Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-02-22
ANTI-SLAVERY FEELING IN
THE SOUTH.

To show one view of the slavery question,
which seems 10 be very generally entertained in
the South, we copy the following article from
the Savannah (Georgia) Republican,
The importation Of Slaves into Georgia. We
took occasion some eight or ten days since to
express our views somewhat at length on The
proPrleiy of prohibiting any farther Importation
OF slaves from Maryland, Virginia, and Ken.
lucky. We return 10 the subject today, princ-
paliy Tor the purpose of keeping it before the
people. 1t will not be considered improper, we
hope, to remark in this connection, that we have
noticed but two other papers in the State, the
chronicle d Sentinel, and the Federal Union,
which have taken hold Of the subject, the 70 mer
seine weeks ago, and the latter recently. We
Shall lay their able articles before the reader at
an early day. Instead of endeavorng to work
the public mind into o state of feverish excite
Inent In regard to the insane movements of n
lew rabid aboltlonsts and ultrasts about Wash
ington city, and sowing broadcast in the COM
munlty incendiary and disunon sentiments.
there are other presses in Georgia, which might
do the State some service by turning to The
question. It's subject of much importance to
.he people OF the South, and the integrity of our
INSTITUTIONS, and well worthy of the best efforts
vi sie press. we have had enough alarms
and crises of agitation and dsunion.' and of
long since, II 1t could be done by the poppir-iay
ueuiagogues and hotspurs of the day; and we
snould be glad to see the press not only in Geor-
ga, out In the other Southern States, turn their
attention TO the subject as one of real Importance
we showed In our previous article that Vir-
gina, Maryland, Kentucky, and we NAV include
missouri, are rapidly Riding themselves of their
slaves oy sending them further South. AS soon
Us .ney shdll have disposed of the younger and
,iore saIeaDie portion of them, they will be viii
ing enough 10 initiate the Northern States and
emanclpate The remnant which NAV he lef, On
hahd' In this way they will soon become FREQ
states, whereas 1t is our interest that thew should
relHa'h as lhey are; and instead of there heinz
il'teeh saVe-holdlng and fifteen non-savehold.
!ne states, as Tiers now are, we shall have nine
Teen OF the latter and but eleven of the former
III ADDITION to this, we showed that the value of
our slaves and of their labor must suffer in pro-
Po''ioh TO the importations from abroad. If we
aIIeady nave slaves enough for the agricultural
"an'e u, Tue Slate, the more we permit TO be i'm
ported the less valuable must those become
which we now have.
Inc penal code of 1888, prohibits any intro
uuctloh OF slaves from other States, except by
PERSONS residing IN the State, or such as are mo
wig INTO ~ with view TO become residents. =
me penalty annexed to the violation of the stat
ute Is a fine of $500 and Imprisonment in the
Penleht'ary from one to three years for every
siave thus brought into the State, and is appl.
eaote alik9 to the seller and the purchaser. Not
mit'stand'ng the severity of this punishment, the
anJ 10 constantly evaded by corrupt Spectators
aha hundreds OF negroes are annually introduced
anu sod IL is practice among these specula-
tors' after having agreed with their several mr..
chSsers upon the prices to be paid, to take The
railroad or stage to the nearest point in Alaba.
ma or South Carolina, and there make out and
sign their bills Of sale. 1t is not unlrequenty
the case that even residents in the State intro
duce large numbers of slaves for purposes Of
sale. They first take them to their plantations
as II for the purpose of employing them, and af
ter Keeping them there few weeks to eyade the
law, they offer them for sale.
All this is corrupt violation of the law and
as nobody is particularly benefited by such pro.
ceedings except the spectators, than whom
there is not more vile and unfeeing class OF
people in the whole county, we hope it will no,
longer be permitted. The law should be so a.
mended as to reach every case; and until this
can can pc done, we respectfully suggest to the ju.
olciai authorities throughout the State, and es.
pecally 10 the grand juries in the several coun-
ues, 10 orng to notice every violation of it that
.huy come within their knowledge. We think
me Judges IN each district would do well to cal
the attention OF the juries 10 their section of the
cc9e' ana to Impress upon them the necessity OF
referring indictments in all cases. without fea,
or favor. ~ 'S"