The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-08-01
WAsHlNqToN June 10, 80

OFeg0B'
WASHINGTON June 10, so.
| received note from you some
days ago, making certain inquiries, but
which, up to this time, have been un~
able to answer. / desire to take TO
part in the question now dividing the
country, but as you have asked my
Judgment upon the matter which ap-
pears to be disputed point. ! cannot,
consistently. with the law Of courtesy,
refuse you an answer. That answer
will be IN conformity with what have
frequently said, heretofore, In private
conversation with gentlemen on this
subject.
The point Of inquiry seems to be,
whether slave labor could be pro6tabTy
employed w Oregon. California, Utah
and New Mexico. lfthe nature Of the
climate and resources ofthese countries
are such as to furnish profitable mark.
at FIR slaaalabers il aPpears to be con-
ceded, on all sides, that it would be In
troduced, If left free to seek profitable
investment, like other capital, The
whole point at issue, then, is depend
ent, as it is conceived, upon the deter.
minatron of the first point Of inquiry.
Hence to that point, only, is it me-
cessary for me to confne my answer.
| need not remind you of the law
regulating the Investment Of capital
1t will always go where, under all cir
cnmstances it will yield the greatest
return to theowner. Upon this prin-
ciple / am very clear, that slave labor
if Unrestricted, could be employed in
Oregon, with at least double the profit
to the owner of the slave that it now
yields in any State in the Union. !
am uniformed as to the usual price Of
slave labor in the States but the price
paid to Indians in Oregon during the
past year, for. labor, has ranged form
two to three dollars per day. Domes-
tic negro servants, whether male or
female, who understand the business of
house work, would command, readily
FIVE or SIX hundred dollars year. |
recollect well. that there was a mulatto
man on board the vessel IN which | took
passage from Oregon to San Francisco,
who was pad one hundred and eighty
dollars per month for his service as
cook. | will not stop to particularize
further. in regard TO the Inducements
Oregon would offer to unrestricted
slave labor, but will simply add, that a
very large number Of slaves might now
be employed in Oregon at annual wages
sufficiently large II purchase their free
dom. / think therefore, that the Loint
is settled SO far as Oregon is concerned,
and that slave labor, Il il had been left
free to seek profitable employment,
would readily find its way to that ter,
ritory.
Asto California, am equally clear
California will always be mining coun-
try, and wages will always range high
AT present slave labor in California
would be more profitable than in Ore
gon. And / have always been OF the
opinion, that wherever there is MIN.
ing country, if not in climate unconc,
genial to slave labor, that species OF
labor would be profitable. That i
would be in California mines is evi-
dent. A good, able bodied slave
would have commanded in California
during the past year, from eight 70 tsO
hundred per annum. When i Is re-
collected that one hundred dollars per
annum, upon an average. is consider
I'd cook compensation fpr their labor
in the southern States, It is idle, 10 my
Judgment, to contend that slaves would
notbe carried to California market, i
protected BY law.
The. greatest impediment winch
white labor has to encounter IN the