The Fall of the House of Labor AtD.93 Republicans?
Bekah
bekah0176 at sbcglobal.net
Sun Aug 9 09:39:02 CDT 2009
I am also thinking of the perversity of California where although the
sanctity of free labor was manifested and touted in the mines, slaves
as well as Blacks in general were not wanted at all by many. Banning
freed as well as enslaved blacks from the state was seriously
considered by the legislature at one point. This was because it
would drive the value of labor down. The idea of Free Man's Labor
was romanticized to the point of viscous racist sentiments.
"The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War" is an
excellent book on this whole sad era of California history.
Bekah
http://web.mac.com/bekker2/
On Aug 9, 2009, at 4:59 AM, Michael Bailey wrote:
> alice wellintown wrote:
>> I've dismissed Robin's reading of the passage for a very obvious
>> reason; Webb is pissed off at the Rupublicans, and specifically the
>> Republican Radicals because he believes, and he is right, he has
>> been
>> betrayed by them.
>
> and, even more poignantly, the ex-slaves in the South were betrayed by
> them also.
> Pointers to readings on this I found in a novel called "Pushkin and
> the Ace of Spades"
> (but haven't actually read) but the author mentions the heartache
> reading
> of earnest black officeseekers turned back
> by various means, all foul...for instance in a nearby town here in
> Florida,
> officials deannexed part of a city to divest a black councilman...in
> the 20th century...
>
>>
>> But this August dignity I treat of, is not the dignity of kings and
>> robes, but that abounding dignity which has no robed investiture.
>> Thou
>> shalt see it shining in the arm that wields a pick or drives a spike;
>> that democratic dignity which, on all hands, radiates without end
>> from
>> God; Himself! The great God absolute! The centre and circumference of
>> all democracy! His omnipresence, our divine equality!
>> If, then, to meanest mariners, and renegades, and castaways, I shall
>> hereafter ascribe high qualities, though dark...then against all
>> mortal critics bear me out in it, thou just Spirit of Equality, which
>> hast spread one royal mantle of humanity over all my kind! Bear me
>> out
>> in it, thou great democratic God!...Thou who didst pick up Andrew
>> Jackson from the pebbles; who didst hurl him upon a war-horse; who
>> didst thunder him higher than a throne! Thou who, in all Thy mighty,
>> earthly marchings, ever cullest Thy selectest champions from the
>> kingly commons; bear me out in it, O God!
>>
>> Herman Melville, Moby-Dick
>>
>
> nice quote!
>
> --
> "My God, I am fully in favor of a little leeway or the damnable jig is
> up! " - Hapworth Glass
>
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