Society, Labor, Capital, Etc. [pp. 134-139]

SOCIETY, LABOR, CAPITAL, ETC.
ern States of the federal Union will cause them to divide, like
the Governments of Europe, into many nationalities. Do you
not see that the active and angry discussions of the questions
of slavery and the tariff, which have so much absorbed the public mind for the last thirty years, were providentially interposed to unite us and prepare us as a people for becoming a
separate and independent nation? hIave you not seen that our
President and congress acknowledge that the strong hand of
the Almighty has upheld our armies and given them the victories won oni the field of battle? Do you not realize that the
great heart of our people, of men, women and children, unite
in one common sentiment of faith, gratitude and praise to God
for these manifestations of His preference and protection?
Why is it that we, as a people, are thus made the special objects of God's providence? What is the trust committed to us,
and what its purpose? What is our peculiar characteristic as
a nation? Is it not that we are the owners of Afi'ican slaves,
and produce by their labor the greater part of the cotton which
forms the basis of that commerce which is so efficient an agency
for the spread of the gospel? If I am correct in these views
(and who can doubt it?) then the Confederate States are to be
the first and greatest of civilized nations; a people chosen in
thle providence of God, to whom tie has committedl, in an especial manner, an important part of that commerce which is, as it
were, the wings upon which He sends His gospel to heathen
nations? If this be so, and credit be, as we have seen, so important and indispensable for the development of our industry
and the extension of commerce, then such an organization and
consolidation of capital as the proposed agency will create, is
not only a financial necessity but an indispensable Christian
duty. For, if the war continues, it will give a safe and profitable investment of the notes and bonds of the Confederate States;
and if we have peace, it will aid the direct trade to Europe, and
so fari as it may prevent an undue export of specie, will sustain
the credit of our banks and give stability to our currency,
which will promote the employment and greater distribution
of labor, which will secure our permanent prosperity.
ART. XII.-SOCIETY, LABOR, CAPITAL, ETC.
The socialists, who have subjected society to a more searching analysis than the political economists, and who are far more
profound philosopl)lers than they, have detected the principle
and practice of exploitation universally pervading society, and
complain that, according to all modern systems of ethics and
all I)opul,tr estimation, the scale of human mierit is exactly
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