[DiogenesLamp]

Not only were slaves used for general labor, but they were skilled pattern makers, foundry men, millwrights, machinists etc. Throughout the South, slaves were employed as mason, carpenters, blacksmiths, cart wrights etc.

Which was exactly the situation in Europe regarding serfs during the Middle Ages. Eventually the land Lords realized that a serf produced many more goods if he worked for himself than he would if someone constantly compelled him to work. This is when a freedom movement occurred all across Europe.

This history is mentioned in some detail in the first chapter of this 1860 book.

You can tell it is a product of it's era, but the man (New Yorker Thomas Prentice Kettell) puts forth an Interesting way of looking at things.

I have little doubt his view was how a lot of people of that era saw things.

[BroJoeK]

DiogenesLamp: "You can tell it is a product of it's era, but the man (New Yorker Thomas Prentice Kettell) puts forth an Interesting way of looking at things."

Worth noting here that Kettell's 1856 book "Southern Wealth and Northern Profits" was not intended to justify secession, but was used by secessionists for that purpose.
It is a foundation document on which many of DiogenesLamp's misunderstandings are based.