The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-11-04
40 she sscehan,e- and working Snea Of The
state Of Nentucky.-NO. n.

question 10 Emancipation, as Published IN the C
ieorgetown Herald: c
The communication in the Herald, the edl- 8
or says, is "from a gentleman who has ,
mingled in the councils of the State, and who
Possesses the very necessary qualifications IN
such discussion, of age, varied experience and
rare financial skill; man OF good attanments
and unquestioned integrity, who would not, for
any consideration, knowingly occupy falsepo-
sition.'
So much the better. Men possessing these
qualifc are the best fitted TO discuss this
question. II such men, in far Issue, ~ IN
their facts and IN their Teasonings TO sustain the
policy of perpetual slavery, we may fairly in
fer that it lie utterly lndeienslble.
As to what the writer says about "Utopian
theOnes," Invading the nights Of slayehold-
ers, shaking our common county, 'sacred
pledges not to Discuss &c. &c, they may all
be dismissed As mere catch-words and can't
phrases, not exactly in keeping with the chsrac-
ter and qualifications Of the writer, as endorsed
by theTespected editor Of the Herald.
The question TO be settled by the people OF
Kentucky is this: What shall be the future or
ganic law Of the State in respect 10 the instltu-
ton of slavery. Every citizen who casts vote
Tor member of the coming convention must all
swer this question one way or the other. There
is no possibility Of evasion. If the voter fails to
inform himself, OF the opinions and sentiments
of the Candidate, OF if he votes for candidate in
favor ofthepepetuation of slavery; in either case
his rote tell, for the perpetHGtioH Of negro Stare
~ upon the soil Of Kentucky, Nth all The con-
comiiaat eriis, Thich necessarily toliOU IN It's
train There is no neutrality IN this contest
He that is not against slavery, and he that does
not vote against it, is for it, and sustains 1t.
As to the opinion which seems TO be entertained
by some, and by A. B. c. among others, to-wlt;
That because certain political leaders pledged
themselves not to agItate the Emancipation
question in the election of delegates to revise the
Constitution, that therefore, the sovereign Peo-
pie, or in other words, all those classes that rep
resent the energetic industry of the State, are &c
fold their arms in quiet Indifference, and close
their lips in dumb silence, is n proposition SC
monstTous, nay, ! may Say, 50 insultlngly alb
surd, that II could not be believed, had we mol
the direct evidence of its truth before US.
What! shall the intelligent fIeemen Of Ken
lucky be told at this day, in the year of the chns
tan era, eighteen hundred and forty eight, thai
they are TO permit the great question Of the age
now properly presented TO them for discussion
and decision, 10 go by DEFAULT Are We, THi
PEOPLE, TO stultify ourselves at the dictation o
a few shOTt-slghted politicians Away, we say
with all such oyasionS and excuses. They ar
utterly at variance with all those characteristic
which have hitherto been our boast and our pride
Never let II be SAID, that IN settling this grsa
question we have departed from that manly can
doI and open-heartcd sincerity, which We hay
ever been accustomed TO consider as the "dis
iInguishing traits OF Kentucky character"
Right glad are we TO see the advocates of pei
, petual slavery bringing out their strong argu
mcnts. |, makes our heart 10 leap with Joy a
the prospect 81 fan field and an open contest
Va certainly do not intend Ia be- outdone, ,ithe
IN courtesy or candor.
We will now pay our respects 10 the arga
, a.ents OF A. b. c.. and in order that we ma,
not be accused of unlalmess, give the extract a
length:
alt Is well established fact-one which ad
mltS oi no questlOn-that slavery has the efIec
To enhance the value Of white labor of ever
description, IN the slave States-mechanlcs an,
; lsborers receive from 80 70 100 per cent. nor
for their labor, in Kentucky, than the sam,
classes receive IN the free States of Ohio, Ind
4
with reference 10 every other branch OF business
SLAVERY, then, Is beneficial TO the mechanic
r aud working man, IN pecUniaTy point of view
because II enhances the value OF the labor upol
which he depends for support, and thus put
many luxuneS within his reach, which the pro
= ceeds OF hls labor would not afford, IN a fire,
State. II Is also beneficial 10 hun in a socia
, and political point of view, because il lessen
those distinctions IN society, which, in the fire.
States, are found TO be so OneTous and oppres
/; slve on the poor man; every white man In
D slave State, stands upon an equality with IN
fellow man; the reason Of this is apparent. AL
the cheap labor of the South is performed b,
negroes, and yet thus is a kind of labor that can
not be dispensed with; If the negroes were driy
? en- out, the whites would, from necessity be com
| PEELED TO perform such labor, and hence then
would be gTadatlons m society which do not nov
exist in Kentucky. Wealth would be the sol
anstocTacy, as IS the case IN other free States
: and the poor white man would have to sink I,
the position now occupied by the negro. Ar
our mechanics and working men willing TO occu
~ this position; will they aid by their votes i,
expelllng the negroes, only that they may I'll
their mental officesG Are they prepared 10 al,
in forwarding scheme which will compel tbei
wives, their sisters and their daughters TO aban
don or be forced from the position of equalit,
they now enjoy, and sink them to the level o
hired domestics; TO become household dnIdges-
victims of thewash tub and scubbing brush; d.
they wish 20 see their children blacking boots
and performing other mental services now de
yolving upon the negToY Do they themselves
wish TO become mere "hewers Of wood and
drawers Of water9 If so, by all means let them
vote IN favor of gradual emancipation"
Now, in order that this extract may be The
more clearly understood, and that its true worth
as an argument may not be undervalued, we
will bnng it into the form of distinct proposi.
tons
|. "SayeTy has the effect to enhance the val
ne Of white labor, Of every description in the
slave States. Mechanics and laborers receive
from 30 to 100 per cent. more for their labor in
Kentucky than the same classes receive in the
free States of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. The
same remark holds good with reference 10 svsry
| other braRch Of business
2. "SlaveIy puts many luxunes within the
reach Of the mechanic and laborer, which he
cannot afford in a free State
g. "Slavery elevates his social and political po-
stion, and lessons those distinctions IN society,