The colored American., 1865-12-30
HARD TO PLEASE.

exposed. more than those of this section
at present are, to the pressure of negro
competition. The equality of the two
begins it's assertion there, in a form more
threatening to the white laborer than
even in the case of the North. The
progress of the struggle ut the South
may therefore be watched hy the work
ing classes here as study If what is, as
yet, bur in progress Of development among
themselves
It is difficult to satisfy men who are
determined to grumble. We have been
confidently assured, at different times, by
the Daily News and it's friends, the lnali>
gnant, pro slavery men.
| First, That the free negro will not
work at all; but
Second, Thst be will work so much
better than the white laborer, that the
latter will be injured by the pressure OF
negro competition.
Third, That the country will be
ruined by the idleness of the free blacks /;
but
Fourth, That the negroes are so eager
for work as to leave none for white work.
men.
Fifth, That the negroes are curse to
the country but
Sixth, That the slave system, which
made negro breeding regular and prof~
table business, and thus increased their
numbers at an abnormal rate, was di-
vine institution and blessing to the
land.
Saventh, That the negro is naturally
an abicct coward; but
Eighth, That he is most dangerous
creature, capable of rising and murder
ing community double his numbers, and
with hundred times his strength in
arms and all preparations for>defenco
Ninth, That the negro can only live
in warm climate, like that Of the South
ern States but
Tenth, That, now be is set free
there, he will immediately rush North,
and take the bread out of the mouths
of the white working men here.
Eleventh, That white men cannot
work in the Southern fields, which can
be cultivated only by negroes but
Twelfth, That the negroes ought all
to be coIonized in Africa, or driven off
to some remote corner of this coctinent.
Thirteenth, That the freedmen are
so stupid and ignorant as to be danger
Gus to the Republic; but
Fourteenth, That they ought not to
be instructed, or permitted to acquire
knowledge.
Fifteenth, That it would be a curse
to Northern working meu to have the
negroes flock into these States but
Sixteenth, That Northern working
men ought not to favor policy which
would make the negroes contented to re
main in the South,
Seventeenth, That they will inevitably
be ruined, and deprived of work, by the
competition Of ignorant and idle negroes.
Nineteenth, That the presence of the
blacks amongst US will always be source
Of difficulty and trouble; bnt
I Tw ntieth, That the Emancipation Act
is wrong, chiefly because, under it's opera
ton, the negro race is likely to die out,
like the Indians.
These are some of the curious con-
tradictions into which men fall who ignore
all general principles, and follow only
the will O. the wisp of their prejudices.
1t is not only in relation to the negro
question that they are thus blinded, their
| folly extends to other affairs. For in
stance, they assert very earnestly that a
slerchant ought to be free to sell his
goods wherever he wants; but they will
not have laborer sell his labor as freely
though that labor creates the goods
They insist that we shall buy calico in
the cheapest market, but not labor.
They laugh at the absurdities and cru
dties of " protective legislation" F" and yet
cry out that white workmen must suffer,
unless protected against the pressure
Of negro competition" they welcome
immigration from abroad, at the same
time that they try to persuade working
men here that the labor market is alread y
overstocked. These are the same men,
who, before the war, declared the negro
beast, a monkey, possessed of every
vile quality, and a. terrible danger to
the community, and yet urged the re-
opening of the African slave trade
". Y Eveuang Post.