Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1852-09-10

The following remarks were made by J. E
SNoDGRAss, at public discussion in Baltimore
We commend the stubborn facts" they embed,
to such of our readers as may yet need light OF
the practical workings of slavery.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: | could not feel justified il
| declining the call which has been made for mi
| quite unexpectedly on this occasion, especial
y at this early stage of the evenings discussion
If took part at all, il was my purpose to do SC
after | had heard other gentlemen present give
their own direction to the debate, and their bet
ter arranged views on the subject before u.s.
And now, Sir, what is the question at issue p
1t is, as understand it, mainly that of the polit
ico-econ0nical influences Of slavery, while one
OF comparison. 1t shuts ont of view the moral
question, as an abstract question, of the Justice
or injustice of the slave system. propose to
conflne myself TO the issue presented. taking the
question as find 1t, hoping others may be CON
ctnt to do likewise shall arrange my remarks
as systematically as can in an eXtemporaneous
effort, under two heads, viz: The physical and
the political influences of Slavery. And shall
try to exhibit the "balance sheet" frankly snd
fairly before you.
First, then, as to the physical influences of
slavery upon the wealth and population of our
country and the other elements of our chnrac-
ter, kindred or collateral thereto. | call atten-
ton, at the outset, to remarkable fact in the
history of Agriculture in this country-that de-
partment of labor which has ever been regarded
as the most RESI- cctabIe we'll as the most reli.
able, when wisely and tremendously conducted
the great primitive and fundamental source of
wealth and happiness. That fact is, that the
unpaid and compulsory labor of slaves has
never been rendered profitable in other than deep
and comparatively cxhaustless soils, such as are
found in portions Of the farther South-showino
that its pecuniary benefits where derivabe at
ALL present an exceptional result q On the natu-
rally superficial and lighter soil of the Eastern
States, not to name the rocky surface of New
Hampshire, and other sections of New England,
slavery cannot exist, proftably, at ALL The rea-
son of this is: The labor of slaves, as natural
result OF its compulsory character, is generally
slovenly, while their care of the products there
Of is imrrovident in the extreme II is, there.
fore, only in sections where heavy deduction
con be afforded for these drawbacks, that the
system can be made sure of paying its own way,
so as to prevent loss, not to name profit. There
the strong assiStanCe--the extra assistance of
Nature may say-protects even against the
misuse and abuse of her lavish blessings Well.
Sir, shall this exception be claimed as presenting
the general rale, and as a proof that slavery, in
pecunlary sense, has been of "more benefit
than injury ?" If so, let me ask you to imagine
wi at free, and provdent, because paid labor.
would have reaped from that same soil But
must pass on.
Let US now come nearer home. Tobacco
WILL probably, be named, as on former occa-
sion, as an element off incipient greatness. in
view of Its effects feeder of our earlier com
merce. Its influence on our own city will be
pointed to, doubt not, with an air of triumph
Let us see what it has done? Admitting, for
the sake OF the argument, that it has done for
Baltimore all that can be claimed for it, as the
benefit of its culture with slave muscles. what
has been its influence on the counties from
which it principally came to seek the wings of
commerce? Look around and see! Behold
Port Tobacco, in Charles county, once the cen
trial point of the commerce referred to, as now it
lies in its ruin and dilapiGation Read in lis
sole newspaper, Che "Times') and in the bitter
complaints OF its citizens through the legislature.
ever and anon, respecting the consequence OF
the transfer of that commerce to Baltimore,
which carried It's benefits, whatever they were
with it, from them. Then lock over the fields
where that tobacco was raised, and mourn ever
"desoIation made deSOate" as YOU must Reck-
on the decrease OF her white population, and fol-
low those whom slavery has driven to newer and
frecr homes in the West, and ask them the cause
of their removal. They will decide this qucs-
ton for you very promptly.
The same train of remark would apply to !
Prince Georges, Montgomery, Anne, Arundel. |
and other counties, where this toasted "promo- !
ter of our commerce. has done its similar work |
Of impovcri>hment. Well has ii been said off
their Impoverished plains, naturally so much
bcsse d, that even the poor "kllldeer' is scarcely
lble to subsst on them 1t was facetiously told |
Of a portion of Montgomery county, that some
traveller took compassion on a flock of these /
birds, and let down the bars that they might get
water in an adjoining field, they being no longer
able to fly over the fence And some one, when
asked on what the unemgrated Inhabitants of
Charles county & think il was Charles) subSist-
I'd, replied, in tigurative truthfulness, young
liggers." So of another slave worked county, |
/ was said, complained in logical sequence, that .
what little corn the 'niggers' raised the hogs .
ate up-thc 'niggers' ate up in turn the hogs, /
md then the masters eat the ringers. -
>Laughtcr.) And yet, with this inevitable re-
suit of slave Iator on soils where free labor .
could follow and make a profit, after it has .
done lis worst, staring us i'll the face, gentlemen /
are found ready to ConsCientiously contend that /
slavery has been physically of greater benefit /
than injury to this country. Why, sir, If you |
will take the pains turn to General Washing /
tons agricultural correspondence with Arthur
Young, and Sir John Sinclair Won will find the /
most frank and incontrovcrttl lie testimony agains;
slave culture, and with special reference to To-
bacco- He saw, even at that day, and ominous- |
~ condemned, what has exhibited its fuller fru-
ition of poverty and woe TO our eyes. Even then |
there was proof enough, and to spare, of the with
ering blight ever impaired by the touch Of I'M
paid toll The dark signct has left its mark
It's lamentabe mark-al around us. And yet
gentlemen cling to and defend the SLAVE system
-ay while our boased Republic is almost ga
lone in lis glory" the cherisher of human sla-
very, even barbarous nations, at whose less "pe-
culiar' institutions we are wont to wonder, and
even to sneer, having abolished it before us
But must leave the physical question, though
only at its Threshold, and redeem my promise,
if my allotted time will permit, to consider some
of the political evils of slavery.
| shall content myself now, with this broad,
yet undenlable proposition, that slavery is the
only remaining "bone of contention in our Re-
public, and that it is the source of our political
unrest, and The obstacle to our almost immeasu-
rabIe progress towards the summit of true ma
tional greatness. Why, sir, we have settled all
the other issues. We hear but little of the Ia
z Il. Ikn