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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 63, 14 March 1874, Page 2

Joseph Arch— A Portrait. Under this heading an exchange says that Joseph Arch, who is now in Canada, is one of the most remarkable men of his age. A humble farm labourer, of imperfect education, without a vote, he is the hope aud leader of 80,000 farm labourers, and is better known, more loved by the class be befriends, and moro feared by tbe privileged aristocracy than any man in the British Isles. It would appear as if the forces which took Cinciunatus from his plough to euva Home, and Cromwell from his Huntingdon brewery to deliver England, hnve brought Joseph Arcb, tbe Warwickshire farm laborer, to the enfranchisement of the down-trodden classes of his native land. He has come forth to make a study of the miserable over-populated dwellings, the scanty pay, the inferior food, the bad social surroundings of vast multitudes of peoplo who till the soil of England, while tbey live like serfs, and he will apparently do much to better their condition. Already he is followed by the benedictions of men and women, who ory out ns he passes "God bless you! Our children never had meat until you came." Ho is a " sturdy Saxon labourer," of blonde complexion aud light blue eyes, a strange frank look, ond strong features. His face is weather-beaten, and bears traces cf small-pox; the under face is squarish, the cheekbones prominent, the forehead high and broad. But he is gifted with ihat which Snad regarged as his greatest earthly treasure, a sweet voice, and his voice has its own physioguomy in a most innocent and winning smile. With perfect independence and simplicity in his manner, he takes his seat before tbe noble lord or the humble laborer, and with equal courtseyj he converses with the utmost frankness, ns one wbo has nothing to conceal; and he has the high charm of a reformer, tho faculty of completely forgetting himself in bis cause. Joseph Arch is a native of Barton, Warwick, and is now forty five years of age. He was born in the humblest social condition, among the class who rarely rise above the common level. While laboring in the field Arch taught himself to read, and the companions of his toil ever were the Bible and the neweprper. He was ' married at the age of twenty-five, and had two children at the time when he first felt the terrible pressure of want. He was getting Is 6d per day, and he struck. From that time he never took regular employment, but worked by the job. He excelled he hedge planting. This caused hira to lead a nomadic life, studying the condition of the people,