The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-02-15
raE FREE BORN ENeLIsHMAN.


Not long since il stated in the British journals that
some hundreds perhaps thousands reebOrn Engishpsn
employed in manufactures had struck work n consequence
Of their employers refusing them small addition their
wages During the time they remained ont Of employ
en they supported by voluntary contributions from
their felowaborers in other neighboring manufactures
who gave certain portion Of their hard earnings for that
purpose This resource however being at length exhaust
3D. they have learn from the authorities, been
compelled work at the old rate Of wages which
Is considerably less than one half that of laborer
IN the United Sates-and this in Of the dearest
tries in the world
We are further told by these same jouraas-and this
without the slightest expression the
employers Of these reeborn Engshmen not content with
having starved these poor people into submission entered
into covenant with each other employ any person
who had contributed the support Of these sturdy rebels
against the legitimate, inaenabe rights Of capital Thus
capital as il always does among freeborn Engishmen,
completely triumphed over labor and the workingman
was laid at the feet Of his employer.
II may be asked why these poor people did not seek EN-
ploymen and higher wages elsewhere The answer Is,
because they not permitted to do No laborng
in England leave the spot Of his BIRTH the place
in which he has become domescated to take up his resi-
dence elsewhere without giving security that he will not at
some future period become burden the parish Ths
II is obvious in almost all cases dc cannot do and thus Is
he condemned by law to remain where be is though with
out employment and though he might probably find il in
the next parish Such indeed is the condition Of the
reeborn Englishman that the Law invariably looks upon
him as predesned pauper aud takes every precauton to
prevent his becoming burden any spot Of earth ex-
cept that where he born No wonder every English
man Is so deeply attached TO his native soil.
Yet Lord Mansfield has solemny decided that slavery
cannot exist in England and celebrated Irish orator
serts with characteristic eloquence that matter where
man was born what the color of his skin the moment
he touches the sacred soil OF britain be becomes redeemed
sgeneraea and disenhraled BY the irresistible genius Of
universal emancipation And this uttered In the face
Of the Irish nation
To this condition is great portion OF ee-born English
men reduced The slave of his employer, he is compelled
to labor himself his children and his chldrens children
for wages imposed Oh him b. his nas.cl which he must
either accept sarve and equally the slave of oppressive
laws which forbid his going elsewhere to improve his con-
dtoa unless he becomes exile Even then he is claimed
as the slave of his old master.
Will not Messrs Chase, Sumner and Wade exert their
influence in getting up petition among the phiIanthropic
Quakers in behalf Of these freeborn Engshmen2 Or Mr.
Gidiings employ biz peculiar aud ascble eoquence to
induce his enlightened constituents of the Connecticut Re
serve besr themselves in the of these white slaves
Where the three thousand and fifty cergymen Of pous
New England that they do not forward and instead
Of devong the Sabbath to political harangues preach
charity for the relief Of these feeborn English
men Cannot Mrs Beeeher Stowe devote her unparalleled
talent invention to sketchng another Uncle TOMS Cabin
from the severe realities Of English manufacturing
town or an Irish howell There would be occasion to
TASK her imagination here, Above ALL will not our sym
pathetic ahoonsts their influence to persuade the
noble ladies of Stafford House to address their countrywo
men in behalf Of these freeborR Englishmen One good
deserves another; and AngloSaxon brethren
beyond take such deep interest in the BLACK slaves Of
inc United Staes the do Is to return the
pmen by like interposon in favor of the white slaves
OF England.
The most remarkable peculiarly however in the coudi-
lion Of the ree-born Engshman remains yet TO be noticed
and that is his dsnseresed philanthropy There Is prob
ably not one in thousand of this pauper that does
not turn up his hollow eyes in holy horror at the condition
of the well-fed well-clohed, and wereaed southern
slave and plume himself the superior comforts OF his
position as ee-born Englshman. Though by far more
AFFECT slave his employer than the southern slave to
his MASTER the poor ignorant dqpe Of prejudice actually
believes himself free, merely because be cannot be sold,
though he may sell his wife and so far respects the
freedom of action is equally, if not more severely re-
strained by his necessities the laws administrations Of
society," and the letters imposed by his inexorabe yrant
capital Yet strange say he solaces himself in the FOOLS
paradise of English freedom and contemplating the
imaginary suerings of others almost forges his It
wise policy in his rulers keep up this deusion and
to attempt reconcile the free-born Englishman his
condition by persuadng him that other people
off than himself