The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-02-05
Report of the Superintendent Of Labor and
Agriculture of the State of Maryland.

L ne non. W m. =. MGR herSOn, mas maze
a very careful and full report to the Legis-
lature which gives very clear statement
OF the very moderate success attained i'll
colonizing labor from the old world, 10
supersede the colored laborers of the State.
The Report shows the landing of II, G52
Emigrants at Baltimore in 1869, 3627 OF
whom is said to have remained in this
State. The foreign agencies have been
discontinued, and Il great decrease has been
experienced of late in the number of appli-
cations for agricultural laborers. This
may be owing to the industrial depression
at present prevailing scr to the reported
better disposition Of tie freedmen to labor in
our fields OF, far turns,'' Mr.. F. W. Smythe,
the Agent suggests and very patronizingly
adds that" The people Of Maryland will
always cherish & kindly feeling for the
black race"
Ia another part of the Report tie Com
missioner says, Now, as before its enan-
cipation, there is perceptible drift of the
negro population southwark and its total
number is supposed TO be annually dimill-
ishing.' The Commissioner continues,
''Judging from the number of applications,
written and verbal, made at this Office, |
estimate that above five thousand addition
al laborers per annum are required in Mary
land, to keep wages at such standard as
will inducs owners to engage more exten-
sively in the cultivation Of their lands
The Commissioner hopes this may lie OBJ
tanned from Europe, if additional facilities
are afforded the Superintendent of The EN-
igration business.
The people from other States it would
seem don't fancy Maryland. but push fur
ther South where Democratic rule does not
exist, as in Maryland, to remind them con-
stantly of effete customs and ''policies'' of
the rebellion, and the reign Of slavery pre-
ceding that era Many persons, we are
told "from other States have been Undue
ed to visit us, and Il fec have settled here"
More will be induced to settle when diff
ferent public sentiment prevails, and
spirit Of ostracism, too common among
large portion of her citizens where the
land perishes for want of intelligent labor
and capital, has starved and died out 4
few years ago an attempt was made-or at
least threat-by these agricultural sec
tons which now pine for laber to drive the
colored population ont of the State after
they became free, and supply their place
by emigrants from Germany. But the Eu-
jn e ~,
prairies, hicd them to the fertile plains
where the foot steps of slavery had never
blighted the soil, OF its presence sewed the
seeds of pride and arrogance in the breasts
of a master race. And now we are inform
cd by this Report that the worn out fields
of Southern Maryland have as few charms
for the freedmen" as for the Germans,
and they are moving south to find a more
genial cline and rcmunerative wages,
while their former boastful employers stand
hat in hand, vainy pleading to both Ger
man and African to stay Not only Sla-
very, but the spirit Of Slavery must become
extinct in Maryland before she will begin
to rise in the scale of prosperity and health.
The cost Of this Emigrant project, to sup
ply European labor i'll place of using the
proper means to utalize the labor native to
the State, shown by the Commissioner, has
been, from April list 1868 to December 3lst
1869, one year and nine months, ST, 461.S0;
expended out Of the State Treasury, to
subservc the mad schemes of Maryland
secessionists a sum airtually thrown away,
the Commissioner tacitlY admits