Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-10-01
Exempting Slaves from Execution.

There is much excitement on this subject in AL
ALBANIA. The proposition is to exempt one or more
slaves from execution, upon the same principle that
horse, wagon, cart, SO many bushels of corn, SO
many pounds of meat, certain quantity of land,
DC, are by the existing law reserved to each fam-
y; but the object is different. In the other cases
specified, the exemption is made for the benefit of
the family of poor and nsolvent men, so that they
may under all circumstances have in hand the
means of living In the case under consideration,
the object is to- interest the body of the people in
the lstituton of slavery, and thereby etfectually
countermine the efforts of the Abolitoniss to infect
the poorer classes of the South with their fanati-
cism It is thought by the advocates of the law,
that II one or more slaves exempted from ex-
ecution, that poor men would strive to accumulate
enough money to purchase this species ofproperty,
as 1t would be resource for their families in
the event of misfortune happening to them. There
Is much pauslblllty in the argument, and upon the
first flush Of the subject we incline to favor the pol
icy of the law.
We know that the policy of the law is advocated
by many wise and patriotic men in our sister Safe
and so far as We able to ascertain public senti-
ment from the opinions of the press, there is very
little doubt but that there is very general acau-
escence in the measure
The only objections we can see to the law, are
that it will encourage idleness and intefere with
the collection of debts We think these objections
rather plausible than sound A man who has in
dustry enough to accumulate money sufficient to
buy negro by his labor, will hardly fail to in
crease in energy when he has fair prospect o
adding to his wealth by the Joint Iobor of himself
and his slave Indeed, the greatest incentive to
ldleness is the hopelessness of more tina compe-
tency. furthermore, no law can be passed inter-
ferng with the line of processing debts The
| Sla L c,l Il, u
operation of the exemption to debts to be contrac-
ted after the passage In that event, no hardships
could result from the law, as credit could not be
obtained upon the property except from execution.
There are many reasons which could be adduc-
ed to show the policy ofpassing similar law in
Georgia.
1t is well known that slave holders are a very
small class in Georgia The great body of the
people, THEREFORE, are not interested directly and
personally. Any plan therefore, which woudin-
crease the number of slave holders, would unques-
tonably strengthen the institution ofslavery in the
State. We do not at all question the sound patri-
otism of non slaveholdersi in Georgia We believe
they would be the first to take up arms in defence
ofthe rights of their neighbors. We would, how
ever, bind our people still closer together by the
strong bonds of a common interest, by the passage
of a law which would probably induce 8-l0ths of
the population to invest money in slaves
1t is also well known that the slave holding in
terest is much stronger in Middle and Southern
Georgia than tits in the mountains. No evil con-
sequences have as yet arisen from this dispropor-
ton. Is it not, however sound policy to break
down all barriers which might by possibility Gre
ate sectional differences in the State and make our
entire population homogeneous? We think so,
and therefore urge the consideration of this sub
ect upon the attention of the Georgia press at this
time Letus hear from you, gentlemen. - Georgia
Times d Sentinel