New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-10

R!QMlQAN, SUNDAY
oped Into tribes, and. the tzibes into VA
like aad antagonisticeeommu etes
dencg arose which led to the elevation Q
the-warrior at the expense of the teile,
Honest labor was held to be less digifie,
anal honorable than successful plander
and prisoners taksn in battle wore en-
s'AEsd. Thus, labor became degraded
and system Of ssrfdom was established
which, in.the course of ages, was grad
ually changed into feudalism, che land
being held by patty chieftains OF, barons
ON conditions of service to be- rendered
the feudal lord. In this manner q gen
eral polity of might was established, and
it continued in force until about thu
period when this republic was founded
The elevation Of the soldier and the deg
radiation of the working man constituted
for centuries the practical policy of the
leading governments of earth, their gu.
thority being maintained by force, while
their revenues were supplied through OPP.
pressive exactions on the sons of toll.
In this country the FIRST European set
lers were mostly men who came hitler fol
the purpose of relieving themselves from
the double yoke of political and religious
bondage. The necessities of the case
made them soldiers as we'll as workers,
pioneers as well as builders. Theirs was
a knighthood of muscle which defended
the soil it laboriously cultivated and de-
manded no privilege not fairly earned.
The feudatory of the Old World became
the farmer-soldier of the New, and in his
breast sturdy spirit of independence
sprang up which eventually bourgeoned
into American independence. But while
the many approved this new order of
things. the oupidity of an intriguing few
sought to elevate its adherents above the
necessities of toll by enslaving the In
dams and thus establishing in its vital
force an altered copy of the old feudal
system. This attempt, however, failed
through the unbending character of the
red mans nature, and the American plan
of equal rights, combined with the in
alienable prerogatives of labor, would
have maintained its ascendency through
out all this broad and heaven
favored land, had not the poi
soned chalice of African. slavery been
introduced into an otherwise healthy
political and social organism. The effect
was injurious to the master rather than
The slave. While it civilized the latter
md raised him into productive laborer,
i united the master for the republican
be had in the fullness of time
'ided in establishing, and caused him to
ook upon labor not only as sign of in
eriority, but as q positive disgrace.
Hence the sectional antagonism which
ave Mason and Dixon's line its political
ignidcance; hence the long threat of an
rrepressible conflict; hence the fostering
ore in our body polite which at length
ad to be cut out by the sword. Consent,
be sole source of authority for the white |
IAN, was a bitter mockery for the slave; !
nd the labor which clothed the white |!
Ian of the North and West with honor,
rosperity and independence, was to the
ervlle toiler but badge of his own
ondage and sad reminder of the driy-
IS lash.
But though slavery has disappeared,
'me at least of its lamentable results re-
ain. The white Southron, schooled into
contempt for labor, found it difficult to
nlearn the teachings of generations when
reed to become his own servant, and to
I'm his own bread; and the dark South
N, induced by the example of his former
aster to regard idleness as the crowning
1viiege Of freedom, found it equally diff
'ult to pursue for himself the labor he
I'd previously held to be the curse of his
lstence. But the difficulties incident to
new dispensation for both whites and
acks are gradually disappearing. True,
rors and mistakes are still frequent, but
ey are mere incidents met with along
Q progressive road which both are COM
lied to follow, and as they journey on,
errors will become less common and
mistakes less annoying.
With full recognition of the fact that
every American citizen the rights of
'or are the same, our bread-winners
d wealth-producers should have no
ariel on mere questions of race. Every
e-bodied colored man in the South is
tie as capable as any corresponding
tie man of achieving for himself ma
lal prosperity, and as be becomes sur
nded by the assured rewards of in l
TRY he will be equally interested in an s
liable assertion of the right of prop o
?. Such conditions involve good gov Ii
ment, for where labor is protected and ?
savings of industry are secure, no u
or rights are likely to be invaded. Let u
colored citizens, therefore, bend their l"
energies to the building up of mate Ii
prosperity for themselves. As they &C. Il
re property and become sturdy and -
ependent yeomanry, they will COM Y
I'd respect which in the infancy of I'd
freedom was but grudingly given, re
feel an interest they could not other "
, feel in the establishment and main