The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-08-04
EXEMPTION OF SLAVES FROM SALE FOR DEBT
BY LEGAL PROCESS

EXEMPTION OF SLAVES FROM SALE FOR DEB
BY LEGAL PROCESS
Mr. c. G. Baylor has published in the Mem
phis appeal the substance of a lecture which
he delivered at Holly Springs, on the 18th o
June. He says the subject has been under
consideration for moro than year that it ii
engaging the attention of number Of distin
| guished Southerners, and will be formally and
effectually presented by them through the
Washington City Cotton Plant
The title sufficiently expresses the purpor
of the project. He says it is intended to ex
empt negroes from sale under execution for debt
of the owners leaving their property in them
the right of transfer by private or voluntary
SALE and by will, unaffected. The effect ex.
peoted and aimed at, is to induce the non.
shareholders of the South to possess themselves
of negroes which shall be thus rendered &C.
cure property to them--to prevent the COM
pulsory separation of negro families--to abate
this one of the existing complaints of the Adolf
tionists against the system, and generally to
yield all the advantages, and lessen all the mis-
chiefs which such measure is anywise capa-
BILE Of
Mr. Baylor confesses that loudly as we may
call upon the Federal power to crush Adolf
tionism qoithout, we can no longer disguise the
fact that we must also meet that Aboltionism
AT HOME" He meets this danger thus and
addresses his remedy to it on this ground !:
Men are governed by SeLf-interest and yet
more by present interest. This policy-that is.
the exemption of slaves from sale by law-will
effect the end 30 devoutly to be desired, not
only for the good of the people, but also for
the benefit of the South, and for the security
of our lives. IL would make the South an unit
on everything touching our slave property
Under the operation of this law, every one,
however poor, would aim at having one or
more negroes and once having them, his feel
ings in regard to the institution would change"
He apprehends indeed, that it will be
urged against this law, that it is intended as
further gratuity to men of small means, lin
other words, poor mans law,) because it will
enable man who possesses himself of a negro
to have too many privileges, being thus combined
with land exemption )" but, he replies, "will
not the present larger shareholders find salts
faction in the fact that this very state of the
,ase presupposes that every Southern citizen
will be STAKEHOLDER 2" The objection that
he fifteen hundred millions of dollars worth
Of Southern property, now constituting CAPT
tai on which Northern banks are based, being |
swept from under the North would endanger |
the stability Of trade, is disposed of in right
Southern style. "Should we therefore, wisely |
providing for ourselves, be hindered from doing
80, because others have thought fit to consider
our slaves banking capital, and treated them
as such?"
We do not intend to write an essay upon |
this topic just now but we will indicate few |
of the points worthy Of reflection. In the first |
place there are Aboitionists in the South, con-
siderable enough in numbers and power to
awaken what Mr.. Baylor calls the alarmed
attention of the South" That fact is worth
knowing 80 vouched. Next it seems that the
institution does not rest upon Bible authority,
or the common sense Of right and Justice, nor,
does it repo~ very securely upon the underpn-
nngs which now really support it. "Mon are
governed by self-interest," and, according to
Mr.. Baylor, Slavery at least has no other sup
port Non shareholders are to be converted
into partisans by the power of this motive, all
others failing to secure their support for the
system. The Abolitionists have ca flmsy
shadow of an excuse for senseless agitation"
in the present liability of slaves to sale under
legal executions, which the Exemption law will
remove. He does not "say that it will stop
thcm-nothing can do that-but it will sink
them deeper in public contempt and odum"
Whatever the effect may be, we will be very
glad Of any amendment of the slave system,
which will take away even the least objections
which we make against it. Begin the reform
alton, gentlemen, just whore you please, and
for whatever reason and we will be content
with what remains for agitation till you beat
US out Of the field by leaving ss not a word to
say against you.
We make no sort Of objection to your sole
motive of selfintcrest. Take fair start even
there, and follow it up; it will bring you out
all right in the end. DO anything else than
what you are doing as soon as possible, and
We will risk the issue of the change
As long as negroes are property, we agree
that they shall be exempt from forced sales,
though the restraint applies only to executions
for the debts Of the owner, and leaves them to
be divided among heirs, sold and bartered in
voluntary traffic, and carried South by emf
grant masters, without regard to the ties of
blood and affection II there be but one in
hundred of you who would keep their families
together if they could, We cordially wish them
relief from the cruel necessity which misfortune
in business sometimes imposes And as for
withdrawingth the fifteen hundred millions worth
Of men from your stock Of credit in the North,
from the fiscal reliances Of Wall and State
streets we most heartily say amen We only
agifate the question of Slavery. You are well
come to shake the very foundations Of its for
eign support If you will hold them as prop
erty yourselves, let them no longer serve as
such to the cottonocracy Of the North and Of
commercial Europe. Every way we wish you
Roadway and quick success in your new move
ment. We really fear nothing so much as the
danger of your failure in it, Fifteen hundred
millions OF wealth in human bones and shows
suddenly crippled in its function of giving you
foreign credit will make it not only peculiar
institution, but give you very peculiar sort Of
title In it, 30 drive on, and let us see where
you will pull up.
Moreover, We like the notion of infasing 80
much democracy into your policy we really
like the prospect Of seeing your mserably poor