The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-12-03
,Fasn HoInow, November %. 1863.

FaEE HoLnow, November 20. 1869.
MR, EDrToR; Il seems all the delegates
TO the Working Mems Convention were
mot able to attend. send you the en-
closed. which / have picked up, which
yon can publish or not. I am not an
employer of these sovereigns, but see
and know many who are. Something
might perhaps be said on both sides of
shkis labor question. It is true that the
rates OF wages are low, where they are
paid in money. but it is equally true that
as low as they are, they are in ninety
nine. cases ont of one hundred enor-
monsly. high for tho amount of service
rendered. A labor convention is, I pre-
Bume. nothing more or less than negro
convention. and they would do we'll to
consider that they may recommend as
can't control two things: First, the
ability Of the landlord to hire; and Sec
ond, his willingness to do 80. So many
landlords have been ruined by hiring
worthless gangs of negro laborers on
Plantations. that they ere in many cases
nov trying to see how fow, not how
many, they can hire. They had as we'll
consider the short crops of corn that has
been made, and remember it will take
tho landed mans brains, money and
credit. all three, to enable him to employ
any labor at all next year. So no great
fuss need be made about the terms upon
which it is to be employed. It is time
for tue landed interest to look out to
protect itself. and as o class, to act
promptly. Your lands are taxed ut
enormous rates, and these taxes voted
upon the same by q worthless race of
vagrants. Look to this point. Caffee
wants TO rent land, as his friends have
mot Gfnlhlled the oft-made promise of
forty acres and the mule. Rent to him; !;
but hrst charge him eight times the tax
on the land, and then the usual rent.
BY this means you will make him feel it.
SECOND: Ii You put out your lands for
rent in kind. in all cases, stipulate for
the tax frat from the laborer, and the
rent afterwards, The foolsl de they
shink they can impose tax that will
nos reach the man that earns his bread
by. the sweat of his brow? Third. Look
TO bringing in white emigrants and Chi
nese labor, and bend your energies to
these points. Cuffee is q temporary con-
Germ. Like mushroom, he hourishes
to-day, but his days are numbered, and
the mark of his Creator is on him
"Whom the gods intend to destroy"
The Now England hymn, .'Forty
Acres and Mule" is all bosh. There
are more landed proprietors now in num-
ber than ever will be again. The mil
lions guaranteed by cotton will be in
vested in lands, and the fortunate few
who amass millions ut the South will
speedily own millions of acres of land; {;
and until we can have O landed aristo-
oracy, we will never have balance
wheel. It will take more brains than
little Moses House or Senator Leslie's
Chamber to devise laws to prevent the
lands in this State from speedily falling
into the hands of few-and say I, the
sooner the better.
This is a progressive age, it is true;
but IN which way the progress is made,
it Is doubtful. A wonderful revolution
has passed. and we now see the results.
The loss of slavery is really no loss; but
she sequence is not pleasant. Had they
not better have on honest mans conpe..
tion or some kind of q religious contention
to mend the morals o. the socereigns? One
would think so by attending the several
District Courts. which sit quarterly. It
is steal and take, as some of the laboring
gentry term it, from the value of hens
egg Or an apple. up to horso's valne.
Mr.. PHGNIx-understand me distinct
ly-l speak of tho class and race for
which the Convention was gotten up.
AS to the honest, upright. manly laborer,
Who renders to his employer full work
for full wages, have proper amount
Of respect. am not land owner nv
self. and may never be; but I have some
afinities for that class, especially as so
few OF them ore in your penitentiary for
larceny. am iaboring for wages my
self. and ask for no legislative enact
ments to enable me to collect my wages
am expressly employed to be paid in
proportion to the work done, aud I, or
no honest man, could ask more. Re-
spectfully, OLD SLEDGE.
"Oshyum Com Degnytnty,"
MR.. EDIToR-Dear Sir: was n cum
min to the wurkin mems Legislator so if