The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-09-01

For The ITesiern Democrat.
FREE NEGROES.

Mr. EDITOR: In my last communication
( endelvored to show that free negroes ex-
erteI a very bad influence on the iustitn-
ti,n nf slavery; and that it would be greatly
To- their advantage, as well as for the STATE
that they should be sold. have purPOsely
abstaimrd from discussing any other way
O: getting rid of them, because this Is the
onIy practical mode of effecting the pur-
pose, and attended with the least bad con-
sequences.
If the Legislature should desire TO devise
some means to accomplish the object, 1t
strikes me to reduce them TO slavery would
at once accord with the spirit of the age,
and the sentiment of almost the entire
South. So far as bemevolence and justice
are concerned. it is palpable that 1t would
do less violence to the more kindly feelings
of our nature Ia provide them homes, good
masters, comfort and protection, than to
send them, without means, to the deStruc-
tive climate of burning Africa, or the i'll
Eospitable North to freeze or die of hunger
What the South most wants at this CON
junction is luborers. The free negroes
are, "a has already been shown, the drOnes
in the body polite; and the reducing them
to slavery would be equivalent to bringing
an equal number of able bodied men from
abroad. With her vast resources unde-
velnped. with the high prices which her
productions-so necessary for the comforts,
yea, civilization of man--command, there
is no estimating the effect of introducing
within her borders SO many efficient and
acclimated laborers. With how much less
suffering aud iuhumanity is this scheme
attended than the re-opening of the slave
trade How much less injustice and wrong
than to seize the naked barbarian on his
native wild, crowd him into the dark hold
of a SLAYER, transport him over dangerous
oceans and force him to occupations for
which he is SO little fitted by his past life.
A very able writer in the Richmond En-
quircr suggests that they should he re-
moved, and to accomplish it, the able
bodied should be hired out and the proceeds
applied to assist those who wish to go.
That plan it strikes us Is deficient in JUS
tice and fair dealing. and destructive of all
industry and self-dependence. A prnpo-
sitiOn had "a well be made to tax the wealthy
citizens of Richmond or New York to pro-
vide q fund to remove the INDECENT and
lazy from their cities, and settle them in
new country. But suppose that plan be
adopted; if they were unable to provide for
themselves here while they had every
chance, what would become of the poor
wretches when the projecting hand of the
government is removed, the experiments
already tried at the North, in St. Domingo
aud Liberia, fully demonstrates. The
power to hire them out necessarily confers
the power to sell. So to speak, The hiring
conveys an estate limited for time: the
selling, an estate in fee. Then, as that
writer admits, we have the power; the only
question then to settle is, what is best under
all the circumstances
We all know that there is small num-
Der of this class who are quasi-respectable
and have some property; we do not wish to
see them sold. The law should empower
the County Courts to discriminate in their
favor; or, in other words, the Act should
provide that all those who have the means
and desire to leave should have the privilege
of doing so within twelve months; and ap-
prentices the same time after their linden
lures expire; and all who are found here
after that time SHOULD be sold, and the
money applied to the use of the State.
N A r..
in the State. Suppose 1000 have the means
and desire to leave, there would then be
10000 left, who, if sold at present prices.
would bring $500 per head. thus realizing
the round sum of SIS. 000, OOO;-an amount
sufficient to pay the whole State debt, com
plete her magnificent system of internal
improvements and provide the means of
establishing and sustaining common schools
in every neighborhood in the State. This
plan would confer countless blessings upon
every class of our citizens, without doing
aught that would shock the nerves of the
most sensitive.
Free North Carolina of her debt and she
would at once start, like a young giant re-
freshed with sleep, upon a course bound
less and magnificent. Her harbors unob-
structed, her mountains tunnelled, her val
leys bridged, her whole territory interlaced
with network of railroads, and her rich
mineral and agricultural resources de-
Veloped, her future would be prosperous
and happy as the Hespercdes of the Ports.
Wehave at our control a fund more available
and far greater than the South's interest in
the much-talked of public lands. If this
scheme should succeed, the x-gatherer's
voice would be heard in the land no more
forever. five had but to extend our hand
and seize the golden prize, we would not
touch it if we did not believe that the bles-
sings and comforts conferred upon the I'M
fortunate free negro would be equally as
great as those resulting to the institution
OF slavery and to the State. Having had
some experience in the Common Courts.
know the op,l