The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-09-22
For The COURIER.
That Same Old Question.


try, to write "piece" for the paper, provi-
ded always, his thoughts are worth a peru
sal by an intelligent public. Not bcirg ac-
customed to such work, may be uninteres
ting but sir, there are many questions which
come into our minds annually, or at least BIZ
ennially, to which we feel like giving "shape
and form" 1t will surely do no has1n, provi-
ded it does not crowd more important matter
from your columns.
That same old question, is Free Labor
What is it If you heard the Hon. j. c. Hall
the other night, you certainly understand
the full meaning Of the term at least, all
good Democrats understood it. But there
were many there, who did not take his ex-
PLANTATION as the best. The poor whites of
the South, would not take it as the best
those who are deprived oftheir just rights,
by the great amount of slave labor employed.
And to save the laboring classes Of the en-
bryo states of the Union, from the condition
of those classes, in the already slave states,
is one of the great missions of the Republi-
can party. j. G. Hall knew this, but he
could not define Free Labor honestly, with
out injury to himself and party, so he tried
to ridicule the question, and he did it in
perfect keeping with the character Of Hum
big Hall.
Du., Mr.. Editor, it is a fact, deplorable as
it may seem, that there are many, very many,
who do not know and do not care anything
about the great question of Free Labor. The
reason ofthis ignorance is, that the question
IS not sufficiently discussed. The people
should learn and discuss these great ques-
tons among themselves, and every one
should have reason for 'the faith that is in
him." Though this question is sneered at,
and thought to be worn out, upon its decis-
ion in great measure, hangs the fate of our
country.
Have we free labor in the North We
approximate more nearly to it than the south
does. Our labor is done by free men. But
it is not true that every one can labor as much
as he please, and get paid for it, even here,
although J. G. Hall tauntingly said so, he
said what was not so, and he must have
knownit. Why is it so :? Because of our
proximity to the slave states Of the south.
Inmany southern States, the labor is monopo-
LIKED by slaves. Hence many Of the labor
ing whites, either unable to own slaves, OF
being oppose to the system, come north,
where there is no such competition. The
great mass of foreigners, also, for the same
reason, make their homes at the north
They know that they cannot compete.with
slave labor and earn an honest living for their
families. 1t is true that in Missouri, and
elsewhere, where slavery is dying out, foreign
citizens, particularly Germans, are taking
possession and driving out slave labor. But
this is an exception. Then there is no won
der that the North is thronged with laborers,
especially in a financial pressure, although
our superiority in regard to manufacturing
and other kinds of labor, gives us greater
demand for it.
Free laborers are actually driven from any
contact with slavery. The two systems
are kind of incompatibility. Slave labor
is owned and employed almost exclu-
sively by the aristocracy of the county
where it exists. Free labor owns and en-
ploys itself. tits performed by the common
people, who possess the bone and sinew, and
the power in Republican government
The slave system degrades labor; Freelabor
is dignified by its own action and results.
The one is as unnatural as anything can be !;
the other is perfectly natural and rational.
Hence all who are opposed to free labor, are
enemies to the laboring classes of our coun-
try. 1t is for the interest Of this class-and
am of this c,ass-to preserve our common
territory, from the evils of slave labor. tits
for the interest of nine tenths of the people
of the Union. 1t is not enough that we are
a prosperous, enterprising people, in pros
pering state we want enterprising neighbors,
selfsupporting states, that add to the glory
and honor of our country.
This Mr.. Editor appears to me, to be a fair
view of the question, and view in which
every honest thinking man must coincide,
Let it ever be plank in the Republican
platform, to keep all our territories free, in
order that all may exercise this just privilege
of Free labor upon Free Soil.
REGULUS.