New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-01-24
SLAVERY AND LABOR.
A LECTURE
BT HORACE GREELEr.

/ delivered by HORACE GREELET, in the Tabernacle
to a numerous audience, who received him with loud
applause.
The Lecturer commenced by saying thst probably,
maBy Of the an Hence nigh suppose there vas diff
ference between Of the views he would present
and come Of those presented by the last lecturer,
Ward Beecher; but, closer inspection il would
be found that there was no divergence-only view
taken from different point one, too, which would
be, probably, found to be more fundamental than
that taken by Ward Beecher. In course designed
give for all the views taken by the disiikers
Of Slavery both these discourses would be found to
have an appropriate place. Mr.. Greeley then pro-
ceeded TO represent the heathfu influence Of labor
on the human mind, in giving il an upright, honest
and manly tone. All Natures operations are earnest
and honest, and the true worker must, of necessity
however msmmonish bis ams acquire some tinge Of
theee qualities 10 prosecuting his work. Blessed il
"he who has found his work; lie. him ask no higher
"bleTedness, says Carlyle. The drama OF m ms
life. struggle is not being performed before any
sevastopol, nor in any Crimes, or Bessarabis; but
in Iowa and Kansas, and among the wldenesses of
the West; not with the sword, bat with The wood
mans az. What wonder said Mr. Greeley that
l. the son Of many generations of cotters should
ponder on the elevation Of labor to something like
utility demand The peer stands by bis
order and why not the peasant by his ! Ac-
cording to the common wisdom, labor is a course
from which escape is sought as the highest good HUI
man Slavery seems TO be the logical result and culm
bation Of the popular ideas respecting labor. If
can conquer in the battlefield take captive, spare
him by my clemency, make him my slave, and place
bin to receive my share Of the primal it is nat
urs tina, should become to him Church, State, and
Providence, Law, Conscience and Divinity and this
il an Arrangement very useful and agreeable to the
eDslsver Laughter and applause But though
this breach Of the laws of heaven may be perpetrated
and perpetusted, there is Nemesis behind; for in
such relation the enslavey and ensaved cannot grow
I'D together in happy mutual home. II the MASTER
try 10 direct his family and life by the golden rule the
presence of degraded and brutal lot OF slaves makes
a constant distate his design. Art and science die
where Slavery prevas az is fully seen IN the South
ern States, which Italy, Greece, Asia Minor,
and Carthage This is not stated with exultatlon but
only 10 show that there cannot be happiness or pros.
perity without labor Wers dozen slaves apiece Of
fered to every free man alive, probably nine tenths
would accept the gift yet better for them to be burnt
ont Of house and home than receive such Trojan
horse as a present. The stakeholder cannot respect
the laborer he must look on him as mere commodi-
~. Every one who really wishes for the day when
honest labor shall be justly considered, and duly
rewarded, must be hostile to Slavery. Slavery
tends to debase even free labor; the worker,
though not much priced in the fashionable circles Of
Boston and New York. Is still less 30 In those OF New
Orleans and Charleston. The necessity OF labor
makes its humiliation; the doctor, or lawyer chooses
bis profession to fulfill bis destiny the woodcutter
and hodcarrier to FIJI his stomach; and the necessity
with the slave is the lash Speak of the dignity OF
free labor, and the slaveOwner says: can buy
better nan for thousand dollars" Ii is this view
which chiefly aids in upholoing the system 10 Amer
lea. The argument that slaves are better provided
for in slavery than they could provide for themselves
in freedom, was considered. The question of right
should come in before that Of eIpediency; the first
question should be, Where is your comm sslOn
" from the Almighty TO hold in bondage your adult
"fellow.men aud women - The duty of Anti
Slavery provide for the less fortunate in their
own community was dwelt Should they be able
10 say to the STAKEHOLDER, Send on those whom You
call your slaves and they shall be provided with work
and paid wages, the inducement to the holders OF
slaves TO resign, voluntarily, would have much more
effect than il now has But such assurance cannot
be given, and this truth shows deep wound in So
ciety, for which charity is but small patch. The
great urgent want OF the civilized world ~ sos sys-
tenn by which days labor, and some wages for 1t,
may be assured to the willing worker; by
which, while potatoes and corn can always
command a price the labor that produces them
shall not be without price, aud by which labor
may not be the only commodity which cannot De SOLD
Society needs some engineer skilliu enough 10 ordge
over the gulf that separates starving aud shvering
men and women from the food and clothing which are
displayed 10 superabundance all around them. Goods
cannot be sold because those who want them have 10
work; and these have no work because the gooos can
not be sold. Thus il Is all muddle. The clue 70
all this difficulty is the organization Of industry and
the remedy is in the logic and methods oil social re-
construction. The man who finds the way TO dignity
labor will give the death blow 10 human oondtgei
then its existence is not TO be counted by generations
but by years. But Bleecker st. or Fifth av may say
paw nv servant and w0odsawyer their wages
what do you mean By cgnifying isbor ins
questioper would 90 into rage II he knew thst
his daughter was engaged to marry dIy,goods clerk
in Grand. st-not for any meanness OF the man, but
of his social position a. II 10 regarded Whlle TINS
feeling is cherished the cherlsher IS IN heart an ally
of the stakeholder; and when Wall 81. has next TO
ave the Union, he will find place on the Commit
tee Laughter and applause. Ii company OF norta-
eyn engrants were to establish working colony IN
slave State and there to practice economy Thrift,
Isrseyering industry-estabshDg schools, factories
ana churches, in the place OF rum'nouses, race
courses and best results might be
| expected from this nofsnsiye, silent method OF
showing practically the great superiority OF
free labor over slave labor. The eject would
be most beneficial on the poor whites oil
| the save States whs are the most despsed
of all classes In the United States, whom the very ne
+ stoes ptenptuously cal the mean white folks
Much good could also be done, through example, by
the coored race themselves in the northern cities oy
steady effort 10 raise themselves INTO condition OF
| independent thrift and labor. They need not eaye
| their homes TO do this Liberia Is very vel, bat LII
| beriss are needed wherever there are bseks. Ihs
they could do by purchasing township, forming
themselves into Industrious community, ana prac-
ticng the arts of peace. Let not thus view be deemed
one-sided and merely mechanical it is but one view
| of the subject one link in the chain OF argument
against the system. II is well 70 consider the
! subject in It's moral bearings. but as con,
nscted with labor, it 10 also to be considered
a. now presented. Mr.. Greeley concluded with
epogium ON the brave column of soldiers for freedom
who are now fighting her battle in Kansas, with
glory eclpsng that Of the Grecan phaanI or Roman
| legion. Wbatever temporary checks they may re.