The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-13

We have repeatedly had occasion to cal
attention to the movements made in many OF
the Southern legislatures, for the purpose OF
prohibiting the importation of slaves into their
limits from abroad. Similar propositions, we
perceive, have been introduced into the Alabama
legislature, and in the Montgomery Adrerliser
we find very able speech by Col. JOHN A. WIN
sToN, of Sumter, in the senate, on the bill to
prohibit the introduction of negroes into this
State, for sale or hire, from which we make the
following extracts:
hold it to be the true policy of the Slate TO
prohibit, by severe penalties, the introduction of
more negroes into the State for traffic All the
increased capital of the State is sent out of it
to buy more negroes to wear out more of the
land in the State, and to cause the over pro.
duction of our great staple, cotton; in all of
which cases the prosperity of the State is in
ured.
All future outlet for excess of negro popula-
ton will soon be closed against us. The census
and other statistical information, warns us os
the rapid increase of the black population in
the Sonth. In Alabama we have already three
hundred and fifty thousand blacks-too great to
our white population. The true statesman
would say it is our duty and interest to diversity
our pursuit into every branch of productive in
dustry; and to so legisate that all the future
increase of capital should be invested in inter
nal improvements in mining and in manufacto.
ries Then would we see our State take her
place by the most prosperous in the Union. But
30 long as this ruinous system of negro buying
and land destroying course prevails, we will
never prosper.
1t has been argued that this bill would bene.
fit the rich as well as the poor by enhancing the
value of this character of property. | deny any
such conclusion. The natural increase of ne.
groes and the sale of estates by sherffs, will
always afford any one who wishes to buy me-
groes an opportunity of doing so. The main
objection to the bill seems to be that it may, and
WIZ nave bad influence on the border slave
States, and IT you shut them out from market,
they may become free States and Join in the
crusade against us. hold just the reverse to
oe true. compel them to keep their slaves at
nome ana they VIII go into iron works and into
otner kinds Oh mandatory labor, which will
make all we buy come cheaper to ia and IN
stead of being sent South to put our martets
with cotton factories, and so increase tho con
sumption OF our great export. There il no so,,
of danger of any of the border States enonc;.
pating any great number of slaves, but whom
they may all be sold to us of the South thew
will of course feel less interest in the matter
If the evil day of emancipation must come, let il
come in part at their expense, and not exclu
siyely at ours. But the emancipation Of any
great number Of slaves to remain in the country
with different and superior race, is moral
and political impossbility yet il becomes us
to strengthen ourselves, by keeping the border
States as much interested in the institution as
possible. Then whatever effects our interest
will effect them in the same degree. When the
time shall come when it shall be necessary to
find an outlet for the excess of this population
westward, we will have them to aid us in its
procurement. Many slave States have already
provided again't this evil by passing laws simi-
lar 90 the one now before Us, and if we do not
pursue the same course, all the slaves! of bad
character will be in upon us, and we will be the
great slave mart of the South.