The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-08-19
COMMUNICATION.
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'"' .,uatles 20 ssavehsiaers

U. shall IN this argument lay aside All con-
.,,...,,0n Of humanity, Of right. Of the general
,relr,rs. and Of lhe particular Interest Of non
,.hoia.r.. We shah present tho question OF
1--we emancipation in Kentucky as q matter Of
end v.lu TO the individual shareholders. We
IN onIv assume one fact. namey: that the
'l.-shol5er is also a landholder or owner OF
,n.,n orOpsrty. Perhaps we ought to suppose
,bs, hi. real property is or may hereafter be as
valuable as his slave properly. Censraiiy slave
hola.r. have considerably greater intsres. in
l.n1 than in slaves When dis is the case our
,rgumsn, viii apply wisl saes'sr fssse.
". t.ks lAs pssi,ips< - = ssIasA.paiiaR-
- ,,oalS add more to the value Of the slave
holders lands thar it wOaId take from the value
Of their slaves 49,
Asa basis Of our reasoning, let Us suppose
th,, there are 900 600 slaves and 25 millions Of
.er,s of land in Kentucky: that the slaves are
now worth, as property, $50 dollars each, or 80
rdlions of dollars, and that the land Is worth
on the average six dollars per acre or $50 mil
lions Of dollars. Now, we have to consider,
sr,t. how much a law emaneipating the chill.
sreu Of the slaves at 81 and Is years Of age,
would take from the value Of the Shareholders
urOperty-and second, whether such law
you'd compensate them by enhancing the value
Of their lands.
Asto the FIRST point, we observe that the pre-
sent yaIus Of the slaves is not the criterion by
which we are to estimate the Shareholders loss
from the proposed emancipation law. Large
deductions must be made on two accounts:
1. Great numbers Of slaves would be removed
from the State TO avoid the operation Of the
emancipation law. The tendency Of that law
would be to reduce the value Of slaves in Ken
lreky, but the price in the South would not be
affected. Hence would arise a strong induce
ment to export slaves TO the eotton-growing
States Many OF their children, entitled by law
TO emancipation, would be unrighteously car
ried away and sold. When we consider how
most men are influenced by the love Of gain,
we may reasonably expect that the number
which the law would succeed in emanciPating,
would scarcely amount TO half the present num-
berOl slaves. Let US, then, suppose that l00,-
900 would be ultimately emaneipated. what
would be their aggregate value, If they were re-
tsined in slavery
As they would be liberated in the prime Of
life, they would be worth 400 or 500 dollars each,
according TO the present market value Of slaves.
Bat this is far above just estimate Of what they
could be sold for as slaves, when the time Of
their emancipation should come.
For let the operation e the law be consider
ed, in toe first place. Ifwould require from 81
TO 25 years from ne dzrs ,cf ne hw, for fsose
born the hst year after its passage TO reach the
age Of frendOm. Those born the year before
would still be slaves, and 1t would not be until
their children came Of age, that the process Of
emancipation would be complete, 80 that con-
Iinually decreasing number would be going out
free during period Of so or 60 years. AT the
snd Of the present century there would still be
slaves in the country, unless individuals should
choose 10 emancipate them all at an earlier
date.
What then will be the probable value Of slaves
sis period varying from q TO 10 years from
this time, suPPosing the law to be passed or
years hence There can be no reasonable doubt
that within q years the value Of slaves will be
greatly reduced. Ii is the Southern market
thstnow keeps up the price. Slave labor is now,
on the whole, improbable in the northern
slave States. The comparatively unprosperou,
condition Of these States is evidence Of the fact
The profits Of the cotton and sugar culture
have kept up the demand for slave labor. But
these profits are declining. The production Of
cotton and sugare is out running the demand
Tie number Of slaves increases in the cotton
growing States at the rate Of 50 per cent in II
years; the cotton and sugsr crops increase near,
~ al The same rate. The demand does not in
crease 50 fast. The soils cultivated by slaves ar,
rapidly exhausted, where il Is possible TO ex
hanst them. Consequently the profits Of sav,
labor 60 and must decline, and with them tn,
value Of slaves
Inc Portentously rapid increase Of the slave
ID 'he cotton growing States, must Of itsel
siafm the white population, and make them de
ir0as to check the multiplication Of the ne
s'0es among them. In few years the coun
Wy will be SO filed with them, that the white
VIII begin to be pressed out, or at least be pre-
vented from increasing In the number whicI
Tue negroes multiply unchecked. With thes
circumstances In view, must we not believe tina
"e 'a'ae Of slaves, now for years past dsclin
hg' VIII Continue 10 decline until II shall be re
" homingT cucn n me Hstsr.s Ov.s.
Of things in progressive state Of society.
AS The population Of country increases an
inferior soils are taken into cultivation, or whs
amounts to the same thing, old soils are en-
haus'ed BY bad husbandry, the cost Of subsis
'enee increases, agricultural labor becomes les
productive, more skilfnl industry and NOR
ParsimoniOus economy are necessary 10 euabI
The isooring class to live. As slaves are natu
rAiiy and VIGOROUSLY less productive as laborer,
ana more was,eful as consumers, than FIRE
men ara period must arrive in the history Z
growing country, when slave labor become
wholly Improbable, and the slaves become
"ufoen upon their owners. Then, emancIpatio
necessarily takes place.
now long IL may be before this period sha
arrive in this country, we cannot tell--but {
RAPID is The growth Of our population, that no
outstanding the great extent Of our vacant te
'I'ory' the older parts Of the country are cor
ahuy advancing towards the condition
winch slavery can no longer exist.
Tor want OF precise data. let us assume WIN
"0s' probably above the truth, that the a
gs 'aue' as slaves, Of the negroes thus era
aany emanciPs,ed would be $50 dollars. Tn,
'"'oVo would be worth IS millions Of dolIa,
.su''aisn' to one dollar for every acre Of la,
IN the State, or to one sixth mar, Of IN. ,,,.a