The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-04-06


According these terms Of the act. law by the ter
rtorla legislature intefposng distractions to the intro
duclion OF slaves mi sht be considered in force until
dsappoyed by Congress-uness indeed, the judiciary
might decide il TO be Inconsistent with the terms Of the
act" Here, then, might be brought forward in the
course of future events delicate for the action of
Congress. II Congress was 10 dsapproye the law j,
might be said that the federal wished TO thrust
slavery upon The territories against the will OF the people
there's and, the other hand Congress should refuse
to take any action in such leaving the law to work
its effect might be said that the government consented
to or sanctioned the Wmo Proviso in an indirect man.
ner. Should such contingency ever occur. we would
be more able to form safe conclusions by view OF the
circumstances that might attend at the time Of Its Oc
curreBce. But II should occur, what would
il amount 10 or what practical concern or Importance
could IT be TO the slaveholdng interests OF the South
Did any one believe that there is sane man--
la slaveholder-who, if premium or bounty OF fifty
dollars per head were offered BY the legislatures Of
those territories every slave introduced there could
ever be induced 10 take his slave property 10 the
eternal SHOWS, inaccessible hills, and boundess wastes
Of Utah and New Mexico, or 10 that vast line OF
Mexican frontier where they could not be kept!
What earthly ndueement could carry him there with his
slaves! Slaves to all ntents and purposes, CAPT
tal-asmuch as the machinery of manufacturing es
tabsment-- il is true in form by their moral
and personal nature and the ownership OF slaves was
expensive and undesirable unless compensated for by
income 10 pay dividends, at least TO deay expenses
Could slave labor be employed in any form in those Wild
bleak and inaccessible regions which would indemnify
the The holder Of such capital n ransplan'ing il there
Where the slaves to be had 10 take there Why
had Texas and Arkansas been reduced 10 cultivation
by slave labor to greater extent than they had been
two States combining fertile soil and greater advan-
ages for the employment of that of labor than any
other four OF the southern States The truth was, and
the simple answer TO these questions was, that we had
not the slaves and would have, to cultivate
the territory now open to slave labor. The very
small amount OF oar slave population, compared with
the vast, immense expanse OF territory embraced
within the limits of the fifteen slaveholding States
existing must force every rational mind to the con-
cuson that for long series OF generations there could
hn tnfs nfR
labor we had might have. slave populations, from
its nature never emigraed as early, rapidly or as
generally as the free white population twas almost
constituting large part OF the wealth oi its possessos
the giving value to the other. and both constituting
together the fixed permanent part of the wealth
OF the community where situated Shareholders generally
could not emgrae without selling their lands and 10 sell
lands in such large tracts as were generally held in
cen slave population to replace the portions egratihg
The limited number OF slaves compared with the terri
ritory have could not mach longer supply this cond
ton. t.& est ~ a.-t
The area Of the savehoding States now organized
amounted to something over nne hundred Thousand
holding, including California, amounted to something
near SIX hundred and fifty thousand square miles.
(65o ,oooD thus show ing the former, with far smaller
nearly fifty per cent He spoke OF the States At present
organized Countries in Europe not more fertile nor eapa
BILE OF sustaining dense poPuatlon-France and nay
for nsancehad from 65 to 1855 persons per square mile
others bad high $40; whilst the population OF the
siaveholdng States including slaves, did not exceed in
all probability persons per square mile To attain
density Of population in these States equal even 10 one
half that in France or Italy, would require reference 10
period remote and uncertain in the future that II ap
peared mockery OF philosophy If not Outrage upon hu
manily to make the basis OF extreme action at this
day.
But (said MIR Shields when cast our minds 90 far
into the future there great fact with It's incl
dents, which met the view OF the philosophical OBJ
and which could not be euded in the experience
OF coming generations. That fact was the vastly
disproporonate numbers and increase OF the white
population its pressure upon the slave population and
its influence upon the distribution OF land The slave
one,h OF the whole population OF the South, and one
eighth of the whole population of the Union The slave
part OF the population OF the South amounted to some
Thing near $4,000 0oo and its ratio of increase was not
much If any, 25 per cent every ten years. The
white population OF the Union amounted to near I'll ,3OQ-
900, and its ratio OF increase not far from 40 per
cent every years. Upon such data any one could
make the calculation as to what would be the relative
proportion Of the two populations a, any gysn nugsr
ton at the South, though no, so rapid heretofore e. al
the North, was destined mend its pace. Dissolution
OF the Union, southern confederacy or any other poli.
cal organizations would no, prevent it, Civil war might
reard but could not CONTROL The tendences ana order oi
nature.
In view Of such prospect could any reasonable mind
doub, that the South would find great relief to her
TEN of slave labor in the proximity OF territory even IN
New Mexico and Utah, for settlement by her own hardy
sons of the white race Would not the ossession Of
even OF the territory OF Mexico be desirable 70 her
for this purposel Might not tend to relieve pressure
To avert conflict that might possibly arise In tuc osstAn'
future between the wants OF large and increasing white
population the hand, and those oi capital employ
ed the possession and culture OF large bodies OF land
by slave labor the o,hers Night not the proximity
within the federal jurisdiction OF such territory, unAdaW
ed though il be 10 the production OF the great southern
staples operate important degree sort OF safety
valve 10 relieve PRESSURE resulting from the RAPID and
greatly dsproporionate OF while pop0aiion IN
The South II the men---he poor white men--who fret
settled Marengo were all here yet if there had been
new territory for them, and others like them in other
neigh bohoods go would there have been room Tor
capital 10 operate has done IN the acquisition and
cultivation by slave labor OF the rich lands within our
bordersi u4 IS .s.1
The non slaveholding part of the white population at
The South. il well known TO all who had any knoWi
edge OF the course of things in The first settlement Of new
States were the pioneers OF the wilderness. who went
ahead hunted over, and located upon the nch belts OF
new land Capal in the form OF slave labor, followed
them into such districts afforded suhc'eny inviting
for it's empoymentit purchased their spots
of GOOD land added TO them, and converted the whole
no large fields teeming with cotton, sugar, tobacco. corn
Arkansas ia the direction Of New Mexico and Utah. he
did not believe capital, the form OF slave labor would
ever extend ITSELF and for the two reasons-ls that we
had moi sufficient number OF slaves to allow capital 10
dhuse itself far IN that form and I'd. that II we
should ever have, the OF It's expansion wond be
towards the tropics EE1#a
Ia the course of future events, he influences and
necessities which would make the valleys and habhabe
belt, between the mountain ranges and wide wastes OF
bers OF the hardy OF the South and under such as
poets of the subject could be said that the South had
interest, lot share in the settlement and appro-
priation OF these territores'
Mr. Shields had but little say in regard TO the Texas
/ boundary The result OF the matter was that such