New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-02-24


Glasses the United States tpanph'e 90 PIP 10 Inc.)
Providence: B. +. Moore. New.York: Burgess x
StTnger
We have here work Of a class which is dcs
tined to become more numerous and formidable
ere many wears have passed. 1t is the statement
BY working man Of the rights and wrongs OF
that great majority of our People who must live
by the sale or exchange of their Labor for such
commodities as are essential to their subsistence.
He writes forcbly because he feels deeply, has re-
aected much and possesses strong sense yet he
mars the effect of the truths he utters by bitter
spirit and too sweeping remuneration. In his
view, the Laborer is a chained slave, without ex-
cepion and without hope, while the Rich COM
bine to Cypress him, and the Church wlelds alllts
power to aid in the spoliation. All the arrange.
ments and maxims of Society, he concelves, are
not only calculated but designed to divide men
into castes-to make the Rich richer, and keep
the Poor for ever barely, when at all, above the
starvation point degraded and miserable. lie
says in drawing to conclusion:
at has not been my intention to deal IN midi
yidual censure, but to treat the evils complained
of as evils of social and conventional character !;
as diseases in fact, which are interviewer IN the
yerv frame work Of society itself, and prey on Its
moral system. Thousands whose intentions are
probably GOOD and who are in the main actuated
by cood feelings, cannot withstand the tempta-
ton laid before them thoughtessly yield to the
spirit which prompts the associated body, become
contaminated with the vicious propensltes OF the
times, and, following the fashion OF the day, vlo-
late their better feelings to keep pace with their
fellows. But. as every whole is made up OF IN
tegral parts, it has become necessary to mdlvld-
usIize in some measure, that the social evils
should appear to us in their proper shape and cha-
racter. In speaking to one individual member
Of the class complained of, respecting the evils
engendered by the oppression of the poor conse-
ouent on the stinted compensation paid for labor
the justification is ever at hand-"I pay as much
Us any one else; and fair price for labor, like
that of every other commodity, is what II VIII
bnng in market" According to the general laws
Of trade, this is true But the general laws OF
trade are the laws of avarlcc: ny men, every
man is fully justified in getting all ne can' ana
keeping all he gets, let who Will suf1ei' Pfosiueo
be can do so and keep within the laws limit, or
eyade its penalties. But the question Isl whethef
moral man and especially Christian man, IS
!usune0 Oy the prlnCiPIee ~ "i.i'ii. :
individually to be guided, in taking advantage OF
the necessities of fellow creature, and to distress
that fellow creature because of his helplesSneSS'
toenrich himself? Ifso, then the law OF aVarlce'
and the law of Christian morality are the same
thing. If not, the moral man and the christian
can never be justified in throwing their proiesseo
principles into common stock with the multitude,
and fashioning their own conduct, IN opposition
to those principles, after a conventional mooel,
aelaw OF body whose master-spirlt is avarce,
and whose god is self. Fashion, or the general
custom, can never Justify a man for departure
nom the rule of right -,
And why are they countenanced and continued!
1t Is we'll known that if the great body OF CHRIS
ian professors instead of lending their AID tc de-
press the working classes, would combine to IN
crease their wages and elevate their character
and standing, the work must be accomplished
Tor their influence could not be wthstood. But
instead Of doing this, they manifest the same ca
seness for the accumulation ofweath as others oo'
and the same desire to revel in pomp and luxury
'snd they pursue precisely the same means TO &C
comphsh the object. Repeat to one OF them the
sublime Christian maxim, GAS ye would that oth'
els should Go unto you, do you even so unto
@en;" point to the poor man delvlrg LOT nun d.
: nate that will scarcely furnish the commoneS'
hecessaries of life, while he, the Christian employ
els living in affiuence on the fruits of the labofS
! ol such and accommodating his spare thousands
ger annum. His reply we have seen pay