The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-05-10
WILL THE NEGRO WORK?

Not if he can help it. True. Will any
one? Certainly not. Is there any thing
phenomenal or exceptional i'll the fact
that the African dislikes severe and con-
tinuouS physical eXertion? Men. as
rule, are born lovers of eaSe-in other
words. collstitutionally tired. Perhaps
there is no more unmstakable proof that
the African is a man and a brother. than
this same fact that he is lazy. Since the
time when father Adam was turned loose
in the world to eat his bread III the sweat
of his brow. what mortal white. black.
red OF brown. has been fond of work for
work sake? Now all intelligent obServ-
ers of human nature. in its varied but
characteristic phases. concedc that the
love of work and the incentive to eNer-
ton are inseparablc. They follow. natu-
rally. us cause and effect. If the love of
labor exist, the incentive must precede
and underlie it. And the prospect Of re-
ward and realization must be commen-
Surate with the motive. ambition. or in
centive. No man will labor more than
enough to obtain food and clothing. or the
merest necessities of his existence. unless
he feels the prick and spur of ambition
stimulating him to persistent cndeavor.
But how long. pray. has the negro felt
such impulse of ambition? He could not
feel it while held in bondage. and he is
lust free OF all men on this continent,
the negro as IA class has felt less the i'll
SEPARATION of an ambition to labor.-haS
been most destitute of the motives that
give birth to ambition. This was the in
evitable result of his Seryile condition.
As slave it was impossible for him to
achieve the results that rewarded the
labor Of free man. Enough to eat and
enough to wear have been all that his
toll could bring him. and under such
circumstances it is not strange that he
was lazy. He has been just az indolent
and shittleSs AS the white man would
have been under similar circumstances.
1t would he strange. indeed, could the
black rival the white man in the incen-
tive to. and achievement Of labor with
the latter three hundred years in advance
of the former. Forced work is all the
work the world would realize. whatever
the color of the skin Of its inhabitants if
the opportunities of life offered no re-
ward for toll Individual instances are
at hand i'll the personal experience of all
of us. that the negro can be jealous am
bilious and industrious. when his ambi-
ton is excited. The evidence is cumu-
lativc that no people have shown a
more sincere desire to learn than the ne
groeS in the schools of the South. and
that no men have worked harder than
some black men since emancipation >timu-
lated their ambitions by the hope OF re-
ward. When, then. the question is asked.
Will the negro work > We reply a!iirma-
lively. Just SO far as he sees the allure
ment of reward. and no farther If he
sees that wealth, influence. and the sue
cess which other men prize are attain
able by him, just in that proportion will
he become industrious and self-respect-
ing. AS an emancipated race, he is enti-
tied to the opportunity of success in life.
however unfayorable an opinion we may
draw from individual instances around
us. No man should allow his uncon-
scious prejudice against the negro as a
race to deprive him of the just results of
his labor and Of the opportunities of adj
vancement i'll life. Because they are so
deprived. is the secret of the negro exc
dus from the South He is leaving
the congenial conditions of climate and
surroundings. simply because his present
condition is little better than in the DAYS
Of slavery. His former master still owns
the soil. and makes hi,n pay tribute to
his ownership.