Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-04-12

mere Is = great anu exceeding OlIter cry COLI
tinually ascending, Give us labor, or we perish.
That the want of it is owing often to the sufferers
themselves, is part Of their misfortune. Their
ignorance, unthrtness, extravagance even laziness
ITSELF are frequently to be considered penal
ties than as crimes, unfavorable the circum-
stances that have surrounded and oppressed great
masses of the people from their birth.
Society seems to be an institution for the proec-
ton rather than the production of property. Relief
from that quarter Of course is hopeless, except to
rescue from absolute starvation, and not even always
so much as that. Personal exertion is to be relied
on mainly for personal and family support. What
ever tends to augment the variety Of employments
stimulates this industry, gives its scope and activi-
ty,and dminishes the impoverished and impoyerish-
ing army of the idle.
The want of domestic, we mean family indus
try, is remarkable. Time was, and not very long
while ago neither, when every member of family
of sufficient age had fixed employment beyond
the mere preparation of provisions for the table and
cleansing of the linen of its inmates. The amount
Of work performed in those days by community
in proportion to its number, was out Of all proper
ton to what is done now 1t is no apology for the
idleness Of the age that modern machinery has de.
prived our families of those industrial processes
which used to make them hives Of self-supportine
| bees, that never had to borrow, and always had a
surplus. They made, they mended. They spen
the forenoon in combing their fax, which their de-
scendants now consume in combing their hair
They spun, not street, but woollen yarn, and wovt
it into family clothes, not bead purses, that have
nothing in them. Then we used to pick out th'
seeds of cottonwood, before Whitney invented tn,
gin; and stick our own cards, not for playing whis
with, but carding cotton, which Whittemore's inge
nuity has long since superseded.
Some of the Occunations of former times arr
doubtless obsolete; but enough remain, with others
since introduced, to keep the fingers from ideness
or, what is worse, a useless and most unmusca
drumming on the pianofore. Luxury has driver
away quite as many modes of industry as ma
chinery. It is sometimes said that all the manufac
| lures come much cheaper now than families car
make them. That does not touch the difficulty al
all. Is it cheaper for family to buy their shirts
already made because somebody can make six in a
week, and their daughters can make but one apiece
Or pay four shillings for pair of stockings when
they can knit them for nothing at all! The hands
that are hanging idle, with the apology that they
cannot do SO much work as a machine in given
time, are without number, and the consequences are
very serious on public prosperity and individual
character
When the times are dull and labor goes beg
gng for employment, there are persons who sup
pose that society, or Government, which is its or
gan, ought to provide it from its own resources.
What and where are those resources? Govern
ment accumulates not. 1t is the agent of society
merely. It takes what is necessary for its own
support, and leaves the rest. Individuals own the
property OF the world, and to them must labor make
application for employment But it is the duty Of
Government to enable its constituents to do this by
judicious laws. Like the father Of family, j,
should discourage the purchase Of every kind Of
work which its members can accomplish for them.
selves. 1t is a question of idleness or labor. and
not whether his family can do the work as cheaply
as any body else. If it does il at all, and thereby
keeps them out of deness, it is clear gain to the
amount Of werk performed. Government ought te
encourage the industry of the country in every pos
sibe way, but it cannot become accountable for it
wages-Newark Daily .4dUertiser.