20S 



FARRIERS' REGISTER, 



[No. 4. 



be hired for £12; but the person that employs 

 them also feeds and clothes them: several hun- 

 dred were employed on the canal at the falls o! 

 James River, in the summer of 1795, all of whom 

 were hired. As these were stout able men, they 

 were paid tor at the rate of £11 5s. each, per 

 annum, and their maintenance* and clothing was 

 calculated to amount to the same sum. Suppose, 

 therefore, that the maintenance of the slave that 

 is employed in husbandry, bears the same pro- 

 portion to the price that is paid for his time; this 

 will make the expense of such a person £18 per 

 annum, or per day rather more than Is. 2d. As 

 the climate here, as in Maryland, admits of near- 

 ly equal labor throughout the year, it may be fair 

 to estimate it at the same rate in each state; in 

 Maryland, it appears that the service of free 

 blacks may be bad for about Is. per day, and of 

 whites for Is. 6d.; therefore, the time of a slave, 

 in Virginia, is estimated at somewhat an higher 

 price, than that of a free black in Maryland, 

 though at less than that of a white man. But 

 the price that is paid for the time, is by no means 

 a proof of the value of the labor of the slave; 

 that can only be ascertained by the actual quantity 

 performed, and the goodness when performed: 

 and much more may be pnid tor it, than actually 

 appears. Now, nothing can be conceived more 

 inert than a slave; his unwilling labor is discover- 



ed in every step that he takes; he moves not if he 

 can avoid it; if the eyes of the overseer be off 

 him, lie sleeps; the ox and the horse, driven by 

 the slave, appear to sleep also; all is Jisiless inac- 

 tivity; all motion is evidently compulsory. Any 

 slave, that I have seen at work, does not appear 

 to perform half as much, as a laborer in England; 

 nor does the business, under which the master sits 

 down contented, appear to be half, that we re- 

 quire to be performed by one; if to this be added 

 the slovenly carelessness with which all business 

 is performed by the slave, the great number of 

 useless hands the slave owner is obliged to main- 

 tain, the total indifference to, and neglect, not say 

 the frequent wilful destruction, of whatever is not 

 immediately committed to his care, or within his 

 department, and also the universal inclination to 

 pilfering shown by them, I cannot do otherwise 

 than acquiesce in the received opinion of the 

 country, that slave labor is much dearer than any 

 other; and that the price paid for the time of a 

 slave, by no means shows the amount of the value 

 of his labor: it. certainly is much higher than it 

 appears to be; though not knowing the quantity 

 of labor, performed by slaves in general in a gi- 

 ven time, in a sufficient number of instances, I 

 have not data whereon to calculate the exact 

 value. 



RECAPITULATION. 



In New England .... 



New York 



New Jersey and Pennsylvania 

 Delaware and Maryland (white men) 

 Ditto free blacks, about 

 Virginia, perhaps equal to - 



The average of which will be Is. 7|d. in sum- 

 mer, and Is. 5^d. in winter; to this must be added 

 the price of their victuals, which I find, in many 

 instances in this country, is estimated at 9d. a day, 

 except in hay time and harvest, when ihe work- 

 men live something belter, and have a larger al- 

 lowance of spirits, or other liquors; this will raise 

 the wages to something more than 2s. 4|d. in 

 summer, and 2s. 2}d. in winter; but it is to be ob- 

 served also, that as the sun sets three-quarters of 

 an hour later, on the shortest day, at Philadelphia 

 (which is about the centre of the union from 

 north to south) than in London, and consequently 

 rises as much earlier, three-quarters of an hours 

 labor is gained every day during the winter half 

 year, which is a matter of no small consideration. 

 Likewise, as it is the custom in America for all 

 workmen, in the summer half year, to work from 

 sunrise to sunset, and as the sun rises at Philadel- 

 phia at half past four on the longest day, an hour 

 and a half before labor commences in England, 



* These men were allowed half a pound of pork 

 each, a day, and three pounds of meal of Indian corn, 

 which last is more than they can consume, with some 

 other little occasional indigencies; this was estimated 

 extremely good keeping. 



and sets an hour and a half after it ceases, here ig 

 an additional gain of one hour and a half's labor 

 during the other half year; from which no deduc- 

 tions are to be made, except that sometimes, in 

 the very greatest heat of the weather, workmen 

 are allowed to rest two hours in the middle of the 

 day, instead of one as with us. This is a very 

 great sum gained in the annual amount of labor, 

 and leaves the difference of labor, between Eng- 

 land and America, to stand thus: — the average of 

 winter and summer, in America, 2s. 3^d.: average 

 of labor in England, Is. A%.\ average" of working 

 hours in America, throughout the year, 12 r ' ff 

 hours; working hours in England, 10 J f hours; 

 the latter hours paid by Is. 4|d. is to the former 

 hours, as paid by Is. 6£d.; therefore, were the 

 wages in America Is. 6^d. they would be the 

 same as in England, but being 2s. 3^d. they are 

 9d. per day, or about one-fourth higher than 

 wages were calculated to be in England, in the 

 year 1793;* and the greatest part of this addition 

 has only taken place within three or four years; 

 before that time, wages were much alike in each 

 country; and as wages, in England, are very con- 

 siderably risen since the calculation in 1793, 1 ap- 



* See Young's France, Vol. I. p. 436. 



