The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-10-10
j. HOLCOMB, EDITOR & PULLS

praLtlcal scheme for their removal or ser
aratlon from US has been yet devised o
n proposed and the true Inquiry is, wha
is best TO be done with them. In human
x affairs we are often constrained, by int
force of circumstances and the actua
state of things, to do what we would no
do if that state of things did not exist
The slaves are here, and here must re.
main, in some condition and, | repeat,
how are they 10 be best governed What
! is best to be done for their happiness and
our own2 In the slave states the alters
native is, that the white man must govern
the black, or the black govern the white.
) ln several of those states, the number Of
the slaves is greater than that Of the white
population. An immediate abolition of
slavery IN them, as these ultra abolition
lists propose, would be followed by a des'
perale struggle for immediate ascendancy
of the black race over the white race, or
rather it would be followed by instanta-
neous collisions between the two races,
which would break out into civil war
that would end in the determination or
subjugation Of the one race or the other.
In such an alternative, who can hesitate
Is 1t not better for both parties that the
existing stale Of things should be pre-.
served, instead OF exposing them 10 the
horrible strifes and contests which would
inevitably attend immediate abolition
This is our true ground Of defence for the
contlnued existence Of slavery in our
county. II is that which our revolution
airy ancestors assumed. 1t is that which,
in my opinion. forms our justification in
the eyes OF all Chrs,endom.
A third impeachment TO immediate abo-
lition is 10 be found in the immense
amount of capital which is invested in
slave property. The total number Of
slaves in the United States, according to
the last enumeration of the population,
was little upwards of two millions
Assuming their increase at a ratio which
1t probably is, Of S per cent. per annum,
their present number would be three
millions. The average value Of slaves at
this time is stated BY persons well inform.
! ed to be as high as five hundred dollars
each, 70 be certainly within the mark,
let US suppose that it is only four hun
dred dollars. The total value, then, by
that estimate, OF the slave property in the
United States is twelve hundred millions
of dollars. This property is dihused
throug bout all classes and conditions of
society. Ii is owned by widows and or
phans, by the aged and indrm, as well as
the sound aud vigorous. 1t is the subject
of mortgages, Deeds of trust, and family
selllemcnts. 1t has been made the basis
of numerous debts contracted upon It's
faith, and is the sole reliance, in many in
stancts, of creditors within and without
the slave states, for the payment of the
debts dueto lhen. Aud now it is rashly
proposed, by single fiat Of legislation,
to annIh,iate this immense amount o.
property 10 annihilale i! without inden-
nifty aud without compensation 10 its
owners Does any considerable man be-
leve it to be possible to effect such an
object without convuson, revolution, and
boodShed?
know hat there is visionary dogma
which holds tina. negro slaves cannot be-
the subject Of property, | shall not dwell
| lubS vi tHIo GpSIuItlifC uDSlI uSiOll'"
That IS properly which the law declares
10 be property. Two hundred years of
legislation have sanctioned and sancti6ed
negro slaves as property. Under all the
forms of government which have existed
npon this continent during that long space
Of time-uuder the British government
under the Colonial government--unde
IN a. r,na,t,,,,:o
menls-and under The Federal governs
ment itself-thev have been deliberately
and soemnly recognized as the legitimate
subjects of property. To the wild specu-
ations of theorists and innovators stands
opposed the fact, that in an uninterrupted
period OF two hundred years duration I'm,
der every form of human legislation, & by
) all the departments of human government,
African negro slaves have been held and
respected, have descended and been
| transferred as lawful & indisputable pro
! perry. They were held as property in the
very British example which is so trium-
: phantl y appealed to as worthy OF our iml
) tation. Ahho' the West India planters
had novoice in theunited parliament ofthe
BRUSH Isles, an irresistible sense of jus.
) lice extored from it the grant of twenty
I millions of pounds sterling to compensate
r the coIoniss for their loss of properly.
If therefore, these ultra aboilionists
; are seriously determined to pursue their
scheme of immediate abolition, they
should at once SET about raising twelve
E hundred millions of dollars to indemnify
f the owners Of slave property. And the
taxes to raise that enormous amounl can
T. only be justly assessed upon themselves
G or upon the free states, iflhey can per.
f suade them to assent to such an assess
e ment for it would be a mockery of al
/. Justice, and an outrage against all equity
Ia. Il