Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-11

borers cottage to which was carried by the farmer
himself who desrous of showing he said,
OF the best examples within his knowledge Of that con-
dition Of life The house. though very small, ex-
remely neat and tidy the Bible lay upon the shelf with
out an unbroken cobweb its covers the dressers
were covered with unusual quantity Of crockery suf
cent to furnish table for large party-a kind of
cum0ation which, was told, very common; and
their pard0nable vanity runs in this way, as in higher
conditions Of life the passion exhibiting it
self in the accumulation of family plate. The and
women were aborers greatly esteemed for their good
conduct and had both Of them been in the service
more than forty years. asked them it, the Of
that time, they had not been able to lay by small
store Of money to make them comfortable in their old
age could not have surprised them more by any ques-
ton which could have proposed. They replied that it
had been constant struggle for them to sustain them
selves, but any surplus beyond their reach. can
not help thinking that the condition hard oneinwhch
ncessant and aithiul labor for so many years. will not
enable the frugal and industrious make some small
provision for the period of heIplessness and decay in
country where the Accommodations OF wealth growing out
OF the same labor are enormous.
In all my with society in the United States,
and witt opportunities large any of observing
all classes among them in the various conditions of fe
have never known instance of a going to
public bar for drink, sitting down public
with men, or alone, to regale herself. The alehouses
ana sln-snOpS IN England are as much accust0me1 by
women as by and the results of such practices
exactly what might be expected-an extreme vugarity
of manners, and large amount of drunkenness among
the lower class Of women What, matter Of course,
coe with IL need not be tod but the records Of the po
lice courts leave no one at aloss
In general among the laboring classes in England,
their low condition, their ignorance and want of edu-
cation and the almost absolute impossibility OF rs-
ing above the estate in which they born, render
them to great degree reckless aud mprovident.
Character becomes consequently of far less import
than it would otherwise be. There are want
ing, consequently. the motives to that self respect
which constitutes the highest security Of virtue and
under such condition of things il is not surprising
To find laxity of morals which produces swarms of
egitimate children. This is attended by the usual
consequence-an absence on the part of the parents
of that sense of obligation to support and provide
for their Offspring which is be found in its purity
and strength only in legal wedlock.
There two practices in regard to agricultural
labor not universal by any MEANS but prevailing in
some parts of England and Scotland, which may
notice. The first is called the ''gang system" In
some places, owing TO the size of farms being greatly
extended, cottages being suffered TO fall into decay
and ruin, aborers have been congegated in villages
where have prevailed all the evils moral and phys
cal. which naturally to be expected from crowd
ed population, showed into small and inconvenient
habitaons, and subjected to innumerable priyatons
In this case. the farmer keeps in permanent and
steady employment no more laborers than are abso-
lutely required for the constant and uninterrupted
operation Of the farm; and relies upon the obtaining
of large number of hands, gang, it is term.
ed, whenever any great job is to be accomplished.
that he may be enabled to effect il at and at the
smallest expense. Under these circumstances, he APP
plies to MASTER as he is termed who contracts for
its execution, and through whom the poor aborers must
find employment, If they find it at ALL and upon whose
terms they must work or set work. The gang master
has them them completely in his power taking to
provd, well for himself in his commissions which
must of course, be deducted from the wages the la
bOrers and suecting them at pleasure TO the most des
potc and severe conditions 1t is not optional with these
poor 10 say whether they VIII WORK or NOT out
whether they will work or de-they have other
source-change their condition they cannot-conract
separately for their labor they cannot because the far
mer confnts his contracts TO the gang master; and we
may infer from the report Of the commissioners laid be-
fore the Government that the system is of oppres
sion cruelty and plumber and in every respect leading TO
gross mmoraes. The distance TO which these laborers
gOi often much five six miles, and this usually
otr1.
compelled to these distances and consequently must
rise very early in the morning. and sch home very
late hour at night Girls and boys and young men and
women, work Unfortunately together.
To talk of morals in such case is idle.
am not disposed TO oject to the employment of
women in some kinds of agricultural labor. The
employment of them in indiscriminate labor is liable
10 the most serious objections. Nothing can be
on fine clear day. when the golden and waving har
is ready for the sickle, to sce have several
times seen, party of more than hundred women
and girls entering the field cutting the grain or bind
ing it after the reapers. In cultivang the turnps
they are also extremely expert. In tending aud
maxi hay and in various other agricultural abOrs,
carry their end of the yoke even; butin loading
and leading out dung and especially, as have seen
them. in carrying broken limestone in buckets on
their heads 10 be put in the kins, and in bearing
heavy loads of coal from the pits, have felt that
their strength unnaturay taxed, and that, at
least in their cases, they were quite out of 'woman's
sphere confess. likewise that my gallantry has
often been severely tried, when have them at
the inns acting osters. bringing out the horses,
and assisting in changing the coach team, while the
coachman went into the inn to try the strength OF the
ale.
When one looks here, daily and hourly, upon the
thousands and millions in Ireland, England and
Scotland of unprotected uncared for squalid, neg
leeted half-clad, halffed, reckless, differing chill
dreu and young growing in this country of
established churches and institutions called Christian
of arts the most polished, of learning the most Guilt
voted and ola wealth and luxury transcending even
the widest dreams of avaree; and reads in the ev-
erturniDg page of their certain history, their
progress from the cradle TO the street from the
streeto crimes so enormous 50 extraordinary, as to
make ones head grow dizzy at the recital, and ones
hair To stand on end with fright, and from these
crimes the prison, and from the prison e the trans
port ship TO the gallows; the benevolent heart is
ready to burst with grateful joy to any green spot
in the desert. to perceive even one brand plucked
from the burning, even one unconscious or strug'
Cling victim rescued from tie descending and over
whelming current.
A state Of South Carolina slavery. far physi-
cal contests of the laborer concerned, has many
advantages over this.
Fellow citizens, have detained you longer
than intended. There is a work for you to
perform Constitutional liberty free institutions,
and the hopes of mankind depend upon the part
we play in the trying ordeal through which we
are passing. To us our fathers bequeathed the
richest legacy ever given to man. Shall we pre-
serve this inheritance, or will we in our madness
and zeal tor degraded ana inferior race, leave
to children not a constitutional Union, but
military despotism2 All that have, all that /
am, all that | expect to be. all nov hopes in the
future are bound up in the faithful maintenance
of the Constitution as it is and the restoration of
the Union as il was; and if we are but true to
ourselves, these objects will be accomplished. We
shall again the wandering stars in their wonted
places in our political armament, and the ship of
State will again ride proudly on smooth and
placid sea. Let us aid in filling up our armies, so
that the armed rebellion may be suppressed. Let
our civil authorities demonstrate that the Govern
ment WILL rs it has in the past. protect all and
every interest, and that its powers shall not be
welded for the injury or destruction of any right
of person or property, but that as in days gone
by, it will in the future dispense its blessings, like
the dews Of Heaven, to all alike. Pursue this
policy, and all will yet be well.
/ thank you for the kind reception and patient
hearing given me
'.BUTrERNUTs There was a family of genu-
inc "Butternuts" in this place a few DAYS ago.
1t consisted of husband, wife, and six children,
and sorrel (or Butternut- colored) mare. Three
of the children rode ON the mare WHICH also