The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-08-22
IRON. aas il. r E~ald.
re Free Labor Moresnent in Virginia.

TIE Free Labor Movement in Virginia.
GuYAspoTTE, July %, 1857.
On Taesday zist inst, Hon. Eli Thayer. |
bs invitation. addressed quite a large |
nhinber efthe influential citizens of Guy
andotte, Cabeli County, Virginia. AT the |
close of the address committee of THREE |
was appointed To dran resolutions express
sive cf tie sentiments of the meeting. |
Below viii Be found substance of some
of Mr.. Thayer's remarks, and also the
resolutions, which were passed unanimous
II.
A careful pefusal of these will. perhaps,
correct some false impressions in regard to
the feelings of the men of intelligence and
worth in this part of the State toward the
Homestead Company"
Mr.. Thayer said that he was present on
this occasion, not to discuss metaphysics
or theology, but simply question pertain
ing to the interests of Western Virginia,
and to the wants of the eiAigtating popu-
lation of the NORTH question of politi-
cal ssonofny. It falls In the province OF
this science to supply the material wants
of individuals and communities. What,
then, are the wants of Western Virginia?
You have the material for pre-erninsnce in
mannfacturing-yeur hiiis abound in coal,
iron and timber-your agricultural re-
sources are sufficient to support an I'M
mense manufacturing population-there
is no portion of the United States so capa-
bic of making its inhabitants entirely in-
dependent of every other section as this
part of the Chic valley. But there is not
manufacturing establishment between
the Big Sandy and the Guyandotte. Your
great want is intelligent labor. The great
want of our intelligent laborers IN the
North is your materials and facilities for
manufacturing. 1t is the province of the
Homestead Company" to bring these inn
portant interests together. AS we cannot
carry the land TO the men, we propose to
carry the men to the land. With your
cooperation, we will build and important
manufacturing city between the valleys of
the Guyandotte and the Big Sandy.
In explaining how the city can be built,
Mr.. Thayer made happy illustration by
referring somewhat as follows,to the slaves
of the Homestead Company
The city will be built by the Company,
furnishing power and room for mechanics
to introduce the manufacture of cabinet
ware, agricultural implements, wagons,
steamboats,, stationary engines, locomo-
tives, and whatever is made by the use of
timber, iron and coal. Here we are in the
center of the market of the United States,
as we are in a center of population. But
the company is called an abolition COM
pany." Let me quiet your apprehensions
in that regard. The company already
holds four slaves, which will soon be in
active service. And such slaves! They
have the power of seven hundred horses,
which is the power of forty-ninc hundred
negroes!
Is not the company the largest slave
holder in Virginia? But these slaves have
certain advantages over the African not to
be despised. They do not exceed in cost,
located and ready for work, ten dollars
per negro power. Besides, they never run
away. They do not steal hams and chick
ems, and clothes lines. Laughter They
never have the skulks. They never get
tired, though they work day and night.
They do not eat bacon and corn but only
ask to be fed with wood and coal and water.
Besides, they make population more
dense for their existence instead of more
sparse. Should we 60 into Wayne Coun-
ty with forty nine hundred negroes, every
body now there would be obliged to move
away to give us suitable accommodations.
But if we 60 there with these four slaves,
whose power is equal to forty-nine hum
dred negroes, we Immediately furnish the
means of subsistence to more than twice
forty-nine hundred white men, Slaves of
this kind rapidly increase the value of real
estate; slaves of the other kind as GER
tainly diminish it. Our kind builds cities
the other makes deserts. Here then,
we enlist on our side the anti-slayery of
interest. The anti-slavery of interest is
the father of the anti-slavery of principle
las the child is father of the man.
Mr.. Thayer pointed out several import
ant results of the company's movements:
/ First-The building of this manufacture
ing city will fill Western Virginia with
colonies of agriculturists, for whose pro-
ducts the city will furnish ready market.
Seeond-A dense population of this
character in Western Virginia will secure
the speedy completion of the Covington
and Ohio Railroad. thus connecting the
Valley of the Ohio with the city of Nor
folk, and by doing this will raise the Viz.
ginia scrip to par value.
Third-The building upon its eastern
terminus on the Atlantic coast, an import
ant commercial city.
In conclusion, Mr.. Thayer showed how
this movement tends to strengthen the
Union. There are two classes of men
equally entitled to our commisseration;
those who desire dissolution of the Union
and those who fear it. We are no Union
savers, because we believe dissolution
of the Union impossible. If the Union is
not what we want it to be, we will make it
what we would have it, but in no emer-
geney viii we let it slide. But were the
Union in danger, what would more tend
to strengthen and consolidate it, than this
intermingling of Northern and Southern
interests and sympathies upon the same
soil, under the same social, religious and
political organizations2
The company is yet undetermined
whether to settle in Cabell or Wayne
County. The site of the new city, and its
name, will be made known in very
short time, when there will be presented
few fixed facts, statistics and opinions,
to relieve the minds of the timid and
skeptical in regard to this great and novel
enterprise.
Kansas Herald Of Freedom.