Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-03-22

the laboring men stand not IN inch lower IN
the social scale than tie wives and daughters
OF our governors, secretaries, and Judges. IL
,is not always so with you, and will tell you
why. The line that separates mental from hon.
orable labor with you is not marked by caste
or distinct color, as it is with us. In the south,
as in the north, all the mechanic arts are treated
as honorable, and they are not the less so be-
cause sometimes practsed by blacks 1t may
surprise our northern friends, but all the south
will attest its truth, that nothing is more com
mon in the south than to see the master and
his slave working together at the same trade;
and the man who would breathe a suspicion
that the master had Sunk one hairs breadth in
the social scale, in consequence of this kind Of
contact, would, by general consent, be written
down an ass.
But there are certain mental employmeuts
which belong exclusively to the negro. These
furnish field Of labor that the white man never
invades, or. if he does, he is not tempted there
by gain. Why, sir, it would take you longer
TO find white man, in my State, who would
hire himself out as u boot-black, or white wo.
man who would 60 to service as chamber
maid, than it took Captain Cook to sail around
the world. For myself in thirty years, have
never found single one.
Would any man take his bootblack, would
any lady take her chambermaid into compan-
ionship? We do not in the south, for they are
always negroes. Mechanics, overseers, and
companionship, and treated in all respects as
equals. 1t is their right, and no one thinks of
denying it.
] do not say that it is disreputable for white
men and white women to 90 out to 'scryiccand
to perform even these lower grades Of labor.
But say that with you, rs with us, they lose
their position in the social scale when they do
it. With you it must be done by whites, and
therefore the whites lose position; with US this
mental labor IS performed by neg roes, and the
| equality among the whites is preserved.
| II the Senator from Massachusetts Mr.. SrM-
| NEn wants TO see a specimen Of that equality
spoken OF by Jetfersoa in the Declaration OF
Independence, and so much Landed by himself
the other day, let me advise him to come to
Mississippi. We will there show him what he
has never seen in Massachusetts,, and what
he never will see in q free State-a whole com.
munity standing on perfect level, and not one
of them the 1.-THE of u hairs breadth higher in
the social scale than another. This is equality;
this is social equality he equality to which all
men were born, and which no man loses in a
slave State but by dishonesty or immortality of
some sort.
will not pause to consider the black man $
condition in this country as contrasted with
that of his fellows in his native home. There
is enough in it to awaken our thoughts, and
cause us seriously to inquire whether it is not
possible, and even probable, that God, in his
providence, has brought the Africans from
amidstthe barbarism and cannibalsm Of their
native jungle, and placed their feet on these
happy shores, where, under the benign inau-
ence of our laws, they may learn morality and
Christianity, and in Heavens own good time
return to lift the pail of darkness and death
that has rested so long on their wretched coun-
try?
But enough of this. did not intend to have
spoken of the negro, or of his influence on the
social condition of our country We who own
slaves are satisfied with our condition in every
respect; and those who do not own them, we
may hope, will in no way be made accountable
for the sin we commit in holding them in bond
age. q. .
T-o I