Daily American telegraph., 1852-04-16
From the Troy Daily Times.
Labor and the Laborer.

The laborer is Gods nobleman. He is the
mainstay of society. He feeds and clothes COM
munities He is the civilizer as well as the pro-
Queer. But for his well-drected industry, hui
man subsistence could only be obtained by the
appliance of savage life-by hunting or fishing,
or by the inhuman barbarity of cannibalism.
Labor has made our country great; and its work
has but just commenced The field is almost
illimitable Comparatively, the laborers are few
Conceding the worth of labor, and according" to
it the honor justly its due, it occupies position
of dignity which all must respect and none need
be ashamed to acknowledge. Labor produces.
Production supplies necessities and affords luxu-
ries. Every penny in the Golfers of the rich man
was in some way produced by labor. As money
is the representative of value, so value, In our
realization of its essential virtue, attaches only
to that which labor has had some hand in work
ing out.
In this country labor is more honored and bet
ter paid than in any other. This is owing to the
expansive field for operation here presented, to
our free Institutions, and to the comparative
paucity of capital. Wealth, too is SO distributed
that it cannot be concentrated as in the old
world, so as to exact its own terms from labor.
Hence the thrift which crowns and blesses indus
try, limited only by the degree of enterprise
which directs it, and by the skill with which it is
welded ....
o.,
and of society, as connected with human indus
try, that the product of labor is, and always has
been, the worst enemy of labor itself Though
capital affords employment, it not unfrequeHtly
Expresses the employed, even in this free country.
The "laborer is worthy of his hire" and if any
class of men on earth deserve the means which
will secure comfort and contribute to happiness,
it is the laboring class But capital, monopoh-
zing the facilities for employment, exacts its own
terms of labor.
The laborer has hard, plodding life at best
he should be encouraged by general remunera-
ton, and cheered on by popular respect and APP
proval. Thus q stimulus to exerton will be
afforded-an incentive to good conduct presented,
which will not only be more than repaid by aug.
mented production, but must likewise promote
the honor, the wel-being, and the morality o
communities
The capitalist is his own worst enemy who at
tempts to add to his benefits by withholding fror
labor its honest dues. Thus oppressed, labor
grudgingly bestowed, and the business for whic
it is employed is often neglected or half done
when, if well paid it moves with will and a,
complishes its work with thoroughness thu
leaves no room for dissatisfaction. The labor,
then lifts his head and walks like man
works, too, as the man of free spirit and III
chained limbs can only work. 1t is, therefor
clearly the interest Of the employer to give r
muneratlve wages 10 the employed.
There are too many laborers in our large towI
and cities. The supply is greater than the d.
mand. Hence we often witness wretched povert
among those who, if opportunity were afforded
would cheerfully work and earn comfortable Ii,
ing. tits surprising TO US that day laborers espe
cay will cling to cities with such tenacity and en-
dure the horrors ofwant--often, too often, reduce
to the necessity of beggary-when they might 6
into the country and always make sure, at leas
of living Here they cannot even make this
all the seasons Of the year, however much favore
In the business season. 1t is this concentrate
Of surplus labor in our large towns and cities tn,
places it at the mercy Of capital and degrades
to servitude.
In this country the working man holds in
great degree his destiny in his own hands. If l
81 act well his part" thrift and happiness will |
his portion. With unshackled sinews, o free spiri
and ready hands, he may, indeed, be the arch
tect of his own fortune.