Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-09-08
Our Social Circle,
The Working Man.

This nation owes everything to her work
ing men. Idlers, men of leisure or drones,
have held her back and ruined her, but for
the powerful intellects, the stalwart arms and
the enterprise of our working men. They
are the true nobility of the land, whose wise
c%ounsels, ~untiring industry aud indomitablc
energy, have pushed her forward with giant
strides, among the nations of the earth. In
this classification We include men of all
work whether it be the labor of the intel
lect or the physical man. Degradation of
position does not inhere necessarily 10 either
class. The man who labors with his hands
or delves and tolls under the pressure of man
ual labor, is as much a man, nay as much a
gentleman, other things being equal, as the
man who labors with his mind, closed in from
the burning rays Of sun or sheltered from
the chill winds aud rains Of midwintcr. Both
are working men, and are equals, if they be
men of sound principles and %virtuous habits,
or both are equal if alike degraded by vicious
conduct.
The conventional and irrational rules of
society, unsound as it has become, We know,
make distinctions where there is no difference;
stamping with honor and position men who
belong to that class of working men whose
e%mployments are intellectual, and too often
branding with disgrace those who labor with
their hands, and from whose brow flows the
sweat of toll. But who does not see the in
Justice and b%aseness of this? Does the voca-
ton OF a doctor, a lawyer, a merchant possess
any intrinsic excellence per Sc over the voca-
ton of a mechanic? We think not. All
are essential to the well being of society, and
equally so-yet superior Intelligence and su-
perior wealth, have raised the one, while the
lack Of these have depressed the other. Yet
the poor laborer is a more important fixture
in ONE respects than either of the others
His hands feed and clothe and provide the
conveniences and ~luxuries of life for them.
Without him time and means would be denied
them for the pursuit of knowledge or wealth
and intelligence and happiness and prosperity
in the land, we owe to that class of men, who
are not too indolent or too much ashamed to
obey the divine command, to work with their
own hands.
hfOiJ uiuu ohOulO Nolhs LIS OWL n6dltl
and virtue and happiness and the good of So
ciety demand it. Labor, in no sense, is de.
grading. But there are disabilities connected
with manual labor which often lead to degra.
dation and ruin. Men whose lot or choice
may be, to engage in the mechanical or agri
cultural pursuits, should be placed in a posi-
ton in early life to acquire intelligence, tt
receive the bias and bent of virtuous edu
cation, SO as to fit them to take positions il
society, which they can rightfully claim, be
cause Of their essential Importance to man
kind. Intelligence and virtue are as %preciou
in the rude sailor, the blacksmith, the shoe
maker, the tailor, and all other laboring mel
as in the more privileged walks of life; an
these should entitle mechanics to positions G
honor and influence, and as high as any othe
living man. Let the working men of til
land look to these objects and labor to pre-
mote them.