Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-09-10
The Labor-Competition Lie.

one of the big lies OF Democratic" par
tisans is based upon misrepresentation
respecting the Emancipation question:
| In a recent speech in New York, Gen
Sickels, who was Buchanan Democrat
hits this lie rs follows:
There is an impression, said he, exist
ing among the labOring classes of the
North, especially those of foreign birth,
shat the war Is prosecuted by those in
power for the sole and primary object OF
emancipation, and that the result will be
while the laboring men fight the battles,
after the war they will be brought into
competition with the blacks, and the re-
suit viii be injurious to the laboring man.
| believe this to be an error-I might al
most say hallucination. | would not
allude to it except in discharge of what !
deem to be my duty, and desire to meet
every question openly and frankly
While | protest that | am not here to
discuss any political question whatever
for since have become a soldier have
ceased to be politician, and have no
sympathy in these times with politicians
yet do think that this subject demands
a respectful consideration. Permit me to
say that | am one of those citizens who,
in former times, acted with the dominant
party of the South. | was utterly oppos-
ed to any measure that looked to an in
terference with any Southern institutions.
believed that all these questions could
be settled at the ballot-box. ] never
ceased to deplore that Southern men
abandoned that mode of settlement
But when they resorted to arms, insulted
our FLAG. and amassed armies to overthrow
the Government under which they had
enioyed protection and grown rich, they
submitted themselves and their inStitu-
tions to the results Of the war which they
precipitated upon the country. APP
plause. Whatever they may suffer, is
consequence of the war for which the
North is not responsible. Emancipation
D,a,y be one of the results of this war
Immense applause, accompanied by
few hisses.l You who hiss are not ex-
pressing disapprobation of me no"
mo" but of history. | am not respon-
sible for history, nor for any inevitable
event that goes to make up history. Let
us look the results in the face Emanci-
nation, | say, may be a result cf this war,
or it may not be. That depends on the
duration of the war and the spirit in
which the South conducts it. If they
conduct the war in the spirit of the re-
cent proclamation of jeff. Davis; if they
refuse to treat Union officers as prisoners
of war if they shall become animated with
that dark, malignant spirit which fre-
quently accompanies rebellion, then it is
impossible to see what measures of Tetalia-
ton, of spoilation or of punishment might
become necessary and inevitable triumph
of the Government
But ! wish to say a word to my former
political associates, for it is they mainly
who entertain the erroneous apprehen-
sion as to the result of emancipation.
wish 70 disabuse their minds of the idea
that such an event would interfere with
the dignity, respectability or rewards of
the laboring man of the North. This re-
suit could not happen.
The speaker here proceeded to show
that the demand for the great staples of
the South was constantly increasing
the world, and that the sup
ply for last year and the present year was
next to nothing. That on the restoration
of peace there would not only be an absO
lutte necessity for all the labor heretofore
existing at the South, but the demand
would be so great as to draw thither the
colored population of the North, so that
instead of labor coming here, 1t would go |
there. i
Not only that, but the crowning proof
which we shall have given to the world OF
the perpetutity and Immortality Of Re
publican institutions, would draw hither
from Europe a stream of emigration such !