Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-08-19

poor looking woman with q bundle, whom / saw
in the distance, to ovcrtake me; for ! have an
infinite love of company, and II dreadful curiosity
to know the secrets of the poor and miserable.
Well, she was soon alongside me.
is this the right road to Grove, sir?' she asked.
1T is; but there is a nearer way across the
fields and n pleasanter one, as we'll. You seem
to be tired. Have you travelled far?'
Il came from Nantwich this morning. / have
been round by Madely and Betloy, trying to sell a
few things, and | want to get to Sandwach tonight.
Sandwich was about ten miles off, and she had
walked about twelve already so | said, why do
you not take the train?
Il have had only a very poor day, and l cannot
afford to do so.' And on she trudged. She asked
me for nothing. She had plainly not thought Of
receiving any thing. Shall I LET her 60 without
helping her a little? l think not. So / called on
her, and gave Der sufficient to pay her fare to
Crewc, but told her if she had rather walk the
distance, and keep the money, she was welcome.
SO, with many thanks for so small, but unlocked
for a favor, she took to the right across the fields,
and l, lighter to the full amount of the few pence
/ had given her, trudgcd on towards the Basford
station.
The station master, though sadly troubled with
asthma, always c%ontrives to get out a little talk
with me about the American climate, American
game, American slavery, American usages, or
something else American. This time it was about
some stock, h~re-stock, and q man to accompany
some stock l was thinking of exporting to Amer
lea. We had not been talking long, when a neigh
boring farmer, apparently of the wealthicr class,
came in, and joined the talk, but speedily changed
the subject to that of American slavery.
lie a strange thing, a shocking thing, this
American slavery. A dreadful thing to buy and
sell human beings, and hold them as slaves. Very
inconsistent that, for free people like Americans,
and protesting to Le Christians too, to keep men
and women in slavery. England for nc. They
can't hold men in slavery here
True ! said, it is very Inconsistent in per-
sens who profess to be republicans and democrats,
to hold men in slavery; but what is it for, English
men to make and uphold laws which starve men
to death by thousands in a year?'
There are no such laws. People cannot starve
to death in England. 1t is their own fault if they
do. There are poor laws, and every one can get
relief. They cannot starve to DEATH
But poor-laws do not keep men from starving
they never did. The less needy and deserving
have generally got the allowance, and the more
needy and'deserying, but more modest and timid,
have been left to perish. The best will not ask
relief till it is often too late, and then, the fact
that they are clearly and decent looking, and that
they have still q little furniture left in their hous-
cs, is made an excuse for refusing them their poor
request. And a word of unkindness, or a harsh,
unfeeling expression, is enough to send them home
crying and sobbing with broken hearts, to perish
outright, rather than to ask for relief again.
Thousands have pcrishcS Of want where l lived.
Millions have persisted in Ireland. They have not
even pcnny-loaves there; at least, they had not till
lately; and all this want, and all this horrid suffer
ing and death, were caused by laws which most of
you farmers have supported. You all supported
the corn-laws; you still support the laws of entail
and primogeniturc, and the whole aristocratic sys.
tenn; framed expressly for the object of making n
few enormously and mischicviously rich, at the
expense of the trading and toiling Millions
But two wrong things will not make one right
one
Very true. Acknowledge the English system
to be wrong, and try 10 mend it, and l am satisfied
L nav Nv visa W luobiy oidNclD' !
have no desire tc excuse or screen it. l hate it
| curse it. 1t is the vilest thing on earth. | wal
with it continually. Put it is not the only evil
that aflicts humanity. In some respects it is no.
even the greatest. Slavery is the lowest state Of
man; and kidnapping, slaveholding and man.
hunting are the greatest of all crimes. Still, where
a single American slave has been starved, or even
fogged to death, scores of English and Irish PEG
pie have died of want. 1t is well the English
should cry out against American slaves; but they
should allow themselves to be reminded of Englisl
land-laws, English game-lIws, the old Englisl
corn-laws, &C., that have caused suffering ant
untimely death without end. / was only afraiC
you were overlooking these things. And as tn,
Americans can never do what they ought for lib
erty in Europe, so long as they keep up slavery
among themselves; so benevolent English pcopl,
will never be able to do as much for freedom il
America as they wish, till they try to mend theiI
own laws, and better the condition of the working
classes
And thus the discussion went on, till the train
came in sight. The man had sense and fairness
and we soon found out that we very nearly agreed
though he had mighty leanings to the aristocrati,
t system, and its accompanying land monopoly, tn,
t greatest curse of England.
Yours, truly,
5 JOSEPH BARKER.
--
UNDERGROUND RAILWAY.