Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-11-03
Che Anti- 5laperp Buolr.
THE FAILURE OF FREE SOCIETY"

lnpTOVeu III mOuern tmcS, as tnoy nave become
freer from the restraints of feudal bondage We
propose briefly to consider Slavery as the rem
edy proposed by the Richmond Enquirer and its
correspondent, Mr. Fiizhugh, for the ills of Poverty
and Freedom Mr.. Fitzhugh adopts, from some sap
lent English thcorist, the following, which the au-
thor claims as grand discovery in political sci.
ence. 1t is due to Mr.. Fitzhugh to say, that, in
adopting the view of the English writer he at the
same time lays claim to half the merit of the dis
coyery. National Era.
"Bailed in every search for a remedy at home,
determined to search foreign nations, and having
carefully iourneyed through Europe sought sue
cessivey tho East and West until | had traversed
the civilized countries of the world. 1t was in the
remote regions of the East and West that folnd
a clue to my discovery. | here found mankind as
multtudnous as at home, but much more happy.
Starvation, except in cases of general famine, was
unknown and, on the contrary, heard the sounds
of reyelry and dancing, Of mirh and pleasure,
amongst the lowest classes. How different to the
everlasting toll of the superior Englishman These
then" l said, are the concomitants of bondage !
III wing thus struck out the idea, followed it up
with logical severity, and ennncaed the truth that
.Sacery and content and liberty and diSconteat,
are natirdl results Of each other. Applying this,
then, to the toil-worn, halffed, pauperzcd popula
tion of England, found that the only way to per-
manently and efficiently remedy the complicated
evils would be, tc ENSLAVE tie erhole Of the peo-
pile Of EAyLtad wko haze not property
''Of course expect shout Of execraton and
contempt at such bold propositions; but, as have
already said, seek only to gain the hearing, ut
first, of the impartial and original thinker That
i am dsinterested will at once DC allowed, when |
declare | do not seek to be one of the enslaved-I
But let us proceed to examine how this mighty
benefit would manifest self. The first great ad.
vantage would he, that the lower class of society
would be placed on an equality with the domestic
animals, and, by becoming property, become vau
able and valued At present there can be no doubt
that horse that is worth fifty pounds is much
more cared for than man who is worth nothing,
We have lat3ly seen where woman was al
lowed to expire in parturition, because more
than eight shngs was allowed for the midwife's
fec: whereas, when q famous racing mare fOaled,
ten guincas were not thought too great sum to Sc
cure the attendance of trst-rate veterinary sur
geon Now, had the woman been slave her off
spring would have been worth something, and, of
course, her safety secured"
The writer fails to state in what portion Of the
East and West he found the condition of the poor,
in slavery, so much more happy than that of the
poor freemen in England. In China and the Elst
Indies, it is notorious that the people mex
pressby wretched. Human life itself is esteem
ed as lightly we esteem that of beasts of burden;
and, in fact, human beings almost the only
beasts Of burden used. The wealthy. all who are
able to ride, are carried in sedan chairs by slaves
poor laborers. Carriages either for travel or
transportation, are rarely used; goods are carried
from place to place the backs Of the poor
Whole districts are often depopulated by famine,
pestilence, which generally follows in the foot
steps OF famine
Slavery exists in all the Eastern or Asiatic coun-
tries; but that is not the condition Of the great
body Of the people. Or if they are in species of
seryitude to the lords of the SOIL it is not in the
same sense that slavery exists in this country
They rather i'll the condition of the serEs of
Russia, who compelled to pay certain por-
tion of their earnings to their lords, but who must
maintain themselves. Such also the cOndi-
tion of the English villains. The law in this coun-
try requires the master to support his slave In
years Of famine and in times Of sickness as well
as whom their labor is profitable. But this was
not the case with English villienage, and it is not
now the case with Russian and Asiatic serfdom.
In densely peOpled country, such responsible
ty, the part OF the lord Or master, would be an
IutOlerable burden, which if presisted in, would
cause the general breakdown Of the whole
system. True, it may continue to exist to limit
ed extent, as regards domestic slaves; but the body
of the laboring population, in any densey peo-
pied country, must necessarily be responsible Tor
its own maintenance; and real Slavery, such as 1t
exists in Virginia and the South, must necessarily
terminate from this law of political economy, in
the course of few generations. They may turn
it into scrfdUm-they may adopt the ieuda system,
which, bad and barbarous it is, would be an ad-
vance in Southern civilization; but they cannot
continue the existing state of things beyond half
century They may for ages continue the
class corresponding to the Anglo.Saxon theowes,
explained in our last but it can only be as domes-
tcs while the great body will become attached to
the SOIL and depend on themselves for support or
else entirely free.
Virginia is larger by some thousands Of square
miles than England and Wales combined. Now,
imagine that her population is increased twelve
fod--from ,440, 900 to 2S, S,0O0000 which was the
population of the latter in lS5l-can it be con-
ceived as possible, that the great body of her Ia
borers could be held in slavery? Tho aboring
class of any country-that is to say, those who
depend for subsistence upon wages III the mechan'
ic arts in agriculture, commerce. mines, manuiac-
lures and the domestic service, unaided bv the
profits of clpitalwill constitute three-fourths OF
the population perhaps larger proportion Now,
if We suppose above fourteen millions of the peo-
pie of England reduced to slavery, in conformity
with the suggestion of Mr.. Fit7hugh and his Eng
lish friend, we can imagine the condition OF Nlr'
ginia when its slave population shall arrive at that
point. But to suppose this, we must suppose sew
eral other impossbiities; as, Tor instance. thai
such population could subsist by agriculture
alone, which is the only labor adapted to slaves
Or, to be accommodating. we will suppose slaves
equally as competent intelligent freemen, to car
ry on commerce, the mechanic arts, and manufac
lures. On this latter supposition, it would bt
necessary to congreGae the slaves together in mill
lions, as in London, Paris, and New York, or b,
hundreds of thousands as in Manchester, Birm
ingham and Philadelphia. Would it be safe Il
live in the midst of servile class, having sucl
opportunities for combination? Could a socet
thus constituted last year? We will venture t
say that there is not an intelligent man in Virgin
ia, who believes in the possibility Of such thing
Bringing Mr.. Fitzhugh's theories to this practica
test, they will be universally secuted by men
North and South as the most preposterous dream
of wild fancy.
Under despOtc and corrupt Governments, whic
cypress the people with taxes, to support extrava
giant misrule and unnecessary war-whch de
bauch them by evil example of those in high plG
ces, and discourage education or render it imposs
ble-the condition of the poor and nomiLally fire
becomes truly deplorable But it is not FreedoI
which is their undoing-it is rather the lack Of j
II is their subjeoticn, through Ignorance, to ba
that the claim laid by capital to tho lions share