Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-08-24

iecl from another point o; view. FROM pe'suhha 10
ohservaIion aided by The slriciesI enquiry, ! De-
lieye that hand on The good sugar lands Oh Lou
isiana will produce. on an average, SIX hoss'
head, OF sugar. weighing 1000 POUNDS eacn'
WHICH, a. SIX ceh's PEI p0N $3.50 90
nm .l.sees Al Of cents. 60 90
42O 90
From which, alter dednclng Tor cloIh-
ing, taxes pork, mules, Machinery ,oo m
&C., wv w
"oula !, 'eas s1, veI for p'o = wear $500 90
On The best lands in Virginia, a fair crop 10
each hand, would be 100 pounds ollobacco. al % .
esum "a' SIS 90
And 60 bushels OF wheat, al 90 CENTS :, M
per bushc - w
l2s 90
Deducling expenses, such as lakes,
tools, medicine. &C., 10 90; and ave-
rage cost of transporting 6O bushels
OF wheat and hid. tobacco 10 mar.
ket, IA 00-making together, ~ w
" sn, hand NJ 800 90
This is far beyond the average yield in The States
OF North Carolina and Virginia, at least in our
sections OF them, but may be assumed, and ihen
the profits of The Virginia and Louisiana plan.
ters, are to each other in The ratio OF one hundred
dollars to three hundred dollars. II we were TO
state the average disparity, in The ratio OF three
hundred and twenty 10 Seveniy-hve, we should be
much nearer the truth.
The inference seems 10 he very clear, ii there
be the remolest approach 10 accuracy IN these
calculations, that large portion Oh our negroes
should be sent to the Southwest. This removal
should commence with The large slaveholder.-
A man who works eigh, or len hands, and lives
on his land, with his family, gains considerable
profl in having his own wants supplied. he
consumes all his corn, most of his wheat, his beef
his pork and his lambs. His wool ne makes
up INFO clothing Tor his family. In short,
he has, 10 all inlenls and purposes, mar
ket at home Tor his surplus produce, ailer
feeding and clothing his negroes. Such man
as this would not, perhaps better his condition
by the sale or removal OF his negroes. Blu! doubt
whether every man who owns more than Ten
working hands, would not be better off, by the
sale or removal of all beyond that number. But
shall welt may be said-shall we part with SO
large portion OF our labor, and leave our lands
to wasle2 Certainly, il the labor be unproduc.
tive, il is folly TO keep il. The slave adds no
thing to the moral or physical strength OF the
country, and if his labor be proflless, OF course
he is a nuisance, and the sooner we rid ourselves
of him the better. His place will soon be sup
piled BY better population, and in the mean
lime the poorer lands will be thrown out OF cult
walton, and the labor remaining be concentrated
on those that are more fertile. Indeed, am not
cerla in bul in this way The exports OF the State
would not increase, instead OF being diminished,
for The poorer lands now in cultivation scarcely
produce returns beyond the support OF The labor
ers who cultivate them. A fellow counyman
and friend Of mine, who has lately removed his
negroes 10 the Southwest, and is PLAN, sensi-
bic, practical, calculating man, assured me that,
for some time back, he had lost The full value OIL
his land every year that ne had cultivated IT,.
Tha, IS, the difference in the income from his
negroes in Virginia. and the same negroes on the
Mississippi, was equal 10 his estimate OF the
value Of his land in the county Of HALIFAX.
The great obstacle in the way OF carrying out
this scheme OF removal is the repugnaDce OF the
Virginia and North Carolina Shareholder 10 part
ing from his slaves. | respect this feeling. But
il the owner would sell them in families, and use
the necessary precaulion 10 procure good masters
in The south west, doubt not but that they would
be benefited by removal The negroes OF Lou
isiana get half pound of the bes, sailed pork,
halt pint Of molasses, and an ample supply oil
corn bread each day. Their houses are better
greatly better than in either Of our States, and
the clothing better and more comfortable. The
labor during the grinding or rolling season Is We
nv hard, but it LASTS but Two weeks. For the rect
Of the year no more labor is or need be required
than in the tobacco and wheat crops. So that on
the score of humanity, The negro is rather gain
er than loser by his removal. The climate Of
the south west agrees admirably with the African
constitution.
But gentlemen, there is another view 10 this
question, which should urge us 10 immediate re-
,noval. All look to the period when The negro
must leave Virginia and North Carolina. There
States Of the South are anxious 10 receive it,
The time is approaching when this demand may
cease, and when their doors may be closed against
The admission of our slaves Is il prudent 10
lose The present o. por,uniIy2 Is il not better 10
commence The work al once, and do now what we
may be unable 10 do when the emergency be-
comes more pressing2
Suppose all this dead capital, now vested in
slaves were 10 become an active moned capital,
how many manufactures might be but2 how
many improvements might be made2 Capital
would attract labor, labor for our workshops and
our fields. We should soon have dense popu-
la,ion, which would give schools TO our children,
a market 10 our farmers, and those railroads
which we now clamor for, but which our poverty
anda sparse population places far beyond our
reach.
But suppose gentlemen, that every large slave
holder in Virginia we're 10 reduce his force 10 ten
working bands, would not there be slaves enough
left in all conscence1 II would not lake off half
certainly, and Two hundred thousand slaves ought
10 satisfy the most devoted lover OF sla very. | am
mol speaking 10 or lor The country at large but lei
US of Granville and Mccklenburg and Halifax take
decided steps and endeavor 10 benefit ourselves,
and lei others do as they please
But what shall be done with all this money,
which would come into the Stale, from 50 large
sale OF its negroes2 This is difficulty which
one is not often called on 10 obvia,e and il is one
which, ! think, in our case, will not prove in
superahle. Most planners are more or less in
debt. Few large shareholders thai are moi in Ibis
condition. Perhaps the safest and best invest
ment of capital in the world. is The payment OF
ones debs, unless We should choose 10 val for the
progressive tendencies oflhe age, 10 lit US above
the reach OF casas and sherifs; and am by no
means sure, tina, it would not be wise 10 wait for
This tide. though our political almanac makers
have mol yet marked down very accurately the
period Of its expected flow.
After the payment Of our debts we might en-
ploy some OF our money in building good farm
houses, making our dwellings more comfortable
draining our lands, and improving our Soils by
freer application OF clover seed, plaster and
lime. Should any money be LEFT, we could invest
it as our northern brethren do theirs, in manu-.
features of cotton, wool, iron and steel. Capital
never yet failed 10 find profitable investment and
to multiply itself. Ii is The main spring OF mo-
dern civilization. Il calls into being, and sus-
,ans every improvement, and fosters every en-
terprize which has for its object the amelioralion
OF mankind 1t clothes the naked, feeds the hun
cry, sends benevoence on lis circumnavgation
OF charity, and speeds our holy religion in its
embassy of mercy, TO The distant isles of the sea.
The Planter, with portion of his money in
land and negroes, and portion in manufactures
or bank shares, has double security for rcve.
nue.. II his crops should fail, or be Short, or his
staples depressed in The market, he need not make
excuses 10 his merchant, or his doctor, for vio-
aion OF his engagements, nor be mortified, by an
appearance Of dilapidation about his farm, for
The want Of few dollars 10 keep things snug
around him. In England, no man would feel
himself justified in becoming a farmer without