Year: 1867




Before the election every Conservative paper in
the State was filed with threats tha. the colored
people should be deprived of employment and
starved out if they voted the Radical ticket It was
clear 70 our mind all the time that this rebel talk
was all gass and wind, unmixed with single par
tiels Of sense. Already in little over month
after the election, this Conservative bubble has
bursted


In the great city Of Memphis, where there are
several thousand negroes nearly every one Of whom
voted foY 8rownlow, net more than any or sixty
we're driven from home by their rebel employers,
and these readily found employment elsewhere.
That class Of Conservative editors who zoio talk Of
prescribing negroes are mea who never we're able
TO employ more than or two servants, and did
not slways pay these their gust dues. Such rebels
as own property and pay their store accounts and
pay negroes for their labor, not the people who
have made these threats TO "starvs the negro.
But poor devil who has no meat and bread to feed
his own children, makes great noise about starv
ing Radical niggers." The newspapers which now
talk Of starving negroes because they won't vote to
put Themselves in virtual bondage are little mud
turtle rebel sheets without influence.


In substance we have said that the colored man,
laborer, is independent of Conservative threats
lie is Just as independent as the white race, and
more 80 than many who have threatened 10 starve
him. for though the negro is poor he bas been taught
20 labor, and can outstrip in the race Of life the
rebel white paupers who will not work and have no
property or credit.


The sbzoute necessity OF the labor Of the colored
race to the prosperity of the State, admirably dis
cussed by correspondent Of the Nashville Banner,
a rebel paper Of influence, having more subscribers
aud readers than oil the rebel sheets in East Ten
nessee. The Banner says


The subject of immigration cannot from is very
nature be made political IL is subject
above and beyond politics. Every man, whether he
be Radical or Conservative, ought TO be interested
IN the material prosperity and Advancement of the
State Politics is very good side-show--a play 70
be enacted for the benefit or amusement OF those
Cerned and after the curtain falls, the actors and
spectators their places in society and 90 on
with the great bus ness Of life. Men leiH employ
labor 0hea Il IS profitable for them 70 40 60 and no
tests can long nesp alI s56f s5 st "a s 9
arc necessary 70 each other and spasmodic efforts
made 10 separate them can be successful Tor long
period Of time


The writer hereof feels deep interest in the sub
iect Of immigration without regard TO politics. The
fact is well known that have some sixty thousand
fewer laborers now than we had before the war
and when we add 10 this deficiency the large num-
hers congregated about our cities and towns engaged
in other pursuits who were formerly farm laborers,
Il viii be manifest at once that our agricultural in
,eress are suffering severely for the want Of su
cisncy Of labor Many fields and plantations, which
we're formerly cultivated, and made TO yield enor-
nous harvests, are now lying idle and uneultvated,
and left 20 grow up in broomsedge and brlars Tor
the want Of labor Our farming interests, the chief
source Of our wealth. are languishing and growing
less remunerative every year. and, unless some
steps are taken TO procur labor, and that OF gooo
and reliable SORT real estate Of all kinds will decline
and the State ultimately 60 into bankruptcy. Al
iRauiring persons have the imnense falling OK
in our agricultural products during the past iew
yesrs and Il behooyes us if wish to restore the
State 70 its former degree Of prosperity, to agitate
this subject until every man il the State viii feel
deep interest in IT.


1t is useless to disguise the fact unless we have
more labor we are ruined. Labor, and labor only,
creates wealth. II would be as absurd TO suppose
that we can prosper and grew great without an
abundant supply Of labor, as TO suppose that two
moor men can grow rich by swapping and reswap-
pjnr the same horse. There must be regular
source of wealth coming in, either from the soil OF
from manufacturing establishments ths products
from which must be shipped beyond our borders
In other words our exports must exceed our Poru
or the State grows poorer, just as every iamiis
grows poorer when their expenditures are CREATE
than their income. Every sane man can see snS
understand this in the case Of family and YET q
a people we ignore the fact.