Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-10-10

happy beings, and would cherish, by
rendering more ayailing, that increasing
10 emancipation which i'm
parts so muchsConsolation to every true
philanthropist.
The honorable gentleman from New
Hampshire, (Mr. Moril,) whose elo-
qucnt denunciations of slavery we heard
on Yesterday and who portfs4ed its evils
and injustice in the most apps1llKg olors,
supports the proposed restrict7e:s 90 the
ground that, if those unhappy victmsso i
were permitted to be CARVED
to Missouri, their natural increase would
be greater, in consequence, | suppose,
Of the am elioration Of their condition, and
the multiplication of their comforts.
But, without pretending to analyze that
species Of philanthropy, which would
seek TO terminate oppression by the de-
struction of the oppressed-or that
bleeds for suffering humanity, and yet re-
coils at any alleviation ofsuch sufferings,
| beg leave to express my doubts
whether there are any known facts that
will justify the gentleman's hypothesis
itself.
1t is readily admitted, that the condi-
ton of the slaves in the west would be
but, at time wien, Gas all
sides admit,) the influence OF our free
and the progress OF public
have contributed, in an emf
nent degree, to mitigate the rlgors OF
slavery in all parts of cur country where
it exists, it is hardly to be presumed that
the difference of the treatment of slaves
in the Western and Atlantic states would
be such as to produce any material diff
ference in their natural increase. Not
only would the obvious interest of the
Shareholders forbid the prac-
tce Of that severe and cruel trcatm ent
chat would be necessary TO produce such
a result, but the abundance Of subsis-
tence which every part OF our country
affords, and the well established fact, that
slaves increase faster than the white
in siaVe-holding states, or
free people OF color any where, alto
gether negative such supposition.
Nor is ii better supported by any calcu-
lation upon the relative increase Of slave
population in the Atlantic or Western
states, which makes due allowances for
The effects Of emigration upon tie latter
But, were ii otherwise, as it is fully
demonstrated by undeniabe documents,
that free people of color do not increase
by procreation as fast as slaves, and as
the dispersion Of the latter over greater
surface would, under existing circum-
stances, multiply their chances of free
dom, it's but reasonable 10 suppose, that,
upon the whole, it would not only tend
eventually to diminish slavery, but to
check the increase Of our black popula-
ton generally.
But, sir, the honorable gentleman from
Massachusetts, (Mr. Mellen, who has
Just resumed his scat, assuming the
ground tat wherever market for do
nestle slaves exists, the Introduction Of
foreign slaves cannot be prevented, las
contended that, if the proposed restric-
ton should not prevail, African slaves
will be introduced into Missouri. In
support Of which, Preat reliance has
been placed upon a few cases, much
however, Of their unlawful in
PRODUCTION in,o certain parts OF our coun-
try, which were principally if not ex-
ciusively, attributable TO causes merely
In opposition to the conclusions he has
drawn from special case, we may with
pr9piiety recur to facts and experience,
better calculated TO test the correctness
OF his general proposition. Ii will not, l
presume, be denied, that as good a
market for domestic slaves, as is ever
likely TO recur, has existed il Delaware,
Mary land, Virginia, North Carolina, &c.
where the facilie5 OF Introducing foreign
slaves are as great as could be desired !;
and yet, it IS believed that the experience
Of those states furnishes nothing TO justi-
~ the differences that have been sc con-
fidently insisted upon, or, al NEST, no.
thing more than mere apology ior such
differences.
Cases, however, more analogous in
all their circumstances to that Of Ms
souri,, as far as experience can be relied
upon, are ample refutation Of the argu-
ment | am endeayoring to combat
Slavery has rcvcr been prohibited in
kentucky CT Tennessee, where slaves
have been in constant demand and yet,
although have lived maIy years in the
former, and have long been intimately
with both, have never heard
Of The introduction of single African
into either, contrary 10 law; and hence l
think il fair to infer that either the prac-