Those incumbered with children, or in indifferent health, or inexpert, cannot make more than six or seven. They are, moreover, as I have already stated, very partially employed. But laying aside all the various disadvantages and drawbacks, and placing the circumstances in the most favourable point of light, let us consider the case of a woman in perfect health, without children, and with uninterrupted employment; and see the result of her painful labours, and how little attention is paid to the awful denunciation against those that "grind the faces of the poor." Allowing nine shirts per week, at 1212 cents, and constant, uninterrupted employment, let us view the appalling result.
| 9 shirts per week = 1.1212. | - | - | - | Per annum, | - | $58 50 | ||||||||||||
| Rent at 50 cents, | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 26 00 | |||||||||
| Shoes and clothes, suppose, | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 00 | |||||||||||
| Fuel per week, say 15 cents, | - | - | - | - | - | 7 80 | ||||||||||||
| Soap, candles, &c., 8 cents, | - | - | - | - | - | 4 16 | ||||||||||||
| Remain for food and drink 20 cents per week, or about 234 | 10 54 | |||||||||||||||||
| cents per day!!!!!! | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||
| ——— | $58 50 | |||||||||||||||||
But suppose the woman to have one or two children; to work for ten cents, which is not below the usual average; to be a part of her time unemployed, say one day in each week; and to make, of course, six, but say seven shirts.
| 7 shirts, or 70 cents per week, is, per annum, | - | - | - | $36 40 | ||||||||||||||||
| Rent, fuel, soap, candles, &c. as before, | - | - | - | $47 96 | ||||||||||||||||
| Deficit, | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 56 | ||||||||||
| ——— | $36 40 | |||||||||||||||||||
Here is no declamation; no pathetic appeal; no solemn invocation, to arouse the dormant feelings of humanity. It is all a plain statement of harrowing facts, that defy the severest scrutiny. It exhibits a state of suffering which, I had almost said, cries to heaven for vengeance.
In speaking of the effect on some of the unfortunate seamstresses, to drive them to licentious courses, I ought to use the strongest language the subject would admit of, in order to make a deep impression on the reader, somewhat commensurate with the magnitude of the evil, and the enormity of the oppression under which they groan. A due consideration of their actual situation, and the gloomy prospects before them, would lead, a priori, to anticipate such a deplorable and fatal result. Beset on one side by poverty and wretchedness, with scanty and poor fare, miserable lodgings, clothing inferior in quality and often inadequate in quantity, without the most distant hope of a melioration of condition, by a course of honest and unremitting industry; and on the other side, tempted by the allurements of present enjoyment, comfortable apartments, fine dress, with a round of pleasures: all these held out by vice and crime to entice them from the paths of virtue, is it wonderful that many of them fall victims, and enter on the "broad path that leads to destruction?" Is not the trial almost too severe for poor human nature? Let those who pass a heavy censure on them, and are ready exultingly to cry out, with the Pharisee in the gospel, "Thank God, we are not like one of these," ponder well what might have been their conduct in similar circumstances.
But that this is too often the result does not depend on an elaborate process of reasoning, which, notwithstanding its plausibility, might lead to erroneous conclusions. We have the evidence of various citizens, whose opportunities duly qualify them to decide the question by the infallible test of facts.[1]
- ↑ Extract of a letter from Dr. Van Renssellaer, of New York."My profession affords me many and unpleasant opportunities of knowing the wants of those unfortunate females, who try to earn an honest subsistence by the needle, and to wit-
