Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-07-17
From the New York Herald.
The Institutions and Progress of Slavery
I'm the ITnitc.' .ntes,

Many, very many of the people Of the Northern
ern States look .npon the hoting of the colore'l
race in srrvitude as an affcnc1 against humanity
and violation Of Christian principle. Of these n
large number are sincere in their opinions: hut 4
very large number arc not. They ARE sustained.
not only by the agitation at home hut by the
tendency of public sentiment abroad and as thc
discussion has grown more serious, il has become
mare violent.
But are we not obliged, nEter all, to take prnc-
tical view Of the subject? Are We not compelled.
hy the force of circumstances by natural causes,
and by the Irresistible necessities of public policy.
to look otherwise upon the subject, and that, too,
on the score of humanity?
We must not forget how this scrriturle commen-
ccd in this country nor how il hes made progress.
It has, by the permission Of Providence and the
nscrutahle laws WHICH control the interests Of
nations, increased npon us. ard become part and
parcel of the country, its political, industrial md
commercial strength. 1t has net dw!udcd away
though We have advanced in power: it is an elc-
mcnt Of our towering greatness: III short 1t has
become practical Iucstion.-onc in which there
is no desire to exclude the efforts of hrnevolcrce.
hut which out"rGws all individual interests and
all private feeling.
1t is not any longrr question to be dealt with
as n moral abstraction, in which our Howards
may use their personal influence it Is one fore
seen, fGrcshadOwc1 and provided for in that great
instrument Of our confederation which We call our
Constitution, and under which we have become
one Of the greatest nations that ever inhabited tho
gthc. 1t is n political economical question. and
MS Such only can it now he dealt with.
When the COnstitr lion was adopted. slavery
was universal in the States. Tie slave trade it
self was for time recognized ~ Il portion Of the
c0mmere of the country, AMI lis cxiingui$hlnent
was only prospective. twasa difficult problem,
its angles were many. its elements were conflict
ing it gaye rise tn much and long debate. But
finally an adjustment and solution were found
in the present constitutional provisions, and prop
ertv in persons was recognized as basis of rep
rcscntation and guaranty for the safety If the
Southern States. This arrangement became in
dspensablc to secure the political independence
of the IN ton and the particular sovereignty Of
the States. Jealous Of their rights. and many of
them reluctant. up tn tn" last moment. to make
any surrender. When these concessions were
made there were but ahou, %Wb. .Hi!O slaves in the
country. Still they were largely taken into the
account when the ratio OF representation WAS hNrd
upon.
II was not long, however, before it was foun'!
mt that certain prOducts-such az Gotten. rice.
indigo and subsequently sugar--wcrr peculiar to
cd natural ms well as an industrial necessity.
Slave labor, because it was cheap labor adapted
to the growth of these staples. became political
as we'll rs an economic resource. They soon III
terestcd the whole world. The whole word wanted
them Commerce required thcm-sccial life de-
mnnilcd them.
No human scf.1rn;a conld Withstand these
wants Without the fabric Of cotton. withnnt the
food Of rice, without the aimcnt Of sugar. the
condition of our own race would not have been :"
rapidly improved.
Slave labor, therefore, became an important
auxiliary in increasing the comforts Of .lmericn
and Europe nni finally, under this Irresistible i'm
pulse the colOrCd population have become nects-
sary n the cultvatnrs of fields where white men
cannot labor. and whose products were actually
Indispensable. They now number. therefore,
nearly three millions, and without their aI one
half the contrleracy would he without ngricntu-
raj value. Nor is this all! The Northern States
would lose mos. Of their commerce. Their ships
would rot-thcir warehouses would he empty
Those persons who Appanty ignore all these
questions must have taken leave of their inIg-
mcns if they adopt any other view of The matter.
Besides no race OF men on the face of the globe
have thus far been more cared for than this, AMI
none have been better protected. But We are met
with two affections: First, that the moral aspect
of this state of things is bad: that the rights "t
humanity are tliSrcgarled and trAmplerl on But
is it 50: Have We not founl by the actual cxpc-
rience both of England and France, that libcinton
has not advanced the condition of these people!
What is the issue Of things in the West lndies hut
the decay, Generalization and ruin OF the cmancl-
patcd: l. not every ART res"rtcd t" by these very
nations to find other races to 'ln their work. and
to submit to a more rigorous discipline? What
is the incoming Of the Introduction OF Comics,
Cinnamon and Sauth American Indians into the
islands Of the Antilles. bat confession that the
new system is M entire failure. We cannot shut
our eyes to the fact. The principle of liberation
has no more elevated the colorci race than the
erection of our hundreds Of churches has thor
oucllr rcformed the city Of New York. On the
score of humanity and religion alone, their cnan-
cipaton from scrvitude may he claimed to be no
cmancipation from vice. Civilization, industry
and COOL morals have not advanced one step for all
the efforts of the libemtors. but the contrary
There arc about twenty millions Of the c"lored
races in the world, and the American slaves sur
pass them in every respect. They alone Of all
have male any advances in education religion, CT
social comfort.
Next, the South may have good cause to say,
that ms slave property was made an element OF
political power by the trainers of our Constitution,
so by that instrument itself they have right to
REQUIRE It's recognition now. The balances Of pow
er were kept even by these compromises from
necessity, and they cannot now be kept evenly
without them. We have prospered under this
practical adjustment Of things, and when we cease
to recognize it We shall as nation cease to be-