Year: 1871




The Club met Saturday, April l, at the
rooms on Cherry street, DR.. Blackman in
the chair.


The Club then discussed at length the
resolutions offered at former meeting
by the Rev. Tolbert Tanning, to make
arrangements to establish, under the di-
rection of the Club, Tennessee Labor
Agency for the purpose of melting ne
groes to labor, to stimulate the idle, and
if necessary to procure other labor by
immigration.


Owing to the great length of the dis
cussion which followed, we are COMPEL
ed to present condensed report of the
speeches.


DR.. Foster explained what he consid-
cred to be the object of the resolution.


Mr.. Tanning said the design was to
establish medium between the employer
and employe. The want of prosperity in
our county at present was owing to the
want of suitable labor. There should be
some reliable man in the Farmers Club
to give accurate information. There
ought to be an association, such as the
Il SluU, ludG nOulO JuOSC VI laDNA
without speculation. At this time Col.
Colyar and some gentlemen il Nashville
were making an attempt to encourage Ia
Dor but they had but one object, and
that was 10 get sale for their lands. They
might accomplish great good, but other
attempts to induce immigration had re-
suited in bringing laborers here and set
Ting them on worthless lands. Mr.. Fan
ming was thoroughly satisfied that after
using the negroes in the best possible
manner, they would be unreliable. They
were opposed to the white race and were
most of them under the control of men
hostile to the best interests of the South.
1t would not be very long before some
other labor would be required than ne
groes. He was more anxious to encourage
our own white youths, male and female,


DR.. Foster thought it not prudent fer
the Club to engage in discussions that
might cause trouble and annoyance.
Other gentlemen remarked: ''Let it come
out"


Mr.. Tanning said negroes had no con-
ception of moral right and wrong. He
believed they had soul, but God in
tended them only for a certain place.
His idea was to have no political strife or
personal difficulties with the negroes. lie
did not say that a labor department
should be established specially to favor
immigration, but it was advisable for the
farmers Club to make the best of what
immigrants should come here.


Gen. Jackson asked how it would be
about dealing with white labor2 An en-
tire revolution will be made in the system
of farming in Tennessee if it was pro-
posed to introduce white labor. Would
the white labor be more reliable than the
present black labor, and wouldn't the
white laborers demand more than the
blacks2 The General entertained the
highest regard for honest laboring men,
but 10 would be a matter of some diff
ficulty to take them into the house of the
employer and into the society of his
family. 1t was also impossible to mix
white and black labor on the same planta-
ton. If white laborers were introduced,
black laborers would be discarded.


Mr.. Tanning said there were matters
that would regulate themselves. The
negro was physically, mentally and NOR
ally below the condition that we want
people in. He was made q useful labOrer
by putting him in slavery. God never
intended him for that purpose, but made
him wanderer. The fate of the negro
was fixed; he could now, not even be
made worker. If the negro could be
made a good worker he would be in favor
of employing him. A niger that went
to school could never afterwards be
brought to work.


Gen. Jackson said that he had negro
on his place who had been to school two
years. and he was one of the best workers
he ever saw.


Mr.. Tanning said he thought Gen.
Harding had formerly made an unfOrtu-
nate remark when he said that education
DISQUALIFIED men from being good labor
ers, The hope of this country was to
teach cur boys that their eternal salvation
depends upon the labor of their hands
Neither negroes or Jews were ever in
tended to be workers. Neither boys or
girls could be educated without physical
labor.


Gen. jackson said when he was grow
ing up his father never gave him cent
unless he earned it. He had to go into
the bayfield, or into the yard and work
for it.


Mr.. Tanning wanted some good men TO
manage this thing; and was in favor of
making the most IF negro labor that
could be made. Jews and negroes could
not be made to labor manually; We must
depend on Americans and Germans and
1rishmen.


Gen. Harding said that with the explain
alton that MIR. Tanning had given of his
resolution, he had no particular objection
to it. But the negro was better adapted
for labor than other races, and for rough
physical labor. He had been very much
spoilt. The Freedmen's Bureau and the