov eminent were the only ones
We had To pay, might more easily discharge
them but We have many others, aGd much more
grevIous TO some of us. We taxed twice as
much by our Idieness, three Tunes as much by
eur pride, and four times as much by our folly
and from these taxes the commissioners cannot
ease or deliver Us by allowing aba'enent.-
+ However, let US hearken TO good advice and
some hing may be done for Us. God helps them
that help themselves
DR. Franklin.
/ If our peopfe were so heavily taxed by Idle
ness, pride and folly in the time oil Franklin, how
much more heavily they now taxed from the
same causcs2 IJleness~is decreasing rapid.
every year IN the United States. and The proud
and wealthy classes, and those who are apng at
ter the m are using their influence TO bring labor
INTO disreputc particularly IN The middle and
southern states-Formery our codntry women de-
lighted 10 clio he their families IN substantial arti-
Giles of dress made BY their own hands, but tins
practice is nearly discontinued, and families OF
children instead of being clad IN strong aud sub
staniiul articles of home made manufacture, wear
The light and flimsy stnlIs made by machinery IN
this and other countries. The consequence Is,
families are growing up IN idieneSs, or engaged
in very unpI oductivo labor, and So large class
being thrown out of proiiiahte and useful employ
rnent, our country suffers immensely IN the a
mount of lis actual producers of wealth, for the
individual who BY his own labor produces useful
article, adds more to the wealth OF his country,
than the whole host Of spectators. There Is
probably spirit more repuynant 10 republican
snsitntlcns than that which dra"s an invidluus
dIstinc non between those w1o labor and those
who are able To I've without work.
We find all country men who by hard
work and economy have acquired competence,
vet how frequently do these very men
who all they have 10 their industry, Imbi
blng the sprii Of the age, ard refusing 70 bring
4, -, ID h nh h,a
have made their fortunes, the consequences gen
era!iv arc they grow up 10 iiteness and vice.
spend their fathers hard earnings and arc worth
less members OF society. The learned profess
sions nre all over-done. Oar cities and towns
are filed with doctors without patients and law.
yers without clients. Vastnumbers OF men who
have not the means of living without work, enter
into speculation and endea,or 10 live on The labor
of others. Hundreds and thousands resort TO
fraud 10 enttie them to the character Of gentle
mcr, hence bankruptcies, fraud. and torgeries,
of daily occurrence.
Onc Of the mos, alarming features OF the
times is the inordinate rage auong our people tor
foreign fashions and foreign atlces Of dress
Although can produce az h)fne, all the ARTICLES
/ of costume, which comfort, 1nvenlence, health.
and Responsibility require, vet IN the present
state of society. domestic articles of costume are
discarded as beneath the dignity of republicans,
and millions and millions of dollars, sent a
/ broad for gewgaws and lUxuri.s, hIch afford no
equivalent 10 the nation, for tlG money expended
/ NJ wonder the balance Of trace Is against US
And not only Is the money uielcssty expended J;
but spirit is tostered that leads TO luxury and
cffeEnnacv, the universal tendency Of which Is 10
impair the stamina of people. TO deteriorate
1 their physical and mental cnegics. These are
( the precursors. the ha.tingcrs Of decline. Tint
we are severely taxed n ration by our idle
ness. pride aud folly, is sdfevident, that II
needs no argument to prove it, and although, CO.
veruinent may aid us very materially IN our IN
terna and foreign relations. b1 prudent policy,
vet republican government i the people them
selves, condensed in the persans OF their repre-
I sentatives. and the radical OF any national
evil begins al nome, with the people themselves;
/ for the representative being bound to speak the
voice OF his constituents, ans legislation which
thew not prepared to recave must be prema
ture; and the evils referred TO not easily
reached hy legislative enactment. | must con
clude these remarks for the present. ard will prob
ably resume them again. BIT with conscious
ness of my inability to DO jcsiice to so momen-
tous subject MECHANIC.
New Leeds.