Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-05-12

don in the fashionable season, have an untold
quantity of sympathy for the miseries OF slave
~ at the anIipodes; they have inexhaustible
fountains OF tears for the suierngs OF the FAC
tory children, whom they picture to their sem
sitve and delicate imaginations as hourly ex-
posed to the fe-fo-fum cruelties of the men
who, upon the villany Of being mill owners,
graft the still more hateful crime of being anti
corn-law leaguers. Who, then, would sup
pose that, in these fair advocates Of humanity,
he saw the authors of more persevering wretch
edness, more awful misery to our species, than
can any where be found between 'either pole %
Yet, in plain TRUTH so it is, as the following
extract from parliamentary report lately made
will amply and more than amply prove. The
thing is too horrible for belief il it were not
thus placed on record. Let the ladies of Eng
land ponder over the exposure here made, with
all seriousness. They have, we are certain,
been innocenty and ignoranty the cause OF all
the misery, suffering and wrechedness now
revealed:
The first witness to whose evidence we beg
to draw attention is
"Miss ONe, Welbeck street, an employer.
She states that sin the spring season the hours
of work are unlimited. The common hours
are from six \. NJ. till twelve at nght some
times from four A. NJ. till twelve. Has herself
worked from six A. NJ. till twelve at night for
three months together.
alt is not at all uncommon 10 work all night
just in the drive of the season, the work is
occasionally continued all nght-three times
week. Has worked herself twice in the week
all night
"ln some houses which profess the study of
the health Of their young people, they begin at
four A. NJ and leave off at eleven p. M.,--neUer
earlier. Has heard there are houses in London
'ohich ,oork on Sundays. In some houses, to
prevent late hours on Saturday, they work all
night on Friday. They frequently lie in bed
on Sundays 10 rest Themselves"
Mrs. Murphy, Duke street, Manchester
square, an employer confirms the testimony of
MisssO Neil. She says, "ll the young per-
sons would consent the work was usually car
ried on on the Saturday later than other nights.
IL the journey-wonen would not sit up, they
were liable TO lose their situations. The APP
prentces were obliged to do so. They had no
choice!''
Madame Vctore, Baker street, an employer.
eff any thing, is wanted, ii is not unusual to
work as late as three or four on Sunday morn
ing, or even till eleven or twelve in the day.
A youngfwOman told witness that she had Of
ten lain down on the rug, because the time
for rest was SO short il was not worth while
going to hed.''
MIS- Thomas, an employer. eff necessity
required, they worked on Sundays"
"Miss --, manager. Has worked TWEEN
tyshours out Of twenty-fOur for three months
together. At this time she was suffering from
illness, and the medical attendant demonstrated
against the treatment she received. He wished
witness to remain in bed at least one day Ion
ger, which the employer objected to, requested
her to get up, and dismissed the surgeon.
Mr.. Devonald, surgeon, Great Titchfeld
street. "Has for twenty years been in the
habit of attending young persons in the dress
making and millinery business. In the busy
season, the time allowed for rest is generally
not more than four, often three; has known
some who have had only two hours rest and
this for month together AT this time is at
tending two young women, one Of whom told
witness that she had not had more than two
hours rest, each night for fortnight Is
fearful this patient will die They go on with
these hours till they are knocked up. II this
is continued, as it frequently is, for any length
OF time, the constitution receives a shock from
which 1t never RECEIVERS.
1t is not uncommon TO work on some part OF
the Sunday. Have known instances where
they have worked the whole Of that day. Is
convinced, in no trade or mandatory whatev-
'er is the labor to be compared with the young
-dressmakers; no men work so long. Ii would
be impossible for any animal to work so con-
tinuously with so little rest. Have known
several dressmakers who have married, and
whom he has attended for years. Their health
and strength are gone; they are completely
disorganzed. Has known numbers of young
healthy women who in this way have been re-
duced to permanent state of debility; many
of them die, especially from consumption"
Sir James Clark, Bart, physician to the
Queen) 81 have found the mode of life of these
poor girls such as no constitution could long
bear. Worked from six in the morning till
awelve at night, with the exceptions of the
short intervals allowed for their meals, in close
rooms, and passing the few hours allowed for
rest in still more close and crowded apartments;
mode Of life more completely calculated to
destroy human health could scarcely be con-
trvcd, and that at period OF llle when exer-
else in the open air and due proportion OF
rest are essential to the development of the
system. Judging from what have observed
and heard, scarcely believe that the system
adopted in our worst regulated manufactures
can be so destructive OF health as the life oil
the young dressmaker | have long been most
anxious to see something done to rescue these
unfortunate girls from the slavery to which
they are subjected
Mr. Hamilton Rose, physician to the West
minister Hospital, states, ''Their most common
complaints are great constitutional weakness,
indicated by that degree of palIor which only
arises in other cases from the abstraction of a
large quantity of blood, pulmonary consump-
ton, loss OF appetite, pain IN the side, head
ache, evacuation, extreme disturbance of the
uterine unctions.''
DR.. Hodgkin-"They exhibit extreme cases
of these distressing, nervous, hysteIc and dys-
peptic affections, which the most facilitating
causes can induce"
John Dalrymple, Esq, assistant surgeon,
Royal London OphthaImic Hospital, after Civ
ing minute account of the manner in which
the general health of great numbers of these
young people becomes utterly destroyed, and
more especially in which all forms of occular
diseases are induced, ''from simple irritation
TO complete blindness" adds the following il
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