The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-12-01
Emancipation on the Soil the True Policy
OF Kentucky.

characterization ON the Soil the True Policy |
OF Kentucky.
There are but few Of the advocates Of slavery
who are not in the habit Of asserting that the
whites and blacks are mutually improved by
living together in the relation OF masters and
slaves, and, at the same time, they also assert
with great emphasis that, il that relation were
destroyed, the proximity Of the two races would
be mutually destructive TO them. Indeed, so
frequently has the assertion been made that the
two races cannot live together unless the one lie
enslsved, that it has become an article Of the
popular faith which few question and scarcely
any deny. The emsncipationists have too gen.
orally conceded that eKpatriatiOn ought to be
associated with any plan Of emancipation the
State may adopt. Thus, although pro-slavery
men and anti-slsvery men differ utterly on the
wisdom and policy OF slavery, there is much
harmony in their views in relation TO the i'm
possibility of the two races living together in
the same community if both be free.
We have long been of the opinion that there
is much unsOundness in the public mind on this
subject, and we design in this article TO place
on record some OF the conclusions which We
have arrived at after a calm survey Of the whole
field. The question to which we now invite
the attention Of our readers, is this:-If the
State of Kentucky resolve on emancipaling the
slaves within her borders. ought she, at the same
time, to make provision for their forcible remo-
vall
During the recent discussion Of slavery in
this State, several schemes of emancipation were
proposed, nearly all Of which had repatriation
associated with them. The emancipationists
thereby assumed double duty. They under
took to prove that slavery is grevous curse,
which ought to be abolished, and at the same
time 10 show that African colonization is FEAST
bic and would greatly benefit the slave
Against the scheme Of African colonization,
ennsidArsd with reference In The ---~---I ~f ali
the descendants Of all the slaves now In Ken
lucky, the slavery men coniended with great
fervor and not little force. They estimated
the cost Of removal, and showed what an enor-
nous tar the people Of Kentucky must submit
to in order 10 transfer our black population to
the shores Of Africa. 1t is true that the emsn.
ciPstionists met this difficulty by asserting tina,
the expense Of transportation would be derived
frSm the hire of the colOred people before their
exPatriation. But il was extremely difficult to
make the advocates Of slavery understand that
the scheme Of African colonization, as applied
to the two hundred thousand slaves Of Kentuc-
Ky, was even pecuniary possibility.
Again-the slavery men contended that the
humanity Of coercive colonization was Iot very
clear, end argued that they who detained
against the cruelty Of keeping negro families
together in slavery ought to be particularly
guarded how they cast their influence in favor
Of a system Of equalization which, Of ineuits6le
necessity, would rend the dearest affections Of
the human heart, and forever break up the as
sociation Of families, by tearing mothers and
fathers from sons and daughters, and sending
the latter into perpetual exile from the love and
the guardianship Of the former. The phiIan-
throPy Of emancipation, when connected with
e1Patriation, was therefore made to appear ex-
,remeIy doubtful.
These are difficulties Of great magnitude and
seriousness which must forever lie In the way
OF those who propose emancipation coupled
with colonization, as the only remedy for sla-
very. Many Of those emsncipationists who
felt that these difficulties are almost insupera-
bic, declared that Whatever scheme Of emanci.
patton the State might adopt, the result would
be the removal Of a majority Of the slaves to
distant homes and slavery farther South
But still this view OF the case scarcely mitig.ted
the force Of the reasonings which pro- slavery
men used TO show that colonization was too
costly to be endured, and too cruel to be wor-
thy to be held by any genuine philanthropisi;
for IL was not very obvious how the cause Of
humanity was to be advanced by transfer of
the negroes from slavery in Kentucky to slave
ry in Mississippi and Alabama. II was said,
and with great pertinency, that If the negroes
are TO be kept in slavery at all, it is far better
for them to remain in Kentucky, where slavery
eyists under as mild a form as it can, than to
be carried to the extreme southern States where,
on account Of the vast number Of slaves and
the nature Of their employment, the institution
presents an aspect Of fearful sternness. And,
moreover, 1t was objected that any scheme,
which looked simply TO the removal Of the
curse Of slavery from Kentucky, and cared not
II the curse were transferred 10 other States
was selfish scheme, and scheme wanting in
good faith towards the sister States of the con-
federacy. There 10 great weight in these objec-
tons; for no true hearted patriot would desire
to benefit his own section Of the country at
the cost Of other ssctons,-and the success
Of any scheme Of professsd philanthropy is
more than doubtful which rests, or seems 10
rest. on basis Of selfishness.
The advocates Of freedom were very success
fal in their efforts to show that slavery ought
% be abolished; but there IL reason to doubt
whether they succeeded In making 1t perfectly
clear that African colonization is the best rem
edy that can be found for slavery.
Were not our friends too hasty and ineon.
sidsraie who conceded to the pro-slavery men
that Il would he better to retain the negroes in
slavery Than to emancipate them on the soil q
Did they not, In making this admission, defer
% an unsound prejudics, rather than act con-
FORMALLY to the sxPsrisass and common sense
Of mankind