The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-04-28
MANUFACTURES AT THE SOUTH


In the consideration of our future prospects
at the South, it is well enough to take into our
thought the contingency of failure of the ne
groes to prove profitable to us as laborers We
know them better than any other people; we
know their improvident and wasteful habits
the difficulty of teaching them any operations
Of labor, save the simple use of the tools OF
plain agriculture and field work; we know
that the complex machinery of factory could
never be entrusted to their shallow brains and
weak comprehension; and we think we know
that long ages of education are necessary to
bring them up to the standard of Intelligent
white laborers, and make them artzans and
mechanics. There are very few exceptions to
this general rule Self-dependence is new to
the negro-work of some sort, truly, he can
debut, as in times past, he had learned
to get off with the least amount of it he posi-
bly, could, SO this sluggishness of mind and in
ertness of body clngs to him yet; and beyond
the mere satisfaction of his natural wants,
his mind rises no higher. Therefore as yet,
in his state of new-found freedom, the poorest
hovel, with food and fire, though he may be
covered with rags, seems to him paradise
gratifying to his natural Incidence and the
animal instincts of his mind The moral SEN
sibility Of the negro is not strong-of accoun-
liability and responsibility he has very little
idea, and no regard; faithless to his contract,
there is no mode of enforcing its fulfllment
for he has nothing to lose; and character and
virtue he is absolutely without
Such is the kind Of laborers upon whom we
are now dependent in the South--poorly
adapted to manufacturing purposes; and our
ready conclusion is that white labor must be
looked to in any enterprises which require
skill and intelligence above the ordinary la
bors of the field.
We believe it can be obtained, partly at
home, and by immigration from abroad. Our
own people, we think, from the circumstances
in which they are left by the war, are cast
ing about for new channels of industry. The
time has gone by when work of any kind was
gic of events has conquered much false pride,
as well as taught many other useful lessons.
Lite, with us Wv anlities. presses seriously
upon the a4teation of many VINO hererOrore
never gave it a thought, but would now gladly
avail themselves of any honorable means of
making living and the ranks of labor may
be recruited from males and females who new
er were available before. Were the shop and
the factory open, ready hands could be found
to carry on their operations.
But it may be true that the abolition of
slavery has opened the South to freer i'm
migration from the old world. if the prejudice
was against slave and not against negro labor.
We do not so very well understand this;
but people unused to slavery might be expected
to look upon the system with repugnance, and
object to coming in contact with it. At all
events, we know that emigrants to this coun-
try seldom chose the South for their point Of
destination, Notwithstanding its advantages of
soil and climate, and we have been accustomed
to hear this reason given for their preference
of the free States. If there was anything in
it, therefore, this objection is done away, and
if the proper means are used by the people
of the South, any amount of intelligent labor
may be procured from abroad
We have endeavored heretofore to show
that manufactures at the South would be
cheaper than elsewhere, because the staples
may be pro cured which are to sustain them
There caa be no greater folly than TO send
our native productions abroad to be manulac-
tured into merchantable fabrics, paying freight
and commission both ways, and then bringing
them back to be consumed by our own people
And yet, In years past, we have known man
ufactories of cotton goods at the South, whose
principal market was at New York, to which
they sent nearly all their fabrics, which were
afterwards bought there by Southern mer-
chants for the retail trade. Costs and charges
had then enhanced the value of the goods
from ten to twenty per cent; yet people in
the very neghborhood of the factories bought
these same goods from the stores. Such sys-
tenn, extended in other respects, would i'm
poverish any people on earth,
But let us manufacture for ourselves 1t
is folly any longer to think of going North
for everything we want. Let us learn that
one lesson from the Yankees, if no more-to
make machinery do the work of many hands,
and to send our productions out to the mar
kets of the world by vessels of our own If we
can keep our profits from all the productions
and resources of the South in the hands OF our
own people-this is the proper course for us;
and, study political economy as we may, to
this conclusion will we be brought at last, if
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