The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-05-01


Is with the slave WAat ploiips 10 snsriios Aas he
Does his condition in lite depend upon the exeron
which he shall use' By no means. His condition is
determined by causes which he has no manner OF
CONTROL and il not in his power. by any conduct OF his
affect materially either for good or Tor evil He can
neither improve by Industry nor impair il by ideness
The great and universal motive 10 honest ndusryhar
OF bstlering ones LOTS lost upon him The great law OF
human progress is not for hun As he is born must
he die "Why, then, should | toll and sweat the
slave may ask himself 81 am not TO eat the bread
which my hands have sowD. II plant, another
gels the increase. II is matter, therefore. OF inde
TO me whether work or am idle. The most indus
rous slave and the yerest drone IN the hive upon
common footing-they share pretty much alike their
ers bountyhey are fed alike. clothed alike. and housed
alike Seeing, therefore, that whether work idle
my condition is the same, have direct and positive in
10 be idle" Is IL not obvious that system which
thus takes from labor It's legitimate rewards and relieves
dleness from It's proper penalties is fatal 10 exeon, and
consequently to production Ii is true that the fear of
punishment is substituted for the hope OF reward as
motive TO exertion; but, have already stated, il
will be readily admitted by all acquainted with the mo-
lives Of human conduct that The substitute is very i'm
perfect one
Ii scarcely be necessary for the writer OF this
cle remark in this connexion that he has no sort of
sympathy with that false philanthropy which, both in
this country and Europe. has expended 80 much lnds
criminate sympathy upon the condition OF the African
slave in the southern States. We have never been able
to discover why that portion Of the Iaborng should
be made the peculiar objects OF sympathy II is true that
the slave is doomed 10 labor and at the time realize
but small proportion of the products of his labor But
this, every rejecting mind must see is the condition
of the aborng masses everywhere. One portion of the
community always has and always will live upon the
labor OF the other portion. In every age and country
capital has held labor in subecton and always hold
in subjection and nowhere has the laboer received
Is he ever destined TO receve more than very small pro-
portion of the products OF his own labor. And we
firmly persuaded after somewhat careful examination
OF the subject that the distribution OF ME products OF
labor between the aborer and the capitalist Is nowhere
favorable the laborer than in the southern States
of the Union. For il be demonstrated from immuabe
general principles. and il is confirmed by experience, that
bare subsistence together with the Of perpeuatng
the race, all that simple labor has received
ever expect to receive And II 1t 10 that
the slave has rejoice rather thar repne,
his o, lie well fed. we'll clothed, wei housed, and
the enjoyment OF all the and many
of the comforts OF life. And this, as we nave recently
had much melancholy reason for knowing, is more than
can be affirmed Of the laborng masses OF Europe Il is
the OF the MASTER therefore, and moi OF the slaUe
that we assaIl The institution OF slavery is political
economy and not humanity, which raises its voice
against II.
We have now pointed out, in a very imperfect man
ner the peponderance, from very early PERIOD those
elements in the social system OF the colony which favor
ed the development OF mans moral and Intellectual
ure, but hostile TO the moderation of his material
and social condition And The fact, we all know, cor
responds, in every particular, with what might have
been expected from this state of things. We are pre-
pared. did space permit, and could believe that it
would be acceptable 10 the public, TO carry this analysis
OF the social system Of Virginia yet iurha, and show
condition or past history, whatever she may at any
time have done for The development of man, or
whatever she may have tailei 10 do for the I'M
ptovement OF society, is fairly attributable to those
elements which, have seen, have always
troled her civilization. But this article has already
ex'ended 10 unreasonable length and must bring II
TO an end. We cannot, however, dismiss this subject
without calling attention, in very few words TO
one other feature in the social system oil Vrsinia-an
explanation of which will be readily found in the pre-
ponderance OF those elements which have already
described. We allude TO domestic manners. This,
from the first settlement of the county, has been
remarkable characteristic OF the civilization of the
/ m i'm NUS
where have domestic manners ever been more preva.
leht-nowhere have they arrived at greater
perfection. This the necessary result OF that i,o
lated country life of which have frequently spo
ken Placed beyond the reach OF general society. the
only refuge OF the Virginia farmer was ~ The bosom OF
his family Here he found his wife and children, and
but few besides. They alone were his companions
/ they alone divided his and shared his Joys
Whatever concerned him deeply interested them and the
members OF this little circle became gradually united TO
each other by the strongest lies that bind human
beings ogethe and accordingly find that the ties Of
family and kindred the associations which connect them
selves with home, and make shrine in after years. and
all the charities OF father and brother acquired
force In Virginia that is seldom elsewhere The
peponderance OF domestic life The colony, and since
the Common wealth. is not, therefore, be wondered at
Ii have just stated The necessary conseq
of that retired coantry life which the people then led and
still lead to great extent By force of his position,
the affections of the Virginia planter were Obliged 10
centre in his home. Here his life spent; here
his only friends and companions here all his visions
OF happiness in this life clustered Feelings which,
der other circumstances, would have been weakened
by diffusion, were here strengthened by concentration,
and almost by exclusiveness. And here remark, in
passing, upon the social position of tDomon Virginia
Nowhere is 1t more exallod-nowtee is woman held in
higher respect And this is attributable to the preva
lence OF those domestic manners which we have lust
been describing Here her importance and value became
manifest Woman, at time mans drudge. and a,
another his toy, the bosom OF that isolated country
life which the people OF Virginia have always led be-
came al once his Trend companion, and guide. And
is always the case this Improvement In her social posi-
ton has been accompanied by a corresponding improve
ment in her moral and intellectual faculties. As her in
nuencc and importance have increased, her mind has
been expanded, and her virtues illustrated And it will
accordingly be found that if woman has always com
manied cordial and uneisned respect and admiration
Virginia, this has been but just tribute TO her many vir
tues Nowhere IN our Judgment has the female character
ever attained TO greater excellence-nowbere has
ever been more cbaste, lovely self devong
Virginia mother, in the circle oil her family, with her
children around her, is the nobest specimen oil her sex
though in very imperfect manner, what, in judg
ment constitutes the strength and weakne OF the social
system OF Virginia We have that its strength
ssts the preponderance OF those elements which favor
ind vdual development, and It's in the subjec
hon OF those elements which favor social progress But
II be right another proposition OF ours, this latter
evil will ia time cure itself. For have argued that
opmen, aud social Observation-Disclosures they may eeps.
rate for time, must, by the laws OF their own move
ment. ultimately come together, aAd advance abreast.
And, IN the mean time, until these two movements shall
become parallel. there Is. think, nothing d.cour.
aging in the present condition Of the Commonwealth
She H. least pos esson OF one, and that the most
valuable of the great elements OF civilization And in
deed, grave doubts have been entertained by wise re
0ectng whether, after ALL the prodigous progress
which modern is making towards perfection N