Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-03-29
Southern Mechanics.

in the Alabama Phoenix, rebuking a practice
| which does as much to make the South de-
pendent upon the North as anything else
| Were Southern planters to patronize South.
ern mechanics exclusively, instead of those OF
! the North, large and useful community
| would speedily grow up amongst them, diver.
sifyinr the pursuits, added to the resources
and immeasurably strengthening this portion OF
the Union, in case of war Or insurrection We
hope the day is not far distant when Southern
| mechanics will supply the wants of the South
and Southern factories spin and weave lis cot
ton
"Much has been written about the depen-
deDce of the South upon the North for many
of the articles necessary to carry the various
branches of business in the Southern State.
And while we hear the most bitter denuncia-
tions against the Northerners for their inter
ference in our domestic institutions; their re-
fusal to have enforced the Fugitive Slave Law,
and other matters, we behold the authors of
such anathemas, the foremost in encouraging
Northern worlsmen, to the injury and ruin Of
Southern mechanics. Does Il planter wish to
purchase q wagon or buggy-does he wish
to buy dozen axes or hoes-a few dozen
shoes or blankets for his negroes-does he
wish to buy fine suit of clothes, or purchase
a fine dress for his wite-does he want a saddle
or set Of harness-is he building a new
house, and wants set of blinds why for
sooth, he must neglect his own neighbors who
are depending on different branches of mcchan-
ical business for their daily bread, and instead
of supporting them in their honest exertions
to make livelihood, he sends his orders to
Philadelphia Or New York for the very articles
which he might obtain from those whose inte-
rests are identified with their own. Hundreds
of thousands Of dollars are thus sent on to the
North annually, for articles that could be OBJ
tanned from Southern mechanics. Can the
South prosper SO long as she neglects her own
sturdy mechanics! Their position is hard
one, truly: for they have to ocompete with free
labor on one hand, and with slave and peniten-
t.ary labor on the other
"But perhaps no class of men suffer under
this state OF things to a greater extent than the
printers and publishers of newspapers in the
South. All know, (or ought to know that
the subscription lists alone of most of our
country papers will not support them and yet
we see clubs of ten, twenty, or forty subscri-
bers, in every village in the South, combined to
support some such trash, wishywashy sheet as
the UNIVERSE, of New York, or some other
cheap (9) paper, whose conductors are in heart
snd soul opposed to Southern interests, while
they will not support paper published in
their own country-papers which furnish them
with useful home statistics, advising them of
what is most calculated to interest them. If
merchant wants few hand-bills or bil-heads;
e., Ii
or physician wants hundred professional
cards printed, or teacher wants two or three
hundred circulars or concert bills, he must send
to northern city, where he can procure them
a lille cheaper (not always than at home.
Merchantsare satisfied to let the newspaper pub
fisher suffer rather than give him little adyerti-
sing patronage This spirit of gross neglect,
and downright opposition to the mechanics and
tons of society in the South. And so long as
this course is pursued, we drive from among
US those men who in all ages of the world
have proved themselves the most useful to so
ciety. We moreover keep from among us as
many more who would gladly take their places
in our midst as good citizens, useful in build
ing up our towns, and ornamenting the cour-
try, by their mechanical skill and ingenuity.
If we would prosper we must encourage our
own workmen. We must become independent
of other portions of the country, to a certain
extent, by building up manufactures, support
ing our own blacksmiths, sgin-wrights, shoe
makers, ta'ors, cabinet Workmcn, painters,7
PRINTERS &c, &c, and then we will advance
steadily and surely on the hiehroad to pros
perity and wealth. vi ~
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