Year: 1869

Negro versus CO0lie Labor.


To the Editors Of the Richmond Dispatch:
The acceptability of my last communica
ton, addressed to the workingmcn of the
State ON the subject of the coolie immigra-
ton scheme, and the entire harmony Of the
views therein expressed with the public
sentiment of this community, has induced
the undersigned to submit another phase Of
the subject, and that is the adaptability of
the negro to the requirements of southern
labor over the coolie. 1t is true, the black
man has been for several years, ever since
his emancipation, puzzled and misled by an
| iqnis tatnus-taught to believe that he was
the heir of an inheritance to be partitioncd
out to him from the possessions of his late
master by the process of coniscation-that
forty-acre and mule" chimera, and
the rich bcstowal of Office and its emolu-
ments as the first fruits of the ballot.
Recent political events of significance in
Congress and in the States, and especially
the late election in Virginia, has helped to
dispel these delusions from the negro mind,
and his disenthralment from these popular
errors, now undoubtedly begun, will go on
until he becomes what he was in the days
of slavery-the natural laborer of the
South, the dusky son of the soil he has cul
| tiyated since the first introduction of the
| African into the southern States-thc same
| in all respects save his bonds. And it is
my belief that he will labor the moro will
ingly and efficiently because guaranteed
just compensation in return for that labor.
| II is the misfortune of the black man
| that he has been temporarily alienated from
labor by the politicians, who have diverted
| his untutorcd mind from labor to politics
that he might thereby become an clement
of power under their manipulation. The
| Virginia election disclosed the fallacy OF
such expectation, so far as the negro can
hope for any political benefit or prcfermcnt
beyond the ballot. With this he is learning
rapidly to be content; and rs it is more
| than probable that the elections shortly to
take place in Mississippi, Texas, and seye-
raj other of the cotton States, will result
similarly to the recent contest in Virginia,
their influence upon the colorcd race in de-
tcrmining their future political status and
aims will be very emphatic and decided.
| The negro is being undeceivcd; and 30
soon as he ia thoroughly emancipatcd from
his second enslavemcnt by the politicians
he will enter upon, l honestly believe, the
new era of his usefulness as paid laborcr.
lie is progressing toWardS that point
the blacl, Prodigal returning to his masters
house Much more might be written in
favor Of the negro and his preference over
The coolic, but know your space is valua
bic, and your able-cditorials on the subject
have generally covered the ground.


The negro is not, like his competitor, %
barbarian, but an enlightened being, made
SO by association and u long residence
among our enlightened people. He was
| faithful in his late state of servitudc, even
during our civil war, when the opportuni-
ties for servilc Instructions were numerous
| in sections Of every State. The coolie is
naturally, and by instinct, scdltious, trcach
erous, hard to be restrained, and faithless
to all government save the government Of
his own debascd passions. And it was this
characteristic disregard Of law and the laws
restraint that enforced the exodus OF the
coolie race from China.


The African We have with us, and 8s
relic Of slavery he must remain with us,
unless some philanthropic scheme, undrcam-
cd Of in the future, is born to accomplish
his removal.


1t is evident to every thinking mind that
the coolic cannot succeed the negro III the
cotton and rice fields of the South nor is
il possible that he can labor side by side
pcaceably in competition with him. The
war of races would be precipitated, and it
would be wagcd between the Mongolian and
the negro.


The plain truth is, the South neither de-
sires nor needs change in her system Of
labor. What the South and her planters
want is capital-not u substitution of her
labor machinery. The South, with million
coolies on her plantations, can never ad
vance an inch in prosperity without that
impetus which money alone can give. What
DO these advocates of the coolie business
expect Do they see in his pig-tail queue the
embodiment Of human machiuc; q tire
less automaton of few wants that is satis-
fed with little to eat and small pay; that
is without love or hate-in fact, human
brute, that plows, sows, and rcaps-a very
mechanical contTivance and convenience |!


II such machine be the anticipation of
these gentlemen the coming coolie will dis
appoint them vastly.


No, gentlemen, reformers of the labor
system, you have amongst you the best
class of laborcrs that the world Affords
and that is the negro. He is docile-cVen
af'ectionate-easily persuaded to what is
right he is muscular, capable of immense
endurance under tropical sun, and can
endure more hardships and continuous toll
than any other race of human beings on
the globe.


To move this magnificent array Of labor
in harmonious order in its proper channel
capitol alone is needed, and capital is the
crying need Of the South--not the coolic.
The white and black laborers of the South,
rs class, are superior to any in the known
world. 1t is negro labor that makes tecm-
ing garden of Brazil, of Cuba, and Of the
West India Islands. And negro labor, pro-
pclled by capital, must rejuyenate the
South, if renewed prosperity be in store for
her. 1t can never come by the coolie.


iSBoS BENEDICT.


ANOTHER GIGANTIC PROJECT BY LES
sErs.-M. Ferdinand dc Lcsseps, says the