New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-02-24
WHOLE NO. sos.
For The Tribune.
A Glance ut the Condition of the World.

For The Tribune.
a Glance Mt the Condition of the World
To 1Hz Epr1oS OF tie Courier and EnGrirer:
SIR: Your Ire and that of the Editors OF tht
! Express. Herald, and some other papers, hav,
lately been strongly aroused against the Edito
of The Tribune for his advocacy of a remote So
cial Reformation, having for its object the eradi
cation of human misery, and the elevation of the
millions now condemned to an existence OF pow.
erty, OF degrading toll and brutal ignorance, to q
state of intelligence and happiness.
In one of your late articles on this subject, you
say We wish all these advocates of Social
Reform could content themselves rith the ,rorld
as ii is, instead of their senseless and fanatcal
rawlings" &c; and in another article, you re-
mark % We are in .taror Of preserving society
as it is and as God has permitted it to be for the
last six thousand years." &c.
Now let us cast glance at the general condi-
ton of the world let us endeavor, in q very
brief manner, to present some idea of the con.
dition of the numerous millions of beings who
are now inhabit!ng the globe, and who, in the
Christian view, (Which is the standard that you
claim to Sc, up are members of one race, broth.
ers Of one family, children of one God, sum-
moned to fulfil high and common destiny upon
earth.
1t is well at times to take these general views
to dwell upon them somewhat, for we are all so
absorbed in our own individual plans, schemes,
interests, objects of ambition, in our hopes and,
fears, that We have no time to look out of our
selves, to inquire into the great collective move
ment of humanity-into its condition and its sul-
terngs, and interest ourselves in the collective
welfare and elevation of our Race.
We believe that this glance at the condition
of the world Z" as it is" will convince the Editor
of the Courier that the present desire to maintain
things as they are, is not thoroughly enlightened
and philanthropic, and that if he would examine
seriously the condition of mankind, he would see
that some great reform, far more profound than
political reforms or administrative changes, is
wanted in the affairs of men If he would study
also seriously the causes of human misery, he
would see that the Creator cannot wish, and
has not destined us irrevocable to it, for He has
surrounded us profusely with all the means Of
happiness and greatness; and II he has permit
ted society to 90 on as it has for the last six thou
sand years." if he has not changed it and forced
man to enter a different state, it is because he
could not do so without destroying mans free
agency, without taking from him his free and
independent action, and reducing him to a level
with the animal There are other reasons also
why evil exists for time upon the earth, but the
subject is too deep to be discussed in this place.
| In casting lance at the condition OF the
world we cannot examine that of all nations; the
subject would require volume: we will eXam-
Inc very briefly the condition of the two most ad-
vanced natons-France and England--that have
existed on the earth during the past SIX thousand
years, and as they offer fair example of the con-
dtion of the continent of Europe, which IN turn
is the most civilized and advanced continent of
| the globe, we shall have view of the general
condition of mankind far above the average. 1t
is illogical and unphanthropc to point to the Uni
ted States, and declare that as certain degree
of prosperity exists among us, 1t is useless to look
any further There are nine hundred millions OF
beings on the earth the United States contains
about fourteen millions of freemen; we are con-
sequenty but handful of beings, when we CON-
pare ourselves to the great human family; and we
are scattered over vast extent of most fertile
soil, which is the real cause of our slight compa-
rative degree of prosperity. But we are already
verging towards the poverty and misery that e1-
list in Europe, and century more will bring us
quite close to it.
Another reason why we choose France and
England to show the average condition of the
human family is because we have statistical facts
relating to those countries, which we have not of
others. Let US commence with England.
"M Colquhosn calculates the number Of perions OF indie
persons who live without daily labor at OOo and their
families including bankers merchants and 9TH
60 OUo and their families at On the other hand hef
heads Of families and l68 600 living
lab,
eel d
In Londoa one-ten,h of the population are paupers
10000 rise every morning without knowing where
I'm Glasgow every t,rsh house is devoted the sale Of
ardent spirits and nearly 3Oo parsons are every Saturday
nigh, in a stale Of brutal lnoxcation"
In Dublin OOOO persons passed in year through the
fever hospital.n-[ Alisonl
"In Liverpool there 1900 nha bed cellars, occupied
dark damp confined ill-ventilated and dry"-[Mr. sla
ney', Report the House of Commons, p. H.
DR.. Robertson, an eminent surgeon OF Man.
chester, who has had great deal of experience
among the aboring classes, sums up thus the &C
cumuated evils incident to their condition:
Too early enploymcnf-too long emplOymsnt-oo much
ague-n0 time or rsIazaon n TIE or eTtal in.
indifferent decay
q large mortality"
The same gentleman, in speaking Of the labor
ing poor Of the agricultural Districts says that in
his opinion, their state is not more favorable to
the preservation of perfect life of body than that
Of the manufacturing poor. He remarks:
What way CONCERNING these poor peop s the result
Of much observation Of them and consider duty lift the
veil from subject surrounded by many respectable pru-
dIces Their extreme poverty, and theif constant
labor so influence them that the majofty-I speak
within boundhaye never the Of health after forty
years of age. This the result of bad foodinsuhcrnt
cohingwearng to-and the absence Of ali hope Of any
better ia this world"
The peasants house the abode Of Joy
fort No children lisp their sre return or climb his
knees the epvsd kiss 70 share The children are Eel. to Dc
lower animals they ragged or clothed by charity
taught taught By charity SICK cufedb by charity not
starved fed BY proud charity, " sc.
We would ask the Editors of the Express and
Herald who are afraid that the family circle y
the " home feeling" viii be destroyed in Associ-
ko.l.