The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-02-28

The evils which afflict the slave States are
various and complicated; but they all originate
with. or are aggravated by, that fatal institution
which Washington. Jefferson, Patrick Henry,
and all the great men of the South of the Rev
dictionary epoch deplored, but which the mad
ness of modern times hugs blessing.
The wages of labor are always low in coun-
tries exclusively agricultural. Industry begins
to be fairly rewarded, when it is united with
skill, when employments are properly divided,
and when the general average of education and
intelligence is raised by the facilities afforded
by density of population. The grain growing
regions of Eastern Europe are titled by serfS
II is only III Western Europe that we find in
dustry enjoying any tolerable measure of COM
petence, intelligence, and responsibility. Agri-
cultural countries are comparatively 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 aud accumulated
capital. That the South is almost exclusively
agricultural, results, especially in the more
northerly slave States, (Which have admirable
natural facilities for mining and manulactur-
lng.) 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 intelligent and enterprising in
dustry.
The whites at the South not connected with
the ownership or management of slaves, con-
shutting not far from three fourths of the whole
number of whites, confined at best TO the low
wages of agricultural labor, and partially cut
OIL even from this by the degradation of COM
panionship with black slaves, retire to the out
skirts of civilization, where they lead a semi
savage lie, sinking deeper and more hopelessly
INTO barbarlsm with each succeeding genera
ton. The slave-Owner takes at first all the best
land, and finally all the land susceptible of reg
ular cultivation and the poor whites, thrown
back upon the hills and upon the sterile soils
mere SquatterS, without energy enough to ac-
qulre title even to the cheap lands they occupy,
without roads, without schools, and at length
without even desire for education become the
miserable beings described to US by the writers
whom 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
wasteful 10 the last degree is not fitted to prap
| pie with difficulties. 1t seizes upon rich soils.
and hourishes only while it is exhaustino them.
Ii knows how to raise cotton and corn, but has
no tlexiblLty, no power OF adaptation TO circum-
stances, no nventlveness. The Door white.
| II he cannot ind bottoms wherein to raise
gram, becomes hunter upon the hills which
might enrich him with focks and herds.
In the first settlement of the new and rich
soils OF the Southwest, these evils were less ap-
parent; but the downward progress is randi
and certain. First the farmer without slaves.
and then the small planter, succumbs to the
conquerng desolation. How feelinoly il is
depicted in the following extract from an
address delivered few weeks since by the
Hon. Z. {. Clay, jr., Of Alabama:
II can show you, with sorrow in the older nor.
| tions of Alabama, and in my native county of Mad
lson the sad memorials of the aress and cxhaustinp
culture of cotton Our small planters after taking
the cream off their lands unable to restore them by
rest, manures, or otherwise, going further est
| and South in search of other virgin lands which
they may and will despoil and impoverish in Ike
manner. Our Weather planters with greater means
and no more skill are buying out their poorer neigh
bors extending their plantations and adding to their
slave force. The wealthy few who able to live
on smaller profits and to give their blasted fields
some rest. are thus pushing off the many who are
merely independent Of the $50 600 900 annually
realized from the sales of the cotton crop of Alabama
nearly all not expended in supporting the producers
is re-inves.ed in land and negroes. Thus the white
population has decreased and the slave increased
almost par passm in several counties of State
In 1875, Madison county cast about 5000 votes
now, she cannot cast exceeding 300 In traversine
that county will discover numerous farm
the abode of industrious and intelligent free.
men, now occupied by slaves or tenantess deserted
and diiapdated; he will observe fields once fertile
now unfenced, abandoned and covered with those
evil harbingers xtail and broomsedee he will see
the moss growing on the Wondering walls of once
thrifty villages, and will End only master grasp:
the whole domain that once furnished happy home,
for dozen white families. Indeed, country in it;
infancy, where fifty years ago scarce forest tree
had been feled by the of the pioneer is already
exhibiting the painful signs of senility and decay
apparent in Virginia and the Carolinas."
! Ii is undoubtedly true that the condition O
; the South would be vastly ameliorated if il.
pursuits Were more diversified, if its great facli
ties for mining and manufacturing were i'm
proved, and if its wasteful systems of agricul
ture were changed. The profits of capita
,, would be raised, and the productiveness O
labor would be enhanced. To a certain ex
! tent, perhaps, the free laborer might be bene
) flied by the greater employment and highe
: wages which would result; but the same fatal
overshadowing evil which has driven him from
, the field, would drive him from the workshop
and the factory. Haret IN latere lethal;s aruadt