CONDITION OF THE POOR AND LABORING CLASSES. 579 



powerful individual, who chooses to keep it in its present state 

 for his game preserves ; another large tract is devoted to some 

 object, which, if it had its value centuries ago, has now ceased 

 to be of use. Is there any reason why this land should riot be 

 made available to the support of perishing thousands, whose 

 voluntary labor would make it so available ? In feudal times 

 the powerful baron or lord took care of his vassals, and regarded 

 himself as to a degree bound to provide for them from the estate, 

 which they cultivated and protected. Things in this respect are 

 changed ; now, the holders of large estates, who seem every 

 where actuated exclusively by a commercial spirit, feel no further 

 bound to their laborers, than to manage their estate in the least 

 expensive mode possible, to take every advantage of the compe 

 tition in the labor market, and get their work performed as 

 cheaply as possible ; and then, having got their labor accom 

 plished, and having paid their laborers, in money, the miserable 

 pittance promised, dismiss them without any further concern for 

 them. This grows out of the modern refinements of political 

 economy, which measures all good and all values by a pecuniary 

 standard. A state of South Carolina slavery, as far as the physi 

 cal comforts of the laborer are concerned, has many advantages 

 over this. 



All expectations of any great changes or improvements in the 

 institutions of society are, in my humble opinion, vain. There 

 is not wisdom enough, nor virtue enough, to effect, or, if effected, 

 to maintain them. Ambition, the love of power, avarice, vanity, 

 and pride, those mighty passions which sway the heart, and 

 whose power increases in correspondence with the means of 

 indulgence, impose insurmountable impediments to the progress 

 and influence of the true principles of Christian equality, equity, 

 and kindness. Men without power fancy they should not abuse 

 it, if acquired ; but the possession soon contradicts this promise. 

 Poor men persuade themselves, if they were rich, their wealth 

 would be used only to do good, and make others happy ; but the 

 acquisition of wealth too often dries up all the springs of sym 

 pathy and kindness, and stimulates inordinately the thirst for 

 further acquisition. 



Violent revolutions present remedies full of terror and alarm ; 

 sometimes only open new sources of wretchedness, and are but 

 the change of one tyranny for another, and that even more 



