The New York herald., 1864-10-17
Eugland,s Civilization.
LAMENTAsLE CONDITION OF THE WORKING CLA
AS EXPOsKD BY THE CLIFTON FAMINE.

LAMENrAsLE CONDITION OF THE WORKING CLASSES
EXPOSED BY Tue COTTON FAMINE.
From the London Post, Sept 80.
The late cotton famine, which suspended for time one
OF our principal branches Of industry without. however,
making perccp,ibe impression on the aggregate OF
the pationa and prosperity will have left
than profitable lesson behind At. Our attention is
social Science Congress on Wednesday by Mr. E. Chad.
the President Of the Department OF Economy and
Trade In ordinary cases OF manufacturing distress, the
result OF over production, the natural consequence is
great fall in the price Of the goods with which the mar
kets OF the country and the world have been gutted
But although there had been long period OF over pro-
-ducon OF cotton goods prior TO the commencement OF
the American blockade and the OF supplies
OF cotton, this elect was obvaied by the fact that We
were likely TO be cut on from the material for an in
definite PERIOD that prices began to instead OF TO
fall. Had not the American intervened, there
would doubt have been period OF distress in the cot
ton Districts arising from the great production OF
the preceding degree distress indeed only
be surpassed by what actually followed from the dearth
of cotton but in that prices would have experienced
very great depression. AS II was the calamity was at
tended with twofod evil effect, far the consumer
was concerned The cotton operatives were deprived OF
work and wages and consequently had, in great mea
OF subsistence while the working classes cut
of from what according to their had previously con-
sttuted great portion, or tho whole, OF their clothing
We find Mr. Chadwick complaining that
the development 0. manufactures has the
rather from the rural pasct all over the
try and mdssed together by millions ia the large toicis
'oher the cotton mdn.foeure I, concentrated 'ehom any
moral intellectual preparation the side, any
nnitcrv physicd, preparation for their reception on The
other They have been huddlsd together cellars and
garrets. Chi!drens wages have been high that
a soas thought useless ezvdrdoance 10 send them
70 school, Hence the working population grew
up without knowing or learning anything ex-
cept the special branch OF their ira lie TO
which they restricted. No. that this ssoe ofings
nan ohat erisss in the dqricuira districts,
oter papers read at TIC ConGress sgceny proue still one
abuse does not diminish another. The same thing is to
he found in all countries. The remedy for this is the
sort pan useful education which adapted 10 make
lis recipient more 81 and less OF a machine, aud
TO be able at pinch 10 turn hts hand anything, with
feeling lost shifted from the special department OF
the work In which be has been employed. The old
fashioned apprentice system under which the best years
OF life devoted 20 what was virtual slavery, has
much 10 answer for n making men INTO machines
less oa' Of their own SPECIAL groove railway loco
motive launched into the During the late distress,
htn the Gorpeop put INTO The schools opened for
them fo'a d. seventy flee per cent could not read,
'cht1ce infer ho,c could ,ori As % orith
aec, hat cmonG the hidden Of oil myssries. of
the females eighty per cent. could not they began by
pressing the needle against the table 20 push trough
their work. Mothers who had never handled needle
were attempting TO make clothes for their sixth
child. In short. utter absence Of the most elementary
rudimes of education the ytile knetoedps of
ou Of fher special branch Of trade the exception The
proper remedy for this lamentsbe ignorance lies the
surface.