Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1858-08-12
| Is it Right to Teach Negroes the
Mechanic Arts!

y MCCHIuiC sAltSs -
! The duties Of the editor of al
: independent journal not unfrequent
E ly clash with his personal sympaihies
particularly when the demands o
: society exact the denunciation o
that in which intimate friends may
be interested. But when the public
veal requires it, no public Journal
lst, who is not unworthy of bis
calling, will hesitate as to the line o
duty. Hence it is that We approach
the question that heads this article,
with the declaration, that personally
we have no purposes. to effect, or
individual interests at stake;. on
the contrary, the establishment Of
(, the measure, for which we shall con.
tend, may, for time-in'appearance
at leass-iDjure, pecuniarily, some
Of our warmest friends. Be that
as it may, We shall advocate what
we honestly believe will subserve
the best interests of the South;'
feeling assured, that while others
may not agree with US, those who
know US, at least will not impugn
our motives.
We'll! is it right to make mechan-
;cs of slaves? That many negroes
Can aud Go make admirable 0echan-
les, especially in wood and iron
work, we admit; and thus we ignore
at once and forever, the time serv-
ing argument, based upon the want
of capacity in the negro. And if
these negro mechanics were con.
fined to the plantation of their own
ers, the question propouDded 'in
our caption would never have de-
manded a solution. For on the
plantation Of his owner alone, no
one will. we presume, deem it re-
prehensible to employ negro mechan-
les. But whenever his labor is
thrown into the market, in opposi-
ton to that Of the white mechanic,
an injury, and a serious one, is in.
flicted, not only upon the respecta-
bic Artisans Of the South, but also
upon the institution of slavery itself.
To ask the Southern mechanic
TO continue intensively pro- slavery,
while the ''institation" in one of the
phases is literally snatching The bread
from his mouth, is requiring an ex
tent of devotion TO the South which
is not be expected from poor human
nature, And as Southsrners, de-
termined af all and every hazard
| to maintain the institution Of Afri-
can serVitude, is it philosopbic-i
it safe-to solicit, court aud taunting-
ly challenge opposition at homer
To ask the question is to answer it..
| The cotton field is the Legitimate
sphere Of the African; it seems to
bs tie place that God has fitted
him for; it has elevated him from
cannibalism to christian manhood,
and there tits safest- it is the part
of wisdom-to let him remain for
a season. CoeIre him to usurp the
position Of competing artisan and
you place the honest, unsophistica.
ted African in a false position; while
you invite an enmity that he does
not deserve by placing him ir oppo-
sition to our free-born white meehan-
les, aud sinking them in their own
and in the public estimation.
This is an evil which loudly cries
| for a remedy. 1t rstards the devei.
opment of the mechanical genius Of
the native sons Of the South, and
prevents the settlement among us
of many honorable and worthy arti-
ssns-tbat class Of population which
|, tends, more than any other, to the
building up Of State or commune
|, ty. This suicidal policy demands
! the notice of the press Of our State
--and in fact, the whole Southland
!, we hope they will agitate the subject
/ until it meets with the proper atten-
zion at the hands Of the Legislature
; of Tennessee.
!, A Chelsea clergyman, alive to the
, Importance Of advertising, has lately