Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-05-20
REV. THEODORE PARKER on NORTHERN
AND SOUTHERN SOCIETY.


lila easy to dispe the dreamy seulimentaliam Of
Boston inGde!ity and abotontsm by little exact
and vigorous demonstration. Mr.. Parker thinks the
tendency Of Northern institutions is to make all men
laborns men, In truth, their tendency is IN the op'
posite direction. 1t is impossible to conceive that
the wit uf man could have arranSed society more
thoroughly adapted to make tho weak, the poor and
unfortunate. tho slaves Of the capitalists, the pro:ss
sional and skilfu than that Of New York and New
England. Their whole political and social system 10
that Of the political economists which encourages
competition and results iF the concentration and az
gregaiion Of capital ip few Eepds. and at few
ceusres. In Europe, the lands held 10 Eertmain by
the church. .heir systeus Of entail and princgsn
ture, aud the less commercial and trading spirit OF
the people checked free competition, and its conse'
quence the pauperizstoa ct the masses ana INC
emulation of few niIiionaires But even in England
since those checks have been removed or uPpsired'
the number of land.holders diminished in seventy
five years from 25OOOO to 81 UOu. III. census Of the
North shows that whilst the msss Of her population
10 daily becoming poorer and her agriculture oe'hg
depressed her wealth increases rapidly in few large
towns and that that wealth ID daily getting into fewer
and fewer hands. Ror, her masses, impeled by the
necessity Of getting living. ere as much bound 10
work for the capitalists the negro Of the South
for their % ssers But the capitalists ale pot com
pelisd by either law, self interest," dGmeGtjc
affection, to take care OF free aborers Free
trade and free competition are fust making the
property holders of ths North, nmasters without
the obligations Of masters" and the whita aborers
.slaves without the rights Of slaves" Mr.. Parker
cannot but that theoretically aud practically, the
establishment Of the institution Of private property
is the establishment of the institution OF slavery. II
he would get rid of slavery lie must abolish priVate
property or rigdy entail i as in Judea. Moses. say
thst the profits Of capital but the tax which pro.
perty syies from labor, and hence forbade not only
interest uioIey. but usury or increase OF every
kind. For little socs,y, lenmed in by hostile snd
savage tribes the social system, 20 Is found in 21th
Levtcus and 23d Deuteronomy. is perfect
II Mr.. Parker wishes to have his society eli york.
ing men, lie establish domestic slavery, aud
tail sua! portions Of land-so small that the owners
canuuA aRord to davUya the cares or duties Of su.
perintendence on ageat csersser.
Everybody at the North is trying TO shrk hard
work by following lucrative trades and prcsecs.-rs,
or to avoid sll work by accommodating capital retain.
ing capital SO sceuIuiated and forcing others to
work for them, by means Q: tue taxing power which
capital gives to ts owucrs Everybody ID following
the white slave trade, aud those wko succeed best
are considered most meritoriOus. When YOU CT the
North lend capital Of all kinds to the poor without
rents PROFITS or interest when your learned, skIlltul
aud professional men, charge no more for their labor
than the pouShmsu o. dray driver, you will have
abolished savery-till thel sou will have, in all its
intensity aud cruelty white slavery TO skill aud capt.
tai, instead Of negro slavery to humane wssters.-
Your poor. and yoH k"or a. are "slaves without the
rights ofsaYes" your rich and skfu and professional
"masters, without the obligations Of masters" This
state Of society iut0erable ii cannot last, and you
had better be putting your own house in order than
meddling with ours.