Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1844-11-14
THE LOWELL GlRLS-DY MISS MARTf-
NEAu,

NEAU.
Much has been said concerninp tho s,csl cuudition
OF the industrious community of Lowell. tho following
letter from Miss Marneau will be read Nth ir~xh inter.
est. The world besides docs present snch Ano,hor
scene rs Il brings bciofe us ard Tho rehecng vesdef
cannot fail 10 that the delightful eShbliun ofgenulns
equality high social cultivation and prosperous industry
here presented Ia the fruit Vf Protection Of which Mr..
Clay is the founder. and which II Is tho cherished pur.
pose 81 o"r political opponents 10 uproo and destroy:
TssrMorrn. (Eng andy May 20, is4i
My dear friend Your interest In this Lowell bpk
can scarcely equal mine. for hive Tho iac,ory
girls in their Lyceum, and have gone the coslon
mills at Wsihsm. aud made myself familiar with FAC
ury life in New England; that In reading tho .Of.
erng," saw again in my memory The stree, VI hruses
built by the earnings Of tho girls. Tho church which 10
their property. mud the girls Themselves tfrhg 10 the
mill. with their healthy countsuancrs. and their neat
dress aud quiet manncra, resembling hose u the radss-
men class VI our county
My visit 10 Lowell was merely for one day. 10 COM
pany with Mr. Enersons parly-hr (he pride and boaat
Of New England rs author and plkso being On.
gagged by The Lowell factory peopIs tu lecture hsm in
winter course Of historical b,gfsphy. Or codrss, the
lectures were delivered in ,he evening after the mills
were cvsed. The girls were then working seventy
hours week, yeti as loohcd al tho large sudieilce.
(and paid more attention lhcm than 10 tho leciarey
saw no sign Of WEAKNESS among auy Ut them. They
sat, row behind row. IN their own Lyceuma large hall
wnInsco'ted with maogsny the platform carpeted well
lighted provided with handsome ishe. dcsks ad prste.
ad,rned with portraits Of few worthless and ~ they
thus sa listening their lecturer all wakelul and inter.
estcd, all well dressed and lady like, coud not bat
feel my heart swell At the though, Of what such sight
would be with us.
The difference is moi in tapk, for hess voting peopS
were all daughters u parents WIN their bread with
their own hands II Is mol IN the of wages, uVt-
ever usual that supposlion is for they ,hem earn
ing from 10 three dollars week. besdes their Cod,
the children dollar, (4s, ID the second f.ts workers
two dollars aud the best tlfee,he Of dess and
necessary comioris being much abovs what the ssws
class expend in this country. II is not in The
of toll for, as have said they work seventy clear uurs
per week The difference in their suprrUf culture.
Their minds kept strong and free. BY know ledge aud
power Of lhoughij and this is the why they srs
down and depressed under THEFT laofs They be-
gin with poorer chance Tor health than peoples fo The
heah Of tho New England women generally MT god
owing to circumstances Of climate aud oer Influences;
but among the $500 and girls In the I.oweII
mills when ! was there. the average u health was not
lower than ese~here aud the disease that
chievous the same that proves fatal the whole
country -ton,umpoh while there complaints
peculiar To mill life.
At Wslhsm. where saw the mills and had con-
vefsaion with the PEOPLE, had an opportunity Of ob~er
wing the invgoaiing effects Of mind m life Of labor.
Twice the wages ind half the Toll would have made
the girls saw happy and healthy witioht the chtva-
iion OF mind which afforded II EN- perpetual support,
te!tanment, and motive for activity They were
highly educated, bn had pleasure in books aud lectures
in correspondence with home. and their minds open
fresh ideas to be drawn IF from thoughts uf them
selves and their own concerns. When at work. they
amused with thinking The last book they had
read or with planning the account they should write
hcme OF the last Sunday . sermon, or with singing o.
yer to themselves the they meant ~ practice ia the
EVENING" and hen evening came. noihing heard Of
tired limbs and eagerness ff bed but, il summer,
they sailed out, the moment over, for walk, If
it were winter. 10 the lecture the ball f,om
fof Dance ut taey got hours practice tho pano,
wrote home, shut themselves up with new book
|, was during the hours Of work in The mill h.. the
IL. u.