Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-06-22


al tbe lrade for the last % or 80 years
must in a degree be conjectural: but
the best Information that Can be obtain
ed on the subject furnishes good tounda-
tian 10 helie> ihet during that period
the number of slaves Withdrawn rom
Western Africa (only) amounts to one
million and hatE The annual ave-
rage would be mean somewhere be-
tween SO and 10000" In another re-
porl, MADE April 10, 1922, il is stated,
tthe conc nsion to whichiyoor commit
tee have arrived, alter consulting all the
evidence within their reach is that the
African slave trade now prevails TO
great extent These facts and many
6Ihefs which couIu be adduced, clearly
show that the odious slave trade sui ex-
lists TO a great extent, and that a cOnslde-
rahle number Of slaves continue "al-
most daily" To be smuggled into the
United States, in despite of the constitn-
tional and severe penal restrictions
which have been enacted against it. And
il cannot be doubted but what this would
be increased by increasing the demand
and enhancing the price oil slaves by
opening for them new market in the
state OF Illinois.
Nor can it be doubted by those who
are acquainted with the subject, that the
same causes which lead to an increase o
smuggling, will also lead to an increase
of kidnapping; and thus add from amin
ternsl source to the increase which
would be derived from the foreign sup
ply, That kidnapping is carried on 20
4 ce-,-isass@ble extent 10 the United
States viii readily be believed By the ci
iizens Of Illinois who have seen so much
OF it in their own state. Aud that an in
crease OF demand and price, with AN ex-
tension of the liberation of slavery into
remote and thinly settled regions, viii
have tendency to increase aad render
more difficult of detection this diaboli-
cal and inhuman practice, would seem 10
be so selt-evident as not to require de-
tailed proof. shall therefore proceed,
IN the mex, place, TO show that the ex-
tension OF slavery in this state will ope
rate against emancipation; and thus con-
tribute to prolong the bondage, and in-
CftdSC inC DuhnOOT Vi SLAVES. Ni all 10 ~
much the creature of interest and his
conduci SO influenced by it, thai it is al
ways With great d iiicully that he can
prevail on himsellto sacrifice his interest
OH the altar OF his principles. To addto
his virtue you should diminish the in
ducemen, 10 his being vicious you max
him vIrluous. And by parity Of rea-
sooipe. whatever tends to increase the
value of slaves in the same degree pro.
longs their bondage. For nothing is
more clear than as the demand tor them
increases, and their value diminIshes SO
does the inducemen to own them. On
the other hand, add 10 their demand and
value, by creating new and distinct
market, in which they will find Already
sale al high prices, and even it their la
Dor has ceased to be valuable at home
the distant demand viii keep Up their
value; and in proportion as that is kept
up, the disposition TO emancipate will
be kept down. That the federation of
slavery in this state will increase the de-
mand, is as certain as hat the increase OF
demand must augment the price OF
slaves; and that this augmentation OF
value must have tendency 10 prevent
emancipation is equally clear. Indeed
how could it be otherwise. Can those
who have any knowledge of hnman ma
ture expec, that the generality of man
kind will give away that which the laws
nave long made their property, when
there is at their elbow buyer anxious
TO purchase, and willing to pay high
price. ask is it tobe expected that
the mass of mankind, from disin,erest
ed love Of principle, will sacrifice their
interests in kind of properly which is
sought for with so much avIdity! Or is
il not rather 10 be believed that mas
tiers would be more likely to obey the
dictates of justice, and the impulse Of al
sense OF right, and restore liberty to their
slaves, whenthey should be of little SER
vice and of no demand, than whenthey
should be IN high demand and OF great
value. In other words, that it is more
natural for men 10 make small, than a
great sacrifice for the sake OF principle.
To the immediate increase OF the num-
Der OF. slaves, from its direct tendency
70 prevent emancipation, the federation
OF slavery in Illinois, by greatly extend
ing its limits, would have the remote but
inevitable effect of adding ultimately to
the Number in bondage. There is no
principle OF political economy more
clear than that as you enlarge the sphere
Of action, and increase The means OF sub
tistence, 50 YOU produce correspond
hg increase in the number Of human
hings. And from this, as indeed from
fke piainest princiDIes of common sense,