The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-03-30

weakness is caused by the rivalries and
jealousies of competing statesmen, and there
fore the unity Of the South is only apparent.
Indeed, have we not seen in the recent cleo
ton of Speaker how little there was of con-
cert of action among southern members
Whatever there is of concert OF action is
because they are smaller in number, and be-
cause they are attacked and have to act on
the defensive. The North forces them into
combination by its perpetual assaults upon
the institutions of the South. Let us cease
our aggressions, and attend to our own
affairs. Abstain from intermeddling with
their affairs, and rely upon it you will see
them as much divided as any portion of the
North.
So much for the so-called undue influence
of the South. That also has taken its place
in the lumber.loft of the limbo of vanity
and that weapon being used up, we come to
consider third that is now presented to US
the alleged irrepressible conflict between the
Northern and Southern States. That as
sumed conflict is put, in the first place, as
question between free-labor states and slave
labor states. We were not long since told
that there was necessary irrepressible con-
fict between them. Let us ponder mo.
ment and see whether it be so. ask every
man to reflect carefully, and to answer to
his own conscience if be is able to see how
any conflict of labor should occur between a
laborer at the North and laborer at the
South, in respect to industries which are
necessarily distinct, dependent upon our cli-
mate, upon geographical and Typographical
facts wholly independent of human control.
For instance, ought we in Massachusetts, to
regret that we produce ice, and to insist
that that fact is course of conflict of labor
between US and the people of New Orleans
or Savannah, who do not and cannot pro-
duce ice? Or, to reverse it's the fact
that the laborers at the South, because of
the congenial climate, produce cotton and
sugar, which we cannot produce at the
North, cause of conflict? What conflict
is there where the differences of production
constitute harmony of relation
1t is not identity but difference of pro.
duction that creates harmony. What sort
of harmony would there be between two
men that should marry each other. There
is identity instead of difference. 1t is diff
erence of organization difference of capa-
bilities-that invites the man to the woman,
and constitutes the harmony of the family,
which is the basis of all civil institutions
and of all virtue. But, again, would you
have identity of labor in these United
States? Let US reflect. What would be
the condition of Massachusetts? will
take Massachusetts for example, because I
do not want to be supposed to reproach
Connecticut about anything. What would
be the condition of Massachusetts if every
man pursued the same labor? know it is
an impossible thing but we are dealing
with supposition. What would be the con.
dition in regard to happiness, wealth and
prosperity if every man in Massachusetts,
were occupied in doing the same Identical
thing. Is it not obvious and palpable that
prosperity is the result of difference of pur-
suits? But enlarge the superstition. Let
us suppose that every man in the United
States were engaged in doing the same thing,
raising the same crop, or manufacturing the
same product of art. That, again is an
impossibility; but we have got to suppose
it, because the assertion of conflict be-
tween differences of labor implies that there
would be no conflict if there were identity
of labor. Then let us see. would like to
know whether it would do any good to the
city of Lowell if every man in Alabama
should leave off raising cotton, and betake
himself to manufacturing it. l would like
to know if it would be any advantage to
the city Of Lynn if every man III South
Carolina should leave off cultivating rice,
and betake himself to making shoes. Or,
once, for example, coming to the State of
Connecticut, I would like to know if it
would be any advantage to the city of New
Haven if every man in Louisiana should
leave of raising sugar and betake himself
to making coaches. How would our indus
tries in New England fare in that new eu-
topia of identity of labor, which is one of
the bases of the alleged irrepressible conflict
between the northern and southern States ?
Why, gentlemen, it is so self.evident that
all this theory is absurd, foolish, irrational,
mere powder with which to fight a party
contest,th t!would be discreditable to your
judgment to pursue that argument further.
Nay, the argument does not need to be
pursued farther; for how stands its author
now? We are no longer told of the ire
pressible conflict between the free labor
States Of the north and the slave labor
States of the south but now it is an ire
pressible conflict between the "capital
States " of the south and the "labor
States of the north. That is the latest
new invention. The nomenclature is foolish,
irrational and destitute of any foundation in
fact. -, ~, cameo. ~
1t is mere tinkling jingle of names. The
capital States of the South and the labor
States of the North, and is there no labor
at the South The nomenclature assumes
that and behind that is another idea that
the colored laborers of the South are the
property Of certain capitalists there. Sup
pose they are ask you to challenge your
memories, to interrogate your Judgment, to
cudgel, as it were, your reason into action,
and tell me how any possible differences can
be drawn from this fact, so far as it is q
fact ? Gentlemen, I see no inference to be
drawn, and, indeed, no inference was drawn,
for it was an application of artificial names
for the purpose Of making q new discrimi
nation between the North and the South,
the object of which it is easy to see., How
does it happen that at this day any person
falls upon that most far fetched and most
groundless idea that II one 2ta&e If thn