Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-01


short-sighted sudden and violent emancipation
without attempting reconcile different interests, would
most certainly lead the destruction of the other
Of the races, as in St Domingo or premature emanc
patton, as in jamaica would lead to the ruin Of both
in the return to barbarsm the part of the slave
will embrace this occasion to make some remarks ON
the subject of slavery the United States the result OF
personal observation and, may add of much reflection
No one can understand the difficulties attending 1t with
out bearing in mind that it is both community and re-
latoa Every slave family or collection of families, under
the compulsory guidance of the white family is COM
munty where the abe-bodied labor for their own sup
port well for the support of those who are unable
to work 1t is mistake to suppose that the master does
not work He has his duties TO perform; and have
seen thousands work by the side Of their slaves IN the
same field They work under compuson 1t IS true, but
habit renders light and without it they would not
work at all. There are, consequently no beggars, or
manners no want and unless in some of the commercial
cities no poorhouses The days labor of the slave is
VIGOROUSLY not more than half that Of the white man
and if left to himself it would not be half of that The
census whatever the may be- shows surprising re-
suits from this Of things, in the rapid increase in
the number of the slave population and their personal
comfort compared aborers in other parts of the world
is now generally admitted, As general rule, none are
better clothed fed lodged more lightly tasked There
are Of exceptions general interest
with humanity in improving their condition Temper
ance content and cheerfulness them health and
long fe There are less than two hundred thousand
over seventy years age and under hundred in three
millions There are double the number of centenarans of
those that may be found in fifteen millions of whites
There are more than half million under ten years OF
age and these with the aged, maintained without
work; besides several thousand deaf and dumb and
idiots do account for the greater number of GEN.
enarans the greater longevity of the race but to the
greater freedom from those dstracng cares, from the
precarious living and frequently irregular habits, SO de-
structive to the freeman.
am not defending slavery am simply stating facts
Would it be rash thing to break up this community
without providing something equally efficient In itspace
something in which the Southern owners can place conf
dence-not the bare assertion, which they know to be
false that the slaves if freed will become useful and re-
liable aborers Judge TUCKER may have expressed HIM
self too strongly when he asserted that sudden emanc
patton would make them the caterpllars of the earth
and the tigers of the human race I; yet am confident
that they would work about as well schoolboys would
learn their books in the absence Of the master When
we look at the history of the Jesuit missions of Pa
raguay and California, where the wild and restless
savages were placed in communities, under the con-
troll Of few priests cannot doubt the consequence
of breaking up these communities no matter In what
way the compulsory force may be applied. The COM
munities referred to sooner broken up than
the reclaimed savage almost Immediately threw aside
his industrious habits and scattered the country
more barbarous than the cannibal of the wilderness
accounts of the present of Jamaica show
results equally bad Pious enthusiasts attempted to dis
guise the truth by using the independent settlers
cd
vagabonds In the case of Liberia the emgrants were
schooled and prepared for the purpose The Colonization
Society quilted its hold of them it still contributes
to their support strong religious influence brought
bear the progress Of the colony has been slow and
gradual and the subjects for the greater part selected
and still the great complaint is that they apply them
selves slowly and reluctantly to the cultivation Of the
SOIL nrs hesitation say that the greatest danger
of this interesting colony from rapid and i'm
discriminate increase Of its numbers. / once asked
very intelligent colored freedman in Virginia whether he
thought the slaves fit to be free at once He canddly
replied that Of them were, but that the great
body Of them not dare say the same answer
would be given by intelligent man in France, to
whether the French people fit for republican
government.
But Southern slavery is not merely community for,
unlike that Of the missions, it is also relation; not
merely that Of the and his chatels although
that is Of Importance but of that and intimate kind
which forms tie the affections; one Of mutual in
terest and dependence beginning in infancy, and even
going back into tradition comforting oracular autho
rity to the aged Uncle Tom or Aunt Dina, who use
the privilege Of the aged with both the young and old Of
the masters family This relation is stronger and closer
than the clanshp described by Walter Scott in the Far
Maid Of PERTH where the clanswoman devote the lives
Of her nine sons to the laird could write volume
his subject without exhaustng have resided many
years in the South, and have trayersed than
The whole tier Of the Southern States first, along the
'eaboard then through the middle belt and then through
The portions in each of which the state Of slavery
liers essentially from the others; and am convinced
hat man. without the opportunity Of personal obser
ration and freedom from prejudice is competent to form
just and correct opinion on the subject.
am friend to slavery went to the South strongly
Affected against it. and my repugnance to
hat kind Of property but found that however de-
sirable do it away, il attended with difficulties Of
which had formed conception. | firmly believe that
Il will in the Of time and perhaps
Il can be extngushed without causing still greater evils
than attend its existence am further Of opinion that
this consummaon should never be lost sight Of by the
masters and that they should early make preparations
for the gradual transition freedom The condition Of
the slave must be improved in sapery to ct him for the
change as in numerous those to Liberia
along with large proportion Of those who were born
free The work begun seventy years ago in Penn
syvania and is only just completed have often asked
where are the descendants Of those freedmenf They
would be hard find fear there is too much truth in
the observation that two distinct cannot long exist
together without the destruction Of the inferior race
least regarded rs SUCH In the opinion Of Mr. CLAY IT
will be gradually extinguished without legislation