The southern press., 1851-08-13
Slavery and Freedom.


IA Mr.. CLAY has recently written letter to
Mr.. HASKEY, of Jamaica, 10 favor Of the migra-
ton of free negroes from this country to that
island. In this letter, whichjs dated Ashland,
May 10, 1857 Mr.. CLAY observes:
Ihaye no doubt that it would conduce TO the
happiness Of both races, II the blacks were re-
moved from the United States by colonization
or expatriation; but that object is unattainable
with regard to the slave portion of that ropula-
tion, while their bondage continues TO exist in
the United States. How long that will be can
only be matter Of conjecture My own opinion,
long and deliberately entertained, is, that as
they are held in slavery for the purpose Of obtain
ing necessary supply Of labor, slavery will
cease whenever, by the increase OF the white
population, free white labor can be procured
cheaper than that Of the blacks.
1t must be curious sort Of philanthropy that
rejoices in the prospect Of abolition, and yet
admits that it can be accomplished only by the
substitution of white labor at cheaper rates than
slave labor. The cost Of slave labor is the cost
of an adequate supply Of food and clothing to
render the laboring slave comfortable, and to
support the old, the sick, and the children; and,
in addition to that, the interest on the market
value of the slave, deducting the value of his
natural increase, which is about two per cent
per annum. It results, therefore, that whenthe
cost Of free labor IL reduced below that Of slaye
\ the free aborer cannot receive as much of the
y comforts of life as the slave, and not enough
therefore, to support himself and family. When
the happy era Of abolition arrives, the free la
borer will not receive sufficient wages to sup
port himself and family, but must either abstain
from marriage and from children, or subject his
offspring to the pangs Of starvation! And, in
deed, such is the actual fate Of free labor in all
the civilized countries of the world where pop
ulation has become dense enough to render such
labor cheaper than slave labor. That such a
state of things should be desired by philanthro-
pists, is obviously the result of infatuation and
fanaticism.
We know it is asserted that free labor is stim.
ulated by the spirit Of liberty, and by the deter.
mination to acquire wealth; and hence the free
laborer performs SO much more work in day
than slave that the freeman may receive higher
wages per day, and yet render more service fol
the same money. This may be true. tbs true
as to small portion of white laborers. But
that portion overdoes and destroys itself, and
at the same time destroys its weaker white
brethren by subjecting them to competition
beyond their moral and physical energy to en-.
counter. The whole theory Of the Abolitionits
is fallacious. If free labor becomes abundant
it will result that its wages, during the period
of life when physical vigor prevails, viii be
merely self.sustaining, and that infancy and age
will have to be supported at public expense by
poor laws. Hence the real cost of labor to the
employer is not only what he pays to his hands
per diem, but what he pays for supporting the
poor And we defy Northern ingenuity to in.
vent a system whereby the nett cost of labor
will ever be less than that of slave labor. The
cost ofpoor-houses, the abuse of public funds
the salaries Of officers, the high prices of provi
sions and fuel in cities, will always exceed SC
much the cost of supporting given population
of slaves IN the country, that the price of the
labor of the latter will be cheaper It is true
that whilst the North receives, as it now does
immense annual supplies of adult labor from
Europe gratis, without the expense of rearing
il, and whilst the North consumes this labor, OF
at least considerable portion of it, aoithom re-
production-so long as this continues, the North
may progress, although with all this advantage
il progresses more slowly in wealth than the
South. But whenever the tide of emigration
.ebbs, the wealth of the North will ebb.
Mr.. Clay has, as usual, overlooked some i'm.
portant considerations whilst pursuing his "a
yorite idea Of abolition. The free white laborer
is a voter. Does Mr.. Clay suppose that such
voters will submit TO rate of wages inferior
TO the cost of slave labor, whilst they control
the ballotbox! We don't. And we predict
that long before the wages of free white labor
are so much reduced as TO overthrow slavery in
the South, the institution of property in the
North will be overthrown. The fanaticsm oi
the North, and its foreign emigration are tend.
ing to a disastrous conjunction. Every argu.
ment or principle uttered against slave property
is equally fatal to all property. If one man has
no right Of property in another, what right Of
property can he have in another's means Of sub.
sstence-his food or his clothing! If man
has natural right to liberty and equality, he
certainly has natural right to life and to bread
And in the next commercial convulsion which
overspreads The North, the unemployed and un
fed agrarians may perhaps find It more conve-
nient to assert their equal rights to the corn.
cribs the smoke-houses, the provisions, the mer.
chandize, and the lands Of their neighbors, thar
TO contend for the emancipation Of remote and
well-fed Africans. The late Legislation Of Con.
gress has afforded a precedent for the transfer
of land and gold BY mere majority vote--and
has sanctifed the perpetrntion of plumber by the
complimentary epithet Of compromise. Does
the North dream that such an example as that
will not find imitators within her own bordcrs
and victims alsoY