Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-10-29

or earn their liberation-aEd mechanics would
be a most valuable acquisition to the infant
COLONY; artizans of all kinds would be viewed
with much interest aud respect by the native
tribes. who are in habits OF intercourse with
the colonists. The views and labours OF the
Society are directed to the removal OF Free
Persons of Colour only; but there will he no
wan, of emigrants should that great object be
successfully accomplished, as IN the munlil-
cent instance of Mr. Mnge, OF Virginia, who,
for an individual, has done all act worthy OF It
community, and is entitled to the most nnquai-
flied and enthusiastic praise. No doubt many
proprietors will follow this generous and no.
BILE example, perhaps not on so large scale,
but little from many, soon becomes great
deal. Again, as few propnetors could afford
to part with so valuable ABORTION ct tier pro-
perry, without some equivalent, they might
De disposed to enable this property to pug t~
itself, on some plan, like the one PROF osed. "
The act of Mr.. Minge, my dear General,
is one Of rare excellence; and, no doubt, that
gentleman is at this moment lndulgIng IN
those luxurious feelings which such acts must
always create; but this example, generous as
Il is. can have but few followers, even on are
ducca scale; very few proprietors can afford
to part With the labor, while they retain the
lands of the south: this must be the case fora
long time to come. 1t will be only when the
slave labor shall have in great measure vanish
ed from our soil, that tie white man will come
in TO ill the vacuum. Suppose, for instance,
that one of the upper counties OF the states OF
MARYLAND or Virginia was to form an associa-
ton of Ill the slave proprietors in said county,
and to determine, by an act Of grace, that all
the slaves should serve out certain time tor
the payment offheir palue, and then be remov-
cd from the county forever, and the county be
tareter after a free community. My dear Gene
RAJ. in very few years what changes would
rccur IN the hcpPy galley, as if it had been
touched BY the magic wand Of the fairy eve-
nv thing would become new, lands risen in va
lue more than cent per cent, agriculture, arts
and sciences, civilization ofmen and manners,
social intercourse, national pride, individual
prosperity & happiness, emigrants would rush
to this 'lnaofMe fee;' and all the virtues, all
the charities, dwell with delight by the free.
mans home. But who comes to the land of
the slave what joys doth he bring in his
train what pleasures are the harbingers of
his coming
The county of Washington, in Maryland,
possesses as good soil and climate, and as
great facilities to market, as the county Of Ian
caster, in PENNSYLVANIA; and yet the value Of
lands in the first, are to those of the last as sill
Yer is to gold. Suppose the slave labor ofthe
one WAS to take place Of the free labor of the
other, would not the value be precisely re-
versel9 Suppose an association ofall the slave
proprietors of the county Of Washington was
to take place, and by general agreement, sla-
very was to cease and determine, say in eigh-
teen gears, and the county to become, ever
there after, free county, how surely, how
rapidly would these proprietors be repaid,
many, many fold, by the enhanced value OF
their county, in all respects, and by their hap
py deliverance from slave population.
This great, this noble experiment, might
be tried. 1t IS only necessary that a communi
tp should rU Il, and it may be done To
what vast and beneficial results would not the
success Of such an experiment lead. No le-
glsl;tive interference would be necessary
Al the propr.etors having determined to re-
nq,.ish slave labor, and adopt free labor in its
place, who shall gainsav them.
shave been told that in the state of Ken
lucky there are four counties adjoining each
other, every acre of which is rich enough to
produce hemp. Now, my dear sir, suppose
that this luxurious soil was titled exclusively
by freemen, divided into farms of from fifty to
one hundred and fit acres each, it would be-
come . little agricultural, industrious and mo-
raj empire of itself tvery foot of that fine soil
would be turned by a ireeman's hand, ferti-
lied by the sweat from a freeman's brow
What villages would arise, what roads, what
schools, what independence, prosperity and
happiness' Within hearing of the roll of
drum, thousand men would be called to
arms-lusty fellows, the children of labor!and
possessing a deep and feeling interest in the
soil they were called to defend
A change like this, my dear General would
form the millennium Of the south. In the plans
which have, and may be proposed, no doubt
many imperfections exist: but perhaps there
lives the man, who, under Divine Providence,
may suggest mod, rational, practicable ard
sure; and if there does, oh call him not COM
mon benefactor-it is a name too poor. Let
heralds precetle his march--let sounds of Joy
proclaim his coming, that every knee may
bend, that every tongue may bless the saviour