The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-16
FREE VS.. SLAVE LABOR.
THE SUGAR CROP OF LOUISIANA
Ernn, tLe Me- OLL.nuS RnLlefIa.


highly interesting and valuable work, as regards
this great staple of the State, and one which has
required much labor care, and attention, IN col
lecting the correct details to accomplish which,
Mr. c. has been unremittedly employed for many
months, and has visited almost every sugar plant
alton scattered through so many parishes, and In
every section of the State. The publication con-
tains correct lists Of all the sugar plantations in
the State, separately detailed for each parish,
with the names of the owners, quantity of each
crop, distance from the city, &c.
1t appears there are in the State 1886 sugar
plantations Of which there are s65 provided with
steam power and GIL worked by horse power.
The produce of these plantations, during the last
season, amounted to PAT, 923 hogsheads, the net
weight of which is estimated at 269,79G,00O
pounds This includes an estimated weight of
about 2, 500 900 pounds of wet sugar which is
taken from the bottom of the molasses cisterns.
The molasses is estimated at 40 gallons to each
| 1000 pounds of sugar or, in the aggregate
about 1p, 900 900 of gallons. or the above ,536
plantations, there are only ,455 which are pro-
ducipg ones, and 81 which have been recently
opened, having as yet made no crops or these
latter, 81 will produce crops to limited extent
next season. and 10 not until lS31-52.
Since 1916, there have been erected in the
State 355 engines and sugar mills, most Of them
to replace old ones, or those previously worked
by horse power. OF these engines and mills the
foundries of Cincinnati have furnished PSI,
Pittshurg 81, Richmond 7, Baltimore 4, Louisville
3, New Orleans 10, Algiers (La) ?. Gretna (La9
g. and the Novelty works, New York, 8. We
presume that these engines and mills, on aver
age cost at least IS ,OOO and with the sugar ket-
ties, &c, would make nearly two millions of dol
- % yyefiSiape hsa asd to Der sister States
for machinery alone during the above period
Some Of the plantations have refneries, and
others make their entire cropin white clarified su-
gar Many of these latter have very costly appara-
tus and machinery, for which from 500 900 to
$40 600, $4,000 and even as high as $40 900, have
been expended, which adds greatly to the above es
innate of the amount paid by the planters of the
State to citizens of the other States for that kind
o. supplies.
Mr.. Champomier estimates the loss to the sugar
crop last year, by the different crevasses, at
Is, 900 hogsheads.
Mr.. C.. says, from the best information he has
been able to obtain from Texas, there not less
than thirty-fve sugar plantations there, that will
export about 10000 hogsheads of the present
crop. of 900 pounds each, and that the export
from thence next year will probably be double
that quantity.
The foregoing statement will afford US conve-
nient opportunity Of contrasting the utility Of
slave labor with that Of free.
The number of sugar estates for the season OF
ls49-'5O is stated at 1886, of which s65 are pro.
-ided with steam power, and GIL with horse pow
y ~. The same writer from whom the Bulltn
eorroNs these statements, Mr.. Champomier, makes
similar report for the year 1884, which may be
found in the annual report of the Secretary Of
the Treasury for the year ls45, page 1875, reca-
pitulated, page 746. In the season Of lS44-'43
there were only 1852 sugar estates in Louisiana,
less than half the present number. Ofthese, 4Os
were provided with steam. and 1854 with horse
power
| Other statements contained in the same repor,
Of Mr.. Walker, made by intelligent planters and
merchants of Louisiana furnish US with data upol
which to estimate the present number and valu
Of the slaves employed in the production of sugar
Edmund J. Forstall, Esq, merchant of Ne,
Orleans, responds to Mr.. Secretary Walkers cir
culars, and estimates the value of capital nveste
in the sugar business, upon the best data in hi
possession He arrives at the conclusion, that tn
value Of land, slaves, and machinery employee,
in the production of sugar for the season lS44J45
at 100000 But he admits that he adopt
the census returns of 1910 as to the number o
slaves, and makes no addition for the increase o
FIVE years. In view Of the fact that the cultur
was rapidly on the increase, it is fair to infe
that the number and value of the slaves had in
creased twenty five per cent There were 50,67
of all ages and sexes thus employed in 1910 AM
twenty five per cent upon this number would b
about 2,5OO-making say $4,000 for lS44-4:
From the same source, Mr. Walkers report, W
devne the fact, that the slaves, large and small
are valued at $500 per head at which price W
must add the value of IL 800 in order to obtaiI
the true value Of capital invested in the suga
business for the year lS45. The sum thus oh
tanned is 81, 900 900. This, added to Mr. Forstalp
estimate, gives sos 600, 600 for the value of land
slaves, and machinery, employed in the produc
ton of sugar, in the State of Louisiana, in 1916
According to the recent estimate of Mr.. Champo
mier for the year lSi9-50, the number Of estate
has doubled, and, consequently, the amount o
capital and number Of slaves. At this rate, Their
must be capital Of $3.50 0O0, O0O including &c O0t
slaves. The value Of these slaves at $500 each i
/ o)foo,VoV-aOo'shS why louOUuO lOT IN
value Of land, machinery &c. What, then, be
comes Of the economy or cheapness of slav
labor Is it not apparent that s79, 200 900 i,
capital is allsufiicient to produce the sugar cro
of louisiana whereas slavery requires the sun
of sl30O 900, OOO7
The single state of facts presented above i
sufficient to demonstrate that capital invested il
slavery is wholly unproductive. II has nothin,
to do with production Its office is sim
ply to appropriate the wages of the laborer. l
Louisiana were free State, 79,20O 600 woul,
produce the sugar crop; and, although Their
would be wider distribution of the profits, still
the product would be the same and society woul
be equally enriched by it.
1t is to be remarked that the culture of suga
requires much greater outlay than any othe
crop, in consequence Of the manu- iacture bein
combined with the production of the article
W. Harris and Others planters of Louisians
whose letter will be found in Mr. Walkers re
port, estimate that the expenses Of sugar cstat
are three times greater per hand than for a cot
ton plantation-not for the maintenance of tn
slave, but in proportion to the number employed
The expense of maintaining a slave is perhap
less on a sugar than a cotton estate, in conse
quence Of the manufacture of molasses. 1t i
stated by the same writer, Mr.. Harris and hi
associates, at $50 per annum for food and cloth
ing The investment Of the sugar grower, there
fore is three times greater than that of the cottOl
planter in lands, buildings, machinery, &c, and
consequently, we have not presented the subjec
above in it's strongest aspect The fact is vel
known, that in the cotton culture the value of tn,
slaves constitutes the bulk Of the planters capital
and the longer he remains in one situation thu
ureaar thu d;soronortio he~ovoaa hat aou m M,