The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-11-18
For the Standard.
! u E4IO NENiISt.NIU'
To the Working Men of North Carolina.

II is high time that tEc working men 81
North Carolina had something nio;c TO de
wnd upon i.ian tie mechanical exelc;ses OF
Their various trades. Il mi'l lie vel! for You
if yuu can associate in the practice of yonr
caniaes, something which Is nnattainahie
liz mere meehanicai power. This is what
urge you 10 acquire Tor yourselves. 80 not
trust alone to Your past competence to DIS
Charge the duties nf your several professions,
and argue that Won have IL store oil knoWl
cdnc laid no that will serve the term ct
,aur natural lives. For, let me tell
you that. in the course OF IL few years, per
laps. some inventive genius may discover
process which will render your trade skill
as worthless as the paper currency OF an IN
solvent bank From, our experience OF the
past it is net possible TO set limits 10 what
can lie performed by machinery.
You must know how simple invention
i nay. even the change Of Il fashion, has
r,,s,;ercd useless an apparently necessary
trade. 1t is not well, then, to trust to that
wIiicji may betaken From you atnny moment,
IL: the mechanical application OF any
poweg Of muscle or trade Skill. We have
invented methods to use giant force
steam power-and are gradually applying
il Ia all mere i;,ior that can Ire accomplish
ed by IL repetition of motions or actions.
Anything that depends on repetition OF
| recognized and directed force may be accom-
| pished by machinery.
And warn ynu ali and each individually,
not to allow any argument to convince you
| that your. own particular trade must remain
| untouched in tie progress OF invention.
| So thought the carpenter, yet machinery
has taken the planning and saving, the york
| ING oi mouldings and mortising ont of his
/. hands SO thought other mechanics and
! should tile you by recapitnlaiing into what
narrow limits machinery has confined his
| craftsmanship
So thought Tie agricultural laborpr, yet it
is taking the sowing and reaping and plow-
ing and tlresliing out oi his hands. Indeed
we c:,n reckon up what machinery cannot
! do, sooner ;ilan tell what it can. Do not,
! therefore. he i,cguiied into ssoth!ul trust OF
your NV mechanical powers. Iwon,d rath-
or see you so diligently exercising yourselves
/! in srii-impruycment as would beth make
You letter worsmen now. and less dependent
un yonr present standard of work.
There are, however, certain things which
machinery never has done and never will do.
, 1t will never he made 30 think or design.
/ al tlet the hand alone will do, will in
time he done l,y machinery; hut it can ney-
T! Err 10 what may ic done iy hand, guided by
! intellect and taught hy art.
|, Come. then, urge Yen 10 establish your
own institutions, that the youth Ea"y he
taught mechanical drawing in connection
/ with their studies in sclioci, and in a few
Yeas We shall see its practical results, and
! the youth will ,.rnlcss Itself of a power
/ more potent than stealn more effective than
! machinery.
| 4 war'l to grown persons. Do not he
! ashamed 10 learn! itcause yoa arc a crown
! maa. As iorG as 3 man iearrs, he has not
finished his mental er0wtl, lie he ever so
oA.. His mint is youthful and expanding.
But wien lie is ashamed of learning, or
too proud to learn, he has attained lis great
est mental development, his growth is over,
and lie remains forever dwarf in intellect,
pigmy as a man. The great and good
are always learning to become both greater
and better
"In diligence, the bees thy model;
In skill worm thy nlaster own;
knowledge thau siiAT st With higher spirits;
But art, o man, is thine alone"
MECHANIC.