The Threat of Slave Labor in Washington
A local writer warns laborers that the introduction of enslaved people into the territory could crash wages and destroy the dignity of free labor.
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As the election for Delegate to Congress approaches, working men are reminded that their interests are at stake. Politicians argue that Washington Territory is too remote for slavery, but a slave recently escaped from this territory, proving the institution could exist here. If wealthy mill companies decided to import enslaved labor to perform the most onerous tasks, they could reduce expenses and displace free workers. Statistics from 1850 show that wages are generally lower in slave states than in free states. Voters must decide if they want a Delegate who will uphold the dignity of free white labor or one who will allow the competition of slave labor.
“Suppose some of our wealthy mill companies should consider it to their pecuniary advantage to import a band of negro slaves... think you they could not greatly reduce expenses?”
This argument highlights how early Washington's labor movement often defined itself in opposition to slavery, not necessarily out of humanitarianism, but out of fear of wage competition. The 'dignity of labor' remains a frequent refrain in modern debates regarding globalization and immigration.
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