Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-01-14
DISCUSSION IN KENTUCKY.

We noticed, lately series Of cxcellent articles
on the subject Of colonization and slavery, by Rev.
JouN G.. Fee Of Kentucky, and published in tho
Newport (Ky.) Ncps Mr.. Zee has taken occasion,
in these articles, to Intervene great amount Of
excellent Anl-Slayery mutter, besides putting the
Colonization question in its true light. Such dis
cussions cannot fail to have most desirable iniu'
ence upon the state of public sentiment in Ken
lucky.
We add the following extract from number siS Of
the series
Kentucky contains about twenty-five millions Of
acres of land and, according to the Auditors Re
port the value of all the slaves in the State is lit
tic over S50,00O000 If, 10y emancipation, the ay-
cragc increase in the price of land should be two
dollars acre, that increase would pay for all the
slaves in the State. We have no doubt that, If our
Commonwealth were rid of slavery, the enhanced
value Of the soil would be more than equal to the
assessed value Of all the slaves.
We might add to the statistics We have Civ
en-, and thus pile proof ON proof of the fact that
slavery is hostile 10 all the industrial interests Of
the State. But we have adduccd enough TO satisfy
any man of candid mind, that slavery has greatly
retarded the growth of our Commonwealth, and
prevented the development Of the resources with
which she is so richly endowed.
We might run the comparison between all tho
free States and all the slave States and we should
find the advantage, in all important respects, in ia
yor of the free States not because of better eli
mate, or better soil but simply because of freedom
absence of slavery. Let us look at facts mo
ment. And in the light of these facts, now slave
holders of this State see to some small extent,
the evils they suffer because of slavery.
Within the last fifty years, we have been taxed
ifty-ninc thousand dollars for dead negroos-exc-
cuted slaves.
Millions more have We paid for slayc.lcgisla,ion,
and litigation concerning slaves. Thus have tho
poor and the majority been taxed for the interests
of the few and Of the rich. Slavery has dcprecis-
ted the relative value of our lands far more than
the value of every slave in the State. IL has pre-
vented home market, and therefore greatly dimin-
ished the value Of our products. 1t has banished
to free States many thousands Of our best citizens.
II has driven many other industrious laborcrs to
the poor lands Of States, and given the rich
portion to slave monopoly 1t has made labor dis
reputable and therefore reared in our midst
merous brood of idcrs and spendthritts. These,
in their turn, have invited the gambling table, and
the grogsho-phencc rampant vice in these respects.
1t fosters a spirit of domination, laTlessness and
cruelty hence the pistol and bowicknifc. 1t holds
in our midst thousands of ignorant dcbascd and
deicnceess slaves, inviting prostitute n, and, rs
result, icentiousness reigns. Ii has squandercd
our educational fund.- and crippled our school sys-
TEN, and left us probably more than fifty thousand
white persons over the age of twenty, who cannot
read or writes Ii has filled the hearts of the
great mass of our citizens with pride, CASTE and
cruelty; thus banishing the essential elements Of
the christian religion, love, Justice mercy, and hui
mility Yea, it has prostitutcd the Holy Bible
the revealed will of the God of Love, of Justice,
and of Mercy to the support Of the basest system
of despotism under the sun. Its foul blot, its
blighting impress, its crushing embracois seen up
ON everything in our midst.
Then let us seek protection for ourselves our
wives and our children by banishing the ini1utOus
system by relieving the oppressed and avortiny the
judgments Of the Almighty.