The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-23

the present time-but the day will come when, by
vountar yemancipation and the acts OF individuals
and States themselves. without usurpation OF power
by the General Government, there will be an end
TO slavery Slavery may be terminated In differ
ent modes. IL may by law; it may by the sword;
il may by the operation ot natural causes; but
il Is by the operation of natural causes to which
look for its ultimate extinction. As 10 the
sword, nobody, | trust, will think of the en-
ployment of that to put an end to slavery As
to law-I have had some experience IN my own
State, where the people were much agitated
the year before last and to whose decisions
bow, believe, and that rcconciied me TO the deci-
sion of my State, although contrary to my wishes,
that no safe method of gradual emancipation, by
the operation of law, terminate the existence OF
slavery much sooner, If any sooner, than the opera
ton OF natural causes. But may be asked what l.
mean by the operation of natural causes Some
twenty years ago | went more at large into this
subject than now; l had gone into the modus ope-
randi of the natural causes by which, in long
time, slavery may be cxtinguished. There will be
extinction of slavery whenever the density Of the
population of the United States shall be great that
free labor can be procured by those who can COM
mand labor at cheaper rate and on less onerous
conditions than slave labor can be commanded.
Although | cannot fix the time, l can state the
causes and circumstances which will occur to in
duce a voluntary emancipation OF slaves. IL Is not
TO be by the usurped and legal action of the Gene
raj Government, of other governments, but
by the voluntary consent OF States and indi-
viduals, who alone are interested in the sub
jec OF slavery, and have the exclusive right to de-
termne when and how il shall cease to exist. When
ever the population shall be three four times as
great AS it is-when we measure time, not by lndi-
viduals or the particular lives OF persons but by
the period of national existence-when the time ar
rives when the population will be three or four
times great as II now is--when the prices OF la
bor the wages of manual labor, shall be 80 reduced
that il will be too burdensome and expensive
the part of of slaves to raise them for the
sake of the labor they perform then it will be-
come the interest of the slave States and slave
holders to resort to another fund than that which
is afforded by slaves; and that will be the ter
mination of slavery [Applause.l am not about
to specify the time when this is to go into opera
ton, but would repress, IL could, the impatience
Of those who not willing to await the slow ope-
ration of means and Observation-Disclosures which God
and nature furnish, to complete the great purposes
of their wisdom.
would ask them to suppress their impotence,
and ask them to place more reliance on the wisdom
| and providence of God than their own circum-
scribed reason. What, in a national point OF view,
! is a century to nation. Ii took two centuries
| and more to bring from the shores of A frica her
sons, the descendants of whom now in slavery
in the United States. II may take two centuries to
/ transport their descendants TO such an extent as
not to create apprehension as to the few who may
remain. And what, repeat again, 10 this In the
| great working of our own existence and the ad-
ADMINISTRATION of the affairs OF this world, and the
| Providence which directs, controls, and governs
| themf Gentlemen, / have thought, and have
! said, that If there ever scheme presented to
the consideration and acceptance of men, which,
in all its parts, anaiyzed and reduced 10 all Its ele
ments, presents nothing bat commentator, it Is
the scheme Of African colonization GApplause.
| Let US look att for moment, IN rapid detail
With regard TO the free people of COLOR do you not
all know q wish 10 say nothing but what is war
| ranted by daily expcriencc) that it Is not their
fault that they degraded set. 1t is not their
! fault that they addicted to crime and dis
| solAe manners than any other portion of the pop
ulation of the United States, 1t is the inevitable
result of the law of their condition. The whites
themselves, if placed in the condition OF the free
people OF color, would, like them, be the recepta-
cles of vice and exposed to the preparation of crime
| in the way they are. 1t is inevitable from
their condition. Look abroad-look at the annals
of criminal Jurisprudence in country-and in
this very city, at the daily reports of trials Who
are the subjects of them vast majority are free
persons of color, although their number in COM
parison with the total aggregate OF whites, is not
one fourth and look abroad at the penitentiaries
and the criminal Jurisprudence OF all the country,
and it will be that, of the proportion of those
who commit crimes, the free people Of color is inf
nitcly greater than that Of any other class which
compose our population.
If this ia the result in the al, POLITICAL and
cia condition of the United States, will they not be
benefited by. going to country where they will no
longer be subject to the affecting of vice and
dissipations will they not be benefited by going
TO Africa Why, gentlemen, it is no longer
question to De solved. The fact speaks out for itself
| On the African coast there already exists COM
munity of blacks. The government las established
| schools, make laws, promulgate State papers, and
| in all respects will advantageously compare with
any of the States of this Union In the colonization
4
] good, unmixed good, can result from the separa-
ton of the two races, who never cam Gin spite of
| all the philosophers of Europe and America, who
dcspise our feelings and prejudices,) be incorpo-
| rated into the community, and placed on an equal
| footing with the white class.
never believed that it intended it should be
So If we are told in respect to one of the most in
| innate and important relations OF human life--if
| we are told, as is always pronounced in the per-
/ formance Of the marriage ceremony, that "thosc
| whom God has united lct no man dare put asun-
der"-I think ] may, with eqnai propriety' say
'those whom God has kept asunder by their physi-
! cal condition, intellects, and by their nature
by circumstances not fitting for me here to declare
let it not be attempted by any presumptuous power
to unite those whom God has kept asunder"
| tApplause
And what else? Will not The white laborers of
the North be especially benefited if the black por
ton of the laboring community be sent to Africa,
and be relieved from all competition with theni7
Go TO the Cities and you will struggles between
white and black laborers. You will see, in labor
itself, indsposition the part of the white man
to mix with and work with the black. In the bust
ness of driving dray, and in many other branches
of service in cities, the black ia trodden down to
certain extent by the superior power Of the white
| man. The white men of the North and the South
will be benefited; the slaves OF the South Will be
| benefited. We all know what corrupting infu-
| ences exercised over the slave population by
the dissoue free people OF labor, who lead oil and
seducc them Intoxicating liquors are sold to thcn
and they are induced to commit acts of petty lar
ceny against their masters. The white men OF the
North the white men Of the South, the free blacks,
the slaves Of the South-a will be benefited by the
| separation which is proposed ultimately to be ef-
| fected by the Colonization Society. And gentle
men, if we quit own country and go to that,
how much Is there to animate the christian bosom,
and encourage Va in the prosecution of this great
scheme in which VIC engaged? There is a
whole continent, with millions OF inhabitants in
state of utter barbarian The very people of color,
then, sent thither, will, in the end-not in two
three years, but ultimately, surely as civiliza-
! ton and christianity are destined to triumph over
| barbarism--be their deliverers and soon the
truth is will the colonsts redeem her from her
msfortunes.
But it is not only civilization and religion which
will be extended. Commerce, too. which is at the
same time cause and effect in the great work of
the civilization of the human race, will be greatly
increased between other portions Of the globe and
Africa, and especially in articles which becon
ing in other quarters. They who have looked
| at the powers of production must have perceived
ias. cause to apprehend that at no distant day
there viii be dinnution in the supply of coffee;
and the Consequence will be, the consumption must
cease, or acqui.ed al vast expense. have tasted