The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1865-11-18
Ere. Labor ., the South.

- 10Y osiueut tuat tue SouiucIn
planters have no just appreciation of
ifee labor. sed the rights Of free labor
srs. Having always been accustomed
to compelled labor. their ideas cf free
dom and labor are hardly more enlight-
ened.. than a Hostentot's idea Of Chris
~tianity and civilization. Under. such
! circumstances blunders must be expect
i sds4s But while the country and the
nSseeaMen must be taught to look with
cEsai.y A.0d fotbearance on The mistakes
of the old masters of slaves in their at.
p tsnPts to get out of dark ness into light.
" abe masters must be taught to respect
: abs risAss Of their former slaves. and
q aot be permitted to infringe upon those
3, rights. {, III a, hus .s,Ts
.,ss, The planters must lemn tha, the col
> orel race is no longer in bondag ge-tl,a,
'niggers' are men. and as men have
rights which no man or class Of. men
can take from thea-,la. the white man
has no more riyhtto claim service from
tbs negro than the negro has to claim
adeesvies from him-that all laws recog-
niSing caste as TO races are abrogated,
and must remain so forever, so !a- as
Coercion is concerned. OF course it
will require time 10 get all these essen
stisl ideas practically through the South
ern mind; for they have first 10 'unlearn
THAT they have learned amiss.' and then
commence with The alphabet Of free la
boz. As yet they do not know. in a
.prac.ical sense. what free labor is.
An evidence of the blindness CT the
-6oath and their endeavors TO ge, to The
eight by gr"ping their way through the
uneersain road they are travelling. j:
found in the recently published address
of Humphreys. governor elect Of Mis-.
rsissippi.. His doctrine in brief. is. tha
the negroes are only fit for compelled
labor of some kind. Hence. while hs
.adyocates hired labor. he is for COMPEL
ling The hired man to occupy position
oalmoss analogous 70 that Of slave
The employer is to have kind Of abso
late authority over the employed. com
pei labor. and in case Of the escape o
fal6l his contrac.-ful6l it. Of course
''ss the employer shall dictate. This j
nothing more nor less than slavery il
another guise, and will not answer j
/ ashe place Of free labor AT all; and yet
Ssain substance. ;hs highest idea of fre
labor the South has reached. The ide
l,~t the loss OF situation and of wage
das j, may be is sufficient inducemen
fora lsborer to faithfully perform hi
contracts. never seems to have entere
the minds Of the planters; FOR the reaso'
perhaps. that they have always held q
.ilabas 10 q terror to workmen. and bay
never made the situation Of Lahore
desirable or in any way pleasant. Henc
the no.ion, ilat : rlasoriog man'stplac
,,or,siiua,ion could be made desirable 9
sstsra6live - iss speciali,ies is as foreis
from the Southern mind as the true ide
Of God is 10 q New Zealander.
T. is evidea'. therefore, thai whil
tho slaves. villmake msny bluuders il
itl,sir attempts to possess their rights a
nafeeneu. the masters are likely to max
quite As many and as serious one j
their efforts 70 get At the true spirit an
ssssencs Of free labor. Ouly by a srir
Of ofiiarbssranee on tie part of both ca
success be hoped for. This will b
harder fer the master-always accu:
temsdito 20 absolute authori,y-.O excl
iciss than for-shs negro, who has bee
ssnbofdinais all his life. Ii is not to b
disguised thar the whole subject
.fraught with difficulties. aud that pal
sial or. total failures will occur At frs,
The most hopeful feature Of The case j.
thst large emigration from The fre
States pouring into the South will edu
cate the people .there-botl races,
e-trne conception and practical ~orl
i&ug'of tiie free labor sys.em.
tits to BE- feared, however. that man
.EiIl 70 i.Sm she North filed with th
ssssdea Of making haste to get rich
-ssslwilIreise upon any notion.of com
'peIl+d labef Tia, may exist there to g.
-iuucl, d.ue for smsll pay !. and hence vi
become ;oss on the wheels Of the ca
Of prosr.-.: III these matters shout
be1oGk 3 ps.ysfu'Iy-she planters an
negroes Instructed. ia their resPectiy
5iebss: Asd tt's ssaol@ country taugll
.,s,ssaea3sad're mue: a. once from ,h
crude a,s,-sssis that compose 4)ntberl
society AMI population.
sear0ss Of The adsersised contracts 70
r z .-r