Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-01-07
HIRED LABOR

of slavery. 1t is an advance upon chatte-
ism and feudalism. 1t is better for the
slave and also for the slave holder.
Barbarian letters. and whips, and rifles,
and bloodhounds, for this age Of cupidity,
are instrumental,ies of oppression altogeth-
er too costly, to say nothing of their cru
city. He is but fool, who does not adopt
more refined and successful mode of bon
dage. Els nonsense to insest capital in
human beings, to be used as cfattels, run
ming the risk of their escape, or sickness
and deathi while the naked interest on their
market value, Will hire starving, voluntary
slaves, 20 perform double their wo.k. Yam
kee mammonites are too keen and graspinp
to commit such bunder. Neither will
they saddle themselves with the expense of
providing for their servants when they are
old and worn out, as they would be compel
led TO do, ii they were legal chattels. No
tits far better TO pay them wages, though
they steal it all back again by mortgages,
rents and s:ore-bills, and thus be relieved
from all responsibility in their support; Or if
they provide for them at all, get the credit
of being Christians, by charitably sending
them TO the alms-lsuse, or selling them at
public auction, TO the competitor who will
sarve them the cheapest, Cupidity will
not own slaves so long as by hiring, it can
secure such advantages.
Besides the Lust Of Power can CRAFTY
itself quite as successfully with hired me-
mails. No plantation can boast of such
perfect obedience TO execute will, as can
be found under our factory despotisn.-
Here. SO pecuniarly dependent is the OPP
erative, that no greater calamity would be-
fal him than to be commanded to ''run
away" The privilege Of laboring fifteen
hours per day, from childhood to old age,
for nothing, in reality, but tho pay of
slave or the reward of horse, awakens the
humblest gratitude. "Was not allowed
to work, and to give my employer all pro-
duced over scanty subsistence? And
were not some of my fellows turned loose
into the streets, when they struck for hirh-
er wages, and never permitted to have any
thing to do afterwards? And shall be UNI
gra,eful2 Have | not good and sufficient
reasons for being obedlent." Certainly 4!
Certainly
Is not the very principle Of slavery in
valued in the system Of hired labor? For
day, month, or year, the operative alb
solutely sells himself. He agrees to sacri.
flee bis own right Of private judgment-:o
annihilate his own voluntary agency-to
put himself under the control of another in
dlvldual, into the leading-strings of another
mans mind, become the passive instru-
ment OF another mans will, and make his
time, his limbs, muscles, and soul another
mans property. He resigns his indvdu-
ality. lie maintains no longer a separate
existence, but becomes the appendape CT
circumstance ofan external controlling pow
er. He is slave.
In conversion upon this point, few days
since, gentleman questioned the correct
ness of this position, and spoke of the law
yer in the employment of his client, as an
illustration of the freedom of hired labor.
And the case is directlyt to the point, though
II but lily serves the purpose for which il
was adduced BY the sanc,ity of an oath,
the lawyer swears adherence to the interest
OF his employer just or unjust, conscience
or no conscience. Has he committed a
crime ?-he is under legal obligations to do
all he can to prove him innocent. He be-
comes himself criminal if he does not use
his utmost endeavors to shield the criminal
from justice. The lawyer is u hired tool,
with no more freedom than the veriest slave.
And but little better is the hireIing mi
mister. Rumsellers hire him to preach the
gospel and explain 'hard texts not TO sdab-
BILE with temperance and destroy thor
business. Shareholders employ him to
save souls, raise money to send the gospel
10 the heather, and tell their servants to be
obedient to their masters, not to open the
prison doors, break every yoke, and proclaim
dsllveranee TO the captive. Retired bank
rupls hire him to prove their salvation, and
preach against petty larceny, or against sin
in such a general sense, that il peases
even the devil; not to tell them they are
legal highwaymen, robbers of Gods poor,
and more worthy the Penitentiary than half
Of its inmates. you must be good. 1t is
good thing to be good. Good men are
always good, exhort you therefore to be
good. Sin not. my friendly hearers. |, is
naughty to sin. Sin is the cause of all our
evil. l pray you abstain from sin, as far as
expedient.
Other than their position as hirelings,
what reason can be given, why the clergy
of our country, as general rule, haye
preached upon everything but the specific
sins Of the people, and been the last in ey-
cry reform? Would they temporise, concede,
evade, and cover up the truth, had they no
sinner to please, no salary TO save! To be
hired is to be slave, whether il be in the
factory, the forum, or the pulpit.
The hired system oflabor does not confne
its servitude 10 the specific business in which
one is employed. IT'S such favor to be al
lowed TO work for man, that, of course, we
are under obligation not only 10 yield strict
industrial obedience, but also not TO act
against his interest," nor to support rival
church. A mass Of facts might be adduced
demonstrating that political and religious
slavery are incident to the hired system of
labor.
In certain commercial town Of this
State, there lives a man extensively enga-
ged IN ship building, who, q, difisren, kinds
of labor connected herewith, gives employ
msn' to very large number Of men. Ia
lS43, report says, he became offended with