The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-10-29
THE CRIME OF POVERTY.

4nE S4sAAAG OE 4ONG"AA -
Nobody can be thankful enough for the
blessings of civilization. That is a matter
settled. Our present condition is superior to
all conditions, past and future, with two tn,
fling exceptons-the one is the golden age of
the past, OF which the world has pleasant but
vague recollections-the other is the mil
lennium, which is to come upon the world
suddenly, without warning, without prepara-
tion, without progressive development.
With these exceptions, the world, in the
opinion of all virtuous conservatives, Is just
as it should be, and in the best possible condl-
ton. Don't talk about improVement--pro-
gress-reform. Be content to 'let well enough
alone That is your talk. ireland may be
depopulated by landlordism-free born Eng |
lishmen may be starved by monopoly and the
taxation which sustains it. New Ork may |
struggle blindly under an incubus Of paupe.- |
ism: still the world is all right, and our in |
stitutions "thc perfection of human wisdom Z"
Under these beneflCent institutions, twenty |
thousand women in New York work fifteen |
hours a day, to earn Just enough, under the |
most favorable circumstances, to keep body
and soul together-the body daily sinking
under disease and the soul daily sinking
under load Of anxiety verging on despair
Each Of these poor, worn, ghastly tOilGrs for
ever sees before her, loss Of work, sickness,
grim landlord, cold, hunger or the aims
house. If she has children, they multiply her
cares, and the chances Of misery If you
could assemble these thousands Of pale, bent
hollow eyed, Departing toilers, it would be a
spectacle which might move a world to tears
1t exists, nevertheless, here in our midst
We need not go to England or to ireland to
find tit is here; here, in the midst Of en-
terprise, prosperity, and riches here, in the
metropolis Of fresh and fertile continent
here, under the flag Of freedom.
There is no lrishman so poor, who may not
hope to better his condition, by emigrating to
America. lie is happy in that hope. The En-
glish paupers look forward to Australia or
Canada. The southern slave, if dissatisfied
with his comparative comfort and security,
takes the Underground railroad for Canada,
but the poor New Yorker is encouraged by no
such hope. What can apoor woman, work
ing for her daily bread, look forward to, but a
continuance of such labor, with sinking ener-
ges, poorer pay, a downward road, and the
potter field in the perspective
Civilization may 60 hanged. Conservatism
may follow! Poverty is blunder, and ought
never be allowed IN any community. Every
society should declare war against poverty -
Let it be rooted from the world. The first
business Of man is the creation Of riches. This
should be the first great business e life
All human energies, all genius, all invention
should be directed to the determination Of
want from earth. 1t should be against the
law for any mansto be poor. Poverty IS a
crime. No man or woman has a right to be
poor. All human instincts are opposed to
such condition. Poverty is the grand error
OF civilization. A cosnervatism which con-
serves poverty is suicidal. Wealth is the
worlds great want. A poverty stricken world
is world of misery vertable hell.
1t has been the ashion to preach up quite
opposite sentiments, but such fashion defies
alIhuman feelings.
Those who denounce riches, and the love and
pursuit Of them, condemn the master passion
of the human sOul-a passion that must and
will be gratified. Why should We war with
nature, and try to make our virtues vices?
God has given us our passions faculties and
opportunities. The earth is vast mine Of
wealth wanting but labor and skill for its de-
yclopcments. Who knows best, God or the
philosophers? God says, inherit the earth,
cultivate the soil, exert all your energies, sur
round yourself with riches. The philoso-
pliers say, be patient, be content with your
lot, live in poverty Man nature spurns this
miserable advice, lie aspircs to riches, lux
ury glory.
The idea that wealth is sinful aud is not to
be dcsred--l5 dangerous, ls a wrCtChed per-
version. l. industry wicked? Is frugality a
>lu? Is an earnest effort to provide for ones
household crime? Is there any harm in the !
cultivation Of the earth, or the labor Of man |
uiacturcrs and miners? ii the processes by |
which wealth IS made are good, how comes the |
motion that wealth is wickedness
Christ has denounced woes upon the rich !
ana has 5aid that rich man shall hardly en- |
Ter INTO the kingdom Of heaven; but these /
words have another than the obvious iutcrDrc |
ton. No clergyman, no Christian in New |
ork, understands them in the literal acceD !
taIIo4, christians. don believe in poverty |
nobody believes in it. 1t Is the one yreat !
curse IRON which all men are trying to cs- !
cape.
What Christ condcmncd-whsf every citi.
zen oug"t to rcprobatC-ls. not wealth, but its
,mnJust acquisition, its unequal distribution
lhe SIN ana shame is not, that few are rich
HuJ JhaI 10 make them rich so mauy are made
poor. IL IS not a wrong that any man has
wealth 1arly earned, but it is a great wrong
that one man should have what belongs to
ahoJhef' There could be no objection to every
man IN the world being rich, but there Is a
great objection to any man being moor The
curse OF wealth is its surrounding rirhes
Make every body rich and see who would
condemn riches.
Let every body so earnestly to work to create
wealth; then let the wealth so created bc
shared upon equitable principles and what is
to prevent every body being rich2 There i,
nothing Undeniable in the multiplication
table.
Reader, the Scripture lorbids you to max
haste to get rich, because do man can get ric
eastily, and at the same time honestly. Bu
the whole tenor Of the Bible, as well as til
promptngs OF the human heart, is in favor Q
riches, as the proper reward andconsequenc
of industry an all human virtus.-N. 7. Msy
cary.
Lay by good store Of patience, but be sui
TO nut ii where YOU can find ii,