Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-03-02
g The Western Star (Elkhorn,) has

the following
We are in favor of Tariff, not only for reve.
nue. but for protection We are opposed to Sla-
very in every iorm,' &c.
This Is toIerabe manifestation of the popular
view of slavery. The opinion seems TO be preva-
lent that slavery its existence entirely TO GER
tain provisions in the statutes of southern states;
and out of the influence of these statutes there is no
slavery. Men will talk long and loud, and con
vuIse themselves and the country, not unreqrenly,
in inveighng against an evil, and hug its twin
brother to their very hearts, at the same time. In
our view, this is precisely the position of those
men who are opposed TO slavery, and in favor of
tariffs, whether for revenue or protection.
Slavery is not the creature of statute law on the
contrary the statute law on the subject is the crea
ture of slavery and it does not follow as matter
of course that where there is direct statute law
on the subject there there is no slavery England
boasts that slavery does not exist upon her soil,
and yet in truth, her slaves far outnumber her free
men. If we admitted the popular idea that there
was slavery except that which had originated
the chattel laws the subject, hen the boast OF
Engl land has truth and merit; but if slavery exists
where men are pundered of all their earnings, and
robbed of every right, then it exists the world over
moi less in the northern states of this Union than
the southern and certainly not less in Engand than
in other portions of the earth. If this be the
il behooyes all who are placed in the position Of
teachers to examine we'll their ground, TO the end
that they may not hand be inveghng
against evils which with the other they are
strengthening.
Now it seems to us it will not be denied that in
Europe, and particularly in Great Britain, men are
p!undered of their earnings and robbed of their
rights; and it is equally clear and will not probably
be denied, that they are enslaved. The magnitude
and character Of the slavery must be Judged of by
its results And where let us ask, does chattel sa>
very present picture equal in hideousness to that
presented by the slavery of Europe We wish to
call attention TO the principles or causes at the
bottom this, and moreover wish to show that all
slavery is the offspring OF common principle, the
principle of taking from the people the products of
their hands without remuneration
We assert then. that a tariff, whether for plotec
ton or revenue, is prolific parent of slavery and
he who advocates such tariff is champion of sla
very. tariff from its nature, and from very ne>
cessty, is tax upon the many for the benefit OF
the few. 1t is a tax upon The poorer class of PEG.
| pie for the benefit of the richer; and its ineyta-
| Bile tendency is to make the rich richer, and the
poor poorer; to create extremes of wealth and poy
erty and 10 make those hideous social inequalities
which peculiarly mark European society And il
is the same whether it be tariIfor revenue or pro-
| lection, for they but different degrees OF the
same principle, and will work in the lapse of time
corresponding results.
| 1t is system which robs the laborer of his hard
earned wages it takes from hun tie means of life
and reduces him to the condition, ifnot of the chat
tel slave, condition equally productive OF evil re-
suits, that of hired slave. We know of no evils
OF chdttel slavery, which do not exist quite as hid
eously and forcibIy in wages slavery; and as a
tariff is the chief parent of wages slavery. we
would not give one fg for the anti slavery feeling
which, confined alone TO chattel slavery, advocates
such system of slavery as tariff for revenue and
protection. CHS