The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-09-04


security of person, perfect serenity of miuI
and brave hOpetulness OF heart are neces
sary conditions OF successful Application
of labor and capital, and rs necessary u
the laborer as TO the capitalist
SIR, who can contemplate for momen
this vast production Of the South, givini
so large \ proportion OF the exports of thi'
country, really the basis of our exchange
with the world, in the midst of tumut ano
and strife, and the conflict of races, and OF
fraud, force, murder and arson?
notice, sir, that the witnesses who nave
| been brought TO prove the oppression and
the fraud perpetrated upon the negro
| labor of the South have introduced what
they called "spccimen contracts" showing
the lien of the employer upon the product
of the laborer for his rent and advance
and long accounts have been laid before
the committee as those which were Drought
against the negro lab0rer and tenant. sir,
these accounts tell their own story.
Whatever may have been the relative
status OF the two parties ut the end OF the
wear the laborcr had command of such sup
plies as he and his family needed, They
Show, sir. that he could get Hour and meat
and sugar and coffee and clothing for him
self and his children, and medical supplies;
so that the total result proves that, what
ever losses he may incur by the venture,
the lubOrcr through the whole year mas
shelter. food raiment, medical supplies, and
the comforts of life free from any cOntin-
gcncies and any misfortune, and IN assur-
ance of the same during the next year
But Sir, there is another fact connected
with this matter which is of profound IN.
terest. You may talk, sir, of the dignity of
labor, but labor can be put nowhere upon
such II dignited and equitable basis as II Is
in Mississippi, where every Iaborer has an
I L. In tptS nj
farm, paramount to that of the landlord or
the supply-man, for payment of wages or OF
his reward. Happy the country and happy
the people where the toling man has in
the law of the land Il mortgage upon every
thing which bears the impress of his tolllng
hand and the result is, sir, that in that
country so much abused, there is not man,
woman, or child that suffers from the
pangs of hunger. There is not man, sir,
who has muscle and Willingness to use
it, even though he may be out of employ
ment and out of means, that cannot earn his
breakfast, or his dinner, or his lunch when
ever he chooses to do so, and that i'll ad-
vance of the work to be performed. Say
what YOU please, sir, that must be happy
condition of society which is free from
that leprOsy of nations, chronic paul
perism.
! The Senator from Minnesota has referred
Senator that there is no law i'll Mississippi
framed with any reference to the end which
he has intimated. lie can say that
by certain sort Of construction
and perversion such result as he
speaks of is possible; no such results are
actually produced, and no such objects
were ever had III view by the Legislators
of Mississippi.
In looking over this testimony and see
nj "A
the statutes of Mississippi, took occasion
to examine the code of Minnesota to com
pare it with that Of my own State. must
confess that in going ovcrthat code found
it admirable in all its provisions. | could
find no fault with ii rs II code of laws. l
pronounce it simply perfect in its own
resources, and the gentleman is beyond
the reach of my retort on this subject. |
can say, however, that | take as much
pride in whatever honors his State as he
does himself At the same time, there are
some things, which under the perverting
criticism that the Senator has applied to
The statutes of Mississippi would render
his State an unfit place for negro immigra-
ton.
WHY. sir. under the code of Minnesota
whoever cuts down or i'll any way Injuries
tree growing upon the private lot of ano-
her or carries away any wood from such |
lot. is punishable with ninety days implis-
Onment or 800 fine. If he should take |
fruit of any kind from an orchard in an
other mans enclosure he is subject to two |
months Imprisonment and fine of 800.
If he cuts down tree, il one our negroes
should 90 in there Shivering with cold, and
should do what he always does in Missis-
,ippi, take enough fuel to warm himself
md little ones, he would be indictable and |
with fine and Imprisonment.
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