Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-07-03
Slavery in Kansas.

The Tribune quotes the remark of this
Journal, that if the interests and true policy
of Kansas require the exclusion Of slave la
Dor, that result will be effected, even though
the compulsory system should receive tenn
porary federation. The Tribune doubts our
sincerity in this belief, because, it says in the
fifteen States where slavery is maintained, we
have the evidence of the best and wisest
men, that it is an evil, seriously conflicting
with their true interests and retarding their
prosp erity. The reason that slavery is not
abolished there, we are assured, is not be-
cause it is their interest to continue 1t, but
solely " because of the difficulties that, in the
minds of the Shareholders, beset every form
of emancipation because of the vast politl-
cal and pecuniary interest connected with If;
because of the complications growing out of
its universal ramifcations into the frame
work of society, to disturb and remove which
is to enter upon a mighty social, economical
and political revolution" If the system is in
fact so inextrcably intertwined with the
social organic alton, that it cannot be disen-
tangled without plunging society into chaos,
one would think it to be pre-eminently their
interest to support it. 1t may be true, as the
Tribune asserts, that the citizens of Virginia,
Kentucky and Missouri "would gladly re-
lieve themselves of slavery, if they could"
They may believe that fuller development
of material prosperity could have been It
tanned by the instrumentality of more in
| telligent and productive form of labor; and
yet consistently resolve to adhere to the less
/ profitable and beneficial system. The rea-
! son is, that under the circumstances in which
they are placed, it is their interest to abide by
and to support it. That interest has grown
up and expanded itself gradually with the
communities in which it has its object, and
is now more than ever concerned to support
system that has spread ats universal RAM
ifications into the framework of society,"
! Whether the sentiment Of those who hold
| that the Southern States have been retarded
/ in growth and the development and accumu-
lation of wealth by the influences of sla-
very, be well or i'll founded, it is not neces-
sary in this connection to determine. But it
is to be considered that while slavery obtained
there a permanent footing in the North
where the same facilities existed for its intro
ductiOn, it could not be proftably employed,
and was finally excluded because it was
found not to conflict with the interests which
in that region constituted the prominent OBJ
iects of public care. And this fact proves
that, however much the conditions under
which a now country is settled may favor the
establishment of slavery, there must also exist
that additional encouragement which soil
and climate adapted to the productions for
which slave labor is commonly in demand
affords, to secure its permanent Incorporation
into the industrial economy of community.
Now in the case of Kansas, neither the con-
ditons of its settlement, nor its pecularities
Of soil and climate, invite compulsory labor.
The rigors Of its winteIs forbids the cultiva-
ton Of cotton and sugar and its fertile soil
and temperate cline entice the laborer of
every land, by the promise of rich reward
for his industry, in those very departments
of labor with which use has already made
him familiar. The rapidity of its settlement
produced by these influences would not leave
time for such shoots OF slavery as may be
transplante1 into it. TO take root and become
incorporated with the structure of society,
even il. without the competition Of free labor,
it we're possible to nurture the compulsory
system Tito state of healthy developments.
But in view Of the illustration which the
history Of the free States Of this Union af-
fords, that in territory possessing the natural
attributes of Kansas, slavery cannot maintain
itself, with the numerous powerful influences
to support it, growing out of acquiescence in
its introduction, long tolerance in its use, and
a large pecuniary stake in its maintenance, it
is idle and preposterous to apprehend the
result which portion of the political press
affects to anticipate with such dreful fore
| holdings. of Commerce