The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-29

The following article from the New York Herald
is so pertinent and well put that we have pleasure
in transferring it to columns. There is philoso-
ply in its facts, more potent and suggestive than all
the rhetoric and ranting defamation which have
ever been employed to excite morbid sympathy
for the happy, well-fed negro OF the South
The MONETARY CnIsIs,--ITs COMPARATIVE ErFEcrs
FREE LABoRERs AND SIAvB-H the effects OF the terri
BILE financial hurricane that is careerng over the
whole country to be confined to the breaking down
of insoyen railroad companies, rotten banks and swind
ling stockholders and to the contraction OF the over
blown credit system of the land the visitation might DO
regarded rather blessing than curse. As 1t is it
will have many beneficial consequences 1t will necessi-
tate economy and make extravaganza Questionable 1t
will reduce to their proper level those who in the late
general prosperity of the country affected the airs of an
old aristocracy 1t will many bubbles to burst
and mutations of all kinds to collapse For all these eff
fects of the panic could not be too grateful.
But one consequence has already flowed from 1t which
is indeed deploable and the evil afraid, will
nue and increase during the coming winter We allude
to the cessation of work in many OF the large factories
and in almost all branches of trade and TO the forced idle
ness of thousands and tens of thousands who depend
their daily toll for their daily bread 1t would be very
moderate estimate to take the number OF who will
be discmpoyed during the coming winter in the prn
cipal cities of the North at 200 and these would
probably represent million mouths that will be crying
for bread these unforunates the financial crisis will
bear with fearful effect Luxuries easily be dispensed
with and therefore those who will be deprived of them
require great sympathy; but when poverty and star
walton upon families, then, indeed, the trial is ter
ribe With million of mouths crying for bread in
large cities hardly hope to escape scenes OF disor
der riot and 1t may be- pillage and plumber We trust
however that that dreadful anticipation will not be real
yed but that humanity and benevoence will be exercised
TO such extent to prevent any dying of sarva
ton in streets and to guard against tho pers OF riot
and page Nevertheless 1t Is obvious to oil that these
dangers not by any means imaginary 1t is but too
cities for months will be great and that thou
sands must endure the hardest privations
How Is it with friends in the South The south
States have not escaped altogether the consequences
of the present panic There too, has parayzcd trade
and commerce. closed up banks and deprecated State
stocks railroad stocks and every other class of paper
curity Merchants there have failed and traders beer
compelled to suspend But the poorthe laborng classes
how il It with them Are they exposed to the pers tc
which the aborng classes Of the North subected
there any fear of single man, woman, child out
the three millions of negroes there dying from cold o.
starvation VIII any Of them be driven to beg in the
streets for bread many Of poor mechanics here will
doubtless be Will the poor-houses be filled to
flowing and the soup kitchens beeaguered by starving
hosts Let the cantng, whining crew OF northern abo
tonsts these questions. Poor houses and souI
kitchens institutions unknown at the South and the,
will continue TO be unknown there throughout tn,
coming winter The three millions of laborers at thu
South will not undertake to say, miss any Of thos
necessities and comforts Of life to which they have beer
and fed as heretofore and will probably be ignorant
the fact that these are hard times.
In view Of these factsn view Of the contrastcd effect
Of the crisis the free laborers Of the North and thu
slave laborers of the South-how can any candid, com
nonsense profess the belief that slavery Is horr
ble strocious accursed, God-dcfying snhe sum of al
niquesf Doctor Cheever attributes our financial disas
tiers this very nquity and to the fact OF the nation hay
ing accepted the decision of the Supreme Court in the Dre
Scott case But let him any other abolitionst ncl
to himself what would be the condition Of these thre
millions Of slaves If they to-day emancpated Wha
proportion of them would fall victims to cold and hunge
during the coming winterY Let these philanthropst
reconcile II they can the comparative comfort and thu
positive safety Of these three million slaves with the
creed that slavery is the of all inquities Without
slavery there thousands would perish OF want; with It
there Is the slightest danger of of them feeling
the pangs Of hunger Would that we could say much
for our free aborers at the North. 1t Is such trial
this that opens mems eyes TO things az they really
Let aboitonsts and ntayery men take the practical
lesson that s herein offered to them and will hear
more agitation on the subject Of slavery