The Yazoo Democrat., 1859-06-04
THE OooLIE vs.. THE AFRI0AN.

We are informed that some time last winter
several planters of Louisiana visited Cuba for
the pSrpose OF investigating the practical opera
tions of the Coolie system, as conducted in that
island, and were SO much pleased with the results
Of their observation, that they wished to intro
duco that system Of labor into the United States,
but upon application to Secretary Cobb, for per-
mission to do SO, W ere refused, upon tho grounds
that II confcted with the spirit of the law against
the introduction of Africans, ans would be made
disguise, under which they would DO imported
But, upon more mature deliheratiou, Mr.. Cobb
retracted this opinion, and Informed the apnl-
cants that Coolies could be brought into the
Union as apprentices and since the demand for
labor in the South can be supplied to some, as
yet'uncalculated extent ny this means, it only
remains for her to determine whether she will
have forced upon her. by the North, an appren
tice system in the inferior Ooolie, thus striking
death blow at that institution upon which her
woalth and power are based. or obey the necessity
of her geographic position, and boldly claim the
superior African, and fulfill that proud destiny
which awaits aers Admit that the Coolie is IN
every respect equal to the Afrioan-that he can
meet all the requirements of our peculiar SYSTEM
of labor, that he is bound by his contract which
the Court Weuid enforce to remain with his am
ployer for definite time,-stl there are obiec-
tions to him, which man interested in the pros
perity of the South can fail to observe.
The strength and perpetuity Of that system of
labor which has made the South what she is, and
winch is yet destined to make the first nation of
the earth, depends essentially upon the fact that
her labor is her capital and that the proprietor
OF her soil has direct pecuniary interest, in
providing for the welfare of the labor which cul-
tiVates it, thus giving to our institution social
harmony and moral power, which no other has
ever possessed.
The Ooohe system is, in principle, directly the
reverse of this, and its practical operations upon
a large scale, would soon develop its tendency
towards absolute free labor thus the powerful in
strument that could possibly be used for aboli-
tiOnizing the South
Its adoption would be a complete subverson of
our institutions, and building upon its ruins that
very state of society against which we have 30
long fought, and would leave Mississippi. 50 far
as the principle of the thing is concerned, in no
respect different from Ohio.
Admit that the Coolie will produce as much as
tn, African, and will consume less, thus adding
to the wealth of the country, it is still super6
clal argument, as it goes upon the hypothesis that
the Coolie can always be hired for a less amount
than 1t will require to support the African. But
1t must be borne in mind that the Coolie is recor.
niSed by the law as citizen, and is consequently
free from the stigma of slavery, which has alone
heretofore prevented the white man from enter.
ing into competition with our slaves.
But when this state of things is changed. ant
our iaborsrs shall be free will not the white m nr
become competitor of the Oooe for the hire o
the planter? and will not his superior intellirencc
and industry, when they are placed upon the same
footing, be preferable to the Incidence Of the
Ooolic? Admit that the Coolie could be hired
Tor less than the African can be maintained il
must not be forgotten that it would DESTROY the
moral power of slavery, by destroying the interes
which the master must take in his slave. and tn,
destruction of which interest would lOnd to such
oppression and cruelty on the part of the master
as would bring the institution into disrepnte
even in the South. Thus the only practical mean
OF perpetuating our present system of slavery il
by importing Africans and il this cannot be done
let US not resort to any subterfugs by which th
South may be enabled to live out sckly ex
istence of imbecility and disgrace.
If the South believes that her necessities de.
mands more labor, and she has not the courage
to procure that labor at any hazard, then let hol
perish as ANONYMOUSLY as her cowardce deser vel