The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-01
THE NATIONAL ERA, WASHINGTON d. C., JANUARY |, 1852

twenty whites to three blacks Indeed IL is
evident. from discuss ons in the Legislature.
from the admissions of Cabinet Ministers. and
from various other indications that while
thinking men in this country do not accept
the South Carolina theory Of the blessings of
Slavery they also reject that other doctrine. 10
rife with us, Of the tmprdctfcdbihty of peaceful
abolition. Many proofs of this might be
adduced, among which was the introduction.
at the late session, of projects for the discour-
agement of Slavery in this and the other chief
cities which, though too late for present action.
were well received. even with the ayowal that
they were intended as an entering wedge of
ultimate emancipation. Thus, while the Cap
ital of the United States is legislating for the
expulsion of free blacks from its limits that of
Brazil is meditating only the expulsion of
slaves
There are grave obstacles, however, to cman-
cipaton in this country, founded in the deep
rooted prejudices of people long accustomed
to the service of slaves, in the supposed diff
Guilty of obtaining a sufficient supply of free
labor. and on other considerations some of
which are peculiar to Brazil So that although
the emancipationists may perhaps fiatter them.
selves that thefraf6c is virtually ended they
have yet no HOLIDAY work before them to in
duce the Legislature to adopt measures for the
gradual extinction of Slavery There are men
here. however, who will not shrink from the
task whose principles have been hardened by
the fire of persecution. and whose abilities have
been sharpened by the exercise of free dis
cussion They have weekly paper here
called The PhildnthrOpiSt well supported, and
advocating the most uncompromising abolition
doctrines. There is smaller paper. called
The AbolitioniSt, also printed here society
has been formed, sort of intelligence estab.
lishment, for the purpose ol supplying FIRE,
laborers to those who prefer them; and there
men are to be seen in the streets with a con
spicuous badge, marked I" Free Labor on then
heads The custom-house and some of the
arsenals are now Systematically served by free
labor alone. Yet no danger seems to be ap
pretended from these "incendiary" documents
and proceedings, although there are here one
hundred and ten thousand slaves out of the
two hundred and fifty thousand composing the
population of the city proper.
To avoid misapprehenson, il should be OBJ
served, that while the two questions of the
suppression of the African Slave Trade, and OF
tssl5 5@si..Sssk 29sS-syvI, N 3Ia1,lsre ltcts-
y ziS,. nudii yo,,,Seyo,Z a9f are both r. IT.
5Ss s..-.,S DIV f3sA JsaSpo n)ass4s of S-an,a vet
| the general condition of public on;pion in yo-
+; saSn rS,SFs So ..s.-.s ,nc. .ts...e. IN
respect to the traffic, it is pretty well made up,
vast majority of the native Brazilians being
considered as opposed to its continuance partly
from principle more from interest and perhaps
more than all from dread of its future con-
sequences. 1t has been only through the inAu.
ence of the Portuguese residents, commanding
the purse strings and much of the talent and
education of the capital and other principal
cities, that it has survived so long. But in re.
gard to Emancipation, public sentiment is com
paratively but now beginning to develop itself
the efforts and arguments of the Anti Slavery
party having hitherto been mainly directed to
the suppression of the traffic as an ndispensa
BILE preliminary step. The future progress OF
the question cannot, therefore, be predicted
with much confidence especially by a stranger
But it seems by no means impossible that the
young empire of Brazil may lead our boosted
Anglo-Saxon Republic in the work of emanci
patton, and that to the land of Washington Of
Adams and of Jefferson may fall the singular
distinction of affording the last asylum among
civilized nations to the institution of Slavery