The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-02-02

edness. Their wants seemed in every in
stance, to be aggravated by the number G
children. The last entered bore an i'm
preston of comfort and nealness. Tn
couple had not been long married 4; III
wife was at wash-tub near the fire, o
which was a pot containing flesh. Sh
wore white cap, stood slp-shod withou
stockings, though the weather was hum
and cold. The walls were while-washed
and the jagged, uneven floor bore mark
of good housewifery. Their cups an
saucers, pots, chairs, and table, were suhi
clent for an humble family Of only two
Their bed was of chat, but clean, an
presented the only white sheet | saw
The fruits OF their joint labor were spen
upon themselves, yet they could feed OF
meat but four days in the week. The,
had a pig, the second saw in the
village; but neither cat nor dog. He
husband, she said, could read and as
held ont the prayer-book taken from The
shelf, she said she read it often.
The wages of the laborer in England
are higher in the north, decreasing to-
wards the south until ihey fall 10 seven
shlIlngs per week. Their writer's on
statistics fix the average amount through
out the realm, at Acknowledgements. OF
which acknowledgement Is weekly paid
for coltage-rent, leving shilling day
Tor the maintenance, clothing, fuel and
education of the entire family. Their
des,Iullon is, therefore, no matter OF sur
prise for, with that sum, it is imposs-
bic they could subsls, without the chart
ties provided by the care and bounty OF
The rich.
The appearance Of a stranger and the
nature of his visit brought me to the ac-
quantancc of the farmers who rent the
lands of the proprielors and employ la
borers to cultivate them. They hold the
middle state, between the lordly great
and humbly poor. They received me
with great Kindness in their houses. which
are better supplied with the convenien-
ces, but not as many of The luXurieS Of
life, as are found in log-cabn in Ken
lucky.
On their table was usually Joint of
mutton or swine's flesh, or sometimes a
fowl, potatoes or cabbage, followed by
bread and chees accompanied throughout
by large potatons Of beer, and, on one
occasion, goosberry wine. Their cduca-
ton seemed limted 10 the history of their
own kings, and the reading of news
papers, which they obtain al second
hand.
AT the return Of the season, the strug-
gle is so great among the farmers to OBJ
tam lands, that the price of rent is enhan-
ced beyond their ability To pay. One of
them told me there were lorly-two com
peiltors for those he cultivated that
he proprietors oppressed the farmers,
who, i'll turn, drove the aborors to the
verge OF starvation, and that half the pop
1lalion would emigrate to America if they
could pay their passage across The sea.
A candidate for parliament stated that
all the arabic lands in England were
owned by thirty-three thousand proprie.
ors. called on the officers of the Sta
isllcaI Society, in st. Martins Lane, in
London, TO ascertain the truth of this
statement. At Their request, committed
certain nterrogalories TO writing, which
hey SAID should be answered when the
results OF the census, then in the press,
were known. Three months thereafter
hey told me the statistics of England did
not afford the information required. A
similar statement was afterwards made by
| member OF parliament and, as it was
never contradictcd, it may be regarded as
rue, that the cultivable lands from which
he English are fed belong mainly to
thousand persons. The chief
among them are the members of paria-
nent and the hereditary nobility, born To
power as well as TO riches. They have
established a code of laws for their own
benefit, the most inhuman known in the
annals OF legislation. Not only are their
'wn estates exempt from general taxa.
ion, but the cultivation of them is forced
Ipon the people by prohibiting the i'm
1ortaiion of every article of food from
abroad. The poor laborer is at their
mercy; from them he receives his bread
md his wife and children must be fed ON
erms as they prescribe. There is NJ
escape; ignorant and destitute, he cannot
axe refuge in foreign countries where
lis proud oppressor cannot pursue. lie is
starved to the lowest point of endurance
get life is spared. Sufficient strength to
i'll The earth is KEEP, up by Cruel and po-
atoes, PROVIDED by the poor.laws or the
Ia l,n,