Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-11-10

The leaders of the Butternnt Democracy
claim to be the friends of the labOring
class, and the champions of their interests;
and they endesyor to create prejudice
against the Administration and the war,
BY declaring that the carrying out of the
President's proclamation Of freedom, would
lead to a great influx Of negroes from the
South, and subject the laborers of the
North TO q degrading and ruinOus cOmPe-
tition with their labor This declaration
is both false and absurd, and these leaders
must know it. 1t is slavery that is driving
thousands to the North. Give them free
dom at the South, and, so far from the ne
gross coming TO the North, they would go
in large numbers from the North to the
South, and those at the South would gladly
stay. Those, therefore who oppose he
Presidents procla nation Of freedom, land
who, Ike Gov. Seymour Of New York, say
that if the Union cannot be preserved
without destroying slavery, then let the
Union 60 and save slavery,) are advocat-
ing the very policy which would lead to
great influx of negroes from the South,
seeking for the freedom they could not get
there. But the main object of this article
is to call attention to the pregnant admis-
sion contained in this declaration. 1t is
here declared in the strongest manner
that the presence of ignorant black labor
is both degrading and ruinOuS to white
labor.
Look at this for q moment The white
labOrers of the South are subjected to all
this, and to the deeper degradation of com
peting with sEaUs labor and yet these men
ars in favor of perpetuating this degrad-
ing and heavy curse upon the white la
borers Of the South, while they are making
false professions of friendship for the La
boring classes. The truth is they know
better, and merely wish to deceive and
mislead laboring men, in order that they
may secure their votes in favor Of a policy
that win forever crush the hopes of free
white laboring men at the South.
If the white labOring men Of the South
had not been debased by contact with
slavery, and misled by the grOssest preju-
dice and deception, they never would have
fought for the rebellion.
Should it be said that the white labOring
men Of the South must in any event, COM
pete with negro labor, we answer; Let the
stigma of slavery be removed and a great
advance would thereby be made towards
making aHlabOr honorable. It is only in
this way that the first grand step can be
taken in enfranehising and ennobling all
labor. The next step would be the educa-
tiOn and improvement of the laboring class
es-a thing which the instincts and inter
ests Of slaTery will not permit
Let the lsboring men Of the North fully
realize that their interests are intimately
bound up in the policy of the Administra-
ton; and that those who oppose this policy
are the enemies Of the true interests Of Ia
boring men everywhere--North as well as
South. True, the President, acting under
the Constitution, could only strike at slav-
cry ss q war measure, rendered absolutely /
necessary in order to put down the rebell- 1
ion. he waited till that necessity forced
this measure upon him but now it is glO-
rious 70 know that Justice and humanity, i
(even if the interests OF ohi's men alone
are considered unite in making this act
of the President the noblest ever perform
ed by any President.