Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-09-07
MILTON PEGRAM.
FOR TIE ADVERTISER.


them OF on fair terms.
~ " MILTON PEGRAM.
FOR THE ADVERTISER.
Mn. EpIroR.-A writer in the last Advertiser,
over the signature of AUpIToR, affects to report
the substance of ll9 remarks made by Col. CARROLL
and Capt. AloRAGSE, at Grantcvillc, on the ~ Ii
August last, and even to furnish liberal extracts from
the speech of the former If the writer referred 10
had been once himself laborer in the factory, and
had been expelled from the wearing room for his
incorrgible lazincss and incfiiciepcy we could at
once understand the ground Of Ills reat hostility TO
the Company and his affected sympathy for the
operatives So, also, were he fresh from Augusta
and imbucd with al its prejudees, it would be AZ
once explained how he comes to assume, lis al uF-
doubted fact, the palpable untruth that the City
Council Of Augusta are the oYncrs Of the portion
Of the Bridge within the territory Of this State And
if, in addition to these things, it were to turn out
that the writer in question had not resided more
than three months in this District, and was not eve!I
entitled to vote III our elections, his attempt To ii'lu-
cncc The people in their choice OF Senator and H.
representatives., might very well Be characterized aS
very exquisite inpudence. BE this as it may, lis
report of the rc,na ks Of Col CARROLL is tissue Of
pcrvrrsion throughout That gentleman lIId been
informed BY OF his friends that the proprcty Of
Il law reducing the hours Of labor in lhc factory, had
been discussed anlung the aborcrs, and had rxcci
some interest among them, and that 1t was expected
and desired that he should announce his opinions
upon the subject the course Of his remarks, he
said that there WAS o compusion upon the laIorcrs
to engage in ,hc &C. rec Of the Company: that am
one was dissatisfied, he was free tv depart at IN.
momcnt-that the Law SOMETIMES ntcrpusrd tu make
contracts for infants, for lunatics, and for married
women having separate estates; hu' that H'c 'uca
Of the law intcrI,ring 10 make contracts i"r laH
gro,rn men, Of sound minds, was unhrard OF among
US, and utterly ab>urd-lat instances had s"Ie-
times occurred, in the oil world, here, by reason
of the exc, IS uf population and The intense comlc-
ton among the aburrls, grown men were content
to work for WAGES barely sufficient TO sustain lie
that in such instances, men mllst have employment
because thry must have bread and il, under such
circumstances, the manu- acturcrs took advantage u
the N, ccsslics of the kborcrs, 10 cxtolt from them
an amount Of labor destructive 10 health then the
law ought undnubt, dIy to intcrpose-tlla in such
eases it might WI, ba considered that the aborcr was
not !; free agent in asserting 10 The terms ot con-
tract TO which lis dire ncccsslies alone constrained
Blt tie state Of things with WIS the very re-
Il. L. ,t,,,
and dear and innumrrIblc oih:r cniplnynIcnls wric
open to the aborers brsles work in the fIrtnr.cs-
that We were thousand years distant from the time
when the dense and excessive population OF certain
we had better be- content to take care of ourselves
in our own day and generation, and leave to pos
trry so rc:iInto and distant the task y. legislation
for themselves.
The stIt,'n.mts made by this vrrhcuus Reporter us
to the remarks Of Capt. MoHAGNs are, If possible
still more understandable. lie represents that gen
tcnian saving that he agreed with Col. CARROLL
in pretty much all he said in relation 10 the Bridgc
and the ten hour Iaw. This is utterly untrue. CAPT
MurAGyE neither asserted 10 disscntcd from the
Bridge, but remarked distinctly lhtt he would say
nothing at all upon that sub bjcct, as it had already
been treated Of at length aud us the hour WIS late
Nor did Capt, MoHAGNE merely express his concur:
renee with Col. CARROLL us TO lkc policy Of law 10
diminish the hours Of labor in factories. On the
contrary, he expressed his own views, and in lis
own language. Undoubtedly nothing " whatever WAS
said by either Of these gentlemen indicating a Pre-
ference for twelve or thirteen hours over ten hours
labor per day. The main ground assumed by Capt.
MoEAGSE was, that grown men and free men had
right to make their OWN contracts, aud that under
existing circumstances, in South Carolina, the p"u-
posed law would be incxpcdcnt and improper.
Capt. MonAGSE indicated many reasons why sEcli
law could not now be enacted, and suggested that
it was extremely doubtful whether, in the present
condition Of manufactures in our State, such mc;l-
sure would actually benefit the operatives, as
dimnuion Of time would lessen wages, and he ell
dcavorcd 10 guard the people agains, entertaining
hopes OF Reform which must certainly bc disap-
pointed, aud urged upon them the p"priciy ofad-
jnstng their grievances Gf any they hadl by
friendly conference with the Directors cf the Conn
pany, Instead Of applying to the Legislature 10 inter-
irre
The whole argument Of Capt. MoEAcSE and Col.
CARROLL was in opposition 10 u law proposing 10 in,
tcrlcrc with the contracts of groom men, ~ sound
minds. ~ law to prutcct, exclusively, luants,
children and women, who may be unable 10 protect
themselves, had never been proposed by the reform
crs at and about Granitcvc Certainly none such
was discussed or considered by either of these
gentlemen, in their rcnlarkc upon the occasion
ferred to. And none can object to The propositions
laid down by them, except those who wish to re-
move the privilege of making their own bargains
and arc dcsirous of having guardians appointed to
take charge of them and their estates
FAIR PLAY.
Correspondence of the Advertiser.
SCIENCE Hill, s. e., Sept. ., 1854.
Mr. EDroR,-Dcar Sir: noticed III your paper
some three or four weeks ago, an article written
..F AL