The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-07-03

~ M. county leaving not enough 70 met;
=. d.b,s immediate bankruptcy would
!. .hs consequences. OF The xliimass ~
~, no one can doubt. The land would
- lima be worth Is much = land and slaves
together are worth now.
This is one illustration Of the comPiica-
,;on If the evil. and shows ono ioi the causes
which combine to daunt the hopes oil many
ll,nersous who would rejoice TO see the slave
sys,sm terminated.
D66n.btlesj i, would be the duty oil con-
yentiop. acrhag for emancipation to provide
% far as il could b. done. against The inlu[
rious consequences belonging 'o'he trans
ton state.
A highly intelligent Virginian said to me
dat "the first thing done in Virginia
would be to prohibit slaves from be'ng seiz-
ed or sold for debt. The effects would be,
the elevation of the character OF the s!ay,
population, and the retention OF labor with
in the State. Not being retrospective IN
its operation, the act could work no lnlur'
10 the rights Of creditors, who would always
understand before giving credit that no ST.
curity could b. taken on slaves.
Nothing is more anxiously desired here
than immigration from the North or New
jersey. The vast superiority OF free labor,
wherever tried, is confessed by all. Its
looked to by all with whom ! have con-
versed as the only hope Of the State. But
the people deceive themselves in suPPosln;s
tina, there will be any considerable influx oil
free labor while slavery shall be the reign
ing interest. Twas not surprised, few days
ago, to hear that the free working men IN
the Tredegar Iron Factory had struck IN oP-
position to slave labor. The proprietor
coolly informed them they might all go
he would fill their places with slaves. Is
this the way to encourage free labor
was assured by several gentlemen tina, The
Irish, serviceable as they are on public
works in the free States, could not OF would
not do well a, the South. They were tree
on the Southern railroad, bu. found worth
less. Slares were employed at the SAINT
time on the same road. The free laboreI
wi,hers in the atmosphere Of slavery.
Ii is the opinion OF the hes: informed mer
here that the slave population is rapidly de
creasing. Besides the thousands that art
sold every year from the State, thousands
more are carried off by the eInigrants. Ac
cording 10 the census of 1910, the slaves II
Virginia numbered AS, 9s7, showing de
crease on The same kind of population from
1890 of u 900. Allowing Is per cent
for ten years as a fair ratio Of natural in
crease, the slaves in 1910 ought to hav.
numbered 5S6,91i. The difference ne.
tween this number and the actual numbe
returned by the census, (lhal is, 13a ,9oI >
shows how many had disappeared from III
State. doubt whether the census Of lS5t
will show more than abou; four hundred
thousand slaves
| One thing will strike every observer pass
ing through this country, and that Is, the i'm
mense tracts of land in corn ani whcat.-
The old slave staples are becoming insignif
cant in Virginia. The planters are sener
ally turning their attention to the gram oul
ture. Very large crops will be produced
this ycar The late rains have been of in
calculable service TO the wheat. which j:
heading finely This gradual substitution
OF farming fol- planting is a good sign.
One item more, and | Close this desul
tory letter. The Baptist Convention which
lately assembled in Virginia, q forgot tn,
place Of meeting) passed resolution Il
give Bible 10 every member OF its coloret
churches who could read and would receive
it. | hope the American Bible Society
may be stimulated and encouraged by thi'
example. G. B.