The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-12
LABoR-PovERrY-THE HOMESTEAD LAW.

The condition Of the poorer classes in our
large cities is the subject of continual comment
in the newspapers. Thousand of working peo-
pie have been thrown out of employment
prices Of provisions, owing to deprecated
currency, have not fallen much winter is rap
idly approaching; bread, fuel, and shelter, must
be had. What is to be done
Unfortunately, in seasons Of general distress,
the thriftless, the idle, the vicious, are most
clamorous for relief. They are poor not from
necessity, but from bad habits. They are not
ashamed to beg, or to steal, and they prefer
either 10 honest toll. They haunt the city, be-
cause in It's numerous excitements they can
CRAFTY their depraved sppe;ites. The calamity
that has lately overtaken the country has en-
boldened them to issue from their dens Of in
fanny, and to threaten society with robbery and
anarchy. Bread or Blood" is their motto.
They have right to bread, they say, and bread
they viii have. And the Mayor of New York,
in true Jacobinical style, calls upon the Cor
porstion to satisfy their demands, by upderta-
king expensive pablo improvements. He
would have the city a kind Of Government
Workshop and all sorts OF idlers and vagabonds
taken into its pay. The honest and proyident
are to be taxed FOX extravagsnt and unneces-
sary works, and the thriftless and dsorderly
are TO be taught to look to Government for sub
sistence, and to be used as convenient tools by
demagogues for the Accomplishment OF selfish
purposes.
We do not believe that the noisy meetings
In our Eastern cities, pretending to be com-
posed of working men, represent the real work
ing classes, or those who have for a time lest
employment. Their style of proceedings and
spirit have flavor of communism about them !;
they suggest foreign origin. Their leaders
seem more intent on propagating anarchical
ideas, than obtaining solid relief for the desti
tute. The honest toilers will not be hood
deserve nothing but the House of Correction
or the Jail.
But, that more than usual attention must be
devoted to the wants Of the poor and the un-
employed, nobody doubts. There need be no
suffering among the deserving, if proper meas
ures be taken. There is enough for all, and to
spare. Clerks who have lost their places,
in the West for brains, thews, and muscles
Why waste substance, heart, and hope, locking
out for something to do in the crowded city Z?
Labor commands full reward in the West, and
the necessaries of life are cheap. Let the able
bodied who can go, leave the cities, and there
will be better chance for the poor, who are
obliged 10 remain.
While employers are economizing, let them
see whether they cannot afford more work to
the poor, by retrenching in other ways. Let
them dispense with Injuries, but labor is the
last item they should cut off.
Let associations be got up for the purpose
of buying provisions directly from the farmer,
avoiding the taxes of the middle men, and fur
nishing the poor with necessaries at cost PRICES
nevolent provisions be made to relieve want
=. during the coming winter, we have no doubt /;
but there is policy yet to be adopted whose
effects will be far more general and enduring
the policy Of granting to ecch head Of a house
hold, or Iandiess man, a portion Of the public
domain, on the sole condition that he settle
ppon and catLtirate Il.
Why defer any longer this great measure so
important to the interests of Labor? Many
of our most eminent public men have declared
themselves in favor Of it. More than once, it
has received the sanction of the House of Rep
resentatives. The Republican Party generally.
aud majority Of tie Democratic, are commit.
ted to lis support. What is to hinder its final
adoption by The next Congress? The time is
propitious. The country is Disguised with the
continual spoliation of the Public Domain by
Railroad Corporations end Spectators. No
com bination of parties can be effected to dis
tribute it among the States. The Homestead
policy is equitable and humane. 1t recognises
the rights Of Labor, and provides for it a field
where it may create capital. 1t offers an equal
chance to the poor Of al the States, and in fact
opens the only way in which the old States can
derive from the public domain equal adyap.
tages with the new. Ii will secure to all our
large cities q s2fety.drain-a means for draw.
ing off their excess of labor-and thus contrib
ute to the soEriety, order, ard elevation, of the
laboring classes left behind. Il will tend 10
enlarge our grsir granaries, TO widen the egri-
cultural basis of the country, and, by cheaper.
ing provisions, and increasing the demand for
manufactured products, multiply the manufac
lures of the sea5oard States. And this is the
time to establish this great measure of policy
and justice; now, when our working classes are
calling for employment and our cities are
glutted with Labor. Let Congress open to them
the Public Domain, hold out to them the honor
of becoming owners of tie soil, independent
cultivatcrs; and then, let State or Municipal
Governments, or Emigrsnt Aid Associations
aid such Of them as might need help, in procu
ring implements of husbandry and the means
of reaching their new homes. Much better
this than begging, stealing, or listening to in
cen,iary harsngues Mach better this, than
convertiGg cities into eleemosynsry establish
ments, and training full grown men to eat the
bread of dependence, and do the dirty work Of
demagogues.
Let us have Homestead Law, wisely.con
stituted Emigrant Aid Societies, Gold and
Silver Currency, and Lator will never lack fol
bread in this country.
BIENNIAL LEGISLATURES
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