Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-12-06
E!DN1 ESVEC.
TO THE PEOPLE OF WESTERN VIRGINIA.


Incidence. To labor is considered mark of ser ]
yudc, and is consequently regarded disrcputa
bic: and it necessarily follows that the whole mum
her Of tho inhabitants, must he supported by the
labor OF the Slaves. Every man who haas bccn in
those counties Of the state iii which the slaves
numerous, must have been struck with tho indo-
lent habits Of tho white people, ana must have re-
marked how extremely rare 1T is TO the owner
Uts!avcs actively engaged III laboriry his farm.
Ia order TO tort Just estimate ui the evil effects
oi slavery in this respect, let us compare the ST.
tuatiom Of Virginia farmer planter in mode
rate circumstances TO that Of Il PENNSYLVANIA or \
EHEiIn1 farmer OF equal wealth. and cndcavor to
trace tt"ir progress through life The Vir-nian
being possessed OF small farm and few slaves,
is too proud, too fond of his case, To lhor and
being unwilling 20 degrade amy Of lbs children hv
compelling, ihcm TO labor with his slaves, he raises
thcm III habits of dIcncss, cxpands the whole pre-
duct OF his farm IN feeding and c!o:iiin. them in
an expensive manner, and cmb1Irl:,SsS his estate
in attempting to give them education. His sons
la5oring under u!l the disadvantages of an i'm
perfect cdacu ion, have other alternative but t.,
attempt TO force themselves forward, i'm one or
other, OF what called the liberal professions
already crowded TO excess. Nine times out of ten?
they must, owing to their want Of sufficient pre-
lafat!on, fail OF success and being unable or I'M
Wiling TO labor for subsistence, ;i,cy resort dis
spation 10 drown reflection and but too frequent
" involve themselves and their friends in ruin
The parent finds himself in his old arc s,ri,t of
all his property, even his slaves aud his land, and
when he dies leaves the female part Ct his family
ahc!pesS charge their relations, or on society
at large.
We do not pretend in the above description to
have accurately dclincuicd the career of every
siivr-ho!dcr-t!iat it is but too Just IL picture Of
thousands Of cases which occur YOU will readily
".G'it. On the other hand, the Pennsylvania far
lher cNrcndGs his whole capital III adding TO his
farm, cr IN Increasing his stock and erecting nc
cesSa.y builiings.-iIaving other labor to de-
pend on, lie applies himself with the utmost ala
Gritty TO tie cultivation of his farm he tills it with
care, spores IL pains to improve L. and take care
q is s. ri l,i,,r
lie rcaps the fruit of his lahuar III peace, and en-
Joys all the satisfaction aud happiness which alum
Ounce can Afford He gives 10 his children suci
an education suits their condition III lie out of
the surplus products Of his labor, and 81; has
plenty ana to spare. His children, when they be-
c"'ne little moro advanced in life, instead of be-
ing 0E"Etha:, enable him by their cxcr,ons To add
l" hi& stores Has daughters, by their domestic IN
distry, afford an abundant snppy of decent and
coHiorablo clothing for Kim, his sons, and them
selves; and they are fitted Ivy their habits of indus
try, 10 become the useful hcpmatcs Of respectable
huS5andiEcn. His sons, by their labors in the field
onab!" hi;n from time To time, 20 purchase add-
tI"nai tracts of land, upon which he lives 10 see
caci OF them comfortably situated, cnny:ng all
!'e Advantages with which nc set out in life. lie
Is able TO give each of his daughters suitable por-
ton at the time of her marriages; and still retaining
possession OF his original farm, Inc is enabled If
any OF his children should be rnfurtunate to afford
them an asylum i'll their distress. And living TO
happy old age, lie leaves his postcrty at last, in
thc enjoyment of peace and plenty. His whole
lie IS scene of uninterrupted tranquility, undis-
turbet ny those hOgrld approximations of domestic
enemies w',ich hunt the sive holder through ic
Such is the life Of many Pennsylvania and New
England farmer; such the contrast between those
who depend o" the abour' Ct slaves, and those who
rely on t!cr own cNertions; and such the great
cause o. tho prosperity of the northern and middle,
ana. CT the dcsoation of the Southern States
Unfortunately the evil is not confined IL tic own
ers of slaves even those who ovaA meme Of that
species OF property are subject to It's contamna-
ting influence. Those among them who hanucn
to be INDUSTRIOUS but too certain to Law out
their earnings in the purchase of slaves, and there
Ey GnrIrc the subsequent ruin of their families.
and many who own neither land nor any other
species of property, disdlin 10 Il subsistence
ny lTonrmg IN company with slaves, and either
drag ont a miserable existence in pcnury and want,
or "cc! al abode IN land of more perfect equal
ty--whiiSt there some degraded as 70 gain
an ignominious livelihood by FRYING on an ci,
triilc with slaves. thus perceive that the cx-
!s'cncc of slavery in any country effects every
ct@Ss Of society, and is fatal 70 industry among
those who are free.
The existence of slavery in any country rctards
and prevents The growth Of lis population. The
white population i'll several of the slave holding
states, has become almost stationary; in some
counties it is declining, although they arc capable
O! sustaining Tree pcPula;on, more than twice
as great - heir resent number Of inhabitants
Eastern virginia has Increased in white population
III 10 years, from 1888 10 1889, only 81 ,4I2 whilst
some Of &c free States, Of smaller territory have
Increased four tines as much The whole popua.
toG OF Virginia is but lSG, 297, that Of Y
York is l,93i,4G9 Tie territory of Virginia is
omc.third greater than that Of New ork and was
originally considered more fertile Western Viz
giuid would support four live times it's present
nulaHcr OF inhabitants, and yet thousands of her
citizens arc annually removing to the western
country. The valley between the Blue Ridge and
Allegheny would support a population Of from
three oiivc hundred thousand people; its whole po-
pnIaon is now but l67 5l2, notwithstanding which,
such has been the emigration from it that il IS
questionable ii the whole number of the people
who have left it and living in the western
country together with their increase, could be as
ccrtdInCd If they would not exceed the Number OF
irhdbit&nts now iii that Valley. To judgc of the
effect OF slavery in rcardrg the growth Of rcuua-
uon, we should compare the present population
OF cstern Virginia to that OF Western Pennsyl-
wanna, IN whioh the population is twice dense
a5 II is here, although the soil is not naturally
more fertile. Or we should compare the popula-
9ution of some of the counties around Boston
which is equal to, from 100 to 800 to the square
mile, to that Of some of the counties around
Richmond, which does not exceed 50 to tho square
lnia. lie principal reason why slavery rctards
The growth ofpopulation, Isl that slaves are sure
10 exhaust and.ru;n the soil y their sloycnly and
careless mode Of cultivation. Every man WHO has
tr&yc;ed 10 the North has been struck with the
difference bctwiEi the manner i'll which the soil is
cultivated by frocmen and by slaves.
Slaves dCtract from q ability Of country to re-
sist Il foreign enemy. Every slave occupies tie
place II freeman, thcy therefore d".ract from the
strength ofthc country in fail proportion TO their
Huu'.crs But as all mankind arc aciuatcG by tic
desire Of possessing liberty, they dctract from The
stieng'h OF the community in much grcatcr ratio