The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-07-06

plClOn lnat tney are not UoTn 10 De the properly VI
somebody So the mass of our northern white
slaves seem to drudge on, quite insensibe that
their political rights have been used up and multi
fled by John G. Calhoun and the perpetual slave
ry party. We are glad to see, now and then, a
flash of consciousness on this subject. Below is
an article from the correspondent of the Boston
Atlas, which gives pretty clear view OF the sub
lect. 1t is not from an abolltlonist but simply
from a 1chate Stare.
SLAVE POLICY.
New YORK, June H. 1889.
To the Editor of the Atlas:
Sir-in connection with the frauds of importers,
and the sngularly unwise, unjust, aud impoltc
provisions of the Compromise Act, it is necessary
to take into view the slave policy of the South,
that we may see the whole grounds and under
stand how to take care of ourselves.
When Mr. Calhoun talks of certain popula-
ton or peculiar domestic institutions he means
Slavery and when he talks of the South and
Southern policy, he means policy shaped so as
to give success to his certain population and his
peculiar institutions; but he would be better un-
derstood if he used the plain Ineligible phraseol-
ogy of slave labor.
The planters have long since discovered that
slaves are best fitted to delve in the earth and are
employed to little advantage in manufacturing, in
the mechanic arts, or in navigation. They keep
them in a state of barbarous ignorance, lest they
should become acquainted with their own num-
bers and strength, and shake of their fetters.-
This almost necessarily units them for employ
ments which require intelligence and higher
grade of civilization. 1t requires little more than
physical power to direct the hoe and plough, and
to pick cotton and hence this employment is well
adapted to the policy Of the master towards the
slave, and to the degree of intelligence with
which he may be safely entrusted. Caution and
prudence govern the counsels of the master, and
he sees that an increase of knowledge, whether
of letters or of the mechanic arts, brings with it
an increase of moral and intellectual power, and
is dangerous. The slave, therefore, is seldom in
structed in the use of TOOLS except for some of the
most coarse, ordinary, and necessary purposes but
tills the earth for cotton, rice and tobacco.
The object of the planter is to make as much
money out Of this labor as possible and being
limited to these raw productions, his inquiry is,
how can he best promote their sale and get the
most favorable return for them This has involv-
ed us in the great controversies which have been
carried on respecting our foreign trade and inter-
nal policy. This has been the leading considera-
ton in the severe struggles for political power,
which have generally terminated in the triumph
of the slave interest over the free. The slaves
constitute the greatest and most important proper
ty which the planters have, for without them their
estates are nothing; and knowing this and feel
ing it to be the strongest bond of united action,
because it is common interest, they usually
moved on with great harmony in obtaining poti-
cal power, and in so using it as to promote their
own objects. Hence they adroitly secured a con-
stitutonal provision for slave representation and
now actually have in the house twenty-five repre-.
sentatives, who have no rights there except by
this property.
1t is now fifty years since the Constitution was
adopted and of that period the slave States have
elected citizens of their own for forty years to the
presidency, and had all the benefit of the inau-
ence and opinions Of that high officer, as we'll as
the overwhelming strength of executive patronage;
and as proofof the invarable selfshness Of these
States, no more than six votes had been cast by
them at all the elections previous to the last for
all the candidates who live north of the Potomac
and Ohio rivers and these six were divided be-
tween the two Adamses, If | am not mistaken,
the President pro tenn. of the Senate, who in a
contingency may become President of the United
States, has at all times been citizen of these
States, and with the exception of three years out
of the last twenty-nne, the Speakers chair has
been filled by STAKEHOLDER, and for more than
thirty years out of fifty the office of Secretary of
State has been held by such person.
| have no time to pursue these details, but you
will find TO your surprise, if you have never ex-
amined the subject, that this ambitious and watch
full section has actually secured to itself the organ
ization of the executive and legislative branches
of the government as well as the most important
and influential oficd@
This is neither the result of accident or Of any
peculiar fitness for public station. Southern poll
cy is erroneous. The ant-commercial, anti naviga-
ting, anti-naval, and ant-manuacturing doctrines,
all originated there, and have in turn been zeal
ously supported, on the ground that commerce,
navigation, navy, and manufacturing, were nu
rlous to the great interests of slavery But it is
on the other hand close union of the planters, a
firm, steady, unlaltering adherence to a detern-
nation to trust none with high political powers ex-
cept those identified with them in interest, and
who would cooperate with them in giving direc-
ton to the policy of the country
The first great object of the slave interest has
at all times been TO secure to itself preponder-
ance in the counsels of the Federal Union and
as you see, it has succeeded though numerically
a minority if the free population combined with
equal frmness against it Those who have watch
ed the motion of the political waters, have found
no difficulty in compromising how this has been
done. Whenever an election of President is
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