Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-30

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labor is therefore economical and Therefore more pro-
ductive.
Much Of what said about the superior efficiency OF The
free abore is due the difference of the skill and energy OF
him cho directs that labor II may be that many VIZ
gna slaves work 10 far less advantage than many northern
hirenss, on New England farms. But II Is because tne
master who directs them is inferior in skill 1t is equally
than some free Virginia slaves work TO better aasanse
who directs them has skill than those other north
err farmers Let economists who saw fair expert
ment in the matter heorze let abotionisls eve and di
cue Southern industry and lei inexperienced Southern
lament as they WILL the fact stands out this day in living
demonstration that in middle Virginia. where the best tree
labor in America exists alongside Of slave labor under SINH
lar circumstances and in the hands OF the same or similar
directing SKILL the Stare labor conceded 10 be best From
this fact can cite the testimony Of hundreds of practical
men, and the sti more impartial testimony Of the course
OF things, which Is at this veryime rapidly substituting the
free labor by the slave. And all the wise saws about
the untness OF slaves for the ind manufactures the
only answer we condesccnd 10 NUKE IS TO point 10 our fac
tories.
The unproductveness of slave labor is argued again.
from the alleged exhaustion OF the Southern soil. To this
we can answer that an exhaustion exactly similar be
pointed out IN many other places where slavery exist
ed believe that the kind of labor employed farms
has had nothing material to do with The exhaustion of lower
Virginia. 1t has arisen from two causes the proximity 10
new and cheap lands 10 which the c1hautng farmer could
easily resort and the possession Of valuable staple whose
profits tempted to enlarge operations. Those free States
which lay under the same circumstances have undergone
the same exhaustion except 10 far depth Of
son mas mace Inc process slower If any parts OF our coun-
try have escaped this process after their first settlement il
has been simply because they were not so fortunate
possess any valuable staple without market
Western Vermont fifty years ago. wa. resored TO as fer.
tile wheat growing district. Long ago i. exhaust
ed that the culture Of wheat was enq ushed and its na-
oitants engrated TO the new lands of Western New York.
to raise wheat The farmers of Vermont now buy their
flour And Western New York in its turn, has declined,
III us average crop per acre is half of the original and
its farmers have sought the fertile praes Of Illinois and
Michigan to subject them turn 10 The same exhaustion
Even ohio fertile OHIO, the bag Of abooniss whose
black loan seemed able TO defy human Encouragement is
proved by stubborn figures 10 have declined half
already in its average yield per acre; and neghbor of
mine who was raised there to agriculture but emgraed 10
virginia twenty years ago, assured that visiting il
summer before last the marks of decline manifest upon
all OF me lands with which he had been acquainted Let
our oeuded planters then their huniating and false
OF the exhaustion OF slavery The result Is due
70 DINER causes and in part to their Incidence One
simple fact vndcaes the value and producveness OF slave