The obvious remedy is to remove those whose labour has ceased to be profitable, to a country that will afford room fortheir exertions. Few inventions, during the present century, have conferred greater benefits on the labouring classes thanthat of the power-loom. By diminishing the expense of clothing, it has been a source, not merely of comfort, but of healthand longevity. But its proximate effect was to spread ruin among the hand-weavers; to reduce almost all of them to a meresubsistence, and many to the most abject want. Ever since its introduction, thousands have been pining away under misery,not alleviated even by hope; with no rational expectation, but that the ensuing year would be more calamitous than thepassing one: and this without fault, without even improvidence.' If it had been thought that the removal of a fellow-creaturefrom misery to happiness is worth ?2, they might now have formed a flourishing settlement in British America.
The hostility of many, coupled with the indifference of almost all others, to any systematic plan of emigration, is a groundfor regret and alarm, considered not only as a cause, but as a symptom. It is a lamentable proof of ignorance as to the realstate of .the country, or of carelessness as to its welfare, or of a determination to make no sacrifice for its relief.
We are told that emigration would be expensive, and again we are told that the vacuum would be filled up.
It is true, that to remove a million of persons might, perhaps, cost ?2,000,000 sterling; that is to say, might cost as muchas the direct expenditure of three months war; and that an expenditure of ?2,000,000 sterling is an evil. But in the firstplace, it has been demonstrated (2)(2. See Mr. Wilmot Horton's ' Causes and Remedies of Pauperism,' fourth series.
Hie etiam fatis aperit Cassandra futuris Ora Dei jussu non unquam credita Teucris.) that the expense of keeping paupers at home is far greater than that of their removal. Itmay be necessary to repeat, though it has often been remarked before, that the relief is afforded not only to thoseindividuals who emigrate, but to the much greater number who remain. If there are 450 labourers in a district whichrequires the full employment, and affords the full subsistence of only 400, all, or nearly all, will be in distress, and by theemigration of fifty all will be relieved. And, in the second place, even if the balance of expense were on the side ofremoving a portion of our surplus population, is no expense beyond that of their mere keep to be feared from theirpresence? If the present insurrection spread (and it will spread if the peasantry are told, as. practically they have been told,that for riot and rebellion three days' imprisonment is the punishment, and a rise of wages the reward ); if the ravage of thecountry reacts, as it will react, on the towns; if, when trade begins to languish, the master manufacturers, according to theirlate practice, dismiss their workmen, and the manufacturing workmen, in their turn, destroy machinery; if the foundations,not merely of our wealth, but of our existence, are thus impaired, will twelve millions, or twenty millions, or even ahundred millions sterling represent the loss?
