New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-16

paper gentlemen, therefore, who have taken pains
70 convince the oordwainers Of Lynn that in times
past they have been no better treated than "nig-
gers, neglect an element very essential to just
comparison. These indignant workmen may be i'll
treated and cozened, but they have liberty left in
the worst eyent-the liberty ofprotest and that thss
pretty large one, recent occurrences in Massachu-
setts have sufficiently proved. One of our coiem-
porares speaks of these strikes as the irrepressi
t" bic conflict between capital and labor" Ad-
hitting this, the main point of the definition is, that
there is conflict, which implies something like an
equality of Sides or something like hope for the
weaker one. if a weaker there be- TIE angriest
cordwainer in Lynn would have stuck Like wax 10
his work at even less than the old wages, if he had
been sure that striking would be bootless Move
will defend him against his friends-he is not q
negro slave, no matter how low shoe-making wages
may be. He can speak, demonstrate, protest, per-
suade. When he speaks, he must be heard; when
be demonstrates, he must be listened to; when he
protests, he does so with power OF enforcing re-
spect; and when he persuades, he knows that
Steiner weapons are in bis hands if they shall Dc
needed.
Now look at the state Of the black.slave Take
first bis condition as gayly depicted by Senator
Brown and others of Like grave and potent kidney
Here is the fortunate African, with nothing to do
but to eat and grow fat. The man who owns him
provides him with food and raiment and roof
with physc if he fall Ill, and coffin if he die; with
parental watchulness his every necessity is cared
for while he lives, and there is volunteer parson
and gratuitous grave for him when he dies. Ev-
erytbing is done for his good. Southern benevo-
lence is continually rackng its gentle invention to
dovise for him extraordinary pleasures and COM
forts new. The object of boundless human love-
be skips, like an unthjnkng lamb, all day through
sunny pastures, and MARBLES, like q bObolink, the
chief Christy melodies in the evening. Will any
body in his senses compare this blthesome creature
with down-trodden, abused, and oyerworked
Massachusetts, shoemaker
Again. We will loOk at the other side OF the
picture. sHere ia human being toiling from youth
to age without requital, without hope in the world,
halffed, halfhoused, halfclothed; at the mercy OF
insolent caprice exposed to the whip, or to some
thing worse; without domestic relations OF more
than accidental perpetuity without culture, with
out ambition to excel, without the possibility of
temporal advancement. This black man is no
better than beast. Some quadrupeds have gentle
owners, and so may this biped; some animals have
cruel drivers and so may this. He is the sport of
a stern chance, with the odds infinitely against
him. He is born meanly; he lives meanly; he dies
meanly; he is buried meanly Will any truthful
man compare this piece of damaged human goods
with the shOemakers of Massachusetts Yes:
members of Congress do this-Democratic members
lovers of the dear peOple-gentlemen who quite
doat upon white laborers do this. These are the
aoft-hearted champions, Men of Lynn, of Natck,
of Hayerhill who have taken your rights under
their protecting wings. A pretty beginning they
have made of it, surely. Well might some stout,
independent, selfrespecting New-England work
man anerily exclaim, "Am / that name ?" Well
might some yirtuous New-England workingman
cry: