The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-26

off, and il was admitted that while the planter had been
ruined, the condition OF the negro was anything but anne
liorated
Sir, was surprised at this. read the time the
debates in the House OF Commons in favor of the abo-
non OF slavery twas commended there, as II is here that
free labor was effective than slave; and il
gued that not only the happiness of the negro but the
prosperity OF the islands, would be greatly promoted
knew and predicted as one at all with
utterly fail reviewed that debate at the time, and
predicted. am not wise after the fact As general
rule free negroes will not follow any steady employment
With them, idleness and liberty are synonymous He
only values freedom that he may not be forced to work
He does not understand value liberty coupled with
the condition OF labonng. Ii he has to follow steady
labor ne would give you fig for his freedom The
productveness of the island has only fallen Off but
IN spite OF all the exertons Of the British government,
the negroes are fast becoming idle savages.
But suppose you are unsuccessful, as you will be, IN
III your general abolition movements do you suppose
THAT you will make the negro happier by constantly
citing him to discomfort? You may harass the master
but will you benefit the slave'
There is notorious fact which ought
to strike every fair mind at the north 1t is this The
reugnance to negro slavery is in proportion to the gnor
ance of the institution Those who know least OF il
have the greatest horror OF it, What northern man. after
he removes to the SOUTH retains his repugnance to negro
slavery Do they not invariably become slave owners;
and what is the worst OF it, they always the hardest
task masters.
In reference however to this idea which finds so much
favor in this debate of connng slavery within circumscb
ed limits let me ask do you thereby benefit either the
ter or slave? DO you not nure both, particularly the
letPT! DOeS every one know tnat te SpdrSer the
slave population, the better they clothed and fed
The negroes OF masters who have few of them fare inf
ntey better than OF those who have large number In the
first case, they almost form part OF the family and
they fare II does. The negroes in communities where
the masters small slave holders, fare better that in
those where they are large. In the language of Mr.
make them indiv duay happier" This is unquestion-
ably true. But hem them up within prescribed and
row limits, and what will be the progress OF events The
negroes in the SOUTH where the climate suits them and
where they well treated, multiply with great rapdity
If there is outlet for them, in short time it will be
difficult to employ them probably in agriculture The first
comforts The next is to find for it employment. As
the supply of slave labor exceeds the demands of
agriculture, they are put in the trades Backsniths,
shoemakers, joners, bricklayers &C., are made of them
They thus brought into competition with the white
mechanics of the country and they exclude the whites
from employment. Emigration is the only recource left
the factories where, again, they will exclude the ndi
gent whites In many respects manufactures hold out
stronger inducements for the employment of slave labor
than any other pursuit In the first place. generally less
skill s required The operative in the factory is little
more than an animated part OF the machinery Slaves
are fully equal to it. One of the great drawbacks
that they scattered about in their employment and
the expense of supervision is proportonaby great In
factories they are huddled together and always
der the eye of the superintendent Indeed, the employ
ment of slaves in factories would not make super
vision necessary than the employment Of whites. This
no speculation L. virginia they are exclusively em
efficient than whites. And indeed, they have been
employed with success in cotton factories The only
obstacle to their being thus employed is the high price Of
the demand for agriculture and the INDECENT whites will
be excluded from of the handicraf and mechanical
employments. twill be the INDECENT white men who will
be injured more than the large stakeholder
For the reasons have given, is much account
Of the slave himself and Of the INDECENT white man, as of
But the aboonst, shutting his eyes all these facts,
would madly try to hem in the slave in the narrowest
boundaries. and, in the name Of humanity and pian-
thropy would insist upon policy equally injurious to
the white man and the black.
Ii, sir humanity and philanthropy has nothing to do
with these proceedings, enlightened love of liberty
csion, BY aboishng slavery design 70 make freemen Of
the blacks, Why you DO not do that in the noa-slaye-
of suffrage, the dearest privilege OF freeman, be
cause includes all others, and all others
In the late vote in New York, upon that very
black man that inestimable right, by majority, am
told, OF upwards OF hundred thousand Do you per,
NIT the black man to sit urles to enter the learned
professions, associate with you upon equal footing
or indeed to worship by your sides in the houses OF
God 1t ID notorious you permit none OF these things
sonh hs h he IN s eas
than here 1t is true, he is not there the slave OF sin
gle master, who is prompted by feeling and interest to
protect him. but he Is the slave OF the community which
has no such interest.
The gentleman from Ohio mr. BarNKERHorF,l with
high-wrought eulogy upon Mr. Jefcrsons statesman
ship and democracy-a eulogy higher than ust-re-
erred to his opinions upon slavery as authority to ss.
tain the proceedings before the committee admit that
Mr. Jefferson had great repugnance to slavery in the
abstract, the unmeaning expression Isl bnt does he
not know that he despared of practical remedy and
that he died owning more than hundred slaves And
does he no, knowwhat is more to the point-that no
man condemned, in unmeasurel terms than Mr.
Jefferson did, similar proceedings to those, justification
of which his authority Is invoked As the gentleman
quotes MIR. Jeferson's authority, he must abide by it
have his opinions upon the present question before the
House. | do not mean to refer TO any general express
sons OF his and ngeniousy try to apply them to the
his opinions upon the present question itself As the
gentleman Processes to have such reverence for Mr.
Jeersons authority, hope he will defer to il and
his agitation Here Mr. B. sent the following letter to the
clerks table;
Letter to John Holmes.
MONTICELLO, April o. 1920.
thank you, dear sir for the copy you have been kind
send of the letter to your constituents the Mis-
souri, question: 1t is perfect justification to them had
for long time ceased ID read newspapers, pay Mt
tention public aias confident they in good hands
and content be passenger in bark to the shore from
which distant But this momcntous question,
like re-bell in the night, awakened and filled with
Icoasidcred VI at the hneH of the Unon
hnscd indeed for tho bit this repriere only,
not final sentence. geographical line coincding with
marked principle, moral and POLITICAL conceived and
held the passions of men, will never be obter
aed; and every irritation will mark it deeper and
deeper say, with conscious TRUTH that there is
man earth who would sacrifice mora than would TO
eve from this heavy repronch in any practicable way
The cessou OF that kind OF property (or is minamc
is bagatele which would not cost second thought,
it, in that way, general emancipation and expatration
could be effected gradually and with due sacrifices, |
think might be. But il is, have the wolf by the
ears and neither hold him. safely let him go,
Justice is in SCALE and selpeservation in the other.
of one thing certanthdff Ms the passage Slaves from
STATE to another ,ooud not make Stare Of single hu