The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-09
SPEECH OF W. B. SHEPARD In THE NORTH
CAROLINA LEGISLATURE.

| We continue our notice OF this speech.
Like other pro-slavery men, Mr.. Shepard sp-
pears to entertain contradictory opinions of the
system Of slavery-at one time considering it a
blessing at another curse. For example, he
holds that providence has permitted the bar
barous African to be brought here for wise and
benefcent purposes "-and what are they2 They
are all summed up in this The negro race has
been permitted by a kind Providence to be brought
here, for the purpose Of cultivating malarious
country Were this 80, the negro might well
be tempted to question that wisdom which could
find no better employment for him. Mr.. Shepard
proceeds" G uded by the science and energy of
the white man, the power and endurance of the
negro race has been the sole and only means Of
reducing vast regions of malarious country into
cultivation, which would otherwise forever have
remained wilderness and, sir, unless mistaken
legislation interfere when the mission of the race
is fulfilled here, the same nscrutable wisdom may
carry it to other regions similarly situated to SUBJ
due the earth and replenish it." Well-we agree
with Mr. Shepard to this extent: that wisdom
which employs itself in driving a whole race in
chains from one country to another without allow
ing it to obtain home anywhere,) for the purpose
of cultivating malarious regions for the benefit of
others, is very "inscrutable," especially as this
race seems to have another mission, which is, "to
] impoverish and exhaust country For, Mr..
Shepard has scarcely done showing how slavery
| is blessing before he frames an elaborate argu-
ment resting on the assumption that it is curse !
This argument is so mportant-showing, as it
does conclusively, the sounduess of the policy of
Free Soil-that we cannot forbear quoting the
whole of it.
"There is one view of the slave question to
which | wish to call the attention of this Senate
and if possible through them, Of the people Of
North Carolina. | will suppose, what few per-
sons believe, that the North is satisfied with the
late adjustment or compromise Of the slave ques-
tan that having excluded the stakeholder from
all the benefits of California and New Mexico,
and arrested the slave trade in the District of Co
lumbia she is contented with her triumph, and
will cease all further aggressions on the South
1t is a settled principle that slavery must be
restricted within its present limits the whole
power of the Federal Government is hereafter to
be brought to bear against any expansion of this
institution
81 .et us examine to what condition this prnci-
! pie will bring the South, and particularly North
| Carolina, the Union-loving North Carolina We
are told by the first census taken in the United
States after the adoption of the Constitution (viz
| 1907 that there was then in the whole Union
| 697,S9 slaves; by the census of 1910, this num-
Der had increased to 2,lS7, 355-showing that the
law of increase for the black population of fifty
years was more than three times and half; in
the same proportion in 1890, before the close of
the present century, which is now half gone, the
slave population within the Union will amount TO
within fraction of nine millions. Now sir |
would ask those dear lovers of the Union who
are rejoicing upon the passage Of the Compromise
BILL if they believe this Union can exist NTH nine
millions Of human beings pemnd mp ia slavery IN HE
verv centre of the Republic? And even supposing
this vast population should continue to be quiet
and orderly, it is well worth an inquiry what
in all humsn probability will be the pecuniary
condition Of the owners Of these slaves We
know that the SLAVE cultivation is an e1tausing and
imporerishing one 10 The sod. This must always
necessarily be more less the case the slave Is
an admirable pioneer to clear and ditch new
lands but even now, with few exceptions, unless
upon the best cotton, rice and sugar plantations,
his labor is not remunerative. What then must
it be, when the number is enormously increased,
and that increase restricted to worn and impover-
ished soils The time is rapidly approaching,
and the present generation will not pass away be-
fore the fact will be apparent, that slave proper
ty will have no transferable or commercial value;
the owners Of it will see before them hopeless and
inextricable poverty; and their only safety will
be in abandoning 1t to its fate.
"Thus will be realized one of the anticipations
Of the AboltioDists, in n0lling-in slavery within
its present boundaries. The slave will be practi-
caly free--his owner for fear Of starvation, will
abandon him; but, sir, the end will not be yet.
The North, by combination of agrarianism and
infdelity, may ruin the South but, in doing 30,
she will rear into terrible Importance in the very
heart of the Republic, millions Of degraded and
ignorant human beings, wild with unexpected
and unvalued freedom, and prepared for anything
tina. revenge or ambition may propose.
"in this appalling state Of the country, North
Carolina will bs the severest sufferer. BY the
census Of 1910, she had within her border
245sl7 slaves By the law Of increase already
mentioned this number will amount In 1890 TO
more than 100000 This estimate is doubtless
below what it will bc-for the census tables show
that between 1900 and 1890, before the great en-
igration took place from North Carolina TO the
Southwest, our slave population increased ut the
rate of nearly threc-fold in thirty years.
~ have said that North Carolina would be
more seriously injured by this walliag-in policy OF
the Federal Government than any Of the South
ern States and this will be apparent II we would
attentively consider our situation. North Caro-
lima has but little territory peculiarly adapted to
the profitable occupation Of slave labor, much
Of her soil Is already worn down by constant cul-
tivation, and needs the vssnseuation Of rest aud
economical and skiHfd hnsbdndry, which can nsper
take place rhsa b1rdened By superintendent popnfa-
ton of slaves
ain forty years from this time, unless the law
Of population is changed in our case, North Car
olina will contain more than $780, 900 slaves, near
" all of them agricultural laborers, drawing a
scanty support from worn out and impoverished
soil The hrst effect Of this great increase OF
slaves viii be . temporary rise In the value OF
land and depression in the value Of labor, the
poor non Shareholder win be forced to emigrate,
the owner Of slaves viii be compelled to purchase
land to employ and feed his surplus labor, until