The Northern galaxy, and Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1843-1844, 1843-12-06
I Ii E G. ALAXY
MIDDLEBURY:
"Wednesday Dec. 6, lS43.
ABOLITIONISM.

in land of freedom, of depicting its iniquity,
and computing its evils, nor would we
ever vote for candidate for congress who we
believed would shrink from breasting him
self against the advance of slavery a single
inch beyond what is conceded by the con-
stitution. But we never entertained strong
hopes of abOlishing slavery by appealing TO
the consciences of Shareholders alone. We
Grafton, deriving their efficacy from self in
terest, which are slowly but surely under
mining the horrid fabric of slavery at the
south, and if we will wait patiently quarter
of century we shall behold it rapidly crum-
bling to its final extinction.
All the slave states bordering upon those
that are free, have long been comparing their
depressed condition with the advancing pros
perity of their neighbors. They are now
satisfied that, independent of numerous other
mighty advantages of a white population,
free labor is altogether the most profitable.
Ten years ago both Maryland and Virginia
were very near the point of adopting sys-
tenn of gradual emancipation. The same
disposition has more than once been manifes
ted in Kentucky. Nothing has so retarded
the progress of emancipation in these states
as the mti-slavery movements at the north,
threatening dangerous interference at the
south with mat tx-bi.h thai
themselves alone competent to control and
reform.
Recent changes in the state of the COM
mercial world have still further reduced the
value of slave labor, for which alone the pc
culiar institution is sustained. The cultiva-
ton of cotton has been the chief pursuit of
slave labor. Until within few years this
article bore high price in Europe. This
created great market for the slaves Of Vir-
ginia, Maryland, North Carolina and Ken
lucky in the southwestern states more favor
able to the growth of that staple. The dim
mutton of the price Of cotton one half, has
diminished the price of slaves one half, thus
iCScNhiho " DICtu SLAVES ~
sell, or to purchase them for their labor
This state of affairs will doubtless continue
until at last the slave states bordering upon
the free, will, from self interest provide for
the gradual emancipation Of those who only
constitute burden for their support.
Cotton is the only product which can feed
and sustain the great negro family of the
south. A single state exclusively cultivating
tobacco would glut the markets of the world
and in raising hemp, wheat and pork better
adapted to the climate and soil of the north,
slave labor can never successfully compete
with northern free industry.
Slaves even if as ingenious and skillfil as
white men can be employed in manufactures
onlyin the limited proportion of this class of
operatives to the great agricultural family.
Thus powerful causes which are appealing
to the selfish prOpensities are secretly and
more surely sapping the foundation of the
peculiar institution than any and every re-
peated appeal to the magnimity or conscience
of the south. The multiplication of slaves
viii be checked, and the northern boundary
of slavery will gradually recede. From
Kentucky, slaves will be marched off to Ten
nessee, and from Tennessee, to Texas.-
Those which remain must become such an
enormous burden as to force their masters to
adopt some feasible plan of gradual emanci-
patton to save themselves from bankruptcy
and ruin. But should our ideas on this sub
ject prove visionary, third partyism can new
er accomplish universal emancipation. Even
after years of hard and almost hopeless strug-
gle, should it vanquish every other political
party in the country, and place itself in the
seats of power at the capitol, it might limit
the operations of slavery, but it could not
abolish it in the main without overriding
the garantees of the constitution, and conse-
quently dissolving the union. All that could
be accomplished in favor of emancipation by
the third party can and we trust will be ac-
eomplished by the wings long before the most
sanguine liberty man can hope to see third
party president in the executive mansion.