Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-28
Comparative Value of white and
Black Labor.

One of the marvellous effects of fanatcism-
though fact nothing new in hstory-is the ut
ter blindness it strikes man WITH even as to his
Port Royal correspondent of the New York
Times illustrates this position:
Mr.. Wilson has had a number of negro car
penters under his charge, and speaks of them in
terms of great praise. He afiirms the aptness of
the negro to acquire knowledge of mechanical
art, and illustrates by some of the best black
smiths on the island. am told that the harbor
master, Captain King, has had thirty black hands
employed about the docks, and declares that hey
are north any .ffy tchue hbOrers he could pro-
cure; and he Is said to have applied to the Quar-
termaster for increase in the negro proportion
of the force he employs.
Thirty negroes worth fifty white Americans,
or Irish, or German laborersl Won't that do?
But, if thirty South Carolina negroes are worth
fifty American, Irish or German laborers from
the North, or in the North, of course they will
-dsplace the white laborers the moment we get
them here, as contemplated
Beyond all question, says the New York Her
ald it is intended TO dispense throughout the
North many of these negroes practicable.
And the reason is obvious. The support of these
contrabands is becoming heavy expense to the
nation, and will increase with their increasing
numbers. 1t is no function of the Government
to enter into the cotton planting business, and
the only employment it may legitimately give
these people is that of being the servants and
cooks OF the army, servile condition totally in
compatible with the heaven born intellects and
wonderful love of liberty which, according to
Greeley and to Beecher, they SO preeminently
possess.
They must, therefore, be brought North to be
educated to kiss the blarney stone of New Eng.
land, and learn that they are made in Gods own
image and have right to 60 it,
Let them come on then, to these ''felds and
pastures new" to the climate which, for six
months in the year, will keep their teeth in
continual chatter; to employments, which, if
gained, will deprive our white aborers of their
bread; to get false opinions of themselves and of
others; to be in their own way and everbody's
else-in short to be the plague and nuisance of
every community where they muster in force.
The sooner the better. We propose that fifty
thousand of these cOntrabands be brought at once
TO New York and Boston, and we shall see what
will be the result. Let the white coated phi
losophers mingle with their beloved ones, and
show that the contrast of color is mere falacy;
let the reverend doctors prove that Ethiopia may
successfully change her skin, whether the Lord
pleases or not; let the whole tribe of silly lectur-
ers, men and women, rush into the throng, take
them by the hand, hug them to their bosoms, and
survive the effuvum as they may, yet the at
tempt will be dead failure
The presence OF any large number of negroes
in the North is IN mpOsslbility. The North
western States have already shown their deter
mination to have no pebald population IN their
midst, and here all experience teaches us they
cannot increase, multiply or prosper.