New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-11-06
LABOR NEWBORN:
IS CIRCUMSTANCES, CONDITIONS AND aE9Asl
No. NX. Domestic Scrvitude.

aud women in New-Yor2s living in the rar:ous de-
grees OF Domestic Seryi;ade, from nurse and ladys
maid TO scullion and woman Of a,l york. AS near
as !; is possible to estimate. from The means of in
formation within our reach. from seTen 10 eisf;
thousand OF these are Irish, Two thousand German.
and The others American, French. &c. OF the Irish
a5ou; four i,s axe Catholics. of The Germans about
one.hali
/ There Is kind Of tac understanding very nearly
: approaching regularly organized combination,
among the SerTant Girls, in regard prices condi
tons and privileges 20 be exaced from employers,
limitation OF duties to a particular branch. &c. &c.
which Is sept up by the Intelligence Offices, and
they in turn .ce supported b. the fees eXacted from
the girls. Whatever is paid to these offices b. en-
ployers is out OF the regular way and IS regarded
a. clear profit. The keeper. generally speaking
does no; feel that any obligation to treat you VIII;
candor ana sincerity in recommending girls 10 you is
implied By year paying him a Zee. He also receives
pay from the servants themselves, and that regularly
so Il is TO his i;;ercst to be OF their party The
servants also have system by which ;hey are era
bIet to &c, in some degree independently il leaving
thersiluations. Whenever one thinks she is imposed
up5u the invarabIc plan IS TO threaten 10 leave the
situation Al once instead, in other kinds OF EN-
ploymcnt of being fearful Of losing it. girl leav
ing her place under these circumstances has her
board paid uni. she obtains another. This hide
pendcncc is often exercised very injcdciously and
is perpeuaily creating difficulties, quarrels and dis
ruptions between parl0r and kitchen, IN which the
mistress of the establishment, usually suffers most
Il is very easy to understand, however that the
general wan, O.: sympathy between employed ard
employer consequent upon present system OF
domestic seryitude and the total absence OF real
interest felt by the one for the o;he: should have re
suited in this combination The part OF TIE weaker
party. Indeed the immortality and bar5arCus CD
sarliiv of the whole system OF Siacery is nowhere
more painfully apparent than in domestic servi
adc where those delicate, tender and sacred Offices
which nothing but true love and affection render
agreeable or scarcely endura6le from another.
are iarncd out TO be done Tor the lowest and most
exclusively mercenary coasierations-co nsdera-
ions which imply, from very necessity, that the
se7yant shoald rel of with the smallest possible
amount Of labor, while the employer insists get
ting as much work as practicable for his money.
Thus originates and is kept alive that mean, harass
ing aud revolving s!rife-tha: cold-vciua and old
rocil s;rUgge-which too often renders the private
dwelling, which should be the very temple Of peace
and shrine of love, what we need not attempt 10
describe
Instances however, are to be met where the real
goodness of human nature shows itself under all
disadvantages. Many families have old and faithful
dorestcs who share the love and respect o-rus
band wife and chilirca-vvho ienderly nurscd in
sickness, comfortably provided for in health and
never driven or treated with hardness Such in-an-
cos we might detail atength bat. beautiful and re-
rcshas as they are they too ie's to change the
general aspect OF the system we are considering
They are not created by on; flourish in despite of it,
The wages received BY ServantG Girls vary from
81 10 = and even $40 per month, exclusive ofboard
and lodging and time to do their own washing
and ncn..ing. Fcy, however, have either time or
ability make even thcircommonest dresses and thes
are pu; out 70 poor Gcasresscs md paid for, neccs
eatiiy at the sost miserable prices. The Girls
generals imbi5e from their mistrcsscs the worst and
most pernicous of all domestic foliiesa love for
| fnery; and with her hard earned monthly wages in
her hand the scrvan; steals away 10 Chaham-street
| to bedizen herself in the cast-oiT and vulgar uli;a
lions OF the only li;;lc less vulgar inery which her
mistress sports in Broadway. About fair average
of the wages received By SeryautGirs would he -
per month. Mere drudgers and scp- women, just
arrived iii the country aud completely ignorant OF
every thing pertaining to life above the mud hovel
and its nipple accessories receive about 81 month.
Good Chambernaaids and General Houseworkers
get from - to Sc Cooks. Ladies Maids, Nurses,
Table-Vaiters, &c. sc are better paid;he highest
prices being paid those Who take charge OF chill
lren 'lhese, are what may be dcncminated 'rea!
blessing to fashionable mothers, and who under
stand NEEDING and getting up laces and fine nea.
| Good Laundresses generally, when they 90 Quito
service. unite the duties of Cook Chamberlnaid,
| and thus become in great demand. Some wealthy
families employ Laundress exclusively. who re-
ceives $40 or sometimes sl2 per month and isailow-
ed nlauy privileges because she is Indispensable in
setting up the ladies' iinery Nurses in such iami-
lies are also vve!! paid. and beside receiYc grea,
many walls in toe shape OF cast-oF bu; scarcely soil
ed clothing, &c. &c.
The physical wants OF the Servant are generally
better supplied than those of any other class Of
working women. They always manage 70 secure
enough and of the hes, TO eat AID their sleeping &C.
Communications are generally pretty decenti although
il the latter particular they sometimes suffer severe
y-beinS thrust mo noxlous darK oee-'ooI' VI UiI
ventilated -arre,s and lofts. The instances Of
this occur in Boarding Houses especially the cheap
ones.
! But of TIE intellectual and moral advantages Of
the Servant Girls We have nothing favorable 10 say.
Their condition il these respects IS disgraceful 10
Civilization which not only permits and sanctions
bu: positively seems 10 enforce il If the Servant
herself is Catholic, she generally stpula;es FOR az
opportunity OF attending to hcr religious duties eve
y other SUNDAY afternoon or evening-ohanginS OF
viii! the Cook, Chambermaid SO tia, the house
shall never be left alone. But beyond this there
is no ves;ige OF humanity or enlightenment! in the
American Kitchen, any more than in the negro hut
Of the Southern planter. The family circle the
school The library the lire.side talk-oen even the
altar OF family prayer-are forbidden 70 The inmates
of the Kitchen; ibey rarely think of o5;rading
themselves there, nor is their presence dreamed Of