The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-13
CALL A HALT.

A good many labor agents were
here Yesterday, Some of them got
notice not to 90 TO Enfield or Scot
land Neck. They cannot of course,
be prevented from carrying away
negroes who are not under contract.
The negroes so situated are as lee
TO 90 as the wind is to blow. The
agents claim that they are not TAXI
ng away laborers under contract,
Somc people question their state
heats on this matter and right there
is tie cause Of tue trouble. 1he
gents are nearly all railway men
Some farmers come ia and take
away negroes themselves Among
those WHO have thus b. en- IN North
Carolina 10 the past year are some
# the largest cotton planters IN
Mississippi and Arkansas. Three
# these are in Raleigh to-day
RaIcigh letter to M. Messenger llth'
TIE DEMOCRAT has said nothing
editorially thus far, neither has 1t
expressed an opinion. even, OF the
exodus that has been exciting labor
in the State for nearly a year. We
awe from time to time given local
news as to when and how many col
ored people have left at different
places.
But We now think it time to speak
out.
Tho negro is free man, and no
me has any right whatever to re-
strain him from the exercise of that
personal Liberty which the great
Blay kstone SAID. consists in the
power Of 10 emotion, Of chsnging
situation, or moving ones eraOn to
whatsoever place ones own iDclina-
ton may direct" And if the emlgra-
ton agents will operate 10 this cOun.
try at the proper season OF the year,
this observation OF the great jurist
will spi ly; otherwise 1t Will not
And that season would te in this
section. say from the mIidIe Of Nov
ember to the middle OF January.
Sclcprescrvation is the first law
Of !tGte and when labor agents
wait until the season Of the year
when planters have made, or ought
to have made, contrIc.s with the il
Iaborcrs, they ought not 10 he allow.
ed t. carry on their tr: HI any long
ar-tor it is nothing more than g
traffic.
If the colorel people are restless
and want to 60 else" here IL. them
go if they 60 at the proper time, OF
of their own accord but in the name
of justice TO the white men OF this
country who feed AMI clothe and
educate the negro let not stbe ennis
grafton agents have peace amongst
Us at time when they dcmoralize
our interests so greatly.
Suppose farmer has made pre-
paration for large crop, has spent
$500 or $1,000 already, anu the agent
comes along aud sweeps that farm
clesn Of labor now, VIII protection
| has that farmer? He has none. The
only thing to do IS to have protcc
ton before-hand-keep the agent.
away until next December, and tier
tell them to come if they wish.
The news item VIC publish at The
head of this article says thai "the
agents ale nearly all railway men.
Every body knows that railroads have
no lntere- t In the farmer or mer
chant, or any one elre, except fol
the money they squeeze from them
We believe that The farmers have
a right to say to the agents, Let
alone our labor until next Dec
EN- oer."
Let TIE DEMOCRAT not be mis-
understood-we say let them go /
they 60 Of their own accord; but d.
not let the agents ruin the crops by
meddling with the laborers at thu
wrong time. We have sail this il
what We consider discharge Of GU
duty. Let the coIorcd people go
they wish if they 60 alone or a
the proper time, but keep the sgenu
out Of tic country until the crop il