Huntsville gazette., 1890-12-06
EARLY COLONIAL LIFE.
The Political and Economic Condition Oh
the New England Colonies.

The Political and Economic Condition OF
the New England Colonies.
In review of Mr.. B. Weeden's Econ
omic and Social History Of New Eng
land" writer for the New York Tri-
bune says:
They took life very seriously, beyond
question. The town meeting fined peo-
pie for non-attendance. Duties tochurch
and State were compulsory. Nobody was
allowed liberty of conscience. OF course,
much of the assumed unity of belief
implied in these rigid regulations was.
in a manner, based upon the initial
agreement among the proprietors OF a
new plantation. They would not have
come together had they not been Of one
mind; and. being of one mind, the rules
which kept them up to the mai civical-
ly and enthusiastically were merely in
the line of a wise and necessary disci-
pline. No man is compelled to enlist
at least. in time Of peace-but having
enlisted, he must submit to be governed
by the articles of war. But in truth, the
invasions of individual freedom were
carried very far in the seventeenth CEN
tury. Among other customs, Mr.. Wee
den tells us: "Tbe impression Of labor
for particular service was common.
Either the public need or the demands
of private business could enforce it In
the harvest-time artifcerS and mechan-
les. compelled by the constable, must
leave their crafts, unless they had har-
vesting of their own, and betake them
selves to the fields of their neighbors.
They worked for others at regular
wages, fixed by statute" Another cur
ious custom was that (this was in Dor
chester, 1857 ''any member or house
holder" of that community ''chosen to
goe for soulder" might leave the care
of any business at home to a friend,
who should be paid at soldiers rates. II
the conscript was unable to obtain this
home-worker then one of four citizens
named might ''enjoyne who they shall
think fit to worke in this kind for the
helpe of need;" this substitute must
work or pay fine.
Efforts to regulate wages by statute
were constantly being made, but Of
course invariably failed. In 1868 the
General court made law that master
carpenters, sawyers, masons, 'clapboard
dryvers,' bricklayers, tilers, joiners,
wheelwrights, mowers, etc, were to re-
ceive not moro than 2 shillings a day
when boarding themselves or IA pence
day with dyett' Inferior workmen
in the same occupations were to be rated
by constable and two others" Be-
sides this, penalties were prescribed
against both giver and receiver Of extra
wages" There must be no idleness,
under penalty, and special care was de-
voted to ''comon coasters, Improbable
fowlers and tobacco-takers. Knights
Of Labor and walking delegates would
have had an unhappy time in those days,
beyond question. The laborer was
sometimes fined for taking extra pay,
though the employer was not punished
for giving it. Mr.. Weeden remarks on
this: ''The contrast in treatment of en-
ployer and employed in the attempt to
fine one and not the other for the same
offense, reflects the notion of the time
regarding labor. They firmly believed
that the laborer owed more to society
than it owed to him." The rewards of
apprenticeship showed this very clearly.
A boy might be bound from his seventh
to his twenty-first year, during the
whole of which time he received no
wages-nothing but his board and cloth
ing-and at tho end of his term his mas
ter was under obligation to bestow upon
him some such munificent provision as
double apparel THAT is, two suits Of
clothes), a musket, sword and bandoliers,
and 20 shillings." A girl, after five
years service, was to receive She
goat to help her starting in life" The
conditions of service were rigorous,
moreover. The courts whipped, inn
prisoned and fined erring servants.
One Maxwell, in York, in 1851, is thus
condemned for ''exorbitant and abusive
carriages toward his master and mis-
tress." The charges amount to pounds
10 shillings, and if he can not pay this
sum to his master then he may be sold
to Virginia, Barbados or any English
plantation"