The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-10-20
,gelher, the average will be as have sta

=
together, the average will be as | have sta
ted. .rsH.a. % s.r.a.fi. .-.I Fl. s-af.
Well then. Ia pecuniary point Of view
as mere calculation OF dollars and cents
if l am right in my estimate, II is not ou
interest 10 invest more capital in slave
properly. Ii is against tie interest Of tn,
Commonwealth 10 do il; manlestly so, If
am right, or anywhere near right. Well
that is a considerable point gained; blu
there are considerations in connexion with
Ibis part Of the subject that have an impor
tant bearing upon it, according TO my view
Of the matter. That white labor is the
cheapest have no doubt | have never
entertained doubt on that point. have
never entertained doubt that it is the in
jerest of the great slaveholding community
Of this State TO sell their slaves. Ii they
were not attached to them, and IL they did
not dislike seeing those who have grown up
with them, and their children, driven into
bondage more CALLING, more oppressive,
where their Iaiment and their food would
not be equal to what they now ENJOY, and
where, owing TO the great amount OF slave
population, their restrictions would be great.
er, it would be Of decided advantage to the
owners of slaves here, to dispose OF their
slaves and invest their capital in some other
way.
Ii is the working portion OF thus Com
monweaiIh, those who have 10 work their
way up from small beginnings in order to
gain a position for themselves and their
famlies--it is this class Of the community
who are interested in retaining the instItu-
,ion Of slavery in this State; because the
slaves keep out Paupef population.
These, with thousand other considera.
tons, convince me that free labor is cheap
err than slave labor, and tina; il is the work
ing portion Of the community alone that is
interested in keeping up this institution
We all know that the institution Of slavery
is the best in the world for keeping society
from becoming fixed and settled. Look at
those who were originally overseers in Viz
ginia and Kentucky at their first settle
ment. They have many Of them become
The propIietors of the very estates upon
which they were at first employed as over
seers. And their descendants now fill the
halls Of legislation and the courts Of judi
cature OF the country, whilst the descend
ants Of the original proPrietors have descen-
-ded to different level in the scale Of soci-
ETY.. Such revolutions in the condition Of
individuals do not take place half so often,
where the institution Of slavery does not
exist-where it is not recognized. Go to
New York and to Massachusetts and you
will find many estates that have descended
in the same families while the poor laborer
is the poor laborer still. 1t is true there
are exceptions, but not the same number
Of exceptions as under our institutions.
do not think it is the inter-
ests Of shareholders here, that they should
emancipate rather than keep their slaves,
because three per cent. is better than moth.
ing. II you take them away altogether
you sink sixty one millions Of dollars worth
of property, you sink one million eight hun
dred thousand dollars Of net profits annu-
ally that are derived from il, and take it
that we have the same right TO the offspring
that we have to the original property. 1t
is all secured by the same law and by the
same constitution, according TO every prin-
ciple that is right, proper, and Just. | am,
therefore, not for emancipation in any shape
or in any manner, except permissive eman-
cipation.
But there is another reason why slave
property is not going to remain as valua-
BILE as it is. Every man who lives on the
border OF the Commonwealth next to Vir-
GINA, where slave property is secured by
want OF facility to travel, knows that slaves
in the interior, even when forty, fifty, or
hundred miles distant from the other from.
tier, are less valuable on account Of the "a
cilities which they possess for escape, and
on account Of the interposition Of the med
desome abolitionists. Shall we then, as
matter OF pccuniary interest, 60 on invest
ing our capital in the purchase Of this des-
criptlon Of property, which is constantly
becoming less secure and less proftablel
Now, make use Of one observation which
probably some gentleman may take excep-
ton to. say there is no man living that
sees in the hand Of Providence what see,
that does not perceive that there is power
at work above us, that is above all human
institutions, and one that will yet prevail,
even in Virginia, Maryland, and Ken
lucky. Yes, there is a power at work
which is above all human power and one
which we cannot resist.
do not say that desire this; but that it
is coming--that i. is as steadily marching
upon US as we are marching forward to the
grave, and that we do not knew when it
will come is perfectly certain from the ev-
licences around US; and should we 60 on in
vesting our capital in this property we shall
ls..s .ls;- TO he the case. why. SIR. in .i.v
State of Maryland there is already a great
diminution in the value of that kind OF
property. do not say that there is pos
Tive diminution in the State Of Virginia,
but il ceases to increase to the extent that
it did formerly. The shadow upon the sun
dial is advancing sufficiently to show that
this is not growing or increasing in that
State; at all events, that the increase is not
so great as in time past. And the same
thing has already commenced in Kentucky;
and this proceeds from the power which
we cannot resist. We may tie it up
desire that it should be restricted by what
ever legislation we may adopt upon that
subiec,-but when the Deity has sent forth
his fat that this institution is to cease, it
mill cesse and no human effort can arrest