Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-12-13
VOL. 36, NO 13,-WHOLE NO. 1884.

"There are silent sufferers throughout the coun
try, among whom are many who would die oil
hunger rather than complain, whose household
furniture has been gradually disappearing in ex
change for food-who during the last twelve
months have not enjoyed one comfortable week,
but whose families have subssted on the earnings
of some juvenile member as his parents stay
For days, and almost weeks together, numbers OF
such lived without fire during the debths of last
winter, while the starved and shivering infants
sought refuge in the dwellings Of their neghbors,
leaving their father and mother to express their
parental anguish in unavaiing and bitter tears
The chill and heart-rendng penury of these
children OF want has sought momentary rellet by
pnwning the shirt from the back of the father,
the cap or the handkerchief from the head and
the shoulders of the mother, or by the sale of ves
sells no longer required for culinary purposes
But so limited has been the supply of s,slerance
thus procured, TINT the young children, by the
piercing cries of want, have duplicated food from
their neighbors, and the only child at work has
gone forth to his labor in the morning fasting, his
mother with tears, complaining she had not bread
to give him; while the only alienation of the
fathers hunger was found in the influence of to-
bacco on his stomach, morsel of which had
been obtained in charity; and when relieved by
death from the pangs Of famine, only drop of
cold water could be found in the house to refresh
or soohe the agonies of expiring nature. The
tears of mother and widow might well then be
husband she sent forth her working child to his
daily toll, saying, Good morning, love, havnt a
bit of bread to give thee" Ii is thus that we
trace the unnatural process which ends in the ex-
ultaton of child who shall be seen dancing in
Joy and exclaning, i" We shall have plenty of
bread and butter, too, now, since father died ~ in
consequence OF benevolent contributions then re-
ceived"
"Why should it be so Are the people slolh-
ful, do they capricOusly refuse to work 1t is
fat otherwise. They eagerly plead for liberty to
toll, that by the sweat OF their brow they may eat
bread all their days but their former employers can
give no work since their capital is bankrupt, and
their energies PROSTATE or their warehouses arc
filled with unsaeable goods, and their markets
glutted with supply larger than foreign mcr-
chants can purchase; because cur fellow sub ects
dare not take in exchange the produce of these
foreign lands"
"The scarcty of home grown produce and the
consequent high price OF provisions, have, it is 10
be feared tempted the dealers in grain to mix del
eterious ingredients in the food of the people, and
thus those who can procure nothing but n scanty
supply Of bread may have not only been delraud
ed and plundered, but their unwholsome diet may
he hurryng them TO an unmeIy grave, thus ud
ding TO the cruelties of uni ust legislation
In Staffordshire the alarm was given that such
deleterlous mixtures were sold as food for the peo
pie. But there has been cause to echo the same
complaint IN other quarters. Such foul wicked
ness has been detected in this town and hou
mixed with plaster Of Paris and other substances
in large quantities. has been bough, from the reg
ular dealer. One case could name where eight,
sacks were bought as the finest flour, but by chem
ical ana ysis was found so aduterated as to be I'm
fit even for manufacturing purposes. What til,
appalling issue miget be in perssting in practices
so hefarious and caamitious it they should com,
to he generally known fear to anticipate. Blu
they clearly enough indicate the operation of tin
fiscal restrictions on our provision trade; while
the prevalent dis.ross among the trading clnsse
proves the vicious tendency OF the whole com
mercial tariff, and especially that policy whic
excludes the grain of foreign countries from GU
regular market.
The present occupants of government office
are not ignorant of this state Of the country.
few short months ago, indeed, they boldly Ienie
the existence of Distress but gradually they hav
come to admit that for some time it has prevailed
ia the manufacturing districts. 1t is, however
but too probable that they have dissetnbled tn
facts 10 the Queen, or kept them from her cogniz
ance Memorials adopted at large assemblies c
the suffering people, signed by the highest civi
functonaries, by magistrates Of the most popu
GUS towns OF the empire, or by ministers of rely
ion of every name have been accumulated i'll ia
Government Offices and though, in some lnstan
ces, assurance was given that such memorials ha
been presented, yet il was afterwards acknow
edged by the highest minister of the crown the
had not been laid before the Queen; bnt viii
they We're stored in the Home Office that minist,
OF The crown did advise her Majesty to prorogl
Parliament, IN opposition TO the prayers of mar
thousands of loyal aud peaceful subjects"