The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-19

Afrio n polonix alton.

HSV~S>>
The people Of the South, who believe that
slayAry is right and that they themselves are as
good ~ other people, are exposed to many as
ssaitA Those VITO think slavery is wrong, de-
nounce it, defenders as wicked or heretical; those
who think it Improbable, oppose shareholders
IS ignorant, infatuated, and unthrifty those who
aspire to public honors in this elective govern.
meat Of ours, unite with III. majority against
min ,rity thus under the ban--and then there is
9 large number of men located by mediorocrity
OF mind and Of sentiment between all opposing
opinions and systems who are for compromise,
and ~ all compromises between Il majority and
minority, must be ut the expense Of the latter
compromise is one OF the most etfectual modes,
provided it is frequently resorted to, Of weak
cning the weaker party.
In politics we have lately seen a contest be-
tween slavery and an anti-slayery party, settled
by the Intervention of the moderado =, who cool
" transferred the whole interest in controversy
to one of the claimants. In society we have a
colonization party, which occupies midway po-
alton between slavery and antislavery, and no
sooner have the political moderadoes done their
work, and denounced I'LL examination of i,
NJ agitation, than the sentimental moderad0es
como forward and insist on tho aid Of govern
nent for their CIV policy and plans. Their no.
lions can be supported by long speeches in and
out Of Congress. This is not agitation. But
ii they are opposed, we have no doubt that the
opposition will be denounced as faction, ul-
traism and INSTRUMENTATION. So that the insti-
tution Of savery,a great civil, political, social
and property institution, is not only to have no
'repose, but to be denounced as dsturber ofthe
peace if it presumes to defend itself
- Well, as we aro not yet quite disposed to nc
auiesae in that sort OF tranquility which consists
in being pcrpetually attacked without resistance,
we nust be INDUCED in trying conclusions with
our pacific assailants.
II is proposed to colonize free negroes on the
coast Of Africa, by the aid of government.
onize! Was it ever suggested OF dreamed by
the trainers of the Constitution, that this gov
eminent was toengage in transporting a race of
people to the old world-to Africa? Why, the
only power on this subject is very different
one, and one conceded with great difficulty-the
power of preventing them after the lapse of
nineteen years from being brought here. What
sort of an appearance would a clause make in
the Constitution, giving power to the federal
government to transport any race of people to
foreign land, six thousand miles abroad! Why,
if such proposition had been made in the con-
vea.ion, it would have overcome the gravity of
the whole body.
But, independently, if the right Of govern
ment to interfere let us look at the principles of
colonization ITSELF Are the free negroes Of a
race equal 10 ours OF inferior! If equal, or if
they may become equal, what greater injury
could be done them than to exile them FROM
model republic-to gropc their away to civiza-
ton with their present imperfect development,
amid savage peoplel If of an inferior race,
where is the evidence that they will be more
happy or progressive, than among people so
renowned for christianity liberty, and intcl-
genee as ours? The experiment has been tried in
ST. Domingo and in Jamaica. The result is a de.
cne-a relapse into barbarism, idolatry, vice,
id'esess and poverty.
But we are told the experiment in Liberia is
successful. Let us see. The number of people
transported to that colony-as we learn from the
Transactions of the Colonization Society-is
about seven thousand There now are only about
six thousand. The natural increase of the free
blacks here is not less than fifteen per cent. in
ten years At that rate the present number in
Liberia ought to be-sincc the process Of col
onizaton has been going on thirty years-sone-
thing like ten thousand. Here is sacrifice of
four thousand to change of climate, and of hab-
it. and to inaptitude of that race for separate
existence Is that philanthropy!
We are told that one great object of remov-
| ing the free blacks, is to facilitate emancipation
AIS the laws Of many Of the States are ad
Verse to emancipation in consequence of the
rapid sccum alton Of free blacks. But this
government has no right to promote any
more than to oppose, emancipation. Besides, as
the natural increase Of slaves is greater than that
Of either free negroes or whites, even among
US, this scheme of hilanthropy involves too
great sacrifice of human life.
Our attention has been directed TO this scheme
by an article in The Colonization Hcrold' of
Philadelphia, copied from the Daily Sun, on
the extinction of slavery in The United States"
The argument of this article is. that slavery is
Incompatible with dense population--that as
population increases in the slave States to a GER
ain degree of density, slaves Immediately d.
linish, and must ultimately disappear. And
he writer soys, that las slavery cannot pass beyond
> present area of 100000 square niles, slavery
nnnot possibly endure more than sixty
ears, and may not beyond ffiy-as, by that
me there would be seventy. three people 10
,uare mile. Well, it unfortunately or fortu-