Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-09-27
A LETTER
M. JEAN BAPTISTE SAY,
ON THE COMP ARATIVE EXPENSE OF
FREE AND SLAVE LABOR.
BYADAM HODGSON.
Conciudcd
BY ADAM HoDGsoN.
(Conciuded. J

(Conciuded.)
If travellers in America find the pri-
sons in the save-states lied with slaves,
las did almost universally,) Mr.. Heber
remarks, s" the prisons OF Moscow and
Kastroma were chiefly filled with runa
way slaves, who were for the most par,
in irons"
Ii in passing from free into slave
state in America, the change is instantly
visible, even 10 the most careless eye,
and nature herself seems to droop and
sicken under the withered influence OF
slavery; the case is precisely the same
in Europe. ''The houses" says Hall,
in his travels, a." in America, univ ersally
shaded with large verandahs, seem to
give notice of southern climate: the
bu,s around them, open TO the elements,
tell less pleasing tale: they INFORM the
traveller he has entered on a land oil
freemen and slaves, and he beholds the
scene married with wretched dwellings,,
and wretchcd faces And il the misera-
BILE condition Of the negro leave him
mind for reflection, he might laugh In
his chains, TO see how slavery has sirick-
en- the fan. with ugllness. The smiling
villages and happy population of the cas-
tern and central states, give place to the
splendid equipages oil few planters, and
wretched negro population, crawling
among filthy novels. For villages, after
crossing the Snsquehanna, there are
scarcely any: there are only plantations
the very name speaks volumes J" My
own personal observations enables me
to subscribe 10 the fidelity Of this picture,
and from recent commune alton which
now lies before me from America, in
reply to some inquiries transmitted to
that country, on the subject, l extract
the following remarks: Il! is believed
that no country can furnish more full
and clear opportunity, than the United
States of America do at this time, OF
testing the effect OF domestic slavery
upon the industry and prosperity OF a
nation, and The relative value or profit OF
free and slave labor. The States Of
Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, Vermont, Newly ork, New
Jersey, and Pennsylvania, are now cul-
tivaled almost entirely by freemen.
These States lie under more rigorous
climate, and possess less fertile soil
than the southern states, yet the pros
porous situation ofthe country, the gen.
eral comfort of the inhabitants, and the
improved condition of agriculture in
those free states, compared wrh the
slave states, are so obvious as to strike
traveller Immediately, as he passes from
the one district to the other. In the one
We find the whole country divided into
small farms of from 100 10 500 acres oil
land; on each OF these tracts is general
" erected comfortable dwelling house,
with the necessary out-buildngs. which
are surrounded by well cultivated fields,
in good order In this district, the
farmers, with but few exceptions, annu
ally realize small profit, by which they
are enabled, as their children attain to
manhood, to make respectable provisions
for their establishment in business. In
the other, we meet here and there, thin
" scattered over wretchedly cultivated
district of country, mansion-house,
commonly in bad repair, surrounded by
q number of dirty beggarly butts, crowd
ed with ragged negroes and mulaltoes,
snd tho whole bearing the strongest
marks of oppression and suffering, in
which the half-starved neglected cattle,
and other domestic animals, evidently
participate. In other words, in those dis
tricts where the system of slavery is in
full operation, the population is compos-
ed of the two extreme conditions OF So
.eiety, viz: the rich and the poor: and
we meet with scarcely any Of that mid
ding class which in all countries con-
stitutes its most valuable members, and its
most efficient strength" 1t is observed
Of slave district in Russia, in the " Me-
moirs Of the Court Of ST. Petersburgh,"
ga few cities enjoy the pleasures OF
life, and exhibit palaces, because whole
provinces lie desolate, or contain only
wretched novels, in which you would ex-
meet to find bears rather than men,"
Coke observes in his journey from Stock
holm to Carlscrona, "After having wit
messed the slavery Of the peasants in
Russia and Poland, il was a pleasing
satisfaction to find myself again among
Neemsn, u , kingdom where there 10