Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-09-15
From the Philadelphia Times and Keystone.
Social inequality.

name and outward forms OF liberty, that |
few among us seem to reflect, for a single /
moment, upon the anti-republican, and an.
ti-christian distinctions which are so fright |
fully prevalent in this boasted land Of free-t
dom and equality. We have heard and
read so much about equal laws and equal
rights, that wetake it for granted that eve-
-ry thing is precisely .asjt shoald be; ahe4
truth seems rs selisevident now, rs when.
the decl aration of independence was made,
that sall men are created equal;' so it is
written in the great charter of our liberties,
and with that upon our lips, we sit down,
calmly and contented, while the few riot
in luxury without toll, and the multitude
scarcely avoid pauperism and beggary, al
though constantly engaged in patient indus
try.
How few of us ever osk the question, how
can these things be under a government OF
perfect political equality; how can it hap
pen the few, mere handful, grow enor-
mously rich without ever earning q dollar
ins their lives, while the industrious, toiing
many, can hardly provide their families
with bread. Why is all this? Ask your
self-why am [ rich? Why and how is
my board covered with costlyE dainties and
loaded with luxurious plenty; why is
my home so spacious, 50 comfortable, so
elegant. and SO convenient; my clothing
so rich, my bed so soft, my seat in the
church so high, my position in society so
popular and so honorable? Or-on the
other hand-why am poor; how is it that
my food is Of the coarsest kind'and that too
so limited in quantity; why are my apart
ments narrow, damp, inconvenient and un-
wholesome; my clothing so coarse and
scanty, covered with shreds and patches;
nv bed hard, my seat in the church so OBJ
scure, and my position in society looked
upon as mean and degrading? How and
why is all this? My hours of unflagglng
toll are double tho number ofthe rich mans
hours of business, yet he fares sumptuously
every day, while my children go supper
less to bed. Is this land Of equal rights
or equal privileges, Or is there gross parti
alty in the distribution Of the blessings O
Divine Providence? Letus see.
Raising the eye from the paper upoI
) which we are now writing, we catch ;
! glimpse Of the passers by, each huryin,
on his way in pursuit Of business-plcas
) ure-food. Aha, that is him. Look at hi
fine blooded horses; examine his gilde'
harness, his mngniiincnt carriage, with it
costly trappings and senseless gew-gaws
that is one of our most respectable citizens
rrue-he never earned dollar IN his life
true-all the labor he has ever performed
was the labor OF collect ng tho wealth pro
duced by the toi. and sweat Of others; new
,kol bo ic ptolo lola
He possesses everything any man ought Il
desire, and the one half Of his yearly in
come would make dozen worthy fami
lies comfortable. His children are accus
toned to idenes, refinement and extrava
gance; they foolishly expend enough ever,
day in unsubstantial vanites, to provm
the neighboring poor with comfortable clio
thing throughout the year. Yet this mai
is constantly ccaumulating wealth, heap
ing up dollar upon dollar, to purchase re
spectaciHig for his family ly-and how is al
this done? lie never devoted single da,
l. of his life to physical exertion, or bodil
= toll; not he. Labor he supposes to be dc
signed for s'the common people"-the 'low
er casses''-not for the most respectabl
= citizens. He never produced, by his ow
. efforts, during his whole life, sufficient foo
) to sustain him single day; nor did he eN
Z obtain days subsistence by exchangn
the product Of his own industry for tho prt
. duct of the industry Of others. How the
81 does he live-how does he grow rich witt
y out earning anything how is it that h
annual income, beyond all his expenses,
greater than of any twenty men unlte'
~ !, living in the same city, who work dali
u and necessarily with their hands, MINI
!; and bodies, for plttance barely sufficie
!! to keep their families from starving2 Ho
IL does this lordly aristocrat make his money
- We answer-by ,uriting his NAME" t.
ia is the President Of bank.
N You must know, most courteous readc
that in this land of perfect political equa
C. ty, as it is called, our republican leSlsl
- tors in their matchless wisdom, have glv'
certain rich men the privilege OF prntl'
70. money bv the ream, or printing promiss
no to pay money, which good, honest, intel
gent people take and call it value receive
r. and while an honest toiler is laborlng to
in ceire four and sixpence, these gentlcm
m he of fprivilege can print dollars enough to P.
M ar chase one half of the city of Philadelpl
Mt and with less physical exertion.
Our republican lawmakers, in the pie
lid itude of their zeal for equal rights, give
set these privileged nabobs the rested right
,ut growing rich upon their own debts; that
of lending their credit and receiving int
est upon what they owei Who could l
afford to live in marble palace when
ST. simply signing his name to q promise
he pay-bank notes, he could obtain hous
lands, goods and merchandise, which it'll
ne' cost years Of unremitting toll to produe
ew And vet we are told that this is a COVE
ment of equal laws-and what is :. M
no. strange still. hundreds of so called int
,re gent people, honestly believe it. Was
ten suspecting credulity ever more shametu
ion imposed upon.
''o ~ The Buffalo Courier says that
friends Of Corwin had better defer urg
ing his claims to the Presidency, until the
ING nexation of Mexico to our Union shall
IL l