The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-12-08
OUR DUTY AND DES-
TINY.
GRAFTON or GENERAL. WADE HAN1p-
TON AT TIE GEORGIA STATE FAIR,

GRAFTON OF GENERAL WADE HAMp-
TON AT TuE GEORGIA STATE FAIR.
HIS VIEWS ON LABOR AND PLANT.
Tho Grafton Of General Wade
Hampton ut tho Georgia State
Fair on Wednesday last, was q
splendid effort, and was received
with enthusiastic applause by tho
immense, ,concourse who had u.s.
scmblcd' to heur him. We make
room for that portion Of tho ora
ton which will be read most ca
gcrIy BY thcSouthcrn public gone
rally: -. ......
There arc one or topics to
which l beg to call your special
attention, as deserving ali the
care and thought you can bcstow
on them, and as tending to that
grand result NO all have in view,
tho prosperity Of tho South. We
arc essentially an agricultural
pooplo, and wo must look to this
great interest us tho basis upon
which to build up tho permanent
welfare Of our country. TO do
this VIC must use all tho means
which experience, guided by sci
oncc, has placed at our disposal.
How shall this best bo done p
Tho two points which present
themselves most prominently in
t. connection, arc, first, tito la
Dor by which We cultivate our
lands; and, second, the manner of
cultivation. Tho negro is un-
doubtcdIy better fitted from his
long training, his physical contig-
untion, and his adaptability to all
the divcrsitics Of our climate, to
make q moro efficient laborer than
any other. Especially is this true
when tho labor is to be performed
in the moro malariul portions cf
our country. Our object, then,
should DC TO develop to the utmost
his capacity rs II laborcr TO do
this, timc is requisite, and wo shall
have to exercise great forbcarancc,
constant prudence and steady
kindness. We must mako him
feel that his interests arc indisso.
lubly bound up with ours ; that
high prices for our products in
sure high wages toy him; that we
have no animosity towards him ;
but on tho contrary, that we
cherish tho" kind feclings cn.
gcndcrcd ly carly associations
and old.%mcmorics. lot us be
scrupulousIy just in our dealings
with him, let us assist him in his
aspirations. for knowledge, and
aid him in its acquisitions. Try
to elevate him in tho scale Of true
manhood, Of civilization and Of
christianity, so that he may be
better fitted for the grave duties
and high responsibilities forced
upon him by his new position
liz Il word, convince him that VIC
arc his best, if not his only friends,
and when wo shall have done this,
We shall not only have placed our
labor on II sound footing, but we
shall havc gained in tho laborcr
n strong and jealous ally. On
this subject l speak not from the
ory, but experience, an experience
which has taught mo that the
klndcst relations can exist be-
tween tho planter and his former
slave resulting in mutual ndyan-
tage to both parties. My old
slaves arc cultivating tho land on
which thoy have lived for years,
and thcro has been q constant
and marked Improvement in their
industry in each year since their
emancipation though thcy hatc
not yet attained the same cflicicn-
cy as laborors they formerly pos
scsscd. | have promised to put
up tor them Il schooIhousc and
church, and to pay u portion Of
the salaries Of their teachcrs.-
Snch ~ system, if generally adop-
tea, would tend greatly to fix tic
laborcrs to the soil, and would, by
adding to their content and enjoy.
mcnt, result in vast ultimate ben.
fiji TO tho landlord. That kind
treatment, just dealing, aud SIM
coro efforts to improve their con4
dition arc not without effect upon
them is proved by tho fact, graft
tying TO myself that ! am now on
my way to Mississippi, by tho re-
quest Of hundreds OF negroes, bo.
sides my own laborcrs, to advise
them what course to pursue in
tho approaching election thcre.-
| am not Of those who believe
that tho nero possession Of the
rudimcnts Of education makes n
people stronger, bctter or hap
pior; "a little learning is dan.
gerous thing" and unless moral
education goes hand-in-hand with
intellectual, tho scods Of knowl-
edge will bo sown on n barren
soil, or will produce but thorns
and thisllcs hut I do bolievo that