Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-04-30
From the rBilsdslphia Argus.
nnHrnw TnvHnrvn TTmU


Legged few grow rich, without industry, attacked,
eommotion is produced not unlike that OceasiOned
by disturbing q Hasp's lest. If, at any time, the
hard laborng operative dares 70 presume so far as
to ask a living compensation for his unhaggng toll,
the privileged ders deem little short Of treason,
and raise the hue and cry accordingly. We have
heard their thunder tones Of maledictiOn too often
to experience the least possible alarm at any exhi
bition Of their impOtent vengeance. Years ago We
espoused the cause Of the producers Of wealth, and
we have not the slightest wish to look back at this
period of our editorial life.
In speaking, few months ago, Of the fTightful
inequalities that exist in society," took occasion
to refer to the manufacturers Of paper promises to
nav money; the mOnstTous privileges allowed to our
banking interpretations Of coming their debts into
currency-of lending their credit and receiving in
terest on what they owe Nor is this all. They not
oulylend hat which has no intrinsic value whatever,
but they frequently lend twenty times as much as
tbey are worth. Would you not like to enjoy the
privilege Of lending a thousand dollars, when you
had not fifty in the Worldf Some Of the banks in
Rhode Island loaned few years ago, eighty-seven
dollars of their papeTpromises for one in their Vauts
receiving regular interest upon these worthless VIC
lstions Of the Constitution of the United States; and
vet the people submit to the pOnderOus LOAD which
these institutions impose, with accomplishing 81
lenee.
Now let US look at another picture. We have had
a glimpse Of the lOrdly banker and his gorgeous
=
ed 8 factory vii age; you will exact counter
part among the owners there, 10 the luxury splen-
dor, arrogance and incidence Of the bank stock
holders in town. Gaze upon the scene and reflect
what q "gOody outside falsehOOd hath. " Every
thing that nests the view externally, is delightful
The buildings are neat, the church is magnificent
the stores are inviting, aud air of comfort and
happiness seems to pervade everything which meets
the eye Let US spend day there and take peep
behind the curtain.
At five o'clock in the morning, the canE Of the
factory bell arouses the tOiing drudges from their
much needed repose Look out into the street. and
YOU see scores Of operatives, young, midde-aged,
and old; girls, boys, men, and women, who have
snatched hasty breakfast, and are hurrying with
breathless speed to the great rendezvous of toll in
all weather and at all demonstrating with ap
prehension lest they should be few minutes behind
the time prescribed, and thereby lose portion of
lheirscanty wages. tepinside-alla ages are there
the puny child Just out of its leading strings, the
gray-haired old man and the young maiden; there
they are confined, amidst din and claiteT, dust and
pollution; the noise Of the machinery, the heated
and Gro Wded state OF the ROOM the hustle incident
to the incessaut occupation of large number in
so small q space shut up all the avenues by which
the free thoughts WOull 60 abroad into this fair
world and beyond it. Some who have been aocus-
toned to this bondage almost from early infancy,
scarcely know Of any world except the noisy one in
which they are imprisoned for life. Fifteen dreary
hours, out Of every tWenty-four, their souls are
dead to every thing but their work, and the remain
ing hours their bodies are necessarily asleep. If
this is not slavery, then names do not express things
True 1t is called by a much more pleasant name,
and therefore philantbropists scarcely waste
thought upon the intolerable bondage these victims
Of capital endure.
Upon the factory door, or gate, inscribed upon a
conspicuous plscaTd, No admitt8nce except on
business" This is equivalent to the bolts and oars
Of any other prison. as far as those are concerned
- kr1sr 10 -
treated. STILL if the overseer happens to be in a
good humOr, you may possibly obtain permission to
enter by asking leave, with due respect TO his au-
thority; but in other prisons so il is here the
rule, you must speak TO none Of the inmates You
may look on, but say nothing. There you will see
the delicate child, who ought to he asleep at school
in the play ground, bending its feeble body and
plying its little fingers at the daily task-a task
which il is compelled to finish or forfeit very con-
siderable portion Of the sum allowed for the labor
of q day. There you will see girls-no, no; the |
picture is too sad and we turn from its contempla-
ton, to look once more at &" the owners"
Without phys cal lsbor Of any kind-Without bsv-
ing earned a dollar in their whole ives-these priv
LEGGED idlers are constantly plng dollar upon dol
lar, and consequently becoming more and more re-
sDecabls every day. They have large surplus over
and above all their eXtravagant expenditures for I
costly luxUries possess all that conduces to comfort
and convenience, and that, too, without an hours
toll They have become rich-they have become .
rspsetajLs-up0n the toll Of these poor operatives,
whom they regard being about upon a level with /
beasts Of burden Il is for these Overbearing ars-
tocrats that the industrious toiers labor and suffer
sacrificing health, liberty, comfort, to obtain for
themselves while they have strength, bare sub |
sisteuce; and when health and strength are lost,
they are turned out to beg sent 10 the slmshouse
10 die. And yet there are men in our land who .
Wouid continue TO bolster up this wicked system, by
imposing tax upon the whole American people in
the shape Of high tariff. This is the miscalled
system Of "ProteetiOn;" not the protection of the
Laborer against the unhsllOwed Entertainments of
Capital but the protection Of the rich the idle Al
the expense Of those who toll.
Do you need to be told that you pay a tax upop
nearly everything you eat or wear, to enable these
drOnes to live in splendOr without work? And vet
they are the FIRST TO denounce and condemn sstrikes
for hours, or for living wages When the journey
man mechanic can earn as much by his unceasing
the bank stakeholder and factory owner
receive for doing nothing we shall hear Of no more
5tribes for higher Wages-no more complaints about
the wrongs Of labor.