The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1839-03-07

uo'odh AFFAIRS we are often constrained b,
me force OF circumstances and the actua
Stale oil things, TO do What we would no; de
q IL that slate OF things did no; exist. The
. slaves are here, and here must remain. II
f some condition, and, repeat, how are the,
20 be best governed What is best 10 h,
done Tor Their happiness and our own? lt
inc slave States the alternative is, that the
! white man must govern the black, or III,
black govern the white. 10 Sc, eral of thos,
States, the number Of the slaves is creates
than that of the White population. An i'm
mediate abolition of slavery in them, a!
these ultra aboiltlonlsls propose, would be
followed by desperate struggle for imme.
date ascendancy of the black race over the
white race, or rather il would be followed
by instantaneous collisions between the two
races, which would break out into a civil
war that would end in the determination or
subJugaton Of the one race or the other
Ia such an alternative, who can hesitate
Is It not better for both parties that the ex.
istine state OF things should be preserved,
Instead OF exposing them to the horrible
strIies and contests Inch would inevitably
attend an immediate abolition? This is
our true ground of defence for the continued
existence OF slavery 10 our country. Ii is
tia, which our Revolutionary ancestors as.
sumed. IL is that which, IN my option,
forms our Justification in the eyes Of ali
Chrlstendom.
third impeachment to immediate aboli.
ton IS 10 be found IN tho immense amount
OF capital winch is invested IN slave proper
~. The total number Of slaves in the Uni
ted States, according to the last enumera.
ton OF the population was htlle upwards of
two millions. Assuming their Increase at
a ratio, which 1t probably is, of five per
cent. per annum, their present number
would be three millions. The average
value OF slaves al this time is stated by per.
sons we'll informed to be as high as five
hundred dollars each. To be certainly
within the mark, r., US suppose that il is
only four hundred dollars. The total va
lue, then, By that estimate, of the slave pro.
party, IN the LHited States is twelve hun.
dred millions OF dollars. This property is
dlliused 1t roug bout all classes and condI.
tons of society. Ii is owned by widows
and orphans, by the aged and infrp. as
well as The sound and vigorous. |, is the
subject of mortgages, deeds OF trust, and
family settlements. II has been made the
basis of numerous debts contracted upon It's
faith, and is the sole reliance, in many IN.
Stances, Of creditors within and wi,hunt the
slave States, for the payment Of the debts
duo. ~, nj Il L..
posed, by single fat Of legislation. to an.
initiate thus Immense amount of property (
To nnnihllate it without indemnity and .
without compensation To- ITS owners Does .
any conslderaIe man believe II TO be pos /
$ bic to effect such an object without con.
vusIou, revolution, aud beodshed
know that there is visionary dogma .
which holds that negro slaves cannot be the .
subject Of property. shall not dwell long
with this speculative abstraction. That is
property which the law declares 10 be pro.
perty. Two hundred years of legislation
have sanctioned and sancufed negro slaves
as property. Under all the forms Of gov
eminent which have existed upon thus con-
tinent during that long space Of time-uu.
der the British Governmen,--und the
Colonial Governmeat--under oil the State
Constitutions and Goyernments-and under
the Federal Government ilself-they have
been deliberately and solemnly recognised
as the legitimate subjects Of property. To
the wild speculatioRs of theorists and limo.
vators stands opposed the fact, that 10 an
period of two hundred years !
Duration, under every form of human leg.
station, and by all the departments of hu.
nan government, African negro slaves have S
,een held and respected, have descended q
md been transferred, as lawful and undispu.
able property. They were treated as pro- a
,erty in the very BrtIsh example which is t
o triumphnntly appealed to as worthy Of a
ur imitation. Although the West India $
lanters had no voice in the united Para. n
nent Of the British Isles. an irresistible n
ense of justice extorted from that Legisa. ii
Ire the grant of twenty millions of pounds II
;erling to compensate the coionists for their n
oss Of property. II
IT. therefore, these ultra abolitionisis are y
ariously determined to pursue their scheme Ia
immediate abolition, they should a. once
ct about raising n fund of twelve hundred b
billions Of dollars, to indemnity the owners CT
/ slave property. And the taxes 10 raise lit
lat enormous amount can only be justly &C
ssessed upon themselves or upon the free o
tates, if they can persuade them TO assent to
such an assessment for II would be tn
cookery ofal justice and an outrage against ar
/ equity TO levy any portion OF the TAX uP s.
} the slaves States TO pay for their own "
1questcned property. l.
Ii the considerations TO which | have al pa
,ady a6veried are not sufficient to dissuade W,
IL. aboi;,,o,;a,s r.or, G,rthor nnrSavarapeo CT;