Letter From George Combe, Esq.

Edinburgh, 25th November, '46. Mr. Ebev. Avkry, South Reading, Mass., U. 8. A : Detr Sir,- Yoiir lellei-dated in July, rf-aehed me only n October, and I bpg to thnnk you for t, and the tr.nnslation of Fourier's word which accompained it. I ngree in your view of Fourier's sysiem, so far as I understand.it, und regard it as impracticable in the present state of society. You nsk, " Whnt else can the laboring popuia! ion do für their ovvn elevaiion nnd improvemenl, and the removalof the iron hoof which at present grinds them into the earth?" In nnswermg lilis question, I submit two views to your consideraron, lst, individuals cannot change suddenly the condition of the society in which ihey live. Even Peler the Great of Russia, andJoseph the lid of Austria, although sovereigns armed with despotic power, and men of great energy of ' acter, could not succeed in reforming the administration of their oivn governmenls, and civilizing their own poople. And the rëason of their Faiiure was, that the individuáis wlio composed theae nalions wel'e rude,ignorant, and superstitious,-ind prefeired modes of Ufe and action which Were in harmony with' their own luw mental condition, to higher habits which would have been al variunce with it. - The only way to produce a great social improvement, s by degrees to infuse new principies into the mass, and to leach tbem to the ohildren. It requires three generalions nt lenst, lo opérate an important social change. This, you will say, prpsents a poor prospect to v!io,like yourself, preceive the imperfactionof the present stale of things, and suffer f rom it. 1 knowledge that it does so, and wish it were otherwise; but tlie cause of Ihe evilswhich you endure lies in the moial and intellectud condition of the class to tvhich you belong. Tho great inajority of them are still low in iheir moral and intellectuaí altainments, and prefer their present external condi'ion to the pain of preparing ihemselves for a higlicr. There is only one unsurmountable obstaele, for cxample, to all the operatives in a Lowel! cotlon-míll, formng themelves into a joint-siock company, performing all the work themselves, and dividing the profits, - and thisone obsiacle is the low condition of their moral and intellectual faculties, which would render them incapable" of a rationa;, moral, aud efficiënt co-operaton. Were such a scheme trieJ, you would see ihe ambitious men aiming nt power in the management, fortheic own graiificalion, irrespective of iheir real cnpacily to direct the work with advantage to the general interest ; you would find tlie selfish men aiming a! some extra advantnge to themselves, jenlous of o'.hers, and disconlented; the indolent men, idle; and the proflígate men, reckless. Tltls occurred at Orbiston, wliere Mr. Owen's system was trid; and would probably happen again itt Lowel!, if now tried. I state ihisas the only unsufmoünt 'alle obstacle to tlie success of the supposed scheme ; because I am convinced that if the operatives had fu!l confidence in ench other's intelligence, business tolents, and good faith, there is capital enougii amongtiicmselves to spt up ind rnftDftge such nn establishment. The sums in lhe savings' banks be'.ong ch efly to the laboring cl iss, and why do they preffer a low rale of interest from one of lliesc bank, to a higher rate from a joint-stock associatiow of their own people, except that they have not confidonce in their honesty and business talents? Moreover, I am salisfiod tbat only the same want of confidence stands in the vvay of ordinary capitalists lending money to such associations. Is Ihcre, tlien, any remedy for tl ese deficiencies in the working classes? - Tliere is none that I knnw of, except education, or inlellectual instruction and moral training. Your Board of Education, vvith the II on. Horace Mnnn at its head, is using the most eiïectual means that can be devised to prompte the plevation and imflrovement of the people of Massachusettg. The workingclasses scarcely see the benefits tendered to lliera in education in a sufficientlv strnng light. For niy own part, I car. discover no cause wliy capital nnd its ndvantngps are fonnd so exclusively n the hands of the middle and higher clases, oxcept their superior inlelügence, business talents and good faith. AVherever these qunlities have been wanting in them, ruin hns overtaken thcm.jusi as ithas overwhelmed associatior.s of the operatives. In this country, the benefit societi.es, for provHing against sickness-nT.d-death, too often fa il in the hands of the operativei, whrïe those in the midd'e clnsses, under the name of Life and Annuity offices, acctimtlfate ettormom wealth.l The causes of the different resulis are ensily traeed. The poor man's club is founded in a tavern; ihe landlord is often the treasurer; the rates adoptcd nre not cnlculated on any accurate data in p-oportion (o the risks; and the whole solieme is too oftrn managed by a nbitious busy-bodies, whose vanity far exceeds their inlelligonce; and so the scheme perishes. The life Associations of llie rniddle classes have no connection wilh the tavern: tliey nrs managed bv men of the highest intelligence in th.it öpparlment who can be found, and who me ndequnlely pnid in proportion to their skill; lieir rates are founded on data scientifically ascerlained; the funds are scrupulously invested in good securifies; and the managers conduct the wliole concern in good faiih for benefit of all the membcrs; and henee their success. I may take another example. In Rome ofyour Statps, joint stock Banks were instituted in great numliers. In many instancos, the cashie.rs and directors npplied the funds to their ovvn usc, lost tliorn, and the Banks failed. VVnnt of in.elligence and honcsly was the cause of their ruin. VVKereever on the other hnnd, lliese qualities prevailed in the management, the Banks prosperod. In Massachuselts, you had fewer Bank feil ures ihnn in other States, nnd why? - Solely because moral and inteÜeclun cultivation Was farthcr advanced there among the class who make and manage Bar.ks, than in the other States. In Scot land, only fouror five joint stock Banks have fiiiled since 1800, nnd 1 know the history of every one of tliem. They weresmall provincial establishment.?, nnc the managers of tliem applied the funds to their ovvn purposes,and lost tliem. In short, all these peiished tlirovgh dishonesly. In the course of my rxperience during thirly years in the irofession of Inw, n conneciion chiefly vvith the middle class of society, I had abundant proofs that those who prospered wei e active, in telligent, tuvi moral; and that those who failed wère deficiënt in these qualilies, or in one of other of therrii There is, iherefore, in my view, tio system, theory, or combinaiion of circ.umstances that will confer on the operative classes, while they continue illducated, Unskilled in the businee habits which fit men for intelligent co-operation, - and deficiënt in syslematic lionesty, - the advantages which the middle cluss23 derive from a higher moral and tellectual cullivation. Again, I repeal, the reinedy nppearstome lo lic in a higher education of tlie ncT!e. Place them on a level in point of rnoral nnd inlelleclual attainmenls witli the higher orders, and the diserepancies in ihe fortunes of the iwo will be greatly lessened, or nltogelher disnppear. Secondly. While this chaiige is in progress, the only remedy for an intelligent anu moral member of ihe lower c!ass,is to endeavor to enter into the middle order. Tli e re is no unwillingness in the latter to receive and assist the former to rise, wherever they see the necetsary qualificalions possessei. Among my friends and acquaintances thereare, at least, halfa-dozen of men who have rhen ! jeel poverty to weallh, before my own eyes, by the sheer force of their talents anti honestv. W'hal soms operatives óesire, is to enjoy the advantages of high qualities without laking the Irouble to acquire them ; but Ihis is as much alverse lo nature, as it wou ld be to e.xpect to reap a rich harvest without sowing in spring, j Anothererror intowhich lhey are apt to fall, is to imagine that, if the enlire profits of their labor were diWdeü among them, - say among the operatives of a Lowell Mili, - each of them wculd recelveas inuch as fulls to the lot of the single capitalist to whom it belongs. - This isobvioualy a nrstake. It is probable 'lliat they woulJ not receive abo-ve $100 each of extra goin, suoposing the capital all their own; nnd ibis would not essentially change condilion. You ask vvheiher I anticípate the realization of a higber state of society than thaí whicli now exista? I do ! because the present condition of things does not satisfy nian'shighest faculties. You may wish me to describe i:, and to point out hovv it may be altnined. Here, however, I become painfully conscious of the iinperfection of my own knowledgs. A!l tlmt 1 discern is - lst, The tendency of Capi:al constantly to increase; this wl] diminish the difficulty of obtaining tlie use üfit.nni] also diminish its valué. SHly. The tendency of skiüed laboi-, using machinen', U supeisede unskilled lab t; this is a penalty iinposed bv Provide::ce on gnorance, and a premium oíFe:-pd to skill and intelligenoe. The only thin'g farther neceisary to bring the operativos within tlie beneficial operntíon ofthese tivo tendencies, is, that they shali ion their ignoranee, and increase their moral and intellectual cultivation. By bringing the cotidilion "of their own minds into accordance with the schemeof Providence, they wil] certainly rise in their oulward and invvard enjoyments ; but what t!ie precise forms ofthe results mo.y be,my intellect is incapable of fore-seeing. As you mention thatthere are other individuals, in your Stale, besideyoure]f, whfl desire to know ray views on these topics, - and it givcs me great plenssure to keep up my connection with your countryniRii, - you are at perfect libertyto publish this letter in any form you please. With best wishes for your improvement and welfare, 1 remain, dear sir, Your faithful servnnt, GEORGE COMBE. S. I do not mean to charge the operative class with general dithonesty, n their present ei rcumslances ; but wlmt I have remarked, in Ihis country, is this. - thnt when responsibility toa masteris wiihdrawn. and when large are commilted to their diserftionary agemcnt, witli do check except thnt niiposed by tlieirown intelligence nnd ssnse of justice, tlioy often tnake shipwreek of the concern tlirough gnorunce and incapncity, und not unfrequer.tly finci their moral principies, wbich sufficed to koop them honcst as workmen, lipset and inadequate lo guide lhem as managers in trust forothera. Uutil iliey learn to combine inlellei-tual capacity witli iinbemJiig integrily, capital ennnot reinain in their possession.