of progress must be of
secondary importance to an individual, when the present issue which the
case presents to him is starvation or work. If the proposed improvement
is liable to throw him out of employment for even a brief period, he
must look upon it as a hostile invader and resist its introduction. It
is this insecurity of social condition, therefore, which has always
arrayed a portion of the masses against the introduction of new
inventions, improvements in machinery, and labor-saving appliances of
all descriptions, and which has caused the riots and violent
demonstrations which, at times, have accompanied the first use of new
mechanical contrivances. One of the _first_ results of the introduction
of labor-saving machinery is to throw a large number of people
temporarily out of employment. This is forcibly felt by the ignorant
masses. They are not educated enough to see that this first result is
more than counterbalanced by subsequent benefits;--indeed, it is still a
debated question with many people of ordinary intelligence whether, on
account of the large number of people primarily deprived of occupation,
labor-saving machinery be a benefit to society;--and if they were so
educated, their immediate necessities cannot be satisfied with this
solution. The same is true in regard to the abolition of slavery. One of
the first fruits of this measure will be, as they believe, to cause a
large number of negroes to emigrate North. This is the practical point
of the question which the poor and ignorant see. The results of this
immigration have been magnified to them; a statement of the
counteracting tendencies has been withheld by those interested in
fomenting discord, or if not withheld, they do not see these as
operating immediately on their condition, and hence regard them as
practically not existing.

It is, therefore, the wretched material condition of the poorer masses
and the ignorance, stupidity, brutality, and degradation accompanying
these, together with the apathy of the rich and intelligent classes to
their situation, which are the latent causes of our social broils, the
recent riot included. In speaking of the pecuniary conditions and the
sufferings of the lowest masses, let it be understood that no reference
is intended to the present economical relations of labor and price, as
compared with those of other times. I refer to the _status_ of the
poorest classes in society; to the miserable method of their lives