The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-03-06

year 2 60 Hfrrf7esS ~ .ss ,Eere slaves
and as black as they n1w. are. Siihco
thensin tina. country where they were
placed by Providence, and Where, from
their peculiar constitution, they enjoy
the best health, they have existed oniy
as savages. They are there continual.
" made slaves by the men Of more in
,ttelligent sayages. Nor have; they. ever
gotten out. Of tie tropical partsof Afri-
ca, except when they were carried as
merchandise. It remains to Be proved
however, yet to The world, that the
negro, any more than the horse, call
permanently exist, in a state of free.
dom, out of the tropical regions. Their
decay at the North, us well as other
circumstances which have no. time
to detail, are adverse to the proportion.
And yet, sir, the Journals Of the North.
while they deny that the French and
the Germans, the most enlightened Of
continental nations, of Europe, are
c, Of freedom, stoutly maintain
is; the negro, who has
whcn left TO himself,
gotten up to the respectable state Of
barbarism which all the other races
have attained, not even excepting our
Indians in Mexico. and Peru.
While the people of the northern
States and the negroes have boen benc-
fitted, am otprepared to admit that
the South Gfinjured at all } has suffered
as generally supposed. The influx Of
foreign 4emigrants, and some other cir.
cumstances to which will presently ad-
vert, have in come respects put the
North greatly ahead. But if you de,
duct the foreign population which goes
chiefly to the North-the little we get
not being equal 20 ttst portion of our
own people who 90 to, the northwestern
States; if you deduct this, I say, it will
be found that the white population OF al! al!
the slayeholding States has increased
faster then that of the free. Owing to
the comfortable condition OF our popu.
lation, il there had been no emigration
from abroad, the descendants sef our
portion of. the Ameri: ss ssEs e,iiy
would be more numerous than the nor.
thern. Nor is it true that we are the
poorer: on the contrary,,if we are to
take the valuations Of property in the
different States as assessed by the pub
lie officers, it appears that the slayehol.
ding States are much richer in proper
ton to their population than The free.
Even if you exclude the negroes as Lro-
perty, and count them in the popula.
ton, it appears that the citizens of
Virglnia-the oldest of the slave States
--are richer per head then the cisi.
zens of any one of the free States. 1t
will also appear that the slaveholding
States have vastly less pauperism and
crime than the northern States. Look.
ing, therefore, at all these different ele.
ments, VIZ, greater increase of popula.
ton, more wealth, and less poverty and
crime, we have reason to regard our
people as prosperous and happy.
Sir, [ have not, for want of time.
gone into details on these points, but
contented myself with the statement Of
those general views which every candid
inquirer will, | am satisfied, 6,id to be
true. | do not seek to make compare
sons that might be regarded as invidi.
Gus, unless by way of defence against
habitual attacks on us; but I regard it
as right to say on this occasion. that
whether considered with reference to
the physical comfort Of the people, or
a high state ofpublic and private NOR
ais, elevated sense Of honor, and all
generous emotions, / have no reason to
believe that a higher state of civilation
either now exists elsewhere, or has ex-
isted at any time in the past, than is
presented by the southern States of
the Union. ,sr.
When we look to foreign countries.
these views are confirmed and sustain
ed. Brazil, with population of two
slaves to. one freeman, is the most pros.
porous of the South American States,
and the only one which has a stable DO.
litical system. Cuba is greatly in ad.
vance Of the other West India islands,
though St, Domingo and Jamaica once
eqnalled her before the emancipation
OF their slaves. Besides the expense
OF maintaining her government at home,
Cuba pays Spain revenue Of nearly
fourteen millions. This is a greater
sum for her population than two hun.
dred millions would befor the Upi.ed
States. Could our people in addition
tot to the expense ofour State governments
pay Six times as much as the Federal
Government has ever yet raised by.
import and taxes? That Cuba should
be able TO bear this burden and still
Prospsr, IS evidence of the high pro.
ductisaness of5tha system. q Il
lnspite, however, ofthese great facts.
~ |. ~ 4. . 10 n Il.