The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-10

ern slave Of America has--hovever willing to
give the one to obtain the other
And this foreign "wmpathiser" with the sop
pressed" OF America, shed tears oyer lhe sepa-
ration of parent and child, Is an incident of sla-
very in some Of the Southern States OF this
country Hear the heartrending gratitude OF
one Of the most skilful weavers in SpitaIield,
(also in Thompson's DISTRICT for being rendered
childless in his prime of manhood. lie answers
the questions OF the commission;
Have you any chidren?"
81 had two, but, thank God, they are dead"
"Are you then reconced to your children's
death :"
sob yes, / give thanks 10 God therefor. |
am relieved from the burden of supporting them,
and they, poor dear creatures, are delivered from
the sutferings of this life"
This "healthful agtator' also prates about
the demoralizing effect of slavery upon the
morals and habits of people. Look at another
picture Of metropolitan life, too thrilling, too
touching, too agonizing, to justify the abridg-
| mcnt which our space forces us TO make:
Il worked at shirt making. received two
pence farthing for each BY working from five
in the morning until midnight, could make
seven in week. This gave me seventeen pence
half penny for my entire weeks work. Out of
that should take the price ofthread--two pence
a week-which left fifteen pence halfpenny for
lodging sustenance and candles. was alone,
and | received some little presents from my
friends; but was unable to support life, and
went out ut night to obtain something to eat
had an infant who continually cried for food
! Not being able to support it with my needle,
went on the streets. Sometimes there was no
work, and then was forced to depend entirely
prostitution. On my soul, went on the streets
solely for the means of getting food for myself
and my infant. If could otherwise gain liv-
ing, never would have done this. My father
was an Independent preacher, and swear on my
word solemny and regously, that it was the
low price of labor which drove me to prostitu-
ton. often struggled; many a time took
my infant into. the streets to beg, in order no
longer to cover him and myself with shame.
made pincushions and trinkets; took them into
the streets so sell, to gain an honest livelihood
but could not succeed. Sometimes | would
spend the whole night out, myself and my child
8 under the rain, without selling thing. ! was
9 so poor could not get even nights lodging
J. on credit. And when we were unable to make
a anything, we we're in the habit OF lying dowr
under shed, for used to be too tired to remain
n standing with my infant. Once in the depth
= Of winter, his little limbs becmse frozen at my
u side.
: Such were my suiferings that, two days before
n made application at the work-house, resolved
a to commit suicide / wrote my child's name or
g piece of paper, with the address of his aunts
and pinned it to his little chemise laid him or
n the bed ] kissed him, | thought for the last
time, and proceeded to Regents Park to throw
myself into the lake, near the road TO st. Johns
:, wood | went there because | thought it the
surest place. A policeman observed me, and
asked me what was about, He suspected
: something, and led me out Of the park. This
saved my life"
These a.e no extreme or isolated casos-
> Would that they were But they are only speci-
mems of life to thousands Of the inhabitants OF
London The book furnishes many others
equally calculated to excite pity and commits
seration. The physical condition of the agri
u cultural and factory laborers is portrayed in {
;, graphic manner, and then the commission speaks
l. of their moral condition:
e "Ther education is not whit more advanced
u than was that of their fathers in the days o
n William the Norman. Since the eleventh cen
fury it has not progressed. 1t is to-day equal,
e what it was then"
Speaking of the factory slaves of Manchester
li the commission says:
~ "When one sees the working people pass from
the factories he is struck with their debilitate6
appearance and stupid aspect. The women nc
l. lohger possess those rounded and lovely forms
which express the distinctive beauty of their
SEX Their attenuated figures bespeak the
e malady which is undermining the generations of
this vast city, and, to the infants, deprived OF
nursing and of nourishment and living on breast
milk poisoned by disease and want, they stand
as the great reproach Of race in full career to
utter degeneracy"
Let Mr.. Thompson take these pictures and
see if he can find any thing, in any portion OF
republican America, which will at all compare
with them. We venture to affirm that he will
not. But when he attempts to teach the people
of the United States their duty as regards an in
sttution fastened upon portion Of our country
by the government of England, let them point
! him to the miserable condition of his own con-
, sttuents, and bid him return to them, that he
may direct his labors to the amelioraton of their
sufierngs-which to very great degree are
consequent upon the English system of govern
ment "American slaveryw God grant that
the Southern slave may never be degraded to
the level, in suffering and want, of thousands of
enslaved "free" Englishmen.
Ledru Rollin is impulsve and vigorous
writer, and as he loves not the English, some
allowance may be made for portion of his
strictures but the facts which he presents nre
given on good authority and many of the con-
r illusions which he draws cannot be easily con-
troverted or denied
From the Mem York Dag Book.
THE CALIFORNIA SwINDLE-Captan Whit
- new who went ont to California Soma fourteen