Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-06-29
The Strength of the Slave Power.

, that no principle could justify taking
saves into computation in apportioning the
number OF representatives State should
have in the government. That it involved
the absurdity of increasing the power of n
State in making laws for freomen in proper
ton as that State violated the rights Of froo-
dom. That it might be proper to take slaves
into consideration, when taxes were to be
apportioned, because it had q tendency to
discourage slavery; but to take them into
account in giving representation tended to
encourage the slave trade, and to make it
the interest of the States to continue that
infamous traffic. That slaves could not be
taken into account as men or citizens, be-
cause they were not admitted to the rights of
citizens, in the States which adopted or CON
tinucd slavery. If they were to be taken
into account as property, it was asked, what
peculiar circumstance should render this pro-
perty, (of all others the most odious in its
nature,) entitled to the high privilege of CON
ferring consequence and power in the govern
mcnt to its possessors, rather than any other
property And why slaves should, az pro-
pcrty, be taken into account, rather than
horses, cattle, mules or any other species
And it was observed by an honorable member
from Massachusetts, that he considered Il az
dishonorablc and humilating to enter into
compact with the slaves Of tho Southern
States, as it would be with the horses and |
mules of the Eastern. "--,buthor Martins |
"Genuinc Information" f..
Luther Martin vas the Attorney General |
of Maryland, member of tho Convention of
1887, and one of tho few who refused their |
sanction to its doings. In his report to the |
Legislature Of Maryland of the course of de-
bate in that Convention, We find the fore
going passage. The language is that of
patriot and of a statesman, of a man who
also believed, rs he says in another place ;
" that giving the States power and influence
in the Union in proportion rs they cruelty
and wantonly sport with the rights of their
fellow creatures, ought to be considered as a
solemn mockery Of, and insult to that God
whose protection we had implored, and could
not fail to hold us up in detestation, and
render us contemplate to every true friend
of liberty in the world"
Few have any adequate conception of the
tremendous power which the unjust provis-
ion, so forcibly condemned by Luther Martin,
has given to tho slave statos. Though the
/ slaves have no more to do with the laws or
with choosing law makers, than the sheep
and hogs have, yet every slave counts equal
to three ffths of free white person, to
| increase the political power of the masters
Taking the average of the whole time from
1870 to the present, we find that th,rty-fre per
cent of the Slave State representatives have
been given to them because Of their slaves,
and only for few years has the proportion
gone as low as one third of the whole In
other words, had the representation been
made to depend on the free whites alone, the
per cent of the votes in the House of Repre-
sentatives which they have had This thirty
Foo rent of congressional power is just 80
much bounty given TO them In favor of m ain
tanning slavery. To strengthen end increase
that advantage has been the steady aim of
southern politicians of all creeds and parties.
For that end Missouri was made slave state.
For that end Texas was annexed. For that
end the Missouri compromise prohibition
was broken, in violation of tho most sacred
engagements which the forms of law, the
oaths of lawgivers, the honor Of statesmen
and public faith itself could make. For that
end Kansas has been made the field Of open
and lawless violence from the inhabitants of
Missouri such violence as never before was
known or thought of in the country,-and
for that end such atrocious acts are upheld
by the almost universal language of the
Southern Press.
But the thirty-fre per cent of representa-
tves given them by their slaves does not
come up to the real advantage which they
enjoy, by great deal. From their proper
ty, and their class sympathies, the slave
holders form united and powerful Aristo-
cracy, in whose hands is found almost the
entire influence of the Southern community
In fact the Southern States are governed by
the Shareholders, and to such an extent is the
popular vote in their hands that the entire
Southern Congressional representation is de-
termined by them and chosen of them, with
hardly an exception. The number Of slave.
holders is shown by the last census, tC
he 347 sos. They and their families make
up not over 1000 900, little more than
one third Of the entire white population Of
the Slave States. The 1000, 900 and more
who own no slaves, form grand material tc
| iudhc iuOpo oup VI, pue why nav" ii'eAS iiNAS
influence than the slaves themselves. Prac-
tically the Southern States are ruled by the
347 ,525 Shareholders, compacted together by
their condition, and ready at moment tc
lay aside every dispute among Themselves
whenever the question of their political power
in the State or Nation comes up in any form
Nothing like this exists in the Free States
In them political power is spread through al
classes. There never has been any one feel
ing or interest to bind them together as there
is with the Shareholders Thus BAT ,525 white
voters in the free States, who with theil
families may be taken also at 1000 900, MOI
only exert no control over the remaining
ll,330,000 white persons in the free States
but they always have been variously divided
among themselves. The inhabitants of the
free States have never fairly realized the in
territorial and steady encroachment OF tn,
Slave power. and most unfortunately too, il
has always found means to diride the Free
State power in Congress, whenever any qucs
> ton affecting either power directly has come
up there. Keeping its own force as firmly
knit as Grecian phalanx, 1t has by cooking
? threats and brides always been able to secure
, enough of the timid and corrupt member,
from the Free States to accomplish its owl
, purpose. Even the last and blacklist outrag,
D of all could not have been consummated, haC
/ not Free State representatives and senators
Q been found, who, though calling themselves
e democrats and the special friends of popula,
Q rights, were ready to show themselves tn,
p willing tools of despofism who were read,
S to vote away their country's honor, and tn
Q pledged rights of their own free constituencies
who were content if they could hut secnr,