Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-02-03
MUscATlNE Jan. 26, 1860.

Mr.. EDITOR . The communication in
your paper of last evening, calling in quest.
ion the truth of some remarks the writer
understood me to have made touching the
condition Of English laborers, in the lecture
on s'Labor," which had the honor to de-
liver before the Literary Institute of Mu.ca-
tine, on Monday evening last, seems to call
for some notice at my hands. a., r-~ ....
Although not so indicated by the writer
of the notice Of my lecture which appe ared
in your columns, the remarks made in
reference to farm laborers in England did
not apply to all parts of that country, as
those who heard me attentivcly must re-
member, but to certain sections Of that
country. And those remarks were not
original with me, but distinctly stated my
authority, and gave the following extract
(n parD from Mr.. Olmstcad's, (now super
intendent OF Central Park, New York city,
..Walks and Talks of an American Farmer
in England :"se -...e,. F.. ..,f-.f+ q, a..
s'The laborers in this part of England
(Hereford, Monmouth, Gloucester and Wilt
shire) were the most degraded, poor, stupid,
brutal and licentious creatures, that we saw
in the kingdom. We were told that they
were of the purest Saxen blood, as was, in
deed, indicated by the frequency OF blue eyes
and light hair among them; but | did not
see in ireland. or in Germany, or in France
nor did ever see among our negroes OF
Indians, or among the Chinese or Malays
men whose tastes were such mere instincts,
or whose purpose of life and whose mode Of
life were low, so like that Of domestic ami.
mails altogether, as these farm laborers.
~ was greatly panied, mortified and
ashamed of old Mother England in acknowl
edging this, and the more SO that found SC
few Englislimen who realizs it, or who, re.
alizing it, seemed to feel that any one but
God, with his laws of population and trade
was at all accountable for it. Even mos
intelligent and distinguished radical, when
alluded to this element as a part Of tn.
character Of the country, in replying tt
certain very favorable comparisons he haG
been making of England with other coun
tries, said I've are no. used to regari
that class in forming Judgment Of nationa
character And yet | suppose that class ii
larger in numbers than any other, in thu
community Of England" -, ''...,DP ... .'-l
This extract find iif public print, ant
had any doubt of its substantial truth, tha
doubt would be very nearly ,dispelled by th,
testimony of your correspondent himself
whose evidence | an. as willing to take a
he is kind to Offer. He says-and his testi
mon relates, it wonld seem, to the ..Englisl
laborer, from ought he says to the contrary
ln -. find him, as my friend s'al
prescribes no limit to his ap
that term2he says: ssThat tn
Eng gEsh 1ab6rer has many and .1requs,,t1
lSnot rarely insupera5le disadvantages t,
fcontend with, in the shape Of taxation, lin
tied Opportunities cf education, ercessiu
competition from over population, &c. "'(h
don't telf us what that ominous Vss6sc.
means) 81 have no wish to deny" Then q
course he admits more even than suppose
was the case, that the disad vantages unde
which the English laborer labors, are 'smany,
frequent, &c.," what is the worst Of all