Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-05-29

perhaps, till a century later. ,-E'"
But it may be asked, what is to be done wheI
the niarimum is rcaehed2 1t would be uselee.
to attempt to devise ways and means for the Oh
i,c1s of remote postcriS !+'saGfcient for TIL
day is the euil thcrtcf; but we may well CON
clude that OUT destiny win be that Of ulfer nations
which have had. and which are Yet to expeficne.
surplus population. Providence. in his bene.
liceut purpose, usually sustains a just ratio be-
tween subsistence md population and when BY
bad goternmcnts, on natural causes, thar pro.
ton is de troyed, l'E rarely fails TO plan
nir; urcs ether IL prevent. or 10 provide for the
surplus inhabitants uf q country. What means
may be employed in ottr particular casc it is no,
for finite mind tn conceive. II wohld, at all
events, from the remOtellcss IF the perod al
which such an event is likely to happen. BE- an
improper subject Of discussion at present. It
must fall to the duty Of after generations. under
,hc guidance of an all-wsc and providcnt Creator.
But it may well excite our anxiety to know,
what will be the probable effects upon our " cath
and prosperity Of the Increase Of our population,
if restricted tn our own borders. We can only
see into the future by the lights Of the past. 1t
clear, as population increas. s. SO will also the
productive industry of the state. This, as a
natural result, will greatly multiply capital
among u.s. And Political Economy, based on the
experience of nations, teaches, that "accumula-
ted capital. gradually increasing, is sure means
Of furnishing subsistence and for supporting and
maintaining permanently moderately increasing
population" And this is, also, the strongest
evidence of national prosperity. No fears, there
fore. need be entertained as to the capacity Of
the state to provide for every reasonable in.
crease of its population.
1t is probable. that after great while, when
our numbers shall have reached several millions,
labor becoming cheaper, our slaves will, to some
extent, d,prcciate in value but, at the same
time, by the great improvements in agriculture,
which dense population always introduces, the
value of our lands will be or, ally enhanced and
large and profitable investments will, also, be
made in other branches Of industry, as in manu-
Grctur,s. commerce &C., which will nnre than
compensate for the dininu:"n in the value
uf our slaves: while, by this transfer of slave
value to objrcts more affixed to the soil, the re-
moval Of the slaves from our limits. should future
circumstances render it necessary. will be great
IL facilitated and will be rendered less burdcnous
to the slave owner and to the state.
But for a great length of time, owing to the
peculiar products of our soil. neither any con-
siderable diminution in the value Of the slave,
nor any necessity for his removal from the State
is likely to arise. Who can tell huw much the
fertility of our soil may be increased by judicious
culture and by the use Of manurcs2 1t has been
found by experience, thut a, field, which in a
natural state, produces but Is bushels of wh.at
may be made to produce 40. This has been ac-
tually done in England. In one whole county,
(Nolfnrk) not naturally very fertile, the average
of farms is said to be from 80 to 35 bushels to
the acre. Why may not the same degree of pro-
duction be reached in South Cardinal Our
soil is naturally more fertile than that Of England.
This improvement can be made. and it will be,
when necessity urges to it.
Suppose then our slaves to be even kept out
of the highly profitable enPloyments of COM
MERGE, mechanics and manufactures, and directed
exclusively tn agricultural labor. what an i'm
mense yield may reasonably br expected. when
our lands have all been reduced TO cultivation
and properly improvrdl The slaves, as they in.
crease. could of themselves support the whole
white population of the State. In Great Britain,
about 5000, 900 Of agricultural l;.burcrs and
manufacturers support by their productive labor,
about 100000 of unproduc,itc consumers.
Why could not equal productivenrss be realized
among us3 On this estimate, S. Carolina could
maintain q population Of from lo,eHo,000 TO
l2. 600, 600, and retain her slaves valhabl pros
perty. At Ill events. we may safely reckon on
internal and external resources ofwcalth and pros
pery for centuries vet to come. before our slaves
ar likely tu be rendered vaIurlcss, or before the
necessity Of their removal from natural causes,
is 'ikely to arise.
How now. in point Of population. would mat
tiers bc more favorable for us in Southern Con-
frdcrcy7
RUTl.EDGE.