Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-05-22

urged by some OF the aoleSt "'i'1'' 49,
patriots of our country. Ii has now neen ','o.e
than fifty years since the pen OF The iiias'r'ous
Jefferson was first employed In defending '.1
rights of Justice and humanity, ana ne '''e" y"
verted in plain terms 10 the awful conseque"es
that must ensue from continuance OF tne
tenn of slavery. Al that PERIOD the hu''io.' ~
slaves in the U. States was less than seven nu"
dred ,housand-since then they nave increase
n abou, two millions, and are SUI ihcrea''"s
a ratio .rulv alarming. II therefore, Tue et ".
was so great at that period, what mus w
now when their numbers are threeioia srea.e''
when much Of the soil that gave them suoS'sr
enc. has been impoverished by their iaoo'' oil"
when the white population Of the STATES ""e''
thew are held, has become enervateo ana eo''
rnn,ed by their presence. Our slave poPe'a-
ton has been aptly characterized by ',rs'"."
Senator. as ga cancer on the face, ana as d
vol,ano IN full operations" like the former, II
disGeures the beauty of our political sys'eh'
and threatens i, with premature decay--lSe .he
Latter. il RACES with an inward flame that no h",
man mower can confine nor eXtinguish, ana
,nnst if it be not restrained by the mercy OF
the Most High, one day o'erwhelm US VIII"
ruin and dismay. That a?prehenslons OF thiS
tird NOW exist in some Of the southern citic',
NAV he inferred from the course they pursue
,Yh., aroused by the alarm of FIRE; instead OF
proceeding to the scene of contiagra'ion ana
iond,pp their assistance to eXtinguish 1t, the
,n;li,ia ay 10 their arms and patrol the streets
IN nreyent an insurrection Of the slaves
If then, such arc the dangers they apprehend
in time Of profound peace, what VIII tney mol
have to fear should the horrors OF war and IN
,nrrec,ion be superadded. In such crisis,
they of the south, and even we OF the middle
states must mainly depend for safety ARd sup
nor, on tina, confederacy which secuHS TO US
the protection Of the non slave-hoidlng states
On making an estimate of the physical
strength Of the several parts OF this Union, we
must be forcibly struck with the vast SUPERIOR
~ of The free states, and constrained TO acknoW-
ledge that we are every year falling !utther ana
further in the rear of our sister states IN their
glorious march to power and prosperity
According to the census of 1920 the free state OF ONO
had nonnI,t;on of 5Sl,454,
VIRGINIA North Carolina, South Casolna,
Georgia, Alabama Mississippi and LOU.
s s,,,1,, syhe nonulation Of 2,9O4,6Sl,
These seven slave states now appear strong
compared with Ohio; but frem
this greater number we must
first deduct as slaves, l,ioI,Oif,
Then we have to deduct from
the free people an equal num-
berto guard the slaves in time
of war 1,l8l,044,
Vi 49, 2,362,Os8.
''' on,,' '''>'' 542 sos
IL hence appears that the strength of Ohio
is greater than that of these seven slave
states, by population of 3o'o3l'
The other FIVE slave states, Delaware, Ma
ryland, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mis-
souri,, have a less number OF slaves IN pro-
portion to the white population, than the
seven states before mentioned, but on the
principle assumed in the other c1se,
Pennsylvania is stronger than the five
states by apopulation OF Io'''oo
Pennsylvania and Ohio lie between the
more northern and free states and the
southern and western slave states, and
these two states united are stronger than
the twelve slave statesby apopulation OF l1s,l49
Since the census Of 1920, the white popua-
ton Of the free states, especially Ohio and New
York, has rapidly increased, while the same class
in the slave States has advanced but little, and
the proportion of blacks is becoming every day
more alarming. Ills. therefore, happy croum-
stance for US, that the several portions OF our
national coniederacy are bound together bv such
close ties Of mutual interests, national feelings,
and early associations. The manufactures ut
the northern and eastern stales bnd their best
market in the southern part OF he Union, while
the farmers and planters Of the south are scarce
" less dependent upon them for the 'onsump-
ton Of some OF their staple commodities, II
times of tranquility and prosperity we may sup
pose the obligations mutually conferred and re-
ceived are nearly equa; but in seasons OF com,
motion aud adversely the very existence of our
free institutions must depend on the unshackled
energy of the free states.
Nor is the comparative inferiority Of the
slave-hoiding states less striking, when we adj
vert to The value Of property in the several por-
tons of the Union. "By the census Of 1920
the valuation Of the land and houses IN New
York and Pennsylvania, under the directions Of
the Marshals', amounted TO more than six hun
dred millions of dollars, whilst the aggregate
of the lands and houses, including more thar
one million of slaves, Of Maryland, Virginia.
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Ten
nessee and Kentucky, seven Of the largest and
most wealthy slave states, covering a much
larger territory, vas less than 52o,ooo,ooo of
dollars, or nearly one sixth less than those two
states" What commentary do these facts
afford rs, upon the political tendency of slavery;
and how forcibly do they call upon US to exert
every nerve, and 10 spare no sacrifice 10 relieve