Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-06-24
TIE FORTUNE OF SLAVERY.

PAID by the Magistrate advertising.
THE FORTUNE OF SLAVERY.
The progress of African slavery in the United
States presents some of the most instructive
phenomena that can have the attention of the
statesman or philosopher. Its introduction into
America was the work of one of the most emil
nent philanthropists of that age, the pious and
enlightened Bishop Las Casas. Its destruction
Is attempted by the professed philanthropy Of
the present time.
Soon after the Introduction of slavery into
the Southern colonies, they began to protest
against it, and would have prohibited it. but for
the opposition of the British Goyernment-so
shat the establishment of slavery in the South
ern colonies is owing to their union with the
empire Of Great Britain. Strange as it may ap-
pear The subsequent preservation and extension
of slavery in the Southern States are owing to
the present Union. If the States, after their
independence, had not formed a Union, each
enc would. have had. its own large commercial
towns- and manufacturers for New York. or
Phifadelphi could not have imported for South
ern cities, since duties would have been required
at the latter as much on imports from cities of
the North as from Europe. And if the South
had thus become commercial and manufactur-
ing to the extent Of its own wants, it would
Iave attracted its share Of European emigra-
tion. The consequence would have been that
with large commercial, manufacturing and
foreign population, several of the Southern
States would have abolished slavery long before
4 DOW. Even without such element Virginia came
near doing so in 1872; and if she had gone
1 that far the political power of the South would
! have been materially weakened.
The earnest advocates of the Union, such
men as General Washington and Mr.. Jefferson,
expected and desired that the Union would be
4 favorable to emancipation.
Such and so. general was the opinion of cmi-
nen. Southern statesmen in favor OF emancipa-
4 tion that up TO- 1920, scarcely n man could be
found in the South who did not profess 10 re-
4 gard slavery rs a curse, At that time the tide
of foreign emigration set in so strongly, rs
within thirty years to add to the North some
] four millions Of people. And if nothing had
occurred to- ceunteract its effect on slavery, the
] latter would have fallen before now. For the
4 South was anxious to secure part of it. But
i almost exactly coeval with the sudden an1 eX-
4 Extraordinary Increase Of foreign emigration, has
4 been the sudden and wonderful extension Of
1.-THE Cotton culture III the Sn,::h "a thing which
His, perhaps, without parallel in history. This
at once clcvatedt the value and power of slavery,
! and enabled isSton stand against the rapid in
crease Of thcsNoff from Europe.
If the wars Of Europe had not intervencd
between the close of our. revolution and 1915,
and thus prevented European. Emigration to this
6asRsss, sssiii u 8
3Ine 5OuIr, II IS very .doltDtiut wAelher slavery
would have long survived the Missouri Compro-
mise. Even the acquisition of Louisiana would
1 scarcely have been available to slavery; nay,
would have been destructive by opening the
way to emigration from the North, of 4 popula-
! ton unfavorable to it. But, as it was, Cotton
! not only found employment for tho surplus
jher emigration which had before been setting
steadly to the new Northern States.
4 1t thus appears that whilst the whole current
! of opinion, forihe past hundred years of hfri-
lean slavery in this country has been against it,
deven among those who were deeply interested
Lin it. the current of events has been in favor Of
sEt. Within the whole period to which VIC have
preferred, the foreign opinion was still more hos
title. France abolished slavery in Hayti--the
'zSouth American States of Spanish origin, and
35England in Jamaica, &C., and in every case The
result has been desolation and ruin. Brazil
alone retained il. The results, that the South
},rn States of this Union and Brazil are the
most fourishing Of all the continent, and the
products, together with those of Cuba, consti
ute the principal part of the civilized commerce
S'bf the world. And now the abolition of Afr-
S,an slavery would not only dcsoatc the most
#productive agricultural regions Of the world,
but would, in a, far greater degree, destroy that
y commerce which constitutes the principal trade
bf all the great civilized States, and would absc-
utely PROSTATE the whole system Of modern
civilization.
g These things ought to admonish US to be-
hare of implicit faith in the boastcd power and
faluc of opinion. Slavery has deticd and tri-
mphcd over opinion; the opinion of modern
Cbristendom. And We think this fact deserves
33hc earnest consideration of all the young men
f the South, especially at the present time,
'hen the shallow and fiimsy movements Of par
as well as the designs of fanatics and fools
.sre disturbing the legislation and the elections
90 the country.
"a What is the part which the South is to act
18th her Institution of slavery in the present
pd approaching movements in society and gov
tnment? We behold powerful tendency to
( langc. The doctrine of universal equality is
We favoritc-the equality of all men, without
FL gard to their moral and intellectual character
"a 1t is to this doctrine we owe most OF the IS.
& hes of the day., Abolitionism, Freesoilism,
Wv, ''
q result in anarchy and barbarism. These
bctrines are gaining ground in Europe aud
nerica. They may yet subvert society and
IS ,rernnent, in many portions of the civilized
orld Bat African slavery is founded on the
!inciple that the man or the race which is NOR
SsBy or intellectually inferior, must be subordi-
lie. This we hold to be the great moral law
8 5lich has hitherto governed the world, and mus
govern it; and govern it, too, for the
IA ~ eaiest benefit Of both classes. May it not
s ppen, in the progress of error, that the South
lii vet become the barrier to the modern and
shionable heresy, and roll back the tide OF
5:strnction? And when we come to consider,
can be more sublime principle than that
the supremacy of moral character: What
lncipie is more important or elevated in all the
# s. lations Of life than the one which requires
IS ery man to look for liberty, power, fame' and
M Masseatness, in moral excellence? 1t is the only
q nciple of progress, and Of stability. 1t is as
:s5ll the title of the master to the slave, as OF
|s& candidate the just traits OF Legislative, Ex-
4 Hive and Judicial power.
5sS,pd we maintair, that 50 long as moral supe-
ssEity is maintained, power will be maintained.
- eycry Southern man therefore consider thIs