Year: 1863

The question of labor cannot fail to be avery
serious one at the North if the war continues on
much longer. That country has already lost
million of able-bodied men from the business Of
production. The drain is still going on, and
half a million more must be added in another
year. This is a frightful loss to a community
whose labor is all performed by the class from
which enlistments for the army are made. At
the South the heavy labor Of the country goes
on in spite of the heavy drain of young white
men for the war. That labor was always suffic-
lent to provide bread and meat for the popula-
ton, besides performing much of the work of
clothing. sheltering and otherwise providing for
tbs people Except in districts overrun by the
enemy this labor system is still intact and or
ganized, performing all its usual offices for So
ciety. But the North possesses no such sys-
tenn. The war makes frightful hiatus in the
ranks of its producing class. A million of men
are taken from the support of their families to
join the army, and probably half million more
are diverted from old productive pursuits to the
expensive works connected with the arning and
supplying troops in the field and vessels on the
water.


Every hour employed by soldier in the du-
ties OF the camp and by an artisan in manufac-
turing war material is dead loss to the wealth
OF the North. This loss can not fail to be felt
sooner or later, in the most intense degree by
that people. The fanatics of the North used to
denounce the young men Of the South for idle
ness and pride; but, If they did nothing before
these young men fight now and, if they were
idle before the war, their employment in the
army does not decrease the labor of our country


In proportion as the Northern young men
were industrious before their loss to the labor
ofthe country is felt now. They we're more in
dustrious in fact than our Southern young men;
but they were so from necessity, and that very
necessity which then compelled them to labor,
now oppresses the country which has lost their
labor by sending them to the army.


The above is from the Richmond Enquirer of
the 1lth, and certainly no stronger argument in
favor ofthe policy ofnot returning slaves to dis
loyal masters, and in favor of the Presidents S
| Proclamation of Emancipation, than that could
be written. Had we asked traitor editors to pen
the seyerest blow we could strike them, we
should have wished those editors to pursue Just
the line of argument followed in the above.


Whatthe Examiner says about the drain upon
our agricultural labor is true, and what it says
as to the agricultural condition of the South is
also true. 1t follows then that the argument
made by the Eedmincr-to witt that the South
cause its agricultural labor is intact, while ours
is drained-isa sound one. Unless we strike
the rebellion in the part where lies its strength,
we had better be talking of settlement.


Must we net use such force, and in such d.
rection, as will end this rebellion? And, if our
enemy speak the truth, he through his slave ag-
ricultural labor, can stand this war longer than
we can. The old adage says we should be
taught by our enemy, and surely our enemy
here teaches lesson we SHOULD commit to heart.


Traitors declare that if their slave labor is let
alone, the cause of the Union is hopeless, while
sympathysing Democrats at the North denounce
the Administration for striking the only blow
at the rebellion which the traitors admit can be
effectual.


We cannot do better than quote the language
ofChas. P. Kirkland-a distinguished lawyer
of New York-who, in reply TO Judge Curtis
attack upon the Presidents Proclamation of
Emancipation, uses this language:


Ifany fact is demonstrated with perfect clear
ness in this contest thus far it is that the slaves
in the States in rebellion have furnished TO those
States means indispensable to them for carrying
and sustaining the contest on their part =


The intent and design ofthe proclamation, its
actual effect if it has its intended operation is
forever to deprive the enemy" of this vital, alb
solutely essential, and / have Just said, indis-
pensable, means of carrying on the war In
reason, in common sense, in national law, in the
law Of the civilized war, what objection can exist
to our using our power to attain an end so Just,
so lawful, and l may say so benefcient and so
humane, as thus depriving our "enemy" of his
means of warfareP