The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-14

sH We have repeatedly had occasion to call
attention TO the movements made in many OF
the Southern legislatures, for the purpose q,
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 Advertiser
we find very ablespeecb by Col JOHN A. Ws-
sToS, Of Sumter, In the senate, on the bill 10
prohibit the introduction of negroes into this
State, for sale or hire, from which we make the
following extracts:
, hold II TO be the true policy Of the State 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 il
TO buy more negroes TO wear out more Of the
land in the State, and to cause the over pro.
ductiou 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 o.
the rapid increase Of the black population in
the Sonth. In Alabama we have already three
hundred and fifty thousand blacks-too great 10
our whi4 population. The true statesman
would say Il is our duty and interest 10 diversity
our pursuit into every branch Of productive m.
dustry; and 10 so legislste that all the future
increase Of capital should be invested in inter.
nal improvements, 10 mining and in manufacto.
ries. Then would we see our State take her
place by the most prosperous in the Union Bot
80 long 40 this ruipous system Of negro buying
and land destroying course prevails we will
never prosper.
IL has been argued that this bill would bene
ht 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.
eroes, and the sale Of estates by sheriffs, will
always Afford any one who wishes 90 buy ne.
erees an opportunity Of doing NO. The main
objection 10 the bill seems 10 be that Il NAV. and
will have bad influence on the border slave
States, and IL you shut them out from market.
they may become free States, and ioin In the
crusade against us. hold just the reverse 10
be true. Compel them TO keep their slaves Al
home, and they will 60 into iron works aud into
other kinds Of manufsctory labor, which will
make all we buy come cheaper 20 us, and in
stead Of being sent South to glut our markets
with cotton factories, and so increase the con.
sumption Of our great export. There is no sori
Of danger of any Of the border States enamel
they may all be sold to az of the South, they
will Of course feel less interest in the matter.
II the evil day Of emancipation must come, let IL
come IN part at their expense and not exclu.
slveiy at ours. But the emancipation OF any
great number Of slaves 10 remain in the country,
with different and superior race, is a moral
ana political impossibility; yet it 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 deoree. When The
time shall come when il shall be necessary 10
find an outlet for the excess Of this populs,ion
westward, we will have them 10 aid us in its
procurement Many slave States have already
provided against this evil by passing laws sinh.
is' 70 the one now before us, and il we do not
pursue the same course, all the slayesl Of bad
character win be 10 upon us, and we will be the
great slave mart of the South.