Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1845-09-04

| is now one; and the continent, from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, was as densely pop
ulated as your island. But until that comes
to pass no labor can be procured in Ameri-
ca on the terms you have it.
While thus freely admit that to the in
dividual proprietor slave labor is dearer
than free, | do not mean to admit it as
equally clear that it is dearer to the COM
munity and to the State. Though it is cer-
tain that the slave is a far greater consumer
than your laborer the year round, yet your
pauper system is costly and wastelul. Sup-
ported by your community at large, it is
not administered by your hired agents with
that interested care and economy-not to
speak of humanity-which mark the man
agement Of ours by each proprietor for his
non-efectves, and is both more expensive
to those who pay, and less beneficial to
those who receive its bountes. Besides
this, slavery is rapidly filling up our coun-
try with a hardy and healthy race pecui-
arly adapted to our climate and productions;
and comforting signal political and social
advantages on US as people, to which
have already referred.
have yet to reply to the main ground
on which you and your coadjutors rely for
the overthrow of our system of slavery
Failing In all your attempts TO prove that it
is sinful in its nature, immoral in its effects,
a political evil, and proftess to those who
maintain it, you appeal TO the sympathies
of mankind, and attempt to rouse the world
against us by the most shocking charges Of
tyranny and cruelty. You begin by We
hement denunciation of "the irresponsible
j power of one man over his fellow meh''-
The question of the responsibility of power
is vast one. 1t is the great political ques-
ton of modern times. Whole nations di-
vide off upon it and establish different fun
damental systems Of government. That Gre
7 sponsibility," which to one set of millions
seems amp y sufficient to check the govern
ment to the support of which they devote
f their lives and fortunes, appears to another
: set of millions mere mockery of restraint.
e And accordingly as the opinions of these
millions differ, they honor each other with
! the epithets of "serfs'' or anarchists" II
: IS ridiculous to introduce such an idea as this
i into the discussion of mere domestic institu-
n ton. But since you have introduced it,
fl America is irresponsible" He is respon-
! sible to God. He is responsible to the world
. "a responsibility which Abolitionists do
V not intend to allow him to eyade-and i'm
= acknow ledgment of which | write you this
letter. He is responsible to the community
: in which he lives, and to the laws under
: which he enjoys his civil rights Those
J., laws do not permit him to kill, to MAIN, or
= 10 punish beyond certain limits. or to over
= task, or to refuse to feed and cloEe his slave.
e In short, they forbid him TO be tyrannical
n or cruel. If any of these laws have grown
e obsolete, 1t is because they are so seldom
1 violated that they are forgotten. Y ou have
), dsinterred one Of them from a compilation
: by some Judge Stroud, of Phladel phia, to
S stIgmatlse It's inadequate penalties for kill
r ing, manning, sc. Your object appears to-
f he-you can have no other-to produce the
D impression that it must be often violated on
: account of ITS insuAiciency. You say as
. much, and that it marks our estimate of the
. slave. Y on forget to state that this law was
S enacted by EngHshmen, and only indicates
: their opinion Of the reparation due to these
e offences. Ours is proved by the fact, though
r perhaps unknown to Judge Stroud or your-
r sell, that we have essentially altered this
d law; and the murder of a slave has for
e many years been punishable with death I'M
| this State. And SO it is, believe, in most
| or all the slave States. You seem we'll aware.
y however, that laws have been recently pass
:. ed in all these States making it penal to-
n teach slaves to read. Do you know what
: occasioned their passage, and renders their
: stringent enforcement necessary. | can tell
. you. 1t was the abolition agitation. IF The
] slave is not allowed TO read his Bible, the
| sin rests upon the Abolitionists; for they
), stand prepared to furnish him with KEY to-
/ it, which would make it, not book of hone,
r and love, and peace, but of despair, hatred,
and blood; which would convert the read
err, not into Christian, but demon. To
I, preserve him from such horrid DESTINY. Il
is sacred duty which we owe to slaves.
, not less than 10 ourselves, TO interDose the
most decisive means. IF the Catholics deem,
. it wrong TO trust the Bible 10 the hands of
ignorance, shall we be excommunicated be-
cause we will not give and with it the corr
rupt and fatal commentaries Of the abolition.
lists, to orr slaves? Allow our slaves to
read your pamphlets, stimulating them To-
cut our throats! Can you believe MS to be
such unspeakable foolse
! ] do not know that can subscribe in fnlf
to the sentiment SO often quoted bv the