Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-02-14
EARLY COLONIAL LEE.
The Political and Economic Condition OF
the New England Colonies.

The Political and Economic Condition of
the New England Colonies.
In q 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 to church
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 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 maik civical-
ly and enthusiastically were merely in
the line of O 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
fury. Among other customs, Mr.. Wee
den tells US: 1.-THE 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 artihcers 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, 1887 "any member or house
holder" Of that community "chosen tc
goe for soulder" might leave the care
of any business at home to friend
who should be paid at soldiers rates. Il
the conscript was unable to obtain thi'
home-worker then one of four ciAzen!
named might 'enjoyne who they shall
think fit to worke in this kind for thu
helpe of need" this substitute mus
work or pay fine.
Efforts to regulate wages by STATUTE
were constantly being made, but o
course invariably failed. In 1868 tn
General court made law that ''maste
carpenters, sawyers, masons, 'clapboar,
DRYERS, bricklayers, tilers, joiners
wheelwrights, mowers, ETC., were to re
ceive not more than 2 shillings da
when boarding themselves or IA penc
day with dyett' Inferior workme,
in the same occupations were to be rate
by a constable and two Others" BE
sides this, penalties were prescribe
against both giver and receiver of extr
wages" There must be no idleness
under penalty, and special care was de
voted to "comon coasters, unprotitabl
fowlers and tobacco-takers. Knight
of Labor and walking delegates woul
have had an unhappy time in those days
beyond question. The laborer wa
sometimes fined for taking extra pay
though the employer was not punishe
for giving it. Mr.. Weeden remarks o
this: "The contrast in treatment of en-
ployer and employed, in the attempt
fine one and not the other for the sam
offense, reflects the notion of the tin
regarding labor. They firmly believe
that the laborer owed more to societ
than it owed to him." The rewards
apprenticeship showed this very clearl,
! A boy might be bound from his seyent
} to his twenty-frst year, during I'll
} whole of which time he received I
wages-nothing but his board and clotl
= ing-and at the end of his term his ma
/ ter was under obligation to bestow upc
! him some such munificent provision
} double apparel THAT is, two suits
4 clothes), a musket, sword and bandolier
= and 20 shillings." A girl, after fl
Z years service, was to receive sh
3 goat to help her starting in life" IT
8 conditions of service were rigorou
!. moreover. The courts whipped il
prisoned and fined erring servant
One Maxwell, in York, in 1861, is tn
: condemned for 'exorbitant and abusi,
carriages toward his master and mi
tress." The charges amount to poun
10 shillings, and if he can not pay tn
sum to his master 'then he may be so
% to Virginia, Barbados or any Engli
plantation,