The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-09


military rule to local self-government? In
the periods of provisional government and
reconstruction Mr.. Blaine has described the
colored lab0rer as almost slave. How is 1t
now? He is better protected in his wages
By the laws OF manylSouthern States than
Is the iaoorer in any Northern State. By
Mississippi is given a lien for his wages upon
the crop he helps to raise, and
for his portion of the crop
when it is upon shares The
lien is prior to all Others, and exists without
Upon judgments for wages no property is
exempt from execution. These provisions
were adopted at the first session after the
Democrats obtained the control in Missis
sippi. By the act OF February "a, 1873, the
isborer In Georgia is given lien for his
wages upon the property of the employer,
first above any other lien except for taxes
judgments and DEGREES. and q special lien
upon the products of his labor, above every
other lien, except for taxes. In North Caro-
lima the farm laborer is given first lien
upon the crop he helps to produce. In 1865,
under the provisional government, South
Carolina established and SO regulated the
domestic relations among the colored people
as to promote their morality, virtue, and
personal welfare. In the regulations of
labor it was provided that wages due to ser
wants shall be preferred to all other debts or
the irsutficiency of the masters property to
pay all debts and demands against him.
know of no Northern State that gives to
the laborer such extraordinary protection
and security for his wages. 1t has been
sought, demanded, prayed for by the en-
ployes of great corporations, but it has been
denied, in many Northern States. The en-
gineer, whose life is every hour at hazard,
and the miner whose labor produces the
wealth which others enjoy, have sought Sc
g.
IL was iree-will and cheerful Offering by
the people of the South, to place the wages
| of the negro next in payment to taxes and
funeral expenses. Am asked again why
| the colored man should vote with the Demo-
Gratis? 1 answer, that it is surer guarantee
of his individual welfare, and that the
political association is better than with the
men who seek his confidence that they may
use him for selfish ends.
Doubtless many acts of violence and
wrong were done to colored people during
the years Immediately succeeding the close
/ of the war. The contest had been long and
! bitter. The institution of slavery was asso-
ciated in the minds of the people as one of
] the causes of the war. As result of the
war the white man, Impoverished in the
struggle, was obliged to recognize the COL
ored man, who had been his hereditary
bondsman, as his political equal. Who
could expect that tranquility would at
once settle down upon the scenes of such
violent disturbance? The widest optimisi
could not hope for that. All history
teaches that the spirit of violence
exists in more or less activity after
the cessation of civil war. To looB
! for anything else would be as vain as to ex
pect the ocean, vexed to its profoundes
/ depths to subside into instant tranquility
| when the roar of the TEMPEST is hushed
The difficulties necessarily incident to the
condition of the country were aggravated by
the unnatural policy which sought to placs
the emancipated race. in political rule, ovel
| the white race. Harmony could not at onct
follow. Indeed, it is hardly possible, so long
| as the colored men, in large masses, assume
| a position of distrust and hostility toward
/ the white voters. The antagonism of race
will disappear from our political contest.
when the colored people shall declare theil
asserted over them, throw Oft the influence
of the selfish adventures who claim to con
troll them, and assert their rights as tree and
| Independent voters.
Now, that Ii years have passed since the
close of the war, and the two races, during
much of that period, have been living TO-
| gether as citizens equal before the law, while
every year their political relations are be
coming more harmonious, can the statesman
i find no better argument to show that the
colored man holds his political rights by
pr-carious tenure, than that founded upon
social disturbances2
! If l may accuse Mr.. Blame, in any in
stance, of employ ing an argument not quite
up to the highess plane OF craftsmanship
and of leading this discussion into the aren,
OF mere party politics, yet I must thanl
him for the closing paragraph of his last ar
ticle. For patriotic sentiment, beauty o
language, and grandecr of eloquence, i
merits high place among the noblest pro
ductions of the English language. 81