Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-07-02

slaves well fed aud clothed and enjoy as many
comforts, as tho labong class other countries; and they
have improved proporonably in their appearance and in
eligenee IL my purpose TO touch the dark ques-
uon which involves their future destiny Its agitation
has, already, two occasions, reused state of feeling
which verged TO desperate extremes Whatever evils
may attend it, the right Of propertv can never be per
mitted TO be questioned by others.
The possession oil Slaves has had too great tendency
TO make the owner and his family unwilling TO take upon
themselves any part of the dudgery outdoor business
and too many of our people think disreputable to labor
We have been accustomed TO DO VOTED upon from our i'm.
fancy, and, consequently, keep about many waste
ul anu almost idle donestics Exempted labor and
even from the common OF business by the employ
men OF agents, imbibe habits and modes OF thinking un-
10 Physiea Improvement or successful agIicul
lure The unfinished houses aud projects half executed
which TO be throughout the State are evidences
OF the meaning aud truth OF this remark That the ease
IN which we have so long INDUCED vors the attainment
OF literary aud political knowled and personal accom-
pIshmcnts, is manifest from the proficiency
oil 'irgnians III these respects But whilst we are all
pohuciahs, 10 man, 1t is TO be regretted that our
achievements in the Arts and Sciences bear 10 lust
proportion TO the opportunities we have had. Nav
not 'h'S ARISE from the iludgcd devotion of much
lime 10 pleasure and dissipation! 1t is unashona.
Bile Tor genteel or educated Virgnian TO apply him
sell 10 the details and oil the humble, but use
iu vocations Of life. And hence il is, that most of
the sprighness and genius OF the State have been an
Piled TO OF the learned professions The puIp, is
putting IN its claim TO the aspirations of youth
Has not agriculture and the been too long robbed in
this way OF their just share OF talents of men whose in
tellectua endowments might have given more ,vinnin
countenancc TO the veneraed mother of us all OF Inc
ieg'ons oil young men who annually embark in the pro-
LESSONS, how many there who TO eminence, How
many, that, from disappointment and chagrine be,akc
themselves 10 dissipation! How many nger but brie s
Lille OF listessness and expectation almost burden IN
themselves and expense their parents and relations
How many, with conscious ness of merit and de,ari
ton not TO become lroues, reluctantly emprate from Tho
scenes OF their hood and the bones of their ancestors
May not ask what portion of all these, if brought up to
the habits and OF busnessto the Quiet and health
iu pursuits OF rural eor 10 the cultivation of the use
tu arts, would have been lost the State either bv self
destroying habits emigration The effects of slavery IN
on our daughters though less striking and perncos
are less seriously felt by agriculture; and il does moi
to accord with the object OF this paper TO dwell upon
em these effects be seen in the lofty pride of our
wohen IN Their admiration oil genius intellect and va,or
and arepugndnce to domestic duties they are also 10 he
seen IN their virtues, and, especially in their chastity
proiegae cannot fail TO aud feel the Gaming of
this remark ~'e "
The white who has labor for his support does i,
with am unwilling spirit. He sees the exemption enioved
by others and, il he does fancy himself equally emil
tied TO it, too apt TO repne hi, lot or migrate TO
new State, where he will be upon footing of Greater
equality with his neighbours e
But independent of the eneryatinp and naraIv,;,r Of
ects oil slavery upon all of che population there
are Pecunidry losses arising from that are heavy draw
packs 10 the agricu'turst Most of the abors agcul.
lure have been conhded TO careless overseor and still
more careless operators The slave feels no
TO execute his work with effect. lie has peculiar art of
sighting ii, and seeming 10 be busy when in fact he is
doing little nothing Nor he be made TO take pro
per care OF stock tools, any thing else He will rarely
,aRe care OF his clothes, or his health much less Of
MS companions when sick and requiring his aid and kind
ness There is perhaps moi in nature more Needless
thoughtless human being than Virginia field negro
m'sn no care upon his mind with warm clothing and
plenty oil iood, under good MASTER he is far the happier
man of the two. His maxim is Come dav 90 dav God
IS is" yei s19 Srey; Him. nae DOR yAte man
spect for him, in consequence, "a 20 confidence and
esteem OF his master and others. But this is as re-
m maj. IN the white as in the black An de-
which arise from the dispositions of slaves must be
added those which are occasioned by their habits There
seems TO DC almost an entire absence OF moral principle
among the mass oil our coloured population But details
upon this subject would be here misplaced To steal and
not De detected is merit among them, it with
certain people in ancient times, and is, at this day with
some unenlghtened portions of mankindAnd the vice
which they hold in the greatest adherence that of tel
ing upon one another There many exceptions it is
rue; uongh tins description embraces than the ma
ljoIi'y Tho sroes murtiress l,si.
pated whites who have visible means OF support and
who are rarely seen at work. derive their chief subsistence
from the thes OF the slaves These thets amount TO
great deal in the course of the year. and operate like
leeches on the fair income of agriculture They va
ry' however, IN every county and neghborhoad in the
exact proportion as the market for the plumber va
RES. In The vciniies OF towns and villages they are
The most serious Besides the loss OF properv oc
cdsioned by them they involve the riding of our horses
at night the corruption of the habits and The injury of the
nean oil me slaves for whskey is the price generally
received Tor them. These evils have been ALWAYS feli
out ey nave become greato late, that the Leeisla
lature ought to provide more efficient remedy The
NSoN he
defect be in the law in its execution is not for me TO
decide. 1t sometimes happens that the head thief ON
iaTm Is IN partnership with the overseer and when this is
me case, The hisbandman has chance for profit
Another great cause OF the dlapidated appearance
oil virginia, Is the semi annual wave of emioration
winch has so long rolled from her bosom in a West.
erh ana South western direction. IL has not only
swept OIL the most enterprsug portion of our peo
also much OF the capital aud movable property of
me SAFE Nor is this all: the price of land has been
KEPT down by Tie great quantities it, brought into mar.
ket by The emigrants. Instead OF improving those we
heid before we have been tempted add to our posses
sohs exhausted afms and plantations 1t has been the
custom TO 80 in debt for two.thrds of such purchases
he enigrans besides taking with them cry thing thew
cam draw annually for three years upon the earnings OF
eir Old neig bors Thus the landhodes have not been
able TO accumulate dp0SdGie cash fund.- TO be applied
10 improvements and the purchase OF better impleme n
&c On The contrary they are, ofen forced TO c,
Va'e their lands with greater severity meet these paw
! mcnts. ~
The great fertility and cheapness of western lands and
the increased value, given Of late every thing in the
west, by Lhense o. Steam its noble rivers have been
ndlIo0 ston, too strong TO be resisted by a
n's 20 earn subsistence i'm
- magic growth of The "mighty Wes''-tb,t
i1Shy Iald oil Imagined mamma and OF milk and honey
Dung the ten years, from 1920 1890 the increase ~
population and tate OF increase will be seen from the fol-
lowing Table: "O'' "'e 'O'-
STATES. Increase in Rate Of increase prss,,,
A,bar. |Ss years, per cent. IN ten years. population