Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-04-29
MECHANICAL PURSUITS AND
WORKINGMEN OF THE
SOUTH.
NUMBER SIX.

NUMBER SIX.
Now We might go sufficiently into
detail to prove, to your entire satisfac-
ton, thac if there ever was a time in
the South in which there was an antag-
onism between labor and capital exist
ing, that time has passed. The cir, um-
stances have been swept away by the
war. When the capitalist owned the
laborer-the saye--Was the time that
such an antagonlsm existed. Your
Northern brother mechanic felt and
knew that to be the fact, and he gener-
ously came forward and relieved you of
the burden, and in another shape took
it on his own shoulders so that no long
er does an antagonism exist in the South
between labor and capital; but on the
contrary, their interests under the cir
cumstances are more closely knit than
they ever have been before in any coun-
try.
The Northern mechanic, we have
said, came forward and relieved you oil
your burden and took it on his own
shoulders; and you cannot fail to real
i2e in this the removal of any founda-
ton for an aristocracy in the South, on
slavery. The war wiped out slavery,
the only basis on which aristocracy could
be founded; and the termination of the
war in " lost cause" to us, wiped out
through the kindness of your Northern
brother mechanic, any trace of South
ern National Debt. So that what we
have been grieving over ever since the
termination Of the war as o calamity to
US, we will eventually realize as the
greatest blessing that Heaven could
have vouchsafed to US; more particulars
ly if we, as Southern mechanics and
workingmen, can dismiss our former
prejudices and take clear, intelligent
view of 1.-the situation" We have no
Southern National Debt to pay, land if
that had not been wiped out by the wet
sponge of our Northern brother me-
chanie, we each of US individually
would have been burdened with a debt
Of from two to four thousand dollars y
we have only our portion of the North
ern National Debt to pay, and the saw
ing to us of transportation to and fro
of the mechanical products which we
use here in the South, land the articles
from which these products are manu-
featured nearly all grow in our midst
this saving alone will more than pay
our portion of the National Debt, if we
will hasten on cur own factories and
home industries by capital and labor
South, fully realizing how close they are
knit in interests. We have no possible
foundation for an aristocracy, simply
because the war has swept from us sla-
very and our war debt, the only two ell
emonts that could have supported fa-
vored class. These are the blessings
secured to you by the " lost cause" or
the loss of that cause 10 which YOU
risked so much. These facts are real
lied by the Northern mechanic and
workingman, aud he also sees what a
vantage ground you have over him, be-
cause he has the most powerful element
in the world in his section to sustain an
aristocracy it is the money power that
has him at its control as bad or worse
than slavery ever had you. and hs feels
correctly there is an antagonisln between
capital and labor at the North. He
looks at your favored position with a
longing eye, and he's coming here among
you to share III the benefits his success in
the war (unintentionally) conferred upon
your section, in destroying the antago-
nism between capital and labor at the
South. He finds you surrounded with
the very elements that will support
manufacturing people--everything in
soil and climate they can possibly de-
slre-with large agricultural popula-
ton as customers for his wares, by which
he can save the cost of transportation
of his wares to and from market, and
tho cost OF transportation of his food
likewise.
We say then, don't prevent him from
coming; but rather-do all you can to
urge him to come. Hold your meetings
and pass resolutions inviting him to
come and bring his machinery and cap
ltal along with him; point out to him
the glorious advantages you are sur