The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1865-11-08
Labor for southern Plantations.

!
The basis of all prosperity is agriculture. Wealth
comes of the ground 1t does not spring up spon
aneously, but its seeds must be sown and cultivated
with assIduity. question discussed amongst us
in connection with the political resuscitaon of the
country, is the from which the south shall draw
the labor necessary to insure its future prosperity when
its civil rights shall have been restored-and IN what
manner the evils arising from the sudden overthrow Of
profitable system of labor may be best avoided, by
the introduction Of the new systems which have been
proposed.
The planter and his factor the mechanic and the manu-
acurer alike concede the necessity of developing the
agricultural interests of the south IN orderto insure the
prosperity OF every other class OF the community Inc
tracts of country whose only remaining evidences
of former productrenesS consist in wasted fields and
desuated dwellings, in the bfackened ruins which
mark the trace CT the desroyers march, CLAIM the
fostering hand of industry to make them again yield
rich reward to the of the SOIL and add something
I to the resources of the impoverished country.
! Whence, it is asked, Will come the labor to accom-
| plish this end?
enranchsed negro suddenly loosed upon society," and
the obstacles thrown the way of equitable contracts
by the unmatured system of the Freedmen bureau at
first caused the planter despair OF awaiting himself OF
the services of the freedmen, and occaSloned amongst
the thinking OF the country the most gloomy appre
| tensions Tor the future. The public mind naturally
sought of relief from the disasters threat
ened by the destruction OF the laborng system OF the
| south.
Amongst other sources of supply from which it was
thought the necessary labor might be obtained, 1t was
suggested that the importation of coolies from China
might supply, to some extent the existing want. 1t
urged system liable to the objections raised
by the north against African slavery and as kind of
labor which would be cheaper in fact, the planter
than the system under which he was formerly pros
porous
Even if this So there objections to the i'm
portaon Of coolies amongst us, which should outweigh
any temporary advantages expected be derived from
the products of their labor 1t might conform to the
present interests OF New England embark with their
idle shipping, III this species of the slave trade as
they formerly did in that which has just been over
THROWN but as soon as the south should become pros
porous under the proposed system, and the of the
apprenticeship OF these coolies had expired the inter-
meddng spirit of Massachusetts would inaugurate
fresh agitation in regard to their political position and
insist on beStoWlng upon them, as well upon the
negroes all the privileges of citizenship and all the
rights of franchise. The coole would then be fresh
bone of contention, on which new political parties would
be organised and the country would possibly have to
pass through fresh of agitation before the issue
should be hnaly arbitrated. We do not wish to see
introduced amongst us any n W element of political
weakness, or OF dScord. The New Englandermay favor
the system now because It gives employment to the
capital he has amassed during the But If it should
succeed his envy Will be excited formerly against
those who may have derived benefit from the system
and he will inaugurate 'irrepressble conflict
until compensatng disaster shall be inflicted upon the
people whom he may at first have encouraged in intro
duclng this form of slavery.
But do not think that the cooie system of labor
will result in advantage to the south We have amongst
enough of the cOIcred and mongrel races. We do
wish to mngle with the Asatic The coolie
-cacuated tor heavy labor. Statistics show that
he does not endure the climate of the West Indies and
would not be adapted to his constitution The first
of his Importation would be about three hundred dollars
for each aborer and addition this the pay offered
nducement for him to emgrate is about six dol
lars month"; in addition to his clothing and subsistence
When the term of his apprenticeship is ended 1t las
beer found difficult to induce the cooe continue in
agricultural pursuits-but he is apt follow the
patton of pedder small storekeeper to embark
ia precarlous mode of living which adds nothing
to the wealth of the country. He is rather burden
upon It's material resources, anu wouii prove with us
mischevous subject for political agitation Then let
have nothing to do with him. Let the New England
missionaries educate him. where he is, up their
standard Of republican faith and take him to their
bosoms fthey choose but let work out The problem
of the ills which already weigh upon u.s. rather than fly
to the unknown evils which the Introduction Of new
may iufiet upon US.
We have laboFing class still in the African. lie is
demorased, it true; but ameliorations in the Freed
mems bureau have already been introduced by its pres
able chief in Louisiana and the tendency towards
further Improvement The resuScation Of civil law,
which be distant will further modify existing
difficulties in the way OF applying the labor OF the freed
again to the cultivation of the fields.
We, therefore, urge the planters to put their own
hands 70 the plow, aud to look to the African still
the from which TO draw their supplies Of labor
Let them complete their with the freedmen
abandona chmerical ideas of cooie labor and uaugu-
rate the ensuing year by fresh period # prosperity
themselves and the country. IN. y