Year: 1865

there has been settled system which regulate,
it, and the great question then was how to di


rect it so as to make it the most profitable. Now
it presents a new feature, and there is sore per
plexity in the public mind on the subject. Can


the regro be made profitable laborer in the
production of cotton is the grave question
Cotton must be made; the world must have it


Naked millions demand it as they demand bread
There viii be money in its production, and now


how is that to be done? Experiments to this


date have shown to great extent one thing


that the negro voluntarily has but little relish


for the cotton field. Loosed from the whole.


some restrictions which were thrown about him


in slavery, he is disposed TO relapse into the
habits which distinguished his native ancestry.
The negro upon the river wants to get 10 the


hill country, and the hill country negro wants
| to get to town They seem, many ct them, to
entertain the idea that so long as they remain
at their old homes, they arc not free; hence the
great disposition to roam overthe country with
out any specific idea of the future, or what they
are going to do hereafter.


The negro now has to be moved with some
new stimulus. No longer dreading the lash, he
must be educated to some other incentive to
| action What is this to be' Money is The
great motive power with the white man. He
perils all.-life and health for it. He labors day
and night, and without ccasing. But he has
| the future in his minds eye. He is looking
| forward to old age-to growing family-pTo-
viding for all the uncertainties of the unknown
Tbi. hoo bnnr tho caca .ritb tho whit
man through all time. Not SO with the negro
slave Uneducated, himself, he does not look
upou the Importance and necessity of it for his
children. Hitherto he has had a master who
provided for him in sickness and in old age,
and when he was no longer able to earn sup
port he was kindly cared for by him whom
he had served. If cut OF in earlier years,
the same hand would support and provide for
his dependent and helpless children There
was NO evil day to guard against. With him
''suffcen for the day was the evil thereof"
In consequence of this educatiop-it is nothing
more or less-it is a matter of serious doubt
whether the present adult population of negroes
can be made profitable laborcrs. They must
first be educated to selfdependcnee. How now
can this best be done One may answer, by
the payment of good wages: but up TO this time
they have proven Indifferent laborers, under the
promise and payment of good wages. The eye
of the employer must follow them, or the time
is thrown away in idleness. Another may con-
ceivc that it can be done by adopting system
of non-iptercourse-by refusing to employ
them, and letting hanger and privation become
the lash that shall drive them to industry
Whether either will prove successful, is mat
ter of doubt.


The negro is eminently creature Of inita-
ton. He strives to do as the white man. anI
apes bis ways Especially in bad habits,) and
we think the most successful method of maxi
ing the negro profitable laborer, will be by
bringing him in active. close competition with
white labor. The sturdy peasant, raised and in
ured to hard toll win DO much more work much
more to the satisfaction of the employer than the
negro. His interest prompts him to work
earnest hard work; for he is looking forward to
the time when he too shall become an employ
er, and have his iabOrers about him, relieved
by his improved fortune from the drudgery of
a menial


Europe is throwing thousands upon this con-
tinent and to the United States, allured by the
hope of extended freedom, who come destitute
and penniess. Their only hope is in the labor
of their hands. They do not hope or expect to
receive very large wages. Their desire. at least
for the present, is subsistence bread. Owing to
the existence of slavery in the South herstofore,
there has been no encouragement given to this
class OF immigration to the Southern States.
First, there was no hope for aem here, as pro-
prictors would not employ them, except per
haps in the labor of ditching and draining;
Secondly, they were looked upon as danger
Gus elements among the slave population and
every obstacle presented to deter them from
coming South. By reason of this the tide of
Immigration moved westward, and the New
States of the Northwest have fattened and
grown rich upon their labor. But the causes
which once operated against the Southern ten
dency of this class Of population arc renlovedi
they have passed away with slavery. Can
we not now make tho labor of this peasant
population profitable? We think we can. Let
inducements be held out to them. Let the
proprietors Of the vas. estates in the South
invite them to come. They can furnish them
with the land ready prepared 10 their hands for
the plow ana the hoe. They nave the horses
and mules and ali the implements of husband
~ Make them tenants, with an interest in the
productions of the sell; or, if found more prof.
table or convenient, pay them wages as labor
ers by the month. Employ man, ono OF their
own class Of advanced Intelligence, as the fore
man, and look to him forthe requisite amount
Of labor. This they are accustomed to, and
it is not distasteful to them. Bring their labor
in competition with the Negro. He, seeing
their thrift and industry, will take the hin and
go to wers By witnessing the patient labor
and industry Of the white man, he may be en-
ceuraged to do likewise. Another effect it will
have will be, thatlthe negro will find himself
without employment, and it win be work or
starvation. Grim death viii stare him in the
face and will force him, though perhaps against
his will, to labor faithfully.


Necessity will be the only inducement to
secure any great degree of profitable labor from
the freedmen. 1t must be brought by competi-
tion in labor. This cannot be done among
themselves class. Individual instances
there may be, but as class it cannot be done.
1t is true that every negro has somc idea of