Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-03-12
THE WORKINGNFN

this country, appropriated to that class 10
the community, who are distinguished from
the rest, by earning their bread by labor
In France they call them Industrials, which
is an entirely new word; in England Opera
tives, which is an old word used in a new
sense; here, simply Workingmen, which
is the most plain and most expires sive
word of the three. We regard this cir
cumstance, as no: the least among the
''signs of the times" 1t is one Of the
many indications that a new era is at hand,
that the existing system of social organiza-
ton is elfi'te, and about to be replaced by
another. What are to be the characteristics
of this Other? A glance al he past may
help US. The classical systems. 1--WE mean
the systems of Greece and Rome. or OF
civilized Europe during the five centuries
before Christ, and q somewhat longer
period atler,) conquered the old oriental
civilization and ruled in its s.aad This
change infused into Society more of free
activity; and thought, art, and industry.
were all The better for it; men became
more individualized; and woman took one
step towards the rank Of human being,
for she gained something in coming out
from the scragIio, although she found, in
the world, rather an equivocal reception.
After a while, this form of civilization
ripened, decayed and passed away before
the teuda! system. Then, women were
elevated into an equal place in society, and
men were taught to loo!. upon laws as
governing AMI having power independent
ol and over individual will; and further,
men were SO classified, and the classes
were SO arrang and connece ed by rights
and relations, that although there was
tyranny enough and slavishness enough,
there was Jess OF man worship than bcfore;
and this was very great improv ement.-I
But in process o: time feudality came to an
end; all its oder and pomp and chvalry
failed to keep il it the breath of life; il
died and the French revolution buried il
IN hood and ashes. And now, what o her
system OF society is coming? The law of
these changes seems 10 be, that, during
the prevalence o! any great social system,
no idea can be formed Of the system which
is to come next, Thus, no one, amid the
alternating stiffness and CONFUSION o. ORR
emil despoIsm, could have formed any
conception of that system which grew up
when Alexander bad transferred the
sovereignty of the world from the east 10
the west; and no one living under tho
classical systems could dream of lie con-
sequences of that deIuge of barbarism
winch swept them away with the bosom Of
destruction. But we are standing on the
confines of two systems: or rather in III,
begIning OF one; and the drawing ligh,
may perhaps disclose to US The great masses,
The mountains, seas and forests, which will
not be revealed by the fiji brightness of an
uprisan and unclouded sun, until many
generations have followed US away
" lthout making any pratensions 10 the
gilt OF prophecy, VIC venture to predict,
that the sovereign element in the social
system which is now al hand. will be actiue
asJaiaess; that homage will be paid tq
this, as king; tnet it will be acknowl-
edged as the fountain Of all honor and the
ED of all Legislation, and the life and soul
OF all government. Some four hundred
years ago, Jack Cadism was up and doing
in England, and La Jacquere. $50 called
from the cant tern, Jacques Bonhomme,
Good man lames') 10 France, and in Ger
many, the bauer-krieg, or peasant war.
That IS to say, these delirious and convul-
slve efforts, throughout the sutstratum OF
the European Society of that day, to burst
the chains which were beginning to be fel,
and to be called chains cverywhere.--
Now, about that time, the word PEOPLE
began TO bear something of It's present
Specification; and the reason was that the
class was beginning Eeally to exist and to
demand recognition and Il name; The poo
pie were beginning to be something, and
their lords were ceasing to be every thing.
As soon as class OF men who may rank
together under some general anaIogirs and
resemblances, and who are in sumc sort
united by common wants, AIMS and tastes.
AS soon as this class begins TO assume a
positive rank in society, and to exert a
post We influence upon society, it is sure
to be mined. The men and their doings
are then, t necc ssiiy subjects oil considera-
ton and observation; they are thought
about, and talked about, and therefore they
must be named; and it IS Oh this ground
that we consider The fact with which we
introduced these remarks on insignificant
matter.
The radicalism, or the Jacob;nism, or
whatever else may be the name of that sp:-
rit of uprising among the humble, which now
blackens the political SKY of Europe with
impending storm; and no less the barren
and dreary utilitarianism which viii, if il
does not war alike upon art. philosophy and
rel gon, and would, fit could, leave huma-
nifty but one step above the beasts; all these
things are but the wild and melancholy be-
gnnings of that which must go forward TO |
glorious consummation. What earth will |
then be we do not pretend to conjecture;
but we believe that the disturbances and con-
fcts and violence which cover so much of
the earth with misery will continue. until |
the useful man becomes the honored man, |
and the notion that he is best off who has
the least 10 do, is utterly exlirRated Soci- !
ETY. may then be governed for and by some |
thing better than selfseeking, and patriotism |
become something more than TIE last refuge |
ola scoundrel; men may cease to look up
on the rule of LOVING ones neighbor as We
ry magnificent axiom which is just in its |,
place in the Bible, and is there worthy Of all |