The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-08-16
THE NATIONAL ERA: WASHINGTON, D. C., AUGUST 49, 1866

Mr.. Fitzhugh's theories to this practical test,
they will be universally secuted by sane men,
North and South, as the most preposterous
dreams of wild fancy.
Under despotic and corrupt Governments, which
Cypress the people with taxes, to support ex-
travagant misrule and unnecessary war-which
debauch them by evil example of those in high
places, and discourage education or render it
impossible-the condition of the poor and nomi-
nally free becomes truly deplorable. But it is
not Freedom which is their undoing-it is rather
the lack of it. 1t is their subsection, through
ignorance, to bad rulers, which keeps them in
poverty. We know that the claim laid by capt.
tai to the lions share of profits is itself, under
any circumstances, great obstruction to the
progress of the masses but we believe that
even that obstacle will one day be removed
that problem in political science be solved by
civilization and Christianity. We believe that
the human intellect will never, with the light of
the Gospel to guide and inspire its efforts, sur
render to the cold and heartless reign of capital
over labor But, at any rate, one thing is GER
tain, under the worst form of government, or the
best, namely: when Freedom becomes a bur-
den and a curse to the poor, Slavery-that is to
say, the enslavement of the mass of laborers,
with responsibility on the part of the master for
their supports no longer possible. When free
men are unable to support themselves, among
all the diversified employments of free societies,
it would be impossible for them to find masters
willing to take the responsibility. The masses
in Europe, in fact, owe their liberty to the ex-
cessive supply of slave labor, which, when it be-
came burden to the land, was cast aside as
worthless. Who believes that Irish landlords
would take the responsibility of supporting the
peasantry, on condition of their becoming slaves?
In fact, is it not notorious that they help them
to emigrate to America, and often pull down
their cabins and huts in order to drive them
off?
Freedom and individual responsibility are
therefore necessary conditions of the people in
populous States; and it depends upon the in
teligence and civilization of the mass, as well
as upon the wisdom and integrity of the Gov
eminent, whether their condition is happy or
otherwise.
On the other hand, wherever it is possible
to hold the mass in Slavery-that is to say,
wherever it is profitable to the master to hold
slaves, it is profitable to be free. If a slave is
good property, it is because his labor is in de-
mand, and certainly he would not be injured
by applying his whole earnings to his own use.
We thank Providence that Southern Slavery
would be an impossibility in a densely popu-
lated or highly civilized society 1t is the
enemy of Education and the Arts, and they, in
turn, are the enemies of Slavery. Slavery is
the offspring of barbarism, and must disappear
with it.
We highly commend the candor and consist
ency of Mr.. Ftzhugh and the Enquirer in
insisting upon the enslavement of poor white
men as well as poor negroes. Their Bible
arguments, and their politico- economical argu-
ments, alike apply to white men and to black,
and it is manly, though it may be impolitic, to
come out in favor of enslaving the poor, with
out regard to color. Regarding Slavery as a
blessing to the poor, it would be unjust in them
to withhold its advantages from poor white
men. We hope to see proposition before the
next Virginia Legislature for carrying these
benefcent theories into practice.
We would at the same time call the attention
of Northern freemen to this new phase of South
ern Democracy. All those who are proud to
be ranked as "Northern men with Southern
principles" should come out and defend this
platform" which their Southern masters have
made for them. To object to any plank of it
is rank treason and fanaticsm. G..