The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-03-10

tanning a long and able editorial upon "lhs IN
terest Of non-slaye owners In the slavery eues-
tion," has been placed in my hands. With Its
party bearings have nothing to do-for in my
discussion of the subject, am resolved to know
neither Wing nor Democrat. Its leading idea
seems to be "the importance Of the issue" pre- |
scented In the slavery question; and its leading |
purpose, to draw the attention ofsouthern read |
ers to that importance, under the belief that
sthey must settle definitely" the issue itself
Eat no distant day" Aside from the intellec-
tual pleasure enjoyed in reading the article,
was gratihed TO it, for the reason that II in
dicates disposition in the public mind to come
up manfully to discussion Of the merits OF the
question and hear what is to be said upon either
side. say ga disposition in the public mind"
for editors and their correspondents, however
anfettsred in their thoughts and in the express
sion Of them through the press, still write for
living readers, and, unless deficient in common
sense,) upon such subjects as those for whom
they write are more OF less interested and ready
to investigate.
The immediate object Of the "Union," Is
pointed out by the caption Of the article which
is TO be one of a series. "The interest Of nom
Shareholders in the slavery question" Such is
Its heading. "The idea prevails extensively"
he states, "that none but the owners of slaves
are interested in the question; whilst those who
are not such owners may look on with indiffsr-
snce as to the result" In endeavoring to prove
the error Of this supposed impression, and to
show that the nOn-slavehOlding white Popula-
ton Of southern States, have a personal interest
in Perpetuating the institution of slavery, he
has made candid admission, which is worthy
the attention Of all shareholders. II is as fol-
lows
| The italics and capitals are my own.l
"Slavery once existed In these very northern
States. where opposition TO il now prevails with
most force. IL was not abolished because II was
esteemed a moral evil, but because experisnes
and inrsstigsti0a satisfied tAem that IL ccs po-
| lfieIi evil-that Is, BECAUSE 1T WAS AscERrAINEp
THAT SLAVE LABOR WAS LESS PROFITABLE THAN
FREE LABOR. As soon as this discovery was
made, il became a matter Of self interest 10 pro-
vide for the abolition Of slavery, and the
fell from the cOlOred man, simply because his
owner could make more money by employing
free laborers."
i have no doubt that in the assertion that slave
~ was abolished in the northern States, not be-
cause II was esteemed a moral evil, but simply
because experience and investigation satisfied
them that it was political evil, injustice 10
done them. Il would be unchartable to at
tribute to the motives Of arrant se6shness alone,
in the humane work Of emancipation which
| they accomplished. We have reason to believe
that they considered slavery to be both morally
and politically wrong, and that, moved by the
joint, harmonious influence of these two consid-
erations, they abolished it. The admission of
the "Union" is, however, both truthful and
important, that experience and Investigation
evil" that is, "that slave labor was less profita-
BILE than free labor
Now this is an important fact to shareholders,
especially to those living in East Tennessee,
where slave labor is less valuable than IL il
further south. Suppose II to be true, that free
labor is not slDsys. at all times and In all places,
more profitable to the employer than slave labor;
that IL was because the soil of the northern
States Ia adapted grain growing and pasturage
rather than The production of cotton, rice and
sugar, and because manufacturing pursuits were
found to be suited to the gsnius of the people
and the character Of the country, that they abol-
ishsd slavery. Do not the same causes operate
now In East Tsnnsssse. that then influenced
them7 Every one knows that the chief pro-
ducts Of the South win not yield even a moder-
ate return for labor with U.S. Negroes are not
needed by Us 10 grow corn and wheat and oats.
Employed in that way. they will scarcely feed
--n.i .iesAa- thsm~>iu..- az th.y d. chat Il Is
prOvsrhial. too, that East Tennessee has a pe-
caliar adaptation by nature to manufacturing
purposes; and II understand the facts of the
case, IL Is in manufacturing, that the especial
excellence of free labor over slave labor is man.
fest In the course of his argument. thu
"Union" makes this averment: "Whenever
slave labor become less valuable than free labor.
slaves viii be liberated" do not doubt that
that time has arrived In this section, If not in
the other divisions of Tennessee, In many in.
stances. the slave IL known to be an absolute 4.
upon the owner; and II Is probable that he Is
more or less so, in all instances. Why, then,
should he be kept In bondsge7
Some persons seem to cherish the idea that
the interests of the northern and southern State,
are hostile to each other In the very nature Of
things, and must always remain so. This
thought Is so strongly impressed upon their
minds, that 1t pervades and discolors their view,
Of every subject they investigate. But IT is
certainly erroneous. The true interest of one
member Of the body polite, must be that of all
the others; and that Of all the others must be
that of the one. The true interests of the North
and the South can not really clash. They are
indeed one. But suppose for a moment, that as
the "Union" teaches, the feeling at the North
in favor Of the abolition of slavery at the South,
springs from desire neither to benefit the slave
nor to injure his master, but to advance their
own pecuniary interests, by reducing the price
of labor, and so reducing the price of cotton.
II 'the price Of cotton, the great staple of the
South, regulates the price of all other articles"
II must regulate the prices Of articles manufac-
tured at the North. II the price Of cotton
falls, the prices of their manufactured articles
must also fall. Wherein, then, 10 the immense