Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-01-16
MEM HISS
wednesday Evening, Jan. 10. 1867
LIBERTY AND LABOR.

III is u Sl0RuluI idCt tuoe "HN-
fell, it pulled part of the Constitution
down with it, and gave life to party
that predicates its policy upon new
order of things. Old things appear to
have passed away-that is, the old prin-
ciples so much glori6ed on the stump,
in the halls of legislation, and in the
newspapers. The loss Of the institu.
ton" was tie loss of them. 1t may go
indeed, it is very likely to go-into his
tory as one of the remarkable incidents
of very notable attempt to establish
and maintain in new country form
of Government with liberty as the basis,
that it ceased ic be free when it abol-
ished slavery. With its Wanted millen-
ium, came despotism. For resisting the
abolition of slavery, the resisters them
selves are in imminent danger of being
enslaved. What is gained by liberating
one man and binding another2 If, as
appears to be the fact, negro slavery was
the bulwark of the white mans peace
and liberty, it was not only blunder, it
was a CRIME to destroy it Whether
it was or was not crime,
it has drawn after it very decided pun
ishment. The North, East and West are
loaded with taxes which they groan to
bear, but grooming, must still bear. A
national debt has been created that will
tax the resources Of generations to come.
The amount of it would have purchased
all the slaves in the South and colonized
them in Liberia with provisions for one
year.
Slavery appears to have been interwo'
ven with liberty, and it may be true that
one cannot exist without the other. Ne.
cessty is but another name for slavery
The necessities of our existence impose
a seryitude, and constitute system of
slavery that can be abolished only by
death. We are slaves to every passion
we possess, and pass our existence In
toiling for their qualification Labor is
the great necessity of life, of nations, of
man. Ingenuity has invented many
auxiliary aids, but has never, and can
never transform the active man into the
toilless drone. But experience, learned
in the school taught by the memorable
master of nature, has propounded many
truths which challenge the test of reason
and commend themselves to the attention
OF men. In this country-in the South
one great truth was that derived
from the workings of system of negro
slavery. 1t was found to be beneficial to
both races, probably more so to the negro
than to the white man. AT all events, it
was solution of the question Of labor.
The negro must labor to maintain his
existence; that is inevitable. The pro-
ceeds Of that labor enter into the calcu-
lations Of the industrial world; int do
nestle and International economy, as
particles 1t is one aim Of economy to
produce the most with the means at COM
mand-th world requires 1t A surplus
of production guards against EVENTUAL
ties of seasons, troubles domestic and
foreign. The enquiry seems then to be.
under what system Of labor can the
greatest amount be produced Most
nnQuestionably under that which has the
most intelligent direction. Is the negro,
ignorant aud slothfnl, when left to him
self, the best? or, is the cultivated white
man better2 The question needs no
answer Under one system the negro
may labor more, but produce
less. Under the other, he may
labor less and produce more
Disruption of the old system has ruined
the negro and shaken the foundations o.
commerce. 1t has done more. 1t has
TRANSMITTED the man, who was incompe
tent TO provide for lis own physical ne
cessities, into ah element Of the structure
of the State, and committed to him, il
part, the direction of the vast and com
plieated machinery of human govern
ment Ii is utterly absurd But it'll
experience, learned at the cost Of gres
trial and suffering, mey correct the heate
fancies Of enthusiasts, and swing th
popular mind around to reason.
FUN AHEAD.
T.. :. .-....,orohla that in The crrpaf IN