Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-03-21


They who guide the ship Of state viii fin
their powers of government sounded to tn
highest key in controlling the elements of "a
naticism and propagapdism, which are of hom
production, without tho inflammatory inhuenc
! of irresponsible conductors of newspapers, o
OF mobs, who mistake rant for reason, and Ii
cense for liberty.
Such is the infatuation of portion Of thos
who oppose this bill, that with the history 0
the foreign population in America fresh il
in their memories-a history which, at til,
north, is but succession of riots and OF mobs
| IN which private houses have been invaded
! public ediices demolished, railroads subverted
churches burned, and our citizens murdered
that they condescend to appeal even to those
outcasts from the purlieus of the cities of the
Old World to bring their influence to beal
upon this federal Legislature.
In pursuance Of their madness, they have
contributed to swell this tide of corruption
which threatens their present peace and soci
ETY., and which threatens us all in prospective
BY grataitous donations of public land, to any
and every foreigner, upon the sole condition O
actual settlement
/ Will it be said BY freesoiers, in support O
their philanthropy, that they desired thus te
provide homes for the negro as well as for the
whites? Then the proposition amounts to this
| that we of the south, after being robbed of ouI
slaves, are asked by abolitionists and freesoil
ers to relieve them of population which they
have corrupted into nuisances, by setting apart
a portion of territory, of which we are Joint
| owners, for the benefit of these very runaways
and free negroes, while our slaves and our.
selves are to be deliberately excluded.
Sir, the freesoilers but reveal the political
uses OF slavery, when they make their appeals
to foreigners for its restriction; and they but
expose their counterfeited philanthropy, when
they say "freemen, unless pressed by hard
and cruel necessity, will not and should not,
work beside slaves" Where sir, is their re-
gard for their brethren of the same color as
themselves at the south, if they will fix upon
US what they hold to be "hard and cruel ne.
cessity? This sentiment bears the earmarks Of
northern philanthropy, and is pregnant com
mentary upon the immaculate doctrine they
profess-"to behold in every man brother
know, sir, that the equality-loving freesoi-
ers of the north, "unless pressed by hard and
cruel necessity" refuse to work beside slaves
know that, after seducing them from their
homes of cheerfulness and comfort at the
south, they are left to starve in the streets,
while the freedom-loving emigrant from Eu-
rope monopolizes every avenue of thrift and
Of employment; and also know that hun
dreds, who are now dragging out a miserable
existence in want and in crime, would joyful
ly return to their former owners could they by
honest labor but secure the necessary means.
Let freesoilers come to the south, sir, and we
will show them the white and the black man
their philosophy. We will show them slaves,
layotaI RI tho 70 p,ily MI IL,
and family honor of their masters And we
will show them, in every gentleman, man
who will pour out his money, and peril his life,
if needs be, to protect his bondsman from
cruelty and injustice. A majority of our best
men, and many of our ablest men, have labor
ed side by side with their slaves, through years
of enjoyment, of usefulness, and responsibility.
But, sir the humanity OF freesoilers would
exclude the poor negro, who owes his condition
to the cupidity of their ancestors, from " the
rich lands of this large Territory" and sur
render it, without fear or reward to the descen-
dants OF, possibly, the very Hessians-the min
ions Of King George, who warred against our
liberties, when the negro, by his labor, fed the
continental army of America
Sir, the jealousy of the political power of sla-
very is not to be covered by so himsy a veil
and let me tell those who are sincere in a NOR.
bid sympathy for the imaginary sufferings of
slavery, and who, with incorrupt motives, in
dulge in schemes of restricting it, that better
knowledge of the workings of the institution
would teach them that genuine philanthropy
demands its extension.
The operations Of great system are to be
learned by an observation Of the operation Of
smaller systems. In every section where there
is a scarcity of land its value is increased The
1.hn ,nhf Il ~ - II
to buy; and those who are there are generally
tempted, by an extravaganza of price, to seek
their fortunes elsewhere. The men of wealth
absorb the small farms into large estates, from
which they are frequently absent, and the man
agement of which is usually intrusted to agents,
who have no interest in them beyond their an
nual wages and regard for their professional
reputation. The character Of this reputation
is too often determined by no other considera-
ton than the amount of the crops which are
annually raised. Large gangs of negroes are
congregated upon large estates, with no social
intercourse but with each other.
They are thus denied the watchful providence
Of the master, and the elevating influences of
his association with them. LOYAL to their
owner, and proud of their relation to him, they
are jealous of q substitute. Wanting in mental
resources, initiative by nature, and conscious of
natural inferiority and dependence upon
superior race, when left to themselves, they be-
come the prey of the widest superstitions and,
removed from the example of their superiors,
they descend in the scale of creation.
But, on the other hand, where lands are
abundant they are also cheap: The poor man,
when provided with q home, next looks around
for something upon which he shall expend his
successive annual gains, and which will bring
the greatest amount of comfort and conven-
fence to his family and himself Should his
money be invested in negro, he introduces it
into his family circle. The same hand that
prepares the daily food for the master, prepares
that also for the slave. They labor in the same
field, drink from the same spring of water,
and worship at the same altar. The negro is
enlightened and ennobled by the association;
and an experienced southern eye can tell at
glance, by the shining face, the more athletic
form, and jaunty air, that his home is upon
small farm, and that the white man is the COM
panion Of his daily toll.
Were freesoilers permitted to carry out their
nlape of rasfricfip0 elavarv 10 Er,;fc