The weekly sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1851-1869, 1861-11-30
THE WEEKLY SUN.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 80, 1861.
Slave and Fro Labor Contrastcd.


The London Spectator received by last steam-
er, reviews a pamphlet lately issuei by z.
ATKINSON, an American cotton spinner, and
strongly recommends its perusal to its readers.
II says that 1t will cease TO assert that cotton
cannot he cultivated without the negro, and in
proof cites information contained in the publica-
lion. First addressing It own readers, as to
perusal Of the work, it says,
They will, we feel certain, commence the
TASK still moro readily five tell them that the
pamphlet is a simple busncss-lkc production:
that 1t has no illusions to the glorious eagle OF
Our cCmmOn country, which sOars above the
Nlleghanits with thunder bolt in its mouth
and an earthquake in its claws: that it contains
only one reference 10 the American constitu-
lion, and that one slightly contcmptuons: that
nothing is said oi the inherent superiority of
Republican institution; anil that, in short il /,
n little like an American pamphlet as vigorous
common sous', sound judgement AMI good .nm-
Per can make it. The writer starts with the
belief that the war must end in emancipation,
lotcihlc or gradual, and accepts at once the cx-
tremcst consequences OF that grand result lie
does not himself believe that the free blacks
will cclse to work. for they must live. AM ~
the proportion ct coorcl piupcrs ami crimin-
ais 10 the colorcd population in Boston AMI New
York Is only about half Of that of the whites"
he naturally docs not ima sinc that they will re-
sort to crime. But he accepts the EXTREMIST
view that prejudice can sug sest and argues a.
u all back men were irrudcemably lazy, and
would, on emancipation, live, like Carlylc's
enemies the black lihDrcr of Jam Iicl, "up TO
their ears IN squash. And even then cotton
will be produced still cheaper than Of old.
Cosr or SLAVE LABOR.
The cost of each negro to the planter, as
Things stand, is now, pr annum:
Interest on good field hand,
value $1,000, at per cent ..... sl20 90
Insurance p'r ccnt............. 80 %
FOOD, clothing medicines and hos
ritl treatment % 90
$40 90
This account charges the rate of interest
planters actually pay for money, and assumes
the highest value for a good lave, but omits all
mention Of negro houses, repairs to buildings,
cost Of tools, salaries Of oversccrs, salaries Of
white men to do the skilled labor, the keep Of
the young, the maintenance OF the old, anl tho
loss OF interest ON all except ahlc-bolied hands
and breeding women. It shows that every
ablc-bOlicd slave costs twenty dollars a month,
or Twenty-Five shillings weck-ln incom,
which would hc wealth TO the two mil
Lions OF able-boded moan trash, or sufficient to
attract the unskilled aboriug class of tn, North,
or to draw over hosts Of emi gInts it is, how.
ever, not half the rate the planter can afford
10 pay. Ivy the unlFtrSll consent OF all pNtlc-,
Shareholders nclIlcd. one white man, without
an oversocr, does the work three slaves can A.
vUmllish with one. Taking that statement to
be Ouls twO-thirds true and it makes no ac-
count Of the colossal los, sustained throu 90 the
habitual w.istcfilncss Of four millions of slaves
the planter could still pay iis a wesk, and,
with cotton at 5d. a pound, still flourish aud
grow rich. 1t ia useless to argue that the white
trash viii not work. They will not without
pay, or on the wretched soh to which the mo-
nopoly of good lanl by the great planters con-
demns them but they work hard enough in tho
free state. Admtting however, even that eX-
traordnary lihel on the South, there remains tho
broad fact that the planter can pay wa C.,
equal TO the ordinary profit Of gold-IIEsins Al Il
prosper.
WHITE NfEN CAN WORK At THE sOurI.
But, granting the wages, It Is said white men
cannot work at the South. Tho plain answer to
that fllacy j., that they do do it that In tho
extreme South there are at this hour ci tht hun
dred thousand free whites, over fifteen years Of
age, exclusively engaged in out-ol-door asricul-
tural labor. Tbs cXtt numbers are -