The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-07-16

male, who understand the business of house
work, would command, readily, five or six hun.
dred dollars a year. | recollect well, that
there was mulatto man OH board the vessel on
which took passage from Oregon to San Fran.
cisco, who paid one hundred and eighty.
dallsrs per month for his services as cook. I
will not stop to particnlarize further in regard
to the inducements Oregon would offer to un-
restricted slave labor, but will simply add, that
a very large number of slaves mi ght now be
employed in Oregon, at wages sufficiently large
to purchase their freedom. think, therefore,
that the point is settled, so far as Oregon is
concerned; and that slave labor, if it had been
left free to seek profitable employment, would
readily finds its way into that territory.
AS to California, am equally clear. Cali.
fornia will always be mining country, and
wages will range high. At present. slave la
Dor would be more profitable than in Oregon.
And have always been of the opinion, that,
wherever there is mining country; if not in a
climate uncongenial to slave labor, that species
of labor would be profitable That it would
be in the California mines is evident. A good,
able bodied slave would have commanded in
California during the past year from eight to
ten hundred dollars per annum. When it is
recollected that one hundred dollars per annum
upon an average, is considered a good com.
pensation for their labor in the Southern States,
it is idle in my judgment, to contend that
slaves would not be carried to the California
market if protected by law.
The greatest impedment which white labor
has to encounter in the mines, is the intensity
of the heat and the prevalence of bilious disea.
| -, III. L II n
other is pestental. Against both of these
the negro is almost proof. Now, while white
labor is SO high, it is evident that no one can
hire white laborer, except at rate that would
consume his profit Not so with negro labor.
That species Of labor might be obtained for
half the amount which you would have to pay
for white labor. The result will be profit
alike to the hirer and seller of slave labor
There is no doubt, in my Judgment that almost
any number of slaves might be hired out in
California, were the whites to allow it, at from
eight to ten hundred dollars year. This is
pay so much above what their services com.
nland in the States, as to satisfy any one, that
could this species of service be protected in
California, it would rush to the Pacific in al.
most any quantity.
Mexico. have no doubt, from what knowl.
edge have of those countries, that they will
turn out to be filed with the richest mines.
clip the following from a rero"t paper, contain
ing the news from Texas and chihuahua:
"Mr. James was informed by Major Neigh.
bors and Mr.. Lee Vining, that they had been
shown by Major Stein, some gold washed out
BY his troops, on the ella river on short ex,
cursion to that stream.
"Ihere are at FL Paso in the hands of diff
ferent persons. several large amounts of silver
ore, taken from the mines in that neighborhood,
With guarantees of titles to lands and protec-
ton from Indians only short time would e.
lapse before all these mines would be we'll
worked and We would have large quantities Of
metal seeking market through this place."
And if you consult Fremonts map, printed
by order of the Senate in ls4S, you will find
near the source of one of the branches of the
ella river, cooper and gold mines" laid down.
And if am not greatly mistaken, it will turn
out that the Mormons are in possession Of the
the richest kind of mines east of the Sierra Me-
vida. 1t is known too, that the silver and cop
per mines, have, for many years, been worked
in New Mexico, and am informed by Hugh
". Smltn, Esq. that lheic are III tuaI tetiilott,
gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc mines of the
richest quality, and that the reason why they
have not been worked more extensively, is that
it is prevented by the incursions of the Indians,
He is of the opinion, and he is borne out by
what history we Gan get on the subject, that
when these mines shall come to be explored,
their wealth will turn out to be enormous.
When YOU once cast your eye over that
country lying west of the Rocky Mountains,
and east Of the Sierra Nevada, and are inform
ed of the popularity of the gold bearing region,
YOU at once become convinced that the United
States is in possession of mineral wealth so
vast that ages will not be able to measure Its
extent And when these mines shall begin to
be developed, their uquestionabe richness
known, population will set that way, attended
with the usual consequences: high prices anda
demand for labor If slave labor is like other
capital, if it will go where it is best paid; then
we have right to say it will seek these mines,
and become part of the producing capital of
the country where those mines are located
That these whole regions are filled with rich
mines arc equally certain and that they can be
proftably worked by slave labor is sure
| Hence, were | Southern man, and my proper.
~ ;nyastod in slaves, | should consider the