Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-05-31
From the Geneva Courier.
TTVTT TUT VVTTNT VVTTTT.
AN 1NCIDENT-TNE LABORING MAN

III l'IINN lIi'1s wi. I f-llFT WHO HTn llfSP
nristocrnts who walk upon their Turkey ca,rcts and
ride in their splendid coaches, and whose nurses are
bursting with untold gold, wrung from the hard toll
Of honest, accomplishing indu try Z who, I say,
are these rich nalnhs, that thew shonld cali mon ne,
the poor men of the country. to be taxed 70 swell the
profits of their lordlv manufactures 2,
Tho occas;op v,s ,~,ol;,;c,l ,,ooh,u.
''" u" Po'''''"' "'oe''"s )
the orator a ouondam Fpdcralist of Colur.
-,
uia county, prominent IN the ranks OF Van
Burenism the audience chiefly hard. wo,k.
'"'' WI"
ing men from an adjoining manufactory,-
I'll, - -. r
Wv was '''e''u WIN ii "urst OF
apDlausp. amid winch tho or,fnr eat d,rn
'n
i ~ rIrsllem,' exc hHhed a voice IN n note so
uS .nct ana pcGtlar, as NJ once 10 draw the ewes Of
' II Nv IPenMua, s.nuet man Wl'h a INN ana
- -! ."' "'l'',' pr't"N o"' neatly c''d)- MT
=, w = !" Wv " 'rnsl 9PPI'sNei P'or mfn' TO
"n.1 L' n,n ~, d 'ei''eu' l desIre 10 speak =
may ! "c "e"'"'
Leave being granted, he proceeded as
c,II,..
'o''""S
"SonIe writer has remarked, thai, there ia no man
50 humble, but tina, his life, faithfully reported, will
afford so me useful moral; and as an ounce Of .yp,ri.
ence is worth a pound of theory, even mn life may
not be without its use. | am hv trade n wcaver.-
Six years since, | was cmnlovrd in n monnf,c,orv in
Rhode Island. My employers were honest and intel.
linrni. though wealthy men They Maid mn r,, Ian,
not high wages. These wages. however, were p,,uc-
iuo'y paid and my rxncrirnce has ,anrhr me ibn, n
dollar in hand is worth twelve shllings in promises
| was industrious and frugal. and therefore conteniei
and happy. Ny wages sunicod not only for NV sun.
port, but also To accumulate n small surplus. I was
pleased with my con liton. and looked forward with
the well grounded hope to n happy future. About
this time, a speaker came among us wh1 used argu-
ments precisely similar to those emrlnved this eve.
ming. His views were navel ingencnus and striking
We were cnptivafed with his theory. Before. we
thought ourselves well pad we now imagined our
selves oppressed. Before, we thounht ON s4lvns han.
nv: we now began to think ourselves miserable
The exchange, for me. was a bad one; (nr who would
prefer misery and discomfort 10 happiness and peace y
but ! was too eager IN the pursuit of the theory to re-
gard its consequences.
lie told va that tn distinctions Of wealth and pow.
crty were merely artificial, having their foundation in
the superior wickednrss or weak ncsso of mankind. and
wholly unsupported by reason or Justice; that we
were all alike Gods children, md therefore alike en-
titled to share in his bounty: thu the entire structure
of society was wrong and needed reform tina, wealth,
rs at present employed, was merely an engine OF on.
preston and that the main object Of its pnssessor
was 10 grind tn" face of III" poor. We were fascina.
ted with these views and began to conduci accord
ingly. Our work began to be SIGHTED and our en-
plOyers BEGAN to c%oinpl1in. Matters ran from bad 10
worse, until finally n general combination Of the one
rarivos Il being AT the head) suspended the works.
We were all Of us DISCHARGED, others were eInp1ovpd.
and in nbou, four DAYS the mills were again IN active
operation. ] now for the first time discovered that a
theory reduced to practice has lis practical results =
that though it may afT,rd amusement for the fancy. it
neither clothes n mans hack. nor fills his stomach ;
and that ms the best way OF Judging Of a tree is by its
fruits, so the best way of judging Ola theory is BY its
practical effects | formerly knew mv.elf happv: |
now found myself mlserau'e. formerly was having
up money I now was as rapidly spending it. SO
far, | certainly hod not changed for The better.
In n short time, my surrlus became exhausted -
and, as my name had become spmcwha prominent
rs a rcformer, ] found il difficult to get work from any
employer, and if all alike feared my influence and cx-
ample. Poverty now stared me in the face; and
though Necessity be a hard school. fools, as i is said.
will learn in no other. | determined to profit Gf pos.
slblc) by my experience, and set myself TO consider
my present condition and It's causes. | now rernem-
hcred that the speaker whose argument had captiva-
ted my fancy, practiced upon n VERY different theory
from that he preached TINT though he denounced
wealth no one was more ohscqiious to the rich =
and though he sympalhisel with the poor. he never
would touch the cause Of n ponr man unless his fec
(he was a lawveI) was paid in advance. hence con-
culed that a mans acts are he best ties, of his princi
pies, and that when we find a man preachinc one
thing and practicinr another, we may reasonably dis
trust both his doctrine and his sincerity. In nv own
particular, my theory had operated dlsnstrously. I,
had reduced me fiom comfort 10 want. and has filled
me with discomfort, envy and jealousy, toward m,
more favored neiehbnrs.
What hal happened to me might REASONABLY han.
pen to all and a rheor, followed by such effects
might fairly be pronounced unsolnd. But whether
unsonnd or not, | reflected that it was folly for me to
sacrifice my money, Independence and comfort, sub.
stantial advantages, mrn mere idea. the yaouo con
cepti9n Of another mans brain. We have heard, my
friends, the rich denounced hut why dgnnunce tho
rich? Suppose Won or |. by prudence and industry
las well we may, )nttain to independence; are we there
fore to be slignatlsed as aristnrralsP Or. slnpDse ~,
leave orr pruperi V u oar children, a~c then 10 be mo.
scribed! And why shnnll we who rant employ.
meat, proclaim war against the rich, who alone car
give i, 10 US? Suppose all we're rs needy as our.
selves; who is to employ rs p? and if no man emplo,
Us. whore is our hroadl But why denounce the Ia
rnl IT increases me supply how then can II 'ais'
IoI,.. I,., ,L, go. ;.'