The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-12-22
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
WORDS OF COMFORT TO TEE
WORKING MAN

most honorable ana honest ways III Wnlcn
a person can gain livelihood.
began to obtain living in your city
for myself, wife, and two children, at eigh-
teen dollars per month and find myself, in
the month of March, 1885. My duties
were arduous, never in bed later than four
O'Clock in summer nor five in the winter :;
and often on duty late at night, and often
all night. l never received any extra pay
for those services, nor did I complain or
grumble. never truck Cor higher wages
being contented with what l was paid until
l could better my prospects, which was
over eighteen months; and yet, out of that
small pittance. saved something over and
above keeping my family, which. through
the help of an economical wife, were always
comfortable.
l never received higher salary than
fifty dollars per month, which L remained
at long time, always adding something to
the pile. Twice l became afflicted and re-
tired from labor, teaching country school
although / never went to school only nine
teen days after was twelve years OF age
mot wishing to drop back upon my savings)
nv object being to make and to save. AS soon
as nv health returned | laid by the rod and
ferule and returned again to labor. Within
the last few years l have been in business
for myself; meantime have not disgraced
labor. | am now the proprietor OF 1l'Uoo
acres of farm, timber, and coal lands, con-
sidered amongst the most valuable III the
State also, am driving a business paying
profitably, real estate in other parts amply
sufficient, with prudent economy, to keep
me comfortably without drawing on my
business for one dollar have never made
one dollar by specializing in stocks nor
ever invested in any thing of the kind
have not any discounting done by banks
nor no shaving on the streets; shave no
paper, and have or soon will have enough
standing to my credit, in good hands, to
drive nv business the coming winter; and
now, whilst others are discharging help,
am increasing my force, and making pre-
variations for doing heavier business.
An idle day is yet punishment to me- and
am now preparing to set myself down on
small farm near your city, where my
time may be usefully employed when free
from business hours.
Again, I have now under my employ
several hands, from whom will here select
three who have been induced to save their
earnings, and not to foolishly trifie neither
their time nor their money for the unneces-
aries of life. One man now living on one
of my properties began few years ago at
So per month and found !; he for three years
laid by 500 per annum ; he is now thriv-
ing farmer worth $4,000, having complete
stock, and next spring will have dairy OF
thirty COWS, and other conveniences to cor
respond. About four years ago l took a
couple of boys at $l2 per month, poor and
almost destitute one of them could hardly
write his name. They are now worth
nearly or quite $4,000 also, and this sum-
mer alone, notwithstanding the hard times
and depression in business. have together
cleared about 5000 free and clear of every
thing; and now, instead of loafng about
the store, idling away their time, and
spending what they have earned, are pre-
pairing to go into the interior of your State.
two hundred miles, and drive teams this
winter. They are nothing but ooys yet.
1 could give several eases quite as much to
the point as aboye-named. Laborer, 60
thou and do likewise
But it is with perfect establishment l
have long seen these fatal days approach
ing l have been vister to your city for
some years past, and saw the carelessncss
among your laboring classes. On Sunday,
instead of going quietly to some house of
worship, your steamboat on your beautiful
rivers are loaded black with this human
freight the adjacent gardens and farms
overrun with these laboring Sabbath break
ers. Wives, children, and husbands all
but that they return often more tired than
if they labored.
On Monday thousands visit those places
of resort the same as on Sunday, dressed
city spending money as if they were lords,
U write now for the laboring class } and |
call the steamboat captains and employees
to bear witness to what I say. On Tues
day they are troubled with the shorts; they
return to employment, and the next five
days work tolerably well, although sour
ed with lager and stupified with whiskey
aud tobacco, dull as an OK !; but by the next
Sabbath they are recruited for another pic
mic. Soon the employers work begins to
drive him; hands have played off winter
begins to admonish him that every thing
should be driven to the utmost; labor
watches it; the next is a combined strike
for higher wages; the employer succumbs
to their demands, which give license to
spend more money and make less time !;
winter sets in. work is finished, and proba-
/