Oroville daily Butte record., 1857-09-21
Otuuille DaiIq Batte Rerurh.
Lab o r..

The dignity of labor is favorite theme
for those who seek public position. Polin-
cal aspirants discover its nobeness previous
to an election, or whenever they seek favor
from the working classes. Much is written
upon this subject by men who never adorn-
ed it with the stroke of an axe, but are con-
stantly receiving It's benefit That there is
dignity in labor, reason and justice will ad-
nit but IL those who write so much about
it we're tested. by being made to assume
such dignity, they would see or feel very
little in it. Few working men can appreci-
ate the dignity of labor because custom
has made the labortr a serf to dignifed in
dolence. An intelligent working man is look
ed upon as inferior to an illiterate rich man
The world recognizes the distinction, conse-
quently arguing the degradation of labor.
Labor is useful; all we possess, save the
naked earth, resulted from babor. The va
lue of labor none will dispute; we see and
feel its benefits every moment of our exist
ence. 1t has been truly said, that labor is
the talisman that has raised US from the
condition of the savage; that has changed
the desert and the forest into cultivated
fields, that has covered the earth with cities.
and the ocean with ships; that has given us
plenty, comfort and elegance, instead of
want, misery and barbarism. None can
look upon the great works of the laborer
without admiration they are the lasting
monuments of his skill and toll yet few
men, truly speaking, realize the dignity of
labor which is nothing more or less, as
used, than pleasant stereotyped phrase of
office seekers and aspiring writer's, whe, at
the same time, teach their boys not to play
with the sons of the 'dignifed laborer.'
Franlin says. it has been computed by po-
litical arithmetician that if every man and
woman would work four hours each day on
something useful, that labor would produce
sufficient to procure all the necessaries and
comforts of life, want and misery would be
banished out of the world, and the rest of
tue twenty-four hours might be leisure and
pleasure.
There is such thing as useless labor, and
many who possess sufficient industry to pro-
duce good by their labor completely throw
away life by misapplication. celebrat-
ed writer says, there are many examples of
authors who impair both their health and
understanding in illustrating such points as
no sensible man would desire to know. In
quiries about the neckcoths, boots, shoes,
hats armour, sc. of ancient Greeks and
Romans, have filled numerous volumes.
Columbus cannot be more famous than a
man whe describes the Temple of Jerusalem
the bare attempts to do which have cost
more pains than the discovery Of America;
though it is as hard to see the usefulness of
such description as it is difficult to make |
it. But this serves to show what man |
might do if his Ia bors were properly applied |
instead of examining old walls, altar-pieces, |
pillars, and doors. or determining whether q
curtain hung in the east or west of tenn
pie. Every man should laber, but let him
make the object of that labor of beneficial |
character. We see and feel the value of Ia
Dor, if not its dignity SOLITUDE.