The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-09

1 bonn ~ Sosth- sid (vs. y Rsmesrus
In hisspsssh before TIE leet.latui of ken
lucky ~. Clay predicted viii exulfng fore.
sight, - "dSy when the densityof ~ populs-
ton ot4he United States would DO so6reat that
free labor would be cheaper than slave labor,
| for then the negro would be set free" An
abundance Of testimony proves that Mr. Clay is
the most determincd and dangerous foe of
slavery. For years, no practicable scheme OF
abolition which could claim the merit of not be-
ing illegal and directly destructive Of the rights
OF Vie South, has been suggested that did not
receive the hearty support OF Mr.. Clay, Indeed,
with characteristic bodness, he has declared him.
self the ardent advocate of negro emancipation,
and has sought, by the enunciation OF plan,
to effect the abolition Of slavery In his own
State. Mr.. Clay is the most dangerous foe OF
slavery, inasmuch as he il the leader OF party
who recognise his opinions as fundamental art-
ces Of their political creed, In addition, he Is
from a slave State, and ia himself slave-owner,
and his detection from the South has the usual
effect Of treachery--s dsmay among
the party he deserts, and imparting boldness and
confidence TO the side he espouses
AS the declaration above quoted, comes from
the chief Of Abolitionists, it may be regarded as
an essential part Of their general scheme OF
emancipation. No doubt the effects OF this
density Of population" are too slow and too
distant for the impatient philanthropy OF the
most ultra Abotionists but there is no ques-
ton that the great body of working rational
"friends Of freedom count upon this excessive
cheapness of slave labor MS destined to help
nightly in the good work of emancipation. But
If left to an equal contest, free labor cannot pre-
tend to compete with slave labor. Hence, the
aid Of the Government must be called to the
side of free Iaber-irresistib Inducements must
be held out to foreign immigration, in order to
create such supply of white labor that its price
will fall below the cost Of slave labor. But this
is not all that free labor shall have the start in
the race, a part of its capital must be given it,
Congress- must vote it a gratuitous farm. Nor
is this all: to place free labor upon still higher
ground, a part Of its capital must be secured to
It beyond possibility Of loss--Congress must
vote to free labor. "homestead exemption
What Ounce does not see the drift of the move
ments of Clay, Benton, Greeley and other adyo-
Gates of free farms and homestead exemption !?
Mr.. Clay has furnished an explanation to those
who are in doubt. The gratuity Of farm will
induce nm enormous immigration; a "density OF
population" will thus be created free labor will
become cheaper than slave labor, and thus, the
negro will be freed Such is the scheme pro-
posed by Henry Clay, the great embodiment"
of aboltionism.
It may be well to trace the operation of this
scheme, to ascertain how it will accomplish its
anticipated results. The first stepis an immense
immigration of foreigners. And foreigners Of
what class? Why, laboring men such as are
on level with our servile population men who
cannot only compete with, but who can under
bid our slaves in the market Of labor. Now
what sort of an accession would snch class be
to society? A very solid and quiet element Of
social order indeed
But again: Slave labor will never be volun-
tarily exchanged for white labor, until white
labor becomes at least one-third cheaper-such
are the greater advantages of slave labor, as its
plant submissiveness and its being more COM
pletely under the control of the master. In
order then to supplant slave labor, free labor
must become very much cheaper. That is, the
white men who are to supercede our negroes,
must require less for their subsistence--must
live in greater poverty. wretchedness and dest-
tuition. Now let any man contemplate such a
class Of population--its condition and its char
acter But to assist his conception, let him re-
feet that these laborers must be more degraded
and destitute than are the poorest white labor
ers now in the Union else they cannot sup
plant our slaves, for the poorest white laborers
now in the Union, cannot pretend to work so
cheap as to induce master to exchange his
slaves for their labor Let man reflect what
must be the poverty, the restitution, the brutal
degradation Of thai population which could work
50 cheap, could live upon so little-starve to
such degree and go naked to such an extent
las to induce the master to iberate his slaves
as burden and IN expense, and in exchange
for their labor; and be may form some made
quate conception of the character of the people
with which Mr.. Clay wishes to inundate the
South. 1t is proper that every man who has q
care for the elegance and dignity of Southern
society, should ponder the results of the con
summation of Henry Clay's scheme for the
emancipation of our negroes. He will perceive
that its accomplishment will bring disgrace and
dishonor upon the South will degrade the Dig
nifty and mar the beauty of its society, and as
simulate it ultimately to the rank mobocracy of
a Yankee metropolis.