The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-12-01

WINGED that they do net possess a properly 1T
an unborn child; they will not distinguish be
tween allowing 10 unborn generations the alb
sOlute and inalenable rights OF human nature
and taking away that which they n0tc possess
They will shut their ears against truth should
you tell them the loss Of the mothers labor tOr
nine months, and the maintenance of a child
Tor dozen or fourteen years is amply com
pensated by the service of that child for a'
many wears more rs he has been an expensc
10 them. But if the voice Of reason instice
and humanity be not stuffed by sordid avaricC
or unieeliug tyranny, it would he easy to con.
vince even those who have entertained such
erroneous notions that the right Of one mar
over another j. neither founded in Nature MOI
in sound policy That IL cannot extend Il
those not in being that 80 man can in reality
be deprived Of what he doth not possess tina
fourteen years labor by young person in the
| prime of life Is an ample compensation TOR q
| lev months labor lost by the mother, and ior
| he maintenance Of a child, in that cOarse
homeIy manner that negroes are brought up
And lastly, that a state of slavery is DOT only
perfectly Incompatible with the principles OF
government but with the safety and security
Of their mas ers History evipces this. Al
this moment We have the mos. awful demon
STATIONS OF it. Shall we then, neglect duty
which every considerati on-moral religious
political or selfsh-rccommends Those who
wish to postpone the measure, do not reflect
that every day renders the task more arduous
to be performed. We have now 300, 900 slaves
among US Thirty years hence we shall have
double the number Ia sixty years We shall
have 100000 and in less than another Gen.
lpr
will TO doubled MILO acquired strength
enough to carry al OK, by beginning with the
OK while he was yet a calf il We complain
that the calf is too heavy for our shoulders,
what will the OK be
70 such a. apprehend danger to our agricul-
;ural Interests, and the depriving the families
of those whose principal reliance is upon their
slaves, Of support, 1t will be proper to submit q
view of the gradual operation and effects of
this plan. They will, no doubt, be surprised
TO hear that, whenever 1t IS adopted, the num-
bcr Of slaves will not be diminished for forty
years after it taxes place; that it will even IN
crease for thirty years; that at the distance of
sixty years there will be one-thifd OF the num-
Der at its first commencement that it will re-
quire 0b0ve a century to complete it; and that
the number Of blacks under tWentp eght, and
consequently bound to service in the families
they are bern in, viii always be ut least as
great as the present number Of slaves These
circumstances, truHt, will remove many cbec-
lions; and that they are truly stated will appear
On inquiry 800 IL will further appear, that
females only will arrive at Inc age Of enamel
pa ton within the first !orty-tivc Years all the
males during that period continuing either in
slavery or bound TO service till the age of TWEEN
ty eight years. The earth cannO5 want cult
yAtors whist our population increases IA at
present and throe-iOurths Of those employed
therein are held to ,ryice, and the remainder
to labor For we must not lose
sight Of this important consideration, that these
people must be b0und to labor. if they do not
engage therein. Their faculties are
lt present only calculated for that object; if
they be not employed therein they will become
lrones Of the worst description. In absolving
them from the yoke OF slavery. we must not
forget the interests Of society. Those interests
require the exertion3 of every individual, in
some mode or other; and those who have not
to support Themselves honestly, with.
,Ut corporal labor, whatever be their c0mpiec-
ion, ought to be compelled to labor. This is
he case in England where domestic slavery
has long been unknown. 1t must also be the
ase in every wel-ordered society; and where
he numbers Of persons without property in
rease, there the coercion of the laws becomes
more immediately requisite. Tee proposcd
Ian would necessarily have this effect and
therefore ought TO be accompanied with such
regulation. Though the rigors Of our police
n respect to this unhappy race ought to be
oftened, yet It's regularity and punctual admin
stration should he increased, rather than re.
axed II We doubt the propriety of such meas
ares, what must we think Of the situation OF
Ouy country when, instead Of 900, 900 we shall
have more than tl0o millions Of slaves among
us! This must happen lcltEin a century, it we
do not set about the abolition Of Slavery. VIII
not our pOsterity curse the days OF their natiyi-
ty with all the anguish Of Job, Will thoy not
execrate the memory Of those ancestors who,
having it in their power to avert evil, have,
ike their first parents, eptailed IL curse upon
all future generations! We know that the
rigor OF the laws respecting slaves unavoidably
must increase with their numbers What n
blood stained code must that be which is cal
culated Tor the restraint OF millions held in
bondage! Such must our unhappy country
exhibit within century, unless we are both
wise and just enough to avert from posterity
the calamity and rGproach which are other
wise unavoidable (9l)
! am not vain enough 60 presume the plan
have suggested entirely free from objections
nor that, in Offering my own ideas On the sub
jet, have been more fortunate than others ;
but from the communication of sentiment be.
tween those who lament the evil, it il possible
that an effectual remedy may at length be dis
anp hat bn l.
age of our country will begin Til then
.......... Non hospcs ab hosptc tutus.
Non lleru. Famulis tratrum quoauc gratia rara
(S6J The Romans before the time OF Justinian,
adopted similar policy, in respect to their freed
men. Hibbon, vol L. y. -.
(s7) See Spirit OF Laws, -, H. /. Blackstone's
Com, III.
(oS) tupon experiment it should appear advisa-
bic to hasten the operation of this PLAN to enlarge
the privileges of free negroes il will he both easier
and safer TO do, than to rctrcnch any privilege
granted to retard the operation of the origi
nal plan atcr it has been adopted and in part car
ried into execution.
go The immense territory of Louisiana which ex.
tcnds far south lat - deg aud the two Flordas
would probably afford ready asylum for such might
choose to become Spanish subjects How far their
political rights might he enlarged in these countries
IS however. questionable. but the climate is un-
dpubtcuIy more iaNOrablc 10 the African cOuStltu.
ton than ours, and from this cause il is not mprob.
able that omig5ations from these States wo.ld in
tune be very considerable.
DO) As It may not be unacceptable to some read.
crs TO observe the operation OF this plan shall sub
JOIN tho following statement:
PRELIMINARY REMARKS
l. The number of slaves in Virginia by the late
census, being found to bo 292, 427. they may now in
round numbers, be estimated at 500, 900
let it bo supposed that the males and females
are nearly, - altogether equal in number.
s. According To- Dr. Franklin tho people of Amer
lea double their numbers ia about twenty gh
years, and according to Mr.. jefferson, the negroc
increase ms fast ms the whites they will therefore
double at least every thirty years.
i. Let 1t be supposed that in thirty years one hal
OF the present race of negroes will be extinct
D Let II bo supposed that in forty five years Their,
viii not remain more than one fifth of the present
race alive
y. Let 1t be likewise supposed that in sixty YEAR
the whole OF the present race will be extinct
!. For concisencss sake, let the present race h,
called ante "at those born after the adoption of th
plan, }OSt-liatt
h.n, II Till 4 q