Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-09-13

| w Ddl w do tIC NduoC VI tuCSN dOuDQdilt
harves,s says Phny, n speaking Of the
early times of The republic. 1t was this
that men otran employed themselves
in the culture OF The fields; whereas now
II is left to wretches loaded with letters,
who carry in their countenances the
shamefu evidence oftheir slavery That
Tree laborers are superior to slaves, is
granted even by meslers themselves,
when they have intelligence enough to
perceive the difference, and candor
enough TO acknowledge it. Call to
mind on this subject, the passage oil CO.
iumella, that | have quoted above, in
which he depicts the negligence and re-
luctance OF slave laborers. In the same
chapter, this author lays ii down as fun
damenta principle, that, whatever be
the species of culture, the labor of free
man Is always preferable TO that of a
slave. Piiny is of the same opinion"
| "Observe that these testimonies in ia
vor of free labor, are rendered by Ro-
mans, by men who held slaves, and who
we're the greatest sgrlculturalisis of their
time" !" In manufactures, the superb
orily of the free laborer over the slave,
is still more perceplible than in the cu-
,ivaiion OF lands" The more manuiac-
lures extend in Russia, the more this
truth continues to be felt. In 1905, NJ.
Panteleyof, the agent Of a cloth manu-
factory, in the district of Moscow, set al
liberty all his -laborers, the num-
Der OF whom amounted to "a. The
same year M. Mlioutin did the same"
Brougham in his Colonial Policy fully
concurs in these sentiments: " Ii re-
qares very little argument to prove,
that the quantity of work which may be
obtained from a laboror or drudge, is
liable to be affected as much by the inla-
rlous treatment he receives, 90 sy ,ho
ldleness in which he may be permitted
TO indulge. When this drudge is a
slave, no motive but fear can operate on
his diligence and attention. A constant
inspection is therefore absolutely neces-
sary, and the perpetual terror of the
lash is the only prevention OF incidence.
: But there arc certain bounds prescribed,
} even to the power Of the lash; it may
; force the unhappy victim to move, be-
7 cause the line of distinction between
, motion and rest, action and repose, is
: definite; but no punishment can com
pei the laborer 10 strenuous exerions,
because there is no measure or standard
of activity. A state OF despair and not
, OF industry, is The never falling conse-
quences of severe chastisement; and
the constant repetition of the torture only
J serves 10 blunt the. sensibility of the
nerves, and disarm punishment of its
terrors. he body is injured, and the
mind becomes as little wiling, as the
limbs are able to exert"
Hume remarks, al shall add from
the experience Of our planters, that
slavery is as little advantageous to the
master as to the man The fear of pu.
nishment will never draw SO much la
Dor from slave, as the dread OF being
turned off, and not getting another SER
vice, will give freeman"
Roster, in his travels in the Bfazils,
observes, "The slave-trade is impoltic
on the broad principle, that a man in q
state OF bondage, will not be SO servicea-
BILE to the community as one who acts
for himself, and whoseswholc exerlions
are directed to the advancement OF his
own fortune the creation oil which, by
regular means, adds to the general
pr osperi,y of the society to which he
belongs. This undoubted and indispu-
table fact, must be stll more strongly
i impressed on tive mind of every one who
has been in the habit of seeing the man
ner in which slaves perform their daily
labor. Their indifference, and the ex-
IRENE slowness Of every movement,
plainly point out the trihing interest
which they have in the advancement OF
the work. have watched two parties
aboring in the same field, one of free
persons, the other of slaves, which oc-
casionally, though very seldom occurs.
The former are singing, joking, end
laughing, and are always actively turn.
ing hand and foot; whilst the latter are
silent, and if they are viewed from little
distance, their movements are scarcely
to be perc eived."
Hall, advertinS to the pernicious ef-
fects OF slavery on the southern states Of
North America, observes, Experience
shows, that the quantity otlabor perform
ed by slaves, is much below that of an
equal number offree cultivators."
An intelligent American gentleman,
to whom queries on this subject were
sent out, remarks, 81 have in one Of
my answers, exposed The effect Of slave
cultivation on the soil of our country,
| al. L.. e N