The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-15

Condition or the Laboser North md South.
The contrast presented at the present time
between the condition of the laboring popula-
ton in the North and in the South is q most
remarkable and striking thing
In the Northern States capital is for time
divorced from its union with labor and the
cotton mills of New England and the branches
of manufacturing industry and mining in the
Middle and Western States are paralyzed
through the want Of confidence in the result Of
mercantile and mechanical enterprises AS o
necessary consequence, the laborers, mechanics
and females that have been so largely employed
in the various operations Of our establish
meats are thrown out of employment; and
while the capitalist retires for while to live
upon the aceumulations Of past years, the poor
men are perambulating the streets with incen-
diary placards, and holding threatening meet
ings in the public squares for want of work,
the most unhappy resources to procure where
withal to keep soul and body together.
In the South, how different Is the state of
things in the social organization! Though the
same causes press upon the community there
as here, capital cannot divorce itself from labor,
but becomes, in times like these, its slave. The
master must feed and clothe the slave portion
Of the population whether he finds employment
for them or not; consequently, we do not wit
mess there the same paralyzation of industry as
in the North. The slave is busy as usual, and
rollicking and happy over his corncake and
bacon-while the very continuance of his
labors calls for the continuance of those of the
white mechanic, whose skilled labor Is neces-
sary to perfect the rude operations of the negro
and Of the merchant and sailor, whose science
and capital carry the products of his toll to
market This is the contrast presented now by
the South and the North. In the one, labor is
idle and the laborer unfed and turbulent; in
the other he is busy himself and his industry
gives employment to many Others, while he
sleeps easy at night, and never troubles his
head whether the mill or the workshop is
going to stop or not. These are the different
operations of different social systems.
1t is this contrast it is times like these through
which we are passing, bringing the contrast
home to the commonest mind, that destroys the
senseless agitation of the abolitionists and Gar
risonites of the day, and kills all their isns for
at least one generation. Philanthropy ceases
to have confidence in the infallibility of its alb
stractions or the empiricism of it's preachers,
when Betty, slave girl, standing in the midst
of the unemployed laborers of Lawrence, and
contemplating their unfortunate condition, vo-
UNFAIRLY prefers to return to Tennessee and
slavery, rather than to accept the doubtful con-
dition of free laborer Of the North. Politi-
clans and preachers will all do well to reflect
little upon the social results that are now at
tending the condition Of the laborer, North and
South, and in the contrast they may find some
mOnition to entertain little more charity for
society at the South, and little less reliance
upon the infaHibility of their own social nos
trums