380 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



rNo.6. 



to the moral results of congregating young persons of 

 both sexes in great numbers in any situation, especial- 

 ly where they are withdrawn from the inspection of 

 parental solicitude, and all the favorable influences of 

 domestic life. 13ut we will hope the best. In every 

 human condition there is a mixture of advantages and 

 evils. We will hope that the advancing education 

 of the community will do all that we have reason to 

 expect from it, in saving us from the bitter and degra- 

 ding experience of older countries. We know that in 

 many of our manufacturing establishments, under the 

 direction of the intelligent and high minded men who 

 have the charge of them, the most scrupulous and com- 

 mendable attention is paid to the preservation of good 

 morals, and the general improvement of the condition 

 of society. May those who hold stations so responsible, 

 and exert an influence so commanding and important, use 

 it for good; and never lose sight of their high obliga- 

 tions. For ourselves, we believe that much of the in- 

 tellectual and moral degradation, which has marked 

 any portion of the female sex, in any part of the world, 

 (and we would not be forgetful of the eminent and pre- 

 ponderating virtue, which lias in such a majority of 

 cases raised them above all the disadvantages of their 

 condition;) is to be directly ascribed to the condition of 

 extreme dependence in which they have been placed. 

 Whatever increases the value of their labor, raises them 

 above this dependence; begets a spirit of sell-reliance 

 and self-respect; inspires a sense of' the value of char- 

 acter; and kindles a zeal for improvement. All this is 

 is favorable, both as the security and promoter of vir- 

 tue; all this w T ill essentially contribute to elevate the 

 moral and intellectual character of women; they will 

 cease to be regarded merely as the creatures of man's 

 pleasures, and the slaves of his caprice; and assume 

 the proper dignity of an equal partnership in all his 

 concerns, trials, cares, and duties; and they will rise to 

 that condition in which God designed and Christianity 

 tends to place them, not at the feet, but at the side of 

 man." 



The cause of the prosperous condition, above 

 described, of female laborers, and of public bene- 

 fit derived from the products of the profitable em- 

 ployment of thousands who would otherwise have 

 been eating the bread of dependence, or of chari- 

 ty — are sufficiently evident. Instead of all the fe- 

 male laborers of Massachusetts being confined, as 

 in Virginia, to the exercise of a single mechanical 

 business, they are employed in many, for which 

 they are as well fitted as lor using the needle — 

 and consequently their condition is raised much 

 nearer to that of male laborers. Still there is re- 

 maining a great difference — great disadvantages 

 to females — and the greatest is the operation of 

 the old prejudices which condemned women to 

 idleness and dependence, or to profitless labor. 

 "Within the last few weeks another "strike" has 

 taken place among the male laborers of Massa- 

 chusetts, directed especially against this gratify- 

 ing improvement in the condition of women. The 

 male operatives in some branches of manufac- 

 tures, exhibiting as much stupidity as of scoun- 

 drelism, have combined, and struck work, to com- 

 pel their employers to dismiss from labor, and turn 

 out to want and misery, all the females employed 

 in the same branches of business. If successful, 

 similar coercive measures will soon extend to all 

 the other new employments mentioned in the fore- 

 going extract — and the women of New England 

 will be reduced to the exercise of one mechanical 

 trade, and even in that (as now in Virginia) will 

 have to yield to males all the highest profits. Yet 

 these brutes and fools who have dared to publish 



such resolutions, would have their full share of 

 helpless female connexions to provide for, and 

 whom they would then have either to support, or 

 to see s^jported by the public as paupers, rather 

 than let them eat honest bread of their own earn- 

 ing. 



The piece copied above, and the recent public 

 proceedings on the same subject, have drawn me 

 to remark on a state of female society, and condi- 

 tion of employment, very different from what ex- 

 ist in Virginia. It is not my design to give the 

 preference to the former over the latter. Each is 

 better in some respects, and worse in others — and 

 while I may applaud what is commendable, and 

 condemn wjiat is improper, in both, it is not in- 

 tended to compare the condition of laboring fe- 

 males in New England and Virginia, or to esti- 

 mate the comparative advantages and disadvan- 

 tages. It is proper however, to remark, that ihe 

 demand for domestic servants in New England, 

 and for laborers in large factories, furnish consid- 

 erable employments for females, which have al- 

 most no existence in the south. But in all trades 

 requiring skill, and delicacy of touch, more than 

 heavy labor, and many of which are carried on 

 here, there is no reason, except our customs and 

 prejudices, why women should not be given their 

 lair <hare of employment and profit. We have 

 as yet but few cotton factories, and unless put un- 

 der very different regulations from any yet known, 

 these establishments can scarcely be counted on 

 as serving to increase the comforts, and elevate or 

 maintain the respectability, of female laborers. It 

 is due they furnish employment to many — but the 

 system (as heretofore in operation) requires (or at 

 least permits) a promiscuous assemblage, without 

 separation on account of difference of age, of sex, 

 or of previous character. I do not. mean to say 

 that these objections might not be obviated by an 

 entire and radical change of the usual S3'steni of 

 factory operations. But until such reformation is 

 made, labor in cotton factories, though it may 

 give bread to suffering females, will not leave 

 to them untainted reputations. A young female 

 may be as virtuous, as discreet, in every respect 

 as deserving, while a laborer in a cotton factor)-, 

 as in any other situation: but she would not be so 

 considered by public opinion, and therefore this 

 kind of labor (as now carried on) offers no re- 

 source to those females who cherish a spotless rep- 

 utation above all earthly gain. Unfortunately, in 

 the commencement of such establishments the 

 grade of character of female operatives will be 

 still lower than afterwards: and even in New En- 

 gland, the mere circumstance of having been em- 

 ployed in a factory, always militates against the 

 character of an unknown female, when afterwards 

 seeking other employment. 



Dismissing then from present consideration, cot- 

 ton factories as means for benefiting female labo- 

 rers, (though with the earnest hope that the ob- 

 jections to them may be removed — ) let us see 

 whether other means may not be found to greatly 

 diminish, if not entirely remove, the existing and 

 enormous evils which have been noticed. In the 

 hints or suggestions which have been, or may be 

 offered, it is considered quite as important to main- 

 tain and to elevate the character of laboring fe- 

 males, as it is to furnish them with employment, 

 and honestly earned bread. Women must con- 

 tinue a degraded part of the human race, until 



