Illustrations of political economy, Volume 2

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Page 72 - ... body. In all three cases the labor is purchased. In free laborers and cattle, all the faculties work together, and to advantage ; in the slave they are opposed ; and therefore he is, so far as the amount of labor is concerned, the least valuable of the three. The negroes can invent and improve — witness their ingenuity in their dwellings, and their skill in certain of their sports ; but their masters will never possess their faculties, though they have purchased their limbs. Our true policy...
Page 109 - The sound was hushed, and the warring lights were quenched for a time by the deluge which poured down from the clouds. The slaves crouched together in the middle of the field, supporting one another as well as they could against the fury of the gusts which still blew, and of the tropical rains. An inquiry now went round, — where was Homer? It was his duty to be in the field as soon as the gong had sounded, but no one had seen him. There was a stern hope in every heart that his roof had fallen in...
Page 112 - Homer saw the negroes cluster about the root of the tree to hold it firm in its position. Its branchy head seemed to him to be secure, and the only question now was, whether he could keep his hold on this bridge, while the torrent rose over it, as if in fury at having its course delayed. He could but try, for it was his only chance. The beginning of his .adventure would be the most perilous, on account of the boughs over and through which he must make his way. Slowly, fearfully, but firmly he accomplished...
Page 108 - ... her eyes, for the lightning flashes came thick and fast. Still there was neither wind nor rain ; but the roar of the distant sea rose louder in the intervals of the thunder. Cassius suddenly stopt short, and pulled the little girl's hand from before her face, crying, " Look, look, there is a sight!" Hester shrieked when she saw a whole field of sugar-canes whirled in the air. Before they had time to fall, the loftiest trees of the forest were carried up in like manner. The mill disappeared, a...
Page 75 - free black" instead of ' white.' The tenure of the labour is the question, not the colour of the labourers, as long as there is a plentiful supply of whichever is wanted. Only let us look at what is passing before our eyes, and we shall see whether negroes working for wages, or even under tribute, are not as good labourers as whites." " I have often meditated adopting the plan of tribute, Alfred, since times have gone badly with me ; but it is difficult on a coffee plantation. If I were in Brazil,...
Page 142 - Thus, again, capital is sunk which ought to be reproduced. ' In order to make up for this loss of capital to slave owners, bounties and prohibitions are granted in their behalf by government ; the waste committed by certain capitalists abroad, being thus paid for out of the earnings of those at home. ' Sugar being the production especially protected, every thing is sacrificed by planters to the growth of sugar.
Page 52 - She started when she saw that some body was there. Cassius stood, leaning his forehead against his low threshold, his arms folded on his breast. The child remained beside him for some minutes, hoping he would turn round, but as he did not, she gently pulled his jacket. He still took no notice. At last, a long deep sob broke from him, and the child, terrified at his agitation, ran away. , He strode after her, and caught her at the gate. He held her with a strong grasp, as he cried, — " ' Who robbed...
Page 143 - ... rent. The same thing happens when repeated applications of capital are made to the same land for the sake of increasing its productiveness. The produce which remains over the return to the least productive application of capital goes, to the landowner in the form of rent. RENT, therefore, consists of that part of the return made to the more productive portions of capital, by which it exceeds the return made to the least productive portion.
Page 92 - Horrier had given him notice, the preceding evening, that as it appeared from his exertions at the mill-dam, that he was of more value than he had always pretended, his ransom should be doubled. In such a case, a prayer for such low prices as would lessen his own value was the most natural that could burst from the lips of a slave.
Page 142 - By rejecting brute labour, he refuses facilities for convertible husbandry, and for improving the labour of his slaves by giving them animal food. , " By rejecting machinery, he declines the most direct and complete method of saving labour. "Thus, again, capital is sunk which ought to be reproduced. "In order to make up for this loss of capital to slave owners, bounties and prohibitions are granted in their behalf by government ; the waste committed by certain capitalists abroad, being thus paid...

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