The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1869-12-04
The Labor Convention.
LAST DAY.

L ! .st >. =
committee from each County, to nominate
suitable persons to represent the State in
the National Labor Convention, to be
held in Washington City, in December
next. The committee recommended the
following: Joseph Fl. Rainey, j. j.
Wright, w. B. Nash, Lucius Winbush,
colored; Simeon Corley, Thomas j.
Mackey, white.
A member from Orangcburg offered a
resolution-which was laid upon the ta-
bic, after much discussiou-that the fol-
lowing rates of wages be given to labo-
rers for cultiyating cotton and corn:
First class, S15 T; second, Sl2; third, So;
per month; and the laborers shall receive
i'll addition to the above: lbs bacon,
per week, peck corn, quart molasses, pint
salt, for his board and if working for
share of the crop, they shall receive one
half of all the provision crop aud one
third of the cotton raised upon the farm.
The planters to furnish all the farming
utensils and sufficient horse power to
carry on the firm.
She Committee appointed to memori-
alize the General Assembly, through their
Chairman, L. j. Mickey, submitted the
following:
The laborcrs of the State of South
| Carolina, in Convention assembled, beg
leave to nemoralize your honorable body,
to furnish an appropriate and cffcctual
remedy for some of the grievances which
the AGRICULTURAL laborer now suffers at
tile hands of the large majority of his
employers. We believe thut there is 10
natural nntagnnism between the interests
of the planter aud those of the laborer :;
but Oil the contrary, that fair dealing and
a rigid performance of duty on the part
of each, will secure the prosperity of
.sboth. Scare aware that many of tae
wrongs to which laDorers are subjected
are beyond the reach of legislation, but
must lind their redress i'll the organized
efforts OF the laborcrs themselves, acting
unitedly within the lines OF the law.
with Il wise regard to the equitable
claims of capital and the inalcnablc
rights oil labor. Though your honorable
body arc restricted By constitutional limi
tations from fixing the rate o wages, it is
within ihe scope OF your authority to
insure more fully Than at present their
speedy and certain collection and. also,
by suitable laws, to coutcr upon the la
borcr greater power of seli-prutcctiun
than he now poss, ses, &c.
/. That the claim OF the agricultural
laborcr for wages due, shall operate as a
preferred lien upon the land that he
works, and that the planter or owner of
said land that he works, shall not sell or
alicnate the same, until such claim is sat
isled.
2. That the Governor shall appoint a
discreet ana proper person, in each Coun-
ty, who shall be designated ms ''Commis-
sioner of Contracts !" such person shall
be charged with the duty of examining
and atcstlng all contracts between the
planter and the laborer, and shall act as
advisory counsel of the laborer upon all
questions that may arise under his con-
tract. lie shall make Il quarterly report
| t, h,. nt 4 A.,
setting forth the number of laborers in
his County how employed; the rate of
wages paid and tho names OF planters
and laborcrs who may have violated their
contracts; all of which shall be laid be-
fore the General Assembly, at the com
mencemcnt Of each session thereof, and
shall be published for general informa-
ton.
3. That suits, of all classes of laborers
or employees, for wages due them, shall
have precedence on the calendars Of the
courts, over all other civil suits, and
shall be heard at the first term of the
court, after the declaration OF the plain
tiff III the same shall have been filed
4. That the Governor shall he author
lied to appoint in each County an officer,
whose duty it shall be to make up the
list of jurors and superintend the draw
ing of the same, in order that the labor.
ing classes may have a fair representation
on the juries--a privilege which is prac-
tically denied them in the rural districts,
under the operation Of the present sys-
tehi