Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-08-17
From Burritt's Citizen of the World1
The Expense and Sterili,y of Slave Labor.

There is not an aspect in which slavery can
be considered that does not show dri. .tr-
rious working OF the svst'n ul.u .-,
iut'rr.' "i th" solt tern States. W. have.
already dW,it Ill l'u-,h upon -pInr or ti,,so
features. There is one t. which all honest
minded men of those States. who have visited
the North, must be fully sensible This is
the stcriltv Of the slave labor system in the
matter Of home comforts and convenience
10 our mind, it is astonishing that southern
planters and farmers can he willing to receive
back 50 little for their money. There are
thousands and thousands OF iourneymcn
mechanics in New England whose houses are
palaces compared with the dwellings, ui nun
dreds of slavc-h1llrrs in the South. During
our recent tour in that section of the Union.
we saw and heard enough t. Justify tins
statement. We were assured that many
planter, with fifty and sometimes with
hundred slaves, still lived in low lor house.
without any of the little cleganccs and COM
forts which fill and surround the homes of
northern artisans. y gentleman whom We
visited on his estate, man of refined taste.
education and manners, and who owned
seventy or eighty slaves, dwelt with much
feeling upon this difference. He had So
uurncd for awhile during the previous sum
mcr in a small busy manufacturing town in
one Of the most sterile Of the New England
States and rad been deeply impressed with
the Appearance Of wealth aud competence
which the homes OF the farmers presented to
his view. In every direction from the centre,
or village part Of the town, he saw their
large white houses. with ,,rc"n window
blinds. generally cmhowcrcI in graceful
shruhbery, f stooncd with flowers and .n,lod
by rows 81 ln9rln or elm trocs-all booking
like the ahpioS of elegant luXury, thrift and
wealth. And these establishments wcrr often
facing each other from opposite silrs OF the
same road. Il seemed marvel to him that
50 many homes OF such Il character could be
sustained On 50 small T. space. II re wrre Il
dozen ali in sight, occupying, III the us,rc-
gate, hardly u thousand acres Yrc -he
smallc>, and poorest Of them quite cguqllel
his own III convenience and comfort. thpl q
he owned about two thousand acres in the
South, and nearly ON" hundred negroes
There wa, tn" bright white school house. in
which the children Of thcsn farmers. and
every child ia the district, received an riuca-
tion that fitted them l.r all the ordinary oc-
cupations Of lifr. What an ugrirultgra
community thi, to bee planted upon thou
sand acres Of naturally thin-spilcd land
What yeomaury to stand up, in al III"
strength and sterling attributes Of iutelli-
genco, virtue and Independence, in space
halt the ~" OF his own plantation What
a crop of large two story houses, c.pacious
and we'll filled barns and out houses. cattlt,
sheep and swine, horses. carriages. and pro-
pcrtics real and personal. for such AN area ,
What Il growth Of mind, genius, virtue and
| human individuality to be spread over such a
small compass Of territory NJ one better
than II southern planter could appreciate the
difference between such district and one ot
equal size occupied by single white family
and one hundred slaves