Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-15
Slave Labor.

lDe true element OF social wealth and happi.
ness is slave labor. The North have only in.
creased their free population to prove this in
contestble maxim. The Philadelphia North
american gives US the following painful sketch
of the condition of the free laborers of that CITY:
The HUNGRY, STARVING Poor, AND MoYA.
MESsING Sour HoUsE-Now that the God of
Heaven has brought the severe winter upon the
helpless poor, it becomes us to do what we can
to ameliorate their condition. The high price
OF provisions, the cessation in many trades.
and the want of employment on the part of
thousands who live from day to day on the
fruits OF their toll, and who are left now wholly
destitute, call loudly for the assistance of the
wealthy and humane, and that call should not
be in vain, when the north west winds have
drifted the snow from their house-tops to the
street. No human tongue can describe their
suterings as we have seen il in their miser.
able novels within the past week. Nature
seems to deny them mercy, the earth susie
nance, and the heavens comfort. Their help
less and unprotected condition becomes most
apparent; the tattered rags of summers poverty
let in cold currents that strike TO the very soul
The yearning hunger, increased by the season,
finds no storehouse in plenteous fields. no
Ill hdtutC Out everywhere
the frozen ground, the desolote heritage, and
the inclement sky. Then it is, if ever, that he
that has more than the necessities of his con-
diton require, will feel it to be privilege to
disburse literally In other seasons the inebri-
ate and the suggard will meet no worse punish.
ment for their faults than hunger, but now the
penalty of extreme and unassisted poverty is
death-death by starvation, and by the stiffen-
ing cold. And to these horrors the good and
evil alike fall victims. It's to us a heart-rend-
ing thought that we cannot furnish more effec.
tive and immediate aid to those who in their
wretched novels crouch, with extended hands.
friendless, homeless and forlorn, over the fast
expiring blaze, and feel, perhaps, like that their
life is Pickering away, as valueless and as
deserted.
Our Society commenced operations on the
first day Of January, since which time we have
distributed 200 gallons of soup and 500 loayes
OF bread per day to about 1000 persons daily.
two-thirds Of whom are women and children,
We are expanding about 5000 per week. and
up to this time we have received but very little
money. We believe it to be only necessary to
mention these facts TO the benevolent in order
to get sufficient means to supply the wants OF
the poor for the season. Donations will be
thankfully received by Robert Griffin, Trea.
surer, l8l Pine street, below Sixth or By
WILLIAM J. MULLEN,
President Of the Society, at the Office of the
Commissioners of Highways, S. w. corner
Fifth and Chestnut streets.
Where can we find picture to com pare with
this in the South2 And what is the cause of itY
Our condition of comparative comfort and hap.
piness is owing to the fact that our slaves are
well provided for. They have neither starya.
ton, nor the fear Of it before their eyes.
Our negro is a sleek, fatsided fellow. He
loves to eat and to laugh, and give him his
belly full, and he is as happy as prince. But
the poor white niger at the North, should he
get full meal, is at the very moment he should
be enjoying himself perplexing his brain, and
seething It with burning fears as to where he
shall get the next
Take our slave population, compare 1t with
the free laborers at the North, and the most
rigid investigation will only show so far as the
'hog and hominy" goes, and the tease of mind
and body" that the negro is best Off Work
is his element, meat and bread and the banjo
his happiness. The States where the "hcwers
Of wood and drawers Of water" are slaves, are
the most peaceful, prosperous, and the happiest.