The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-04-28
Hard Times.

There is no denying that these are hard times over
the whole Union. North, South, East and West, We
hear the same dolorous accounts, Of lack Of work and
lack Of money. We are of those who believe that the
re-setion after the crisis has already commenced, but it,
effects a. yet are scarcely perccptible among the body Of
the people.
In our own town We meet with many long faces, and
with many of our citizens who art suffering from that
cpidemieal disorder the blues They mast recoll.ct,
however, that the azure complexion overspreads the
world, and is confined to no particular locsiity. The
whuls matter is nov reduced ~ a question If endurance.
We must abide hy the dispensatious of Providence, and
take the present period as part Of tho experience Of a
life time.
Many when the crisis carne Jew East, supposing that
the West alone was to suffer. In their old homes, how
ev.r. they found things still worse. Many we're unable
to obtain work At any wages, others were obliged to for
sake mechanical pursuits and take to breaking stone in
the Central Park Of New York and We could now
name three b four from this town WIN have write. to
their friends here that they lonyed to return, but could
not raise the money to get back. a.
Let our citizens remember that scarce as money may
be they do not lack the means of material success.
Every industrious man Can obtain for his labor a piece
Of ground to cultivate sufficient for the wants of his fam
lily. lie can also obtain in pay for work lumber enough
to build himself a residence. Let him not lie idle.
Idleness breeds nothing but dissatisfaction and evil
habits. Industry costs nothing, and the working man
muscles are a bank account ut which his drafts are never
dishonOrei. An active arm eats n" more than an idle
one. anl is much more healthy. Lit our mechanics if
they have Lothing else to do, build themselves u LONE.
They have the leisure now, and will not have it in bet.
ter times; and when better times come, as come they
will, they will be glad that even out of the carcass Of
disaster, like Sampson of old, tLey have extracted the
honey IF profit.
There are two things that lie at the base Of the pros
perity of the world, muscles and earth. they are the
only solid things God has given u. Mems muscles
of utility, and Of luxury, that surround us. They have
the garden-a vast, interminsble, irresistible succession
Of hereditary machines.-sn1 the result we see 10 the
present condition If the world. On the bosom Of the
earth We were born, from the bosom Of the earth we
draw our su>tenance, AMI back to the bosom Of the earth
we must crawl when our pilgrimage is ended. The
prolific breast of nature has never yet denied her chill.
dren The wealth Of the banking house, or the hoard.
ed contents Of the stocking, diminish with every sue.
cessive draft all the accumulations of man fade away ;
time Inserts his in>idious fingers Into every purse, but
the productions Of the great earth are perennial aud III.
txhaustible the, Creator sits at the roots, and leeds the
harvest with ~unsparing hand. l
In these troubled times let the public recolect that
ever at their feet lies a mine of wealth, and that what
they plant new they will reap in perhaps a season Of
greater need. Let every foot of groupI be cultivated.
There is y pleasure in the act itself, and . still greater
pleasure in the results to be attained by it. -.sels =