Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-09-08
The Wrongs of SGamStreSSes.
TO The Editor Of The Tribune.

TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
| submit, that Of all the evils which
aflict society in New-York, there can
hardly be found one so heartless in its
cruelty, so mean in its conception, gigan-
tic ia its extent, and shameless in its
bearing, as that TO which | am about in
viting your attention | allude to the
practice INDUCED in by q large number
of employers in the glazed and cloth cap
manufacturing business, Of getting fe-
males TO do their work, yet afierward re-
fusing to pay for the labor thus perform
cd, under one lying pretense or other
A "merchant" advertises in one Of
the morning papers-principally the Sun
stating that he is in want of so or 100
females to work on these caps, promising
AT the same time permanent employment
and punctual payment. In great cities
like New-York there are always many
thousand mechanics, whose wages are
barely able 10 support their families in
the most economical and frugal manner,
and whose wives and daughters are ever
ready 10 embrace any opportunity, such
as cap-making should afford, to procure
clothes and like necessaries for them
selves, which could hardly be extracted
out Of their fathers or husbands limited
earnings. These, with other respectable
females, (widows and orphans, for in
s%lance,) are the persons whose eyes the
advertisements alluded to are intended TO
catch. Accordingly, astonishing num-
bers Of applicants are perpetually pour
ing into these establishments in search
of work, to be done at applicants homes,
and obtain it. Alter working some time
Qong or short, according to her immedi-
ate necessities) the cap-maker presents
her bill, but is put off with an excuse that
the establishment only pays once a fort
night, or month, or that the bill is too
small, or some other lying pretense (; but
finally when the merchan, can prevaricate
no longer, he assumes a ruffianly, brazen
demeanor, and, in coarse and brutal Ian.
guage, insults the operative-swears that
the caps were badly maIe-that his ma
terials were spoiled, &c. and finally or.
ders her out Of his premises! 1t is
useless for the poor creature to implore
his pity-lo declare her poverty-t thai
she intended the money owed TO meet
her rent. &c.-the man is memorable he
never contemplated payment, and never
does pay! speak Truth itself. Listen
A few Saturday evenings since, or
passing Chatham and Pearl SITS. | saw
a clearly, respectable looking woman
weeping. She was surrounded by &
small crowd. Despair was depicted in
her c~ountenance, and it was pitiable &c
behold her anguish. On inquiry, | as
certained hat she had been making caps
or something in that line, upward Of {
fortnight, for an establishment, the pro
prictors Of which seemed well pleased
with her work till that evening, when
on presenting her bill, she was astoundeC
f with the intelligence that she could no
be paid for what she had done-that the
, materials were spoiled, and so forlh-ant
, eventually was taken by the shoulde
and turned out Of doors! This poor wo
man had four OF five children at HON,
S absolutely suffering from hunger, anC
n her hopes were to relieve them with tn,
=, money due her by the cap-merchant.-
Some laborers, hurrying from work
G dropped their mites into her r~esislles
!, haads, and passed along.
Is not this state of things abomihable
e How can pious, church. going, sleek an
II well-provided-lo individuals turn Il
their eyes in holy horror, and wonde
g why so many poor creatures are follow
ing a life of shame and infamy, Will
a such cruel injustice is tolerated in a CON
o munity of which they (the church-gc
ers) are luminaries I?
n "