Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Story
August 6, 1840
Herald Of The Times
Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island
What is this article about?
A political article from the Boston Atlas criticizes Representative Williams' speech defending low wages by claiming French laborers thrive without meat, likening it to Locofoco policies that would impoverish American workers, referencing Van Buren and biblical imagery.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
[From the Boston Atlas.
Should Laborers Eat Meat? - Mr. Representative Williams, the Loco member of Congress from Bristol District, in his speech in favor of low wages and hard money, uses the following language respecting the French laborer.
"It is true, sir, that a greater portion of the laborers of France are deprived of the use of ANIMAL FOOD; but does it follow that as a whole, they are the worse off? No, sir— so far from it. I have the authority of an English statesman, who speaks from observation and a critical examination of the subject, that the REVERSE IS THE CASE."
If Senator Buchanan and Mr. Williams can persuade the mechanics and laborers that they would be better off by being "deprived of animal food," and fed on soup maigre and garlic, which would enable them to work for the rich at a less price, then we have mistaken the spirit and intelligence of our countrymen.
Calvin Edson, under this Locofoco doctrine, is a type of what our sturdy yeomanry would be made, if the Sub-Treasury schemes of the Tories were carried into full effect. - Verily, the times of Pharaoh have come back again, when the lean kine of the Government are to swallow up the fat kine. Mr. Van Buren seems to be much of the opinion of Jack Falstaff: "Care I for the limbs, the thews, the stature, the big resemblance of a man?" says Jack. "Give me this half faced fellow. Shadow, - give me this man: he presents no mark to the enemy: the foeman may with as great aim level at the edge of a pen-knife. - O give me the spare men, and spare me the great ones!"
Should Laborers Eat Meat? - Mr. Representative Williams, the Loco member of Congress from Bristol District, in his speech in favor of low wages and hard money, uses the following language respecting the French laborer.
"It is true, sir, that a greater portion of the laborers of France are deprived of the use of ANIMAL FOOD; but does it follow that as a whole, they are the worse off? No, sir— so far from it. I have the authority of an English statesman, who speaks from observation and a critical examination of the subject, that the REVERSE IS THE CASE."
If Senator Buchanan and Mr. Williams can persuade the mechanics and laborers that they would be better off by being "deprived of animal food," and fed on soup maigre and garlic, which would enable them to work for the rich at a less price, then we have mistaken the spirit and intelligence of our countrymen.
Calvin Edson, under this Locofoco doctrine, is a type of what our sturdy yeomanry would be made, if the Sub-Treasury schemes of the Tories were carried into full effect. - Verily, the times of Pharaoh have come back again, when the lean kine of the Government are to swallow up the fat kine. Mr. Van Buren seems to be much of the opinion of Jack Falstaff: "Care I for the limbs, the thews, the stature, the big resemblance of a man?" says Jack. "Give me this half faced fellow. Shadow, - give me this man: he presents no mark to the enemy: the foeman may with as great aim level at the edge of a pen-knife. - O give me the spare men, and spare me the great ones!"
What sub-type of article is it?
Historical Event
What themes does it cover?
Social Manners
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Political Speech
Low Wages
Animal Food
French Laborers
Locofoco Doctrine
Van Buren
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Representative Williams
Senator Buchanan
Calvin Edson
Mr. Van Buren
Where did it happen?
Bristol District
Story Details
Key Persons
Mr. Representative Williams
Senator Buchanan
Calvin Edson
Mr. Van Buren
Location
Bristol District
Story Details
Representative Williams argues in Congress that French laborers are better off without animal food, supporting low wages; the article satirizes this as Locofoco doctrine that would weaken American workers, invoking Van Buren, Edson, Pharaoh, and Falstaff.