Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-06-25
NO. s2

ana u IS decided al once by The fact tha
we cannot avail ourselves of any othe
8 than slave laboI. We neither have nc
, can we procure other labor 10 any extent
:. or on anything like lbe terms mentioned
We must therefore coutent ourselves witt
our dear labor, under the consoling rehec
/ ton that what is LOST 10 US, is gained Il
humanity; and that inasmuch as ou
slave costs us more than your free mar
COSTS you, By so much is he better off, -
You will promptly say, emancipate your
slaves, and then you will have free labor
on suitable terms. That might bei there
were five hundred where there is now one,
and the continent, from the Atlantic to the
Paclfc, was, as densely populated as your
Island. but until that comes to pass no
labor can be procured in America ON The
terms you have il.
II have; yel TO reply 10 the main ground
on which you and your coadJutors rely for
the overthrow OF our system Of slavery
Failing in all your attempts 10 prove that
il is sinful in its nature, immoral in its
effects; a political evil, and profless TO
those who maintain:il, you appeal 10 the
sympalhies of mankind, aud attempt 10
arouse the world against US by. the most
shocking charges of tyranny and cruelty.
You begin by a'vehement denunc:ation Of
:" The irresponsible power of one man over
his fellow men," The question of the
responsibility Of power is a vast one. 1t
is The great political question of modern
times. Whole nations divide off upon if
and establish different fundamental s,s.
TENS Of government: That responsible
ty," which TO one set of millions seems
amply sufficient To check the government
to the support Of which they devote their
lives and fortunes, appears to another set
OF millions a. mere mockery of restraint.
And accordingly as the opinions of these
millions differ. they honor each other with
the epilhets of /" Ssrls" or "AnarchisIs.',
Ii is ridiculous 10 introduce such an idea
as This into the discussion Of mere Do:
nestle Institution But since you have
introduced It, deny that the power of the
savehulder in Americais s'irresponsible."
He is responsible 10 God.. He,is 1espon.
sble to the world-a responsibility which
Abol;tooists,do not intend 70 allow him TO
evate-and in acknowledgement OF which
] write you this leuer.n He is responsible
10 the community in which be lives. and
10 the laws under which he enjoys his civil
rights. Those laws do ne, permil him tc
kill, 10 main, or to punish beyond certain;
limits, or 10 oyerlask, or 10 refuse 10 feed
and clothe bis slave. In short, they for.
bid him TO be tyrannical or cruel. II any
of these laws have grown obsolete. j. is
because they are so seldom violated that
they are forgotten. You have disinterred
one Of them from compilation by some
Judge Stroud, of Philadelphia, to stigma.
,ize its inadequate penalties for killing,
manning, &c. Your object appears to be
YOU can have no other-to produce the
impression that it must be ofien violated
on account of its insutficiency: You say
as much, and that ii marks our estimateo Of
the slave. You forgel to state that this
law was enacted by Engllskmen, and only.
indicates their opinion Of the reparaiion
due for these Offences. Ours is proved
by The fact, though perhaps unknown to
Judge Slrond or yourself, that we have
essentially altered this law; and the
murder Of slave has for many years been
punishable with death in this State. Aud
so it is, | believe, in most or all the Slave
States. You seem well aware, however,
that laws have been recently passed in all
these States making it penal TO- teach
slaves to read. poyou know what occa-.
stoned their passage, and renders lheir.
stringent enforcement necessary? ! can
rel YOU. II was the abolition agitation.
IF the slave is not allowed 10 read his:
Bible, the sin rests upon the Aboliionists;
for they stand prepared 10 furnish him with
a key TO il. which would make it,. not
book of hope and love and peace, but of
despair. haired and blood which would
convert The reader, not into Christian,
but Demon. To preserve him. from
such horrid destiny, it is sacred duty.
which we owe to our slaves, not less than
10 ourselves, to interpose the most decisive:
means. If The Catholics deem it wrong
TO trust the Bible To The hands Of ignorance,
shall we be excommuuicated because we,
will not give it, and with it the corrupt
aud fatal commentaries Of the Abolition.
isis, 10 our slave? Allow our slaves TO.
read your pamphlets, stimulating them to,
cut our throa,s! IAN you. believe US to
be such unspeakable fools? -, -;
/ cannot 60 into detailed comparison
between the penalties inflicted on slave.
il our Palriarchal Courts, and those Of the.
Courts of Sessions>to to which freeman are:
sentenced in all civilized nations; but I,
know well that if there is any fault in
our criminal codo, it is that Of excessive
mildness. :
Perhaps a few general facts will best
illustrate the treatment this race receives
al our hands. 1t is acknowledged that it
increases al least as rapidly as the white.
/ believe il an established principle, that
population lbrives in proportion TO its
comforts. But when it is considered that
these people are not recruited by emmi
grafton from abroad as he whites are, and
that they are usually settled on our richest
aud least healthy lands, the fact of Their
equal comparative increase and greater
longevity, outweighs a thousand Abolition
c.,loaLn,I, in favor IF tho la,;opo, ,nd