Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-07-20

great quantities, are now too sterile to
grow any ofmoment, and the wheat crops
substituted Tor tobacco, have already
sunk to al AVERAGE below profit"
j ~ have known many farms for above
forty years, and though think that all of
them have been greatly impoverished,
yet | rely more upon the general fact
which | have stated for agreeing with
Strickland in opinion {" that Virginia is
in rapid decline" Negro slavery is a
misfortune TO agriculture, INCAPABLE of
removal, and only within the reach of
palliatioD.
"Let us boldly face the fac,s--our
country is nearly ruined. We have Ger
tainly drawn outof the earth three-four'hs
OF the vegetable matter it contained with
in reach o! the plough"
"The TACT is thai Negro slavery is an
evil which the United States must look
in the face. To whine over it is coward
ly; TO aggravate it is criminal, and to for
bear to alleviate it, because it cannot be
wholly cured, is foolish"
The distinguished Judge Tucker, of
Virginia, says, thai " The introduction of
slavery into this country, is al this day
considered among its greatest misfor-
tunes"
A celebrated modern writer, in speak
ing OF Italy, remarks, that, d" While the
ancient Romans cultivated their fields
themselves, Italy was renowned for its
abundance and fertility; but agriculture
declined when it was abandoned to slaves.
The small propretors and farmers dis
appeared, and the same country which
had formerly presented the smiling as
pect of a crowd of villages with their
contented and free iphabitan,s, became
vast solitude, with here and there
magnificent palace, rising amidst the
miserable huts and caverns inhabited
with slaves
The people Of Illinois will never for
get lha, one Of the heaviest charges
brought by our forefathers, the heroes
OF the revolution, against the King OF
Great Britain was, his refusal to suffer
The Colonies TO pass laws to prevent the
introduction OF slaves into this country.
The colonial Assembly. of Virginls, in
a petition TO the British Throne. in the
year 1872, against the further importa-
lion of slaves, use the following strong
and impressive language: 1--WE are
sensible that some of your MaIes,y's
subjects OF Great Britain may reap emo
lumenis fro,r, this traffic, and when we
consider that il greatly retards the settle
ment If the colonies with more useful
inhabikants, and may in time have
most destru ctive influence, we presume
to hope that the interests ofa ffqu will
be disregarded, when placed in compe-
lition with the security and happiness OF
such numbers OF your Majes,y's dutitul
and loya! subjects"
Among the advocates for the admis-
sion OF slavery into this state, some pre-
tend to Justify unlimited slavery, IN
moral point of view. They say thar me-
groes were made for slaves, and have no
souls. But most ofthem max this plea:
that slavery is morally wrong, bn,iVhat
il would not increase the number OF
slaves, TO introduce some OF them3 into
this state. That we may as wellthave
some oil the profits OF slaves, as to have
The profits confined to few states, since
we should no, by the participating ut,
lncr, as the offence.
Now let me ask these men, how they
are able 10 prove, that the amount OF the
crime viii not be increased, by Extend
ing its sphere In other cases, hcreas-
ing the number Of sinners, increases the
amount Of sin; charging the number OF
criminals, promotes the aggregate OF
crime.
Ifthis reasoning of the slave party is
Just, it may with propriety be applied IN
other cases. Let us take an example,
and see whether the application would
be Just. Suppose poor man, tpavei-
ling in foreign land, to seek his tor
tune, and provide for the wants OF an in
dgent family. In aplace where assas-
sins can always be hired for gold, to
commit any act in their line, rich man
has grudge against citizen and looks
out for an assassin, to put him outot the
way. He meets with this poor man, and
offers him purse Of gold, to assasslna'e
his enemy. He would, if he acted &C.
eording 10 the principles of the slave
party, endeavors to slifle his conscience,
by the following mode of reasoning.
detest murder, and think it . pity that
this man must lose his life. 4 But have
not the power to prevent his death. III
refuse 10 perforr, the act, there are ma
nv assassins here who will readily do 1t