Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-04-15
From tho Commonwealth.
THE NUMBER OF SHAREHOLDERS.

In his speech on the Nebraska bill, Gen. Cass
estimated tho number Of Shareholders in the United
States at "about 350,000," and the Shareholders
and their families at about onc-fourth Of the white
inhabitants Of the slave States. This estimate is
too high. In lS49 or 1850, the tax returns, in
Kentucky, showed an average Of twenty-five slaves
to slave holder. There are 3,203,0T7 sMyes in
the country, and this number divided by 90, gives
1860 as the number Of Shareholders. But this
is allowing too much, for Kentucky has none OF
those great cotton and sugar plantations whose
owners possess from 100 to 2000 slaves 1t is by
no means probable that there arc 10000 slave.
holders in the United States, that they and their
families constitute more than about Oue-ninth OF
the white populations of the Southern States
According to the last census, the white inhabit
ants of the slave States number 6,222,4lS and
6OO0OO of thcm Mt least are neither Shareholders
nor connected with slaveholding families. We
never hear in Congress Of this great majority OF
the southern people, for nothing but the slave in.
tercst gets represented there Southern institutions
are not arranged for their benefit, and Southern
politics are not influenced Sy any consideration OF
their needs, because the Shareholders own most Vi
the soil, well as most of the aborers and claim
to be the whole South" "The rights Of the
South" in tho mouth Of Southern member Of
Congress- means simply the rights, Or rather, the
demands, Of these Shareholders. Tho South is
controlled by relentless aristocracy, which has
used the so-called Democratic party of the country
to control the politics of the whole republic. No.
where in Europe can you find an aristocracy which
has more sconlul disregard Of popular rights.
| Northern Democrats profess inceoncable oppo
sition to aristocracies and monopolies Of every
kind. They profess to act on the principle thai
laws should be enacted and government admins
tered for the people, and not for the aggrandize
mont Of a class interest. And yet they hav'
allowed themselves to be considered as the chic
reliance Of these Shareholders. They have Mad
presidents for them, elected members Of Congress
to do their bidding, and given support to what
ever policy tho slave interest has fiji TO dictate
Democrats Of the free States will you do thi
loreycrY If you thus belle your own principles
and follow selfish and INSCRIPTIONS leaders in obC
dicnce to party drill, you should not be SURPRISE
to hear Shareholders and their minions stand up ].
Congress and denounce the doctrines Of the Decla
ration Of Independence as "selfevide ent lies" Blu
you are opening your eyes to to the real characte
of what has been called national democracy.
You will at length understand that slavery is no
democracy, and see something in the South beside
slavery. iiat ... -
Reflect fairly and honestly on the ugly fact tina
the politics Of this Republic are dictated by
slavehold:ng aristocracy numbering not more thar
l20000-in fact not so many; and this balelu
power which spurns democratic ideas, and is cor
Irupting the very life of the nation, is upheld a
/ Washington by the scnseless partyism Of Northern