Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-08-08
SEPARATE STATE SECESSION
PRACTICALLY DISCUSSED IN A
SERIES OF ARTICLES.
Published Originally in The Edgefeld Advertiser,
BY RUTLEDaE.
BY RUTLEDGE.
NO. Ill.
The effects of separate State secession on slaue
population.

population.
Having sought to show that South Carolina,
as separate State, will, BY moderate Tariff.
derive ample revenue for all the purposes of u
new government, and that she will be in a con.
dition to maintain her independence and re-
spectabilty, we propose now to consider some
of what may be deemed the secondary effects
of secession.
ltis urged, that, by insulating ourselves from
the other Southern States, we will cut off every
outlet by which we might get rid of our slaves,
and will thereby bring upon the State the great
evils Of a redundant and valuless slave popula.
ton. Let US examine the force of this argu-
ment. Every one knows that the institution of
slavery is already restricted to the States in
which it now exsts-havng been, for all prac-
tlcal purposes, excluded not only from Cali
fornia, but from all the newly acquired Terri.
tory. The high-handed act of injustice and
oppression, by which this object was accom-
plished, having been tamely acquiesccd in, will
continue as stern political law, unless resis-
| tance to it be yet made by the Southern people.
The other slave States, equally with South Ca
rolna, are prevented from carrying their slaves
into these Territories Knowing then thatthey,
also, have no outlet for their slaves, will not
these States be placed under the same necessi-
!, ty as ourselves to guard against over-popula-
ton! They will scarcely have less wisdom or
precaution than we have. But in seLf-defence
they will, in short time, be driven to prohibit
all further immigration of slaves into their bor-
ders; and that time cannot be remote; for ma
ny OF the slave-holdng States are very little
behind South Carolina in denseness of popula-
ton. We have to the square mile only about
20. inhabitants Georgia has about l6; Ken
lucky, 20; Tennessee, "a Alabama, l3; Mis-
sissippi, l3; Louisiana, 8; Florida, q Texas,
l.; Arkansas, 1. Georgia, kentucky KY and
Tennessee may, therefore, in point of numbers,
be placed, at this time, on footing with our
State. Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana
will, in very few years, have population to
the square mile equal to that Of South Carolina
redundancy, to prohibit the further immigration
Of slaves. Florida, Arkansas and Texas will
then be the only outlet for tho supposed sur
plus slaves OF Virginia, North and South Caro-.
lima, Georgia, Kentucky and other States. But
with the tide likely to pour i'll upon them from
all these States, how long would it be before
they, also, will be forced to adopt the same
law of self.preseryaton 1t is evident, that
! when it once becomes a "6xrd fact" that slaves
are to be permanently excluded from the new
Territories aud from California, all the South
ern States, looking to this restriction and to the
| future increase Of their inhabitants, will pro.
hibil the further immigration of slaves into their
borders ard this prohibition will certainly take
place, long before there will be surplus Popu-
lation in South Carolina.
Whether South Carolina, therefore, be in a
separate condition, or in Southern Confedera-
cy, so long rs slavery shall be excluded from
the Territories, she will have to provide for the
future increase OF her slaves. There will be no
natural outlet for them. Hence the argument
as an objection to separate State secession,
falls to the ground.
But the evils complained of from the future
increase of our slaves, while restricted to our
own limits. will not be, we think, so great as
pretended. For long while, at least, the in
crease will be productive of the most beneficial
results. We have suffered greatly in wealth
aud prosperity by emigration. A gradual in.
crease of our inhabitants would but restore US
to healthful state of advancement. There is
no danpcr of an over.population for centuries.
We have seen that the population Of South Ca
rolna to the square mile is only 20. This
gives about 30 acres Of land to every white
and black soul in the State. Now here is evl.
IDENTIFY great superabundance. This is en-
tirely too much land to the population for
high state of prosperity. What degree ofpop-
ulation is South Carolina capable Of support
ings BY the proper culture Of her soil, and by
the development of all her resources, 1t is far to
assume that she could sustain $50 to the square
mile. England has 900 to tho square mile;
Holland 800; Belgium 800; and all the Ger
man States, which are almost exclusively agrl'
cultural and manufacturing, have from 100 to
800 Even tho Chinese Empire, with its H.
GAO, 900 square miles, with scarcely any tor.
eign commerce, has over l30 Ancient Attica
with 3G5, 900 slaves. had a population of more
than 100 to the square mile. With her great
natural resources-her fertile soil-her rich
iron mines-her great facilities for every kind
of manufacture her extensive and grow
ing commerce: South Carolina will be able
easily to to sustain population of $50 to the
square mile.
This will make space, in the limits of the
State for about 100000 of inhabitants At
present, there are in round numbers $4,000.
By q natural increase, how long, would it take
for our population to reach S,000,O00s The
ratio of increase varies in different countries,
and in the same country under different cir
cumstances. A sparsely inhabited territory,
| Al yl;oc of