Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-02-19
From the Grecnville Mountaiaeer.
Our Free Negroes.

Sllr Free NcSfOCS.
We see from looking over our list of
newspapers, that . proposition has recently
been introduced instle Legislature of Nir-
gina, now in session, to remove out OF the
State, all the free negroes within her borders
and to domiciIiate them elsewhere beyond
tic confines of our Republic. We heartily
subscribe to this proposition, and would re-
ioice to see our beloved Carolina making
move Of the same sort in reference to her
free negroes. They should DC removed from
our borders, and a home provided for them
IN another land for. of all the classes and
casts in society among us, no single class OF
eur population, in our opinion, initiates so
essentially against the best interests of our
slaves as the free negro. The very condi-
ton and the circumstances that surround the
free negro arc in direct opposition, and dia-
mctrically opposed to the institution OF
slavery The presence Of the free negro
in the midst of our slaves, even if lie should
not attempt to SOW broad cast the seed of
disaffrction in the slave towards the master.
will of itself. in despite Of all our excrtons
to the contrary, cngendcr, in the latter.
spirit of disquictude and mn impatience Of
control. Think you that the slave, rs he
looks upon the free negro, privileged to visiI
ut pleasure our muster-ficlds and villages, 10
loiter and sauntcr about and begrilc the six
days appointed TO labor in fishing. hunting
and the like, will not crave to do so Likewise!
All indeed, Tic slave, as he rests lis eye
upon these privileged gentry-thcse free
ncgrocs-who bctakc themselves when and
where they please, becomes restless in per-
forming his masters busincSs-hc wants to
be a free man and strut about "as large as
life" He curses in his heart the very thought
that lie has TO go and come at his masters
bidding, while another whose skin is rs black
rs his, is permitted. us free man 10 spend
his time, rs though he was q descendant OF
the Anglo Saxon race. The slave, with this
reflection, constantly coursmg through his
brain, naturally desires to strip his owner of
alb controle and authority over him and to
takc the rs;assfs-
his own hands, although, Phaeton like, he.
would drive 10 destruction. He is willisg,
st all and every hazard. to venture on this
uncertain sea and to make the experiment.
even if his vessel should strand on the
breakers. But the free negro is moi content
10 let his evil cxaElple alone do all the mis-
chief which it rs calculated to effect. He
must accomplish more he must by word and
deed-by counsel ana en!rcaty- dissuade
the slave from resting satisfied with his con-
di,on; he must induce the slave by more
than The more force of example, TO cast of
from him tlle yoke and the fctters, rs he
would term them. Of slavery 10 the white
man. Hc would have them sum up all that
in him lies of strength and courage, and as
scrt the rights 10 which the free negro thinks
the slave and himself are entitled TO among
MS. The free negro has 4 strong attractive
influence over the slave, hence the strong
desire in the latter to associate with. to im-
tate and to inlcrmarry with the former. II
the slave gets 4 free negro for husband or
wife, rs the case may be, he has advanced,
in his own estimaton,a tremendous step in
amelioratirg his condition He thinks he is
rising rapidly TO the level of the white man.
The fact is, in this intcrmarrying of, slave
and free negro, the slave is put on the ini-
quitous platform of rascality. trcachery nnl
crime, on which the free negro stand by vr-
tue. of his status-wholly stripped of any
moral or wholesome restraint But reader
say you, docs any white man who is not non
compos mentis, or lunatic, suffer free nc
groes to intermarry with his slaves, and to
single with them about his plantations !?
Start not-'tis even SO. Some who are sane
on most subjects, possess kind of mono
mania in this particular. They forget that
il the status of the slave is his right condi-
ton, that Of the free negro is wrong-that
the two are perfectly Observation-Disclosures
on the other. They forget too that the free
hcgro, stepped in vice and crime, will tend
to drag the slave down and down TO the fiji
thy depth to which he has debased himself.
AS for us, we regard every free negro, among
family of slaves, as the viest enemy that
possibly be suffered to dwell in their midst.
We believe South Carolina would advance
her interests very materially, if she were to
make suitable provisions TO ship her free
negroes to another land, where they coulI
alone, and if they inflicted injury on any one.
it would be on one occupying the same level
tho injuring and the injured, both, would
be free negroes. CAROLINA.