The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-11-24
Frog the New York Tribune. =, =,
Coming to the CITY.

,We..are often addressed by distant friends
inquiring for or directly soliciting some
kind of employment in the City, and the
fact that we uniformly return unfavorable
answers,,,if any, has not yet had the de-
sired effect of discouraging such applica-
tons. Deeming the subject one Of gene
raj interest, we have occasionally attempt.
ed its public elucidation, but not very sue
cessfully, as we judge by the applications
which continue to reach us. We there.
fore propose one farther effort, and will be
grateful for the attention Of all who have
any desire to exchange Country for City
life. We proffer this as a general answer
to sundry solicitations which have been
and to any which may be addressed to us
on this subject.
Cities are the result Of certain social ne
cessities of civilized or semi.civilized Man,
necessities of Trade, of Manufacture, In
terchange of Ideas, and of Government;
they rest upon and are supported by the
Country. Their support is of course
mainly voluntary; its amounts controlled
by the ability and desires Of the rural pop
ulation. Thus while any farming County
might give employment and ample sub
sistence to five or even ten times its present
population, there is scarcely city in the
world whose population is not already
quite as large as it has business to sustain,
while the greater number are constantly
crowded with surplus laborers vainly seek
ing employment and undertaking each
other in the eager strife for it until thous.
ands can hardly sustain life on the scanty
reward of their exertions, and other thous-
ands are forced to live on public or private
charity. Many perish every year. not
perhaps of absolute starvation, but by di-
sease induced by destitutlon, want and ex-
posure, while a larger number are driven
by destitution into evil courses, and close
their brief career Of guilty mockery of ell
ioyment by deaths of shame and horror.
Such are some of the dire consequences
of the continual over-population of our ci-
ties, caused by the insane desire very gen.
orally felt to escape the ruder tolls and
tanner routine of country life. Until some
marked change shall have been wrought
in the character or condition of our rural
industry, so as to render it less repulsive
than it now is, our cities must continue
over.crowded and full of misery. The
naked truth that, as 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 avocations mainly pursued in ci-
ties and villages, explains much of the
misery so prevalent all around US. Doubt
less, the Monopoly of Land is one of the
ultimate causes Of this deplorable state of
things; thousands annually quitting the
country for cities who would cling to the
homes of their infancy if they were not
the property Of others, and cultivate soil
like their fathers if they had any soil to
cultivate. Having none, they are tempted
to seek in some city the employment and
independence which seem denied them
where they were born. g8'
This choice is almost always an unwise
one. In the County, the young man
heartily willing to do anything honest and
useful for livelihood, need seldom wait
long for employment that viii at least in
sure him subsistence. In the Cities, the
case is sadly different Acceptable, willing,
trustworthy man may earnestly seek en-
ployment here for months, without finding
apv And tho ason is very clear