New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-04-19
C.-s.sts the City.

ouirins for or directly soliciting some KIND OF en-
nLox,nsn, In the City and the fact that we uni
fornly retarn unfsvorabls answers il any, has not
vet had the desired effect Of discouraging such
applications. Deeming the subject one oil gene
raj interest we have occasionally attempted us
public elucid ation but not very successfully, as we
Judge by the applications which continue 70 reach
us. We therefore propose one farther effort, and
win be grateful for the attention Of all who have
any desire 10 exchange Coustry for City life We
prefer this general answer TO sundry solicIts-
tons which have been and TO any which may be
addressed TO Us on this subject.
Cities are the result Of certain social necessities
Of civilized or semi civilized Man. necessities OF
Trade, of Manufacture, Interchange Of Ideas, and
Of Government they rest upon and are supported
by the Country. Their support is Of course manly
voluntary its amount is controlled BY the abii'y
and desires Of the rural population. Thus WINE
any farming County might give employment and
ample subsistence ~ FIVE or even ten times It's
present population, there is scarcely city IN the
world whose population is not already quite as
large o. it has business to employ and income 70
Sustain, while the greater number are constantly
crowded with surplus laborers vainly seeking en-
ployment and undertaking each other ID the esgef
strife for it until thousands can hardly sustain NE
ON the scanty reward Of their exertions, and other
Thousands are forced TO live on public OF private
charity. Many perish every year not perhaps o.
absolute starvation, but by diseases induced Oy
destitution, want and exposure, while larger
number are driven by destitution into EVIL courses
and close their brief careers Of guilty mockery Of
enjoyment by deaths OF shame and horror Snch
are some Of the dire consequences OF the contihu
Al oyer-populstion Of our cities caused by the IN
sane desire very generally felt to escape the ruder
toll. md tanner routine Of country life Untllsome
marked change shall have been wrought In the
character or condition Of our rural Industry so as
10 render tless repusive than IT now Is, our cities
must continue over-crowded and full OF misery.
The naked truth that, as a general rule no one
lives by bona fde physical labor who can obtain
living without, and very few live by farming or
the like who can live by what are esteemed the
lighter and more genteel avocstions manly Pur-
sued in cities and villages, explains much OF the
misery so prevalent all around US. Doubtless the
Monopoly of Land is one of the ultimate causes oil
this deplorable state of things thousands annu-
ally quitting the country for cities who would cling
to the homes of their infancy il they were not the
property of others, and cultivate soil like their
fathers II they had any soil to cultivate. Having
none, they are tempted to seek IN some city the
employment and independence which seem de
MED them where they were born.
This choice is almost always an unwise one. |
la the Country, the young man heartily willing to
do anything honest and useful for livelihood, |
need seldom wait long for employment that VIII
at least insure him a subsistence. In the Cities,
the case is sadly different. capable, willing |
Trustworthy man may earnestly seek employment |
here for months without finding any. And the |
reason 10 very clear; There are more seeking
work in the cities than work can be found Tor
aud though the business of most cities annually |
increases, through the growth OF the Country |
trading with them, yet the pressure for employ |
ment in cities constantly outruns the demand Tor
labor, and IL New-York were TO increase its trade
and consequently its population by ten or twenty |
per cent year for the next century, there would |
1t all times be thousands waiting here for chances
TO do something. and many starved out or impelled
20 evil courses for want Of honest business. The |
gigantic sea of Foreign immigration necessarily |
rolling in upon us. bringing thousands each month
to our City (some of them most ingenious, expert
and capable) who must have work promptly or 90
70 the Poor House, and who are Injured to lower
wages and poorer living than Americans will sub
init to. will keep the general Labor market glutted
and the average recompense of hired labor low
Tor term Of which we cannot foresee the end.
But do you contend that no American youth
should erer migrate from the Country TO one OF our
Citiesr No, Sir We do not. What we DO main
tain IL this--Whoever leaves the Country to come
hither should feel sure that he has faculties, ca
pacities powers for which the Country affords HIM
no scope, aud that the City is his proper sphere
of usefulness He should next be sure that he
has ability to procure a livelihood while he shall
be sboring to attain that sphere which he regards
A. his ultimate destination. No youth should mi
crate to a City without a thorough mastery OF
some good mechanical trade or handcratt such as
is prosecuted in cities although he may not intend
20 follow il except in case OF dire necessity
Teaching, Clerking. Law, &c. are so very precs-
rious except to men OF established reputation
aud business that il is next to madness tor
youth 10 come here relying upon them Win n
good trade, a hearty willingness to work, strict
temperance and habits Of economy, II will be
hard to strve out man who has once found en-
ploymcnt; not so with one who is trained only
for Teacher or Clerk. or who is willing to do
anything means that he knows how - do
nothing, With these our City always has been,
always viii be csowded-it pays for burying the
greater part OF them
The young man fit to come to a City does not
begin BY importuning some relative or friend to
6nd or make place for him Having frat quail
fed himself 90 far as he may, for useulnes. here.
he comes understanding that he must begin at the
foot of the class and work his way up. Having
found place to stop, he makes himself acquainted
with those places where work in his line may be
found. sees the advertisements OF Wants IN the
leading journals at early hour each morning
notes those which hold out some prospect TOR HIM
and accepts the first place offered him which he
can take honorably and fill acceptsely. He WIKI
commences in this way is quite likely to get on
But for him whose chief object Is to hive com
,ortably, or even to acquire wealth by honest In
austry. the City is not the place. The mass Q
man and women work far steadier and hsrde