Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-01-12


The ph,lanthrorists par ercelaRee Of both England
and America have utterly lost sgAt OF the fact that any
body on earth is to be oompassOnated, but class OF
black men who are among the best fed, clothed and
housed of abOrer and upon the whole the least hard
worked. Yet that it is fact, that thousands upon
thousands, including whole classes not only OF the
brown or yellow but Of the white races, vastly more
deserving of commiseration is that no well inform
ed man, who is not negrophiist will deny. Without
going so far as to look into the condition OF coolies
and other aborng classes in the far Eastern world, we
can BY just stepping overto highly cultivated and com
Portable England find at this moment striking illustra
ton of the truth we have noticed We refer to the
count by the last English mails of the terrible condition
Of nearly the whole population of large English city
That city, Coventry has been long noted for its weaving
establishments Thirty thousand operatives are usually
employed in them, but seldom at sufficient wages, and
nearly always experience or less of them, consid
cradle suffering. Now a large majority of them are
without employment of their pdful condition, the
Coventry Press Of November SOh, gives the following
melancholy account:
We are unable to report the least Improvement in the
state Of the staple trade of this city. The American Or
ders which a little while ago are told, had revived
the dropping trade of St. Eenne and raised the wages
the oil that place 10 very appftCldOle
tent have vet found their way TO Coventry and are
not now expected. The quiet Of our streets IS there
tore still unbrOkcn by the busy hum Of the Shuttle no
sign OF activity Is vet to be perceived IN the cottage
workshops OF our artisans; the large third story win
dows which once lent their ample light to the weaver ut
his wOrk and through which the steady mechanical mo-
ton Of the loom taught lessons Of conentmen and OF
industry 10 the passing crowd below, are blinded with
cloths which once white, but now bear the dust
and dingnesS and cObwebs Of six months active SER
vice.
OF the operatives it is but the most favored few who
have anything like full work. and those at wages which
would have produced a riot in more prosperous times
The wages now "a to those who are in work are, We
have ascened FROM thirty 70 forty, htty, and even
sixty Der cent lower than those which were paid PRIOR TO
the strike in June last Weayers whoa that time threw
M work at double the price paid, are willing now
70 accept employment Ut almost any rate OF wages, and
are unable 20 obtain il at that Weekly, and even
daily for long tine past, We have heard oil respectable,
sober and industrious with families, whose little pro-
pertv in household furniture rooms and other effects,
witch thew had acquired by dnt of praiseworthy fru
gaty and perseverance, have been brought under the
hammer Of the auctOLeer in payment OF claims which
they had otherwise but remote prospect OF being able
20 meet However high the tide OF prosperity may 10
future rise these poor have but little chance OF
being waited back 70 their former position of comfort
and independence The stores the pawnbrOkers OF this
city are crlmmed with almost every conceivable article al
property indeed numerous are the articles orougntto
be pledged and 50 few are the redepuOus that Tue Du
ness of some has been brought 20 standShn. Watches
and wedding rings chairs and tables, he'd linen, and
wearing apparel have been almost the Only means which
q large proportion Of tine Of this city have for
lo time had 20 exist upon. The Gesollted home, the
pae carewOru and objected parents the hacothed ard
hsIEstsryed children the hre'css hearth are familiar
scenes to those who frequent the dwellings of the poor
We were assured by gentleman few days since, that
IN bis own limited experience he could point to numbers
people who bad not had weeks work for more than
thirty weeks be added that the other day respectable
man with whom he was acquainted, stopped him in the
street aud with in bis eyes requested that for Gods
sake he would give him penny TO buy piece OF bread,
as for two DAYS he had tasted mCrsel of food The
same person Informed that he knew of weavers who
had Tor the last few weeks maintained their families by
collecting withertd leaves from the road side and selling
them litter for pigs at sd per bag Others agaln ne
Suew who having allotment gardens, we're in the habit
of selling such vegetables they could raise in the mar
set on Saturday Others had been compelled to resort
70 regular and systematic begging.