New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-06
Thomas Carlyle upon the Poor Laws.

The following characteristic letter of this
Secretary Of the Poor Law Association, Manchester
CHELSEA Thursday, Feb. 5, 1859.
1t gives me great pleasure to understand that the
Poor Law Association has actually got in motion,
and determines to proceed strenuousiy toward the
grand object OF having all the paupers OF Great
Britain set to employ ment inclose you my sub
scription, and, along with 1t, my heartes. wishes
for your success. According to all the notions can
form Of strange time, with its manifold perplexi
tes its hight flying hopes, and fearful stea lily.
advancing pers, this that you have In view is pre-
csey the thing needuies to be DONE the rst OF all
real steps toward safety and improvement for Eng
lish society, as matters now stand. Till some We
ritably wise and human mode OF dealing with mat
faithful incre asing class called paupers is at
attained, or at least 10 zeaousy endeayered after
by the Government and the community, can only
consider English society as in state Of slow con-
tinual smoke, every day bringing nearer the state
Of fame and utter confagratioD, into which we have
seen all other European societies already co. In
very tragic manner This is, and has long been,
my fixed opinien--gYounded on innumeraole con-
scerations, deeper and less Deep on which volumes
might be written and which are OF far too extensive
campass to be entered upon here. One thing may
be asserted without risk, and has the closest refer
ence TO this matter. II free bargain in the market
and fair up and-dewn wresile and battle between
employers and employed be the rule OF labor (which
am far from believing 1t capable of being, except
for very limited time, and in every peculiar cir
~
human arrangements between employers and EN-.
ployed areas all men begin to slrmise, and az
many men have long foreseen--an indispensable
NECESSITY fer labor, IN England a. else where, then,
OF fair play 10, that all psupers be quite eliminated
nom the controversy, and carried clear awav from
II, out OF the LABOR market, and its wrestes and ia
struggles This, one would think, needs Ut.ls Dc.
mo1sIranon. Alas II the psupeT were ALWAYS sn,.
ported by the rich, especially by the idle itch. 7
could esteem Il for the moment small mattar D..
NV xr1o
yet guile paupers-whom with fatal inyioc,hilisv
arc not by his =" rates alone, but BY his bsd co,
euct oy his bad example. by the thousand fo,5 in.
feciion OF him every day and hour) he Is dr,.~,n.
down INTO ina, sad category. 1t Is miserable 10 eon
ticeT. The course OF evsiy idlb, foolish man Isf,
loose 10 pecom. peupef-continually deranyin.
eseiy hohest woIkmss bargain then taking shelter
IN the poortcusc AZ tie honest 1srkma1's srasa.e
theh, again, bursting out 20 produce new der.nge
msnt and eonfusion-is lib 9 the course Of anr ;ass
cary torch atsong among the peacesb possessons
ci hdDAlhe II IS mad as would be the courxe m a
ievtt parent len TO stumbling aoont the ssxes,s
IN these times Of ours. DO nOr me An N a. go,
tne subject las 10 difficulties day thst IL 7, ~,
As 70 oe p'actlce, oeset With difficulties and To
ieNo Us, IN Ike interior developments into innovs
uons We are little prepared for a. present ns-.
.eNe Wen mere Is lInmenshe work L. head Of ms ia
.na' erection ard think withsl 1t is high tirs we
we're oeslDrlngi- AS for you. VINO stand var IN ,ss
nfss stage OF tAe affair, | CONCEIVE yong .r.s -
es anssay very ciesr, and that BY temners,e and
AN H. e1s9snon OF your aims. you viii certainly
hsA '"e Pupnc support, ana PROBABLY before Iong
10 mn impartial stranger landinr asoonx me- s.3f
men alotLef planet II would seem very strange that
.ens oouie &c coaoi about what you psoposei He
w.ue ana DOUBTS erough, however, and derials
spo eTeai quantity OF coowebs TO be re-
moved, before he could get this axiom adnit,ed
neeec Inc theories men form a5ou: this world.
sna s,eu political phhosophies, and sciences and
efHai s'iehces. make slrange ~urk xiln then.
aic NG!y, TO man dYsbi,f dotcs and look IN xosrs
ssfos through ols knees SAYS the p-oyefb. ALI
th'fes arc inverted, and stand upon their heacs,, /
tsen wsh YOU every snccess, and bid YOU use ev,rv
e,ei,oh ara am. cir, yours sincerely, r CAaIyLr