The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-02-24

When a mechanic determines upon leaving England
for the United States, be does SO in most cases from a
wish 70 better his circumstances, and wit something
like consciousness of qualification for his undertaking
sometimes, indeed, from necessity, and occasionally
from motives of curiosity-having q desire to see a
country of which he has heard so much but about in
al cases IA good portion of vanity may be said to be mix
ell up with his purposes and his intentions. He tancies
he possesses, to use 4 familiar phrase, a new and i'm.
proved mode of sucking the egg'-that he shall sue
coed at leas: as we'll, if not better than his fellows. If
he should happen, however, to be a little too sansuine
in this respect, he stands a very fair chance Of being
most egregiously disappointed. The author well rccol-
lects among his fellow passengers on his voyage out a
worthy son OF Crispln, who expected by his superiatiye
skill to make a fortune almos: in no time but when he
discovered not only that all persons wore boots and shoes,
but that good ones might be procured at reasonable
prices-when he dropped upon some of the immensely
stocked stores, and found the supply at least equal to
the demand-he saw to his infinite modification, there
was something wrong in his calculations but scared
outright at %beholding the mammoth sign Boots,' stand
ing a story high at the entrance of the stores, made too
all out Of leather, be turned upoa his heel, and in de-
spair wended his way back to his native isle SO like
wise with a clockmaker Of the writer's acquaintance
who Went out to the States with the very laudable in
tention Of supplying a good and cheap indication Of time
to every one but soon percelving, 90 where be would,
that he had been anticipated by the wooden ware of the
Connecticut manufacturers who could furnish a useful
and highly ornamental article at half his price, the
WaCulIu vi ilS njke lclt d Il uUCe ~ ZcTO III uc uuiCkIy
followed in the wake of the discounted cordwainer
These, il must be confessed are extreme cases but
it is a question whether ali are not more or less tinctur-
ed with something Of this vanity OF opinion, and Of ex-
pecsation, and therefore liable occasionally to consider
able disappointment. It cannot be denied, however, that
the majority of those who do 60 out to the United States
are possessed of skill. and intellect, and industry, far
above the common average Of mechanics.
If the mechanic finds himself deceived by misrepre-
sensations Or 10y his own miscalculations, if times Or cir
cum>tances should be against him, which sometimes
they are, let him abandon the business he has been bred
to or processes, aud try his hand, at least for a period at
something else likely to turn out more productive. In
most places he will soon find that it requires but very
little perseverance to provide himself with remuneratiye
employment, independent of his regular trade. Any
thing is better than idleness nor should the adventurer,
As too many do if not Immediately successful, 20 back
and then by returning incur the expense and loss of time
attcn'ant upon a double voyage, after all having no
greater certainty Of obtaining employment than before.
Better TO give things a fair trial. The American saying
in all cases of doubt, difficulty or danger is, never give
up the ship'-let him adopt the maxim and act up to
1t. 1t IS beyond doubt that a mechanic possesses in the
United States many advantages in his business which he
would not meet with elsewhere. The British colonies
may to be sure offer some chances a little escmbling !;
but in these the demand is limited to particular business
cs, while IN the States the field is far more open. There
also a mechanic meets with no distractions to bis talent,
no established opposition to his interests, but very little
in the shape Of prejudice, and with a certainty Of almost
unlimited employ, is sure of making his way. We
should also without delay learn to get up the steam
as it is termed, for he will soon find his account in it.
Labor is no trife in the United States, whoever goes
there with such supposition will find himself most wo-
fully disappointed mechanics work harder, and labor
in most occupations is greater generally speaking, than
in any other part of the world. Everything in fact con-
nected with trade Or business seems to proceed at a sort
Of railroad pace; all move at the very top of their speed
at a kind Of high pressure rate: go along steam
boat is the familiar expression OF one to the other
to all. The American workman has a quick and Kidding
method of getting through his labor to use one of his
own expressive terms, "a slick mode which he invari-
ably practices, and much to the establishment also of
most Europeans. Even a native Of Great Britain &C.
customcd as he is to a quick style of work, at least by a
comparison with the artisan Of other countries, falls far
short Of what he meets with amongst his transatlantic
brethren. i Mechanics and I4aborer's Guide to the Uni
ted STATES.