The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-07-10
Freedmen and Free I0b0r.-Oot
ton Culture.

ton Culture.
Editor Gate CITY; Having spent over two
years in efforts to demonstrate that cotton
could be raised by the freedmen of the South,
who have heard Of free hbor, but know bit
very little, practically, of its rights or duties,
for these efforts have been made in the midst
of the most discouraging circumstances, and
so far as profits were concerned, resulted
very unsatisfactory. But, Notwithstanding
the forays Of the sworn enemies Is the Gov
ernment and free labor, and the jealouaies oi
Federal officers who are sworn TO supper.
the Government in all its measures twho of.
ten proved more potent foes to success than
the rebels themselves) to break up ankee
lessees,'' or ssdrive out the cotton specula-
tors the fact that the freedmen will work
for wages has been satisfactorily demonstya-
ted. In fact after worse than Kilkenny
cat fight to build around rebeldom an impass.
able barrier to free labor, the returning chiv.
alrylQ) are pretty generally acknowledging
that the Yankees know the capacity Of the
negro better than his old masters, who have
lived in his shade all their lives.
But now the war Is over, and slavery is q
thing of the past, it has been demonstrated
that the liberated slave will work for wsges.
All these facts result in placing the grave
question before us: how shall he be treated,
to secure perfect liberty and the development
of his natural qualities for the enjoyment d
it? Some say he should have wages stipula-
ted by the Commissioners of Freedmen; 9TH
ers that he should be placed in the condition
of an apprentice for term OF years, until he
may learn how to enjoy liberty properly,
while there are various other plans urged,
ranging between these two. The objection
to these two extreme plans, as well as nearly
all that are proposed, is that neither leaves
the negro entirely free, for in the former, If
the Commissioner establishes the rate OF
wages, he should also decide the amount OF
work to be performed. as every one of the
least practical experience knows that some
men will do much more work. in given
time than others, of equal physical power.
The other extreme plan, of learning the
freedmen how to enjoy liberty during term
of apprenticeship or peonage, is very similar
to the philosophy of the fond mother who de-
sired her son to learn to swim, but advised
him never to go into the water until he was
perfect in the art, and squints hard at a re-
turn to slavery, under another name As il
is necessary to paddle in the shallow water
along the muddy shore before one can hope
to swim in the clear, deep channel. it will al
so be necessary for the ex-slave to wallow
through the quagmire Of superstition and
prejudice, before he can enjoy the real frui-
ton of liberty.
Having thought much on the subject,
have arrived at the conclusion, whether cor
rect or not, that the only safe plan to be
adopted is to leave the freedman perfectly at
liberty to contract with whom, and at what
price he pleases, only requiring of him and
his employer, that they fulfill their contract
when once made IN good faith, and enforcing
the rigid laws of every well regulated State
against vagrancy. This plan of leaving the
labor market open and free, will develop q
competition from every quarter of the globe,
and result in the migration of millions of la
bcrers, for their own good, and at their own
expense; and if it is found that the free
American can not compete successfully with
other free laborers, his services will be grad
ually dispensed with, as his place is filed by
a more industrious race. But if, on the other
hand. he proves to be the superior labcrer,
his services will command superior wages and
places Thus .'every tub viii stand on its
own bottom and the natural powers of all
will have free scope for development.
20 of fb<.h heat al
the freedman and secure his liberty He
may find it hard at first to contend with the
difficulties in his way, but when he finds it is
ssroot hog, or die he will most assuredly
make desperate efforts to root.
While on this subject, would advise all
men who are not advantageously employed,
and who can work in the field, to sslook away
down south in Dixie" for employment.
Much of the richest land in the world will be-
come barren waste unless it is cultivated by
Northern capital and skill Emigration com
panies should be formed, and lands secured
by October. so that active operations could
be commenced as early as the 1st of Decem.
Der.
Northern farmers, who will use the same
economy they do at home, can safely calcu-
late on clearing from $4,000 to $4,000 per
100 acres Of cotton raised next season, the
profits depending, of course, upon the price
of cotton, and the season, to great extent.
But as rule, cotton is sure crop in Upper
Louisiana, as corn in Iowa, and will average
400 pounds of lint per acre. But no one
should think Of going there on speculation;
it will require actual capital and hard labor.
Let those who have money supply those who
possess the muscle, and 60 iato the business,
to demonstrate. the superiority of Northern
energy over climstie difieplties, at the same
time that they carve fortune out of the enter
prise, and swell the loyal population of the
late rebel States. The returning land own
ers, seeing their deplorable condition, are
clamorous for Northern migration, and offer
lands for sale or rent on terms that can not
be objected to, while the country must have
a reliable loyal population before the Union
troops can be removed; and no real we'll
wisher of the liberties Of this nation would
hesitate for one moment in the choice of any
civil means to create reliable Union majori-
tiles. in the South, rather than trust to dis
loyal, or at best unreliable legislatures, to en-
act laws under the surveillance of military
power. Loyal majorities or national bayc-
nets must rule. Choose ye, &c.
LOUISIANA.
D'ARcY MCGEE REPuDIArED sY HIS