Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-09-20

ed the peasants from their slavery, but
even condescended to direct their affairs.
He explained to me in The most salts
factory manner, that the grant of free
dom was no less advantageous to the
lord than to the peasant, provided the
former is willing to supeiintend their
conduct for few years, and to put them
in the way of acting for themselves. He
intends giving the public a particular
account OF his arrangements, and will
show how much he has increased the
value OF his estate, as we'll as the happi-
ness OF his peasants"
Ii, then, it has appeared that we
should be naturally led to infer, from the
very constitution of human nature, that
slave labor is more expensive than the
labor Of freemen; if it has appeared
| that such has been the opinion OF the
most eminent philosophers and enlight-
| ened travellers in different ages and
countries if it has appeared that in a
| state where slavery is allowed, land is
| the most valuable In those districts
where the slave sytem prevails the
least, Notwithstanding great disadyanta-
yes of locality: and that in adjoining
states, with preciselythe same soil and
climate, in the one oil which slavery is
allowed, and in the other prohibited, land
Is the most valuable in that state in
which 1t is prescribed; if il has appeared
that slave labor has never been able, 10
maintain its ground in competition with
Tree labor, except where monopoly has
secured high profits, or prohibtory du-
Ties afforded artificial support; if it has
appeared that, in every quarter of the
globe, in proportion as the circumstan-
ces OF the planter rendered attention to
economy more indispensable, the harsh.
er features OF the slave system have dis
appeared, and the condition of the slave
has been gradually assimilated TO that OF
the free laborer; and if it has appeared
that the mitigation of slavery has been
found by experience TO substitute the alac-
ri,y oivoluntary labor, forthe reluctance Of
compulsory toll; and that emancipation
has rendered the estates on which it has
taken place, greatly and rapidly more
productive--I need not, l think, adduce
additional proofs Of the truth of the gene.
raj position, that slave labor is more tx.
pensive than the labor of freemen.
And here perhaps might safely leave
| The question; yet since your arguments
although OF general nature, and MOI
restricted IN their application TO any pc
cullarIy OF circumstance or situation
seem to be derived from somewhat
partial view Of the state Of things in The
West Indies, | shall proceed To examine
whether Trey afford any presumption
nat those islands present an exception
to the general rule.
The comparison which you have made
between the price of slave and free labor
in the Antilles, appears TO me by no
| means to warrant the conclusion you
nave drawn from it, Where the pro-
portion of free laborers is extremely
small, and labor is rendered degrading,
or a, least disreputable, by being con.
fined principally 10 slaves, it is natural
that the wages of free labor should be
high; and the question is not, whether
at given time and place, free or slave
labor is the highest, but whether both
are not higher than labor would be if all
the community were free, and the prn-
ciple of population were allowed to pro-
duce its natural effect on the price OF
labor, by maintaining the supply and
competition of free laborers.
The other argument which you ad-
duce, appears to me equally inconclu-
sive. You observe, that, "the obsti.
macy with which planters defend slavery,
is of itself sufficient to prove that it is
advantageous to them"
And does man, indeed, always act
with an enlightened view 10 elf-interes,
Is he uniformly viglant to observe, and
prompt to pursue his real good,
however remote, and requiring what
sacrifices Of present ease and gra-
li6cation? Does prejudice or passion
never blind or mislead him? Nor habit
render him slow to follow the dictates of
his better judgment! The conversion Of
the slaves in the colonies into free labo.
rers, must be very gradual work, de-
handing much patience and assiduity-
involving, possibly, some present risk,
and requiring, it may be, for It's complete
success, The consent Aneous efforts of the
planters. And is such task likely to
be undertaken spontaneously, by the DO
dy of West India proprielors whose con-
Germs are managed by bred overseers !
who consider their capital as invested, if
notin lottery, at least atherin american
tile speculation, from yhichit is speedily
to be disengaged,th than ina landedproperty,
which is TO descend, with all its improve