I print portions of two letters of Mr. Dixon's in this place; one
referring to our former discussion respecting the sale of votes:--
"57, Nile Street, Sunderland, March 21, 1867.
"I only wish I could write in some tolerable good style, so that I
could idealize, or rather realize to folks, the life and love, and
marriage of a working man and his wife. It is in my opinion a working
man that really does know what a true wife is, for his every want, his
every comfort in life depends on her; and his children's home, their
daily lives and future lives, are shaped by her. Napoleon wisely said,
'France needs good mothers more than brave men. Good mothers are the
makers or shapers of good and brave men.' I cannot say that these are
the words, but it is the import of his speech on the topic. We have a
saying amongst us: 'The man may spend and money lend, if his wife be
_ought_,'--_i. e._ good wife;--'but he may work and try to save, but
will have _nought_, if his wife be nought,'--_i. e._ bad or thriftless
wife.
"Now, since you are intending to treat of the working man's parliament
and its duties, I will just throw out a few suggestions of what I
consider should be the questions or measures that demand an early
inquiry into and debate on. That guilds be established in every town,
where masters and men may meet, so as to avoid the temptations of the
public-house and _drink_. And then, let it be made law that every lad
should serve an apprenticeship of not less than seven years to a trade
or art, before he is allowed to be a member of such guild; also, that
all wages be based on a rate of so much _per hour_, and not day, as at
present; and let every man prove his workmanship before such a guild,
and then allow to him such payment per hour as his craft merits. Let
there be three grades, and then let there be trials of skill in
workmanship every year; and then, if the workman of the third grade
prove that he has made progress in his craft, reward him accordingly.
Then, before a lad is put to any trade, why not see what he is
naturally fitted for? Combe's book, entitled _The Constitution of
Man_, throws a good deal of truth on to these matters. Now, here are
two branches of the science of life that, so far, have never once been
given trial of in this way. We certainly use them after a _crime_ has
been committed, but not till then.
"Next to that, cash, payment for all and everything needed in life.
_Credit is a curse_ to him that gives it, and that takes it. He that
lives by credit lives in general carelessly. If there was no credit,
people then would have to live on what they earned! Then, after that,
the Statute of Limitations of Fortune you propose. By the hour system,
not a single man _need be idle_; it would give employment to all, and
even two hours per day would realize more to a man than _breaking
stones_. Thus you would make every one self-dependent--also no fear of
being out of work altogether. Then let there be a Government fund for
all the savings of the working man. I am afraid you will think this a
wild, discursive sort of a letter.
"Yours truly,
"THOMAS DIXON."
"I have read your references to the _Times_ on 'Bribery.' Well, that
has long been my own opinion; they simply have a vote to sell, and
sell it the same way as they sell potatoes, or a coat, or any other
salable article. Voters generally say, 'What does this gentleman want
in Parliament? Why, to help himself and his family or friends; he does
not spend all the money he spends over his election for pure good of
his country! No: it's to benefit his pocket, to be sure. Why should I
not make a penny with my vote, as well as he does with his in
Parliament?' I think that if the system of canvassing or election
agents were done away with, and all personal canvassing for votes
entirely abolished, it would help to put down bribery. Let each
gentleman send to the electors his political opinions in a circular,
and then let papers be sent, or cards, to each elector, and then let
them go and record their votes in the same way they do for a
councillor in the Corporation. It would save a great deal of expense,
and prevent those scenes of drunkenness so common in our towns during
elections. _Bewick's opinions_ of these matters are quite to the
purpose, I think (_see page 201 of Memoir_). Again, respecting the
Paris matter referred to in your last letter, I have read it. Does it
not manifest plainly enough that Europeans are also in a measure
possessed with that same _demoniacal spirit like the Japanese_?"