New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-05

The evils which afflict the Slave States are va
rious and compcated; but they all originate with,
or are aggravated by, that fatal institution which
Washington, Jefferson, Patrick Henri, and all the
great men of the South of the Revolutionary epoch
deplored, but which the madness of modern times
hugs blessing
The wages of labor are always low in countries
exclusively agricultural. Industry begins to be
fairly rewarded, when it is united with skill, when
employments are properly divided, aud when the
general average of education and intelligence is
raised by the facilities afforded by density OF popu-
lation. The grain-growing regions of Eastern
Europe are titled by serfs; it is only in Western
Europe that we find industry enjoying any tolera-
bic measure of competence, intelligence and re-
spectabiity Agricultural countries are compare
lively poor, and manufacturing and commercial
countries are comparatively rich; because rude
labor even upon rich soils, is less productive than
skilled labor, aided by machinery and accumulated
capital. That the South is almost exclusively
agricultural, results especially IN the more north
erly Slave States, (Which have admirable natural
facilities for mining and manufacturing from the
institution of Slavery, under which there cannot
be in the organization of society that middle
class, which, in Free States, is the nursery of in
telligent and enterprising industry.
The whites at the South not connected with the
ownership or management of slaves, constituting
not far from three fourths Of the whole number OF
whites confined at best to the low wages OF agri-
cultural labor, and partially cut of even from this
by the degradation Of cOmpanlonship with black
slaves retire to the outskirts of civilization where
they lead semi savage life sinking deeper and more
hopelessly into barbarsnA with each succeeding
generation The slaveowner takes at first all the
best land, and finally all the land susceptible OF
regular cultivation; and the poor whites, thrown
back uponthe hills and upOnthe sterile soils-mere
squstters, without energy enough to acquire title
even to the cheap lands they occupy without roads,
without schools and at length without even desire
for education, become the miserable beings de-
scribed 10 Us BY the writers whom l have quoted.
In Virginia and all the old Slave States, immense
tracts belonging to private owners, or abandoned
for taxes, and in the Southwest, immense tracts
belonging to the Government of the United States,
are occupied in this way. Southern agriculture.
rude and waseful TO the last degree is not fitted 10
grapple with difliclties. Il SeEes upon rich soils
and hourishes only while il is exhaustlng them.
Ii knows how 10 raise cotton and corn but has no
fexibity, no power ofadsptatiOn to circumstances,
no inventiveness. The poor white, if be cannot
find bottoms WbereOn to raise grain, becomes
hunter upon the hills which might enrich him with
hOcks and herds.
In the first settlement of the neV and rich soils
Of the Southwest these evils were less apparent;
but the downward progress is rapid and certain.
First the farmer without slaves, and then the
small planter, succumbs u the cODquering desols-
ton. How feclingly it il depicted in the follow
ing extract from an Address delivered few weeks
since by the Hon. c. c. Clay .ir., Of Alstsma
can show Won with sorrow IL older portion, Of Ala
o. zee aress and sNlsusug culture 81 cotton Oar small
iaiefs bsr okus the Cd their lands uretc -
store item by rest OthtrH farther
est Ha south, search Of other virgin sis wtcE they
wetthr planters, with ard san.
buIlR ca. ur POORER .huor cGfelf,E cL pg-afl1us
Az sdoi 70 TIER slave force The wealthy few who abe
10 i've on sfa4 prohts and nci. blasted relis
rest ar thu Iusine OF ii. ulSny who a-r r-l ed
ent W ire t<VN sluu1ly allied sa.es the
cotton crop or AlAfa reAlly all
ine foe IN land al negroes Thus lie white
population has decreased and the slave increased almost a1ri
several counties OF State 1875 Madison Coau+v
cast about coo votes now she cast exceeding 6
In travertg hs county one vii discover numerous r1
houses the abode oildusrious and fa o
oCcuI by slaves ienaness, deserted sad dspdiei h
will observe fields fertile unfsUctd abandoned al
covered With Ihoso evil hsr1I foN tail en5 troom-ere