Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-08-12
From the Hampshire Herald.
Interesting 70 Working Men.

We ask the attention Of working men, of all parties,
to the following article, which we find in the Boston
Courier. 1t is here manifest to the understanding OF
all who will attend-what those who have matureIy
considered the subject, well knew before:
LIST. That slavery eXhausts and curses the soil upon
which it exists.
ID, That slavery diminishes the free population, and
reduces the wealth Of the community.
3D., That slavery degrades free labor, concentrates
wealth and power in the hands Of a few, while 1t COM
pols the many to live in poverty and suffering and
EQUALIZATION. Not the black, alone, but the non
slaveholding white5-thoso whom even the laws OF
slave States regard, theoretically at least as equal to
the masters Of slaves.
4th, That it is the determination OF the slave power,
without distinction of parties, to perpetuate this mon
strous and hateful system of arlstoCracy and oppression,
and to extend it without hindrance or limitation.
Lct both democrats and wings read this, and then,
if they will, let them follow the lead Of those Office
loving politicians who, for the hope of reward" are
the mere hunkios Of the slave holding lords Of the
south.
"E8scts of .Slape La5or-The recent turnout among
the worknen at the Tredogar Iron Works, at Rich
mond, has occasioned some discussion at the south
upon the prospects and results ofslayory. The Charles
town Mercury. the leader Of the ultra slave party. de
clarcs that there shall be no distinction between thu
tree laborer and the slave. The system is to last 10
ares, and the slaves are not TO be mailed to the worl
out lands which have been so exhausted oy theIf IA
bor," but are to be transplanted to the "moro yigorou
soils acquired by conquest. The ApalachicoIa, Flor
ida, Advertiser takes thc other side, and gives the fol
lowing picture Of slavery in that city. SIN this snaI
community we have an instance Of the sad %lnfucnc
which the employment Of slaves will have in diminish
ING our population, ana thus reduce the wealth OF tn
community. In 1888, when we first came to this city
there were but few slaves, and they were mostly own
ed BY our own citizens at that time our populatlo
was about two thousand and five hundred-the hlg
state of wages here, and the reduction in the value
slave labor in Georgia and Alabama sent gangs
negroes from those States TO be hired out here, in o.
position to the white laborers. The result has bee
that our population has been reduced to one thousar
four hundred, whilst the quantity of cotton sblpoe
since 1888 has been quadrupIel. The white lahore
could not subsist on the wages paid for slaves, al
they were driven away. But the evil was not contint
to them alone. The merchants who supplied the
with food and raiment, and the landlords who remit
them dwellings, have felt the effects Of dIminish'
demand for which they each supplied. The wages
the white laborer was difilsed by him through L
whole community; he was a consumer as well as
producer; he holrded up but little; but the wages
the slave laborer is sent to enrich his already ri
master in Georgia and Alabama; not a dollar of it ey
returns here!"