The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-04-02
from Tie South-Si,le Democrat.
THE FUTURE OF VIRGINIA.
THE CHARLESTON MERCURY AND TIE NEW
YORK HERALD

we addressed ourselves, in our article Of
yesterday, to considerations touching the
manner in which the " Northern Virginia
Emigrant Aid Society" proposes, through
its organ, the Hon. Mr.. Tlayer, to "rclievc,
resuscltate and rcgenerate old Virginia" 1t
Is now our business to refer at some cnnth
to tho results which, its is supposed, will
flow from this grand emigrant mid project.
But before entering upon the Immediate
Object OF this article. it may he well to pre-.
mise that the arguments alluced bv the
New York Herald aud the Charleston M.r.
curry, IN relation to the future of Yirri,,;
are s'rikIn@ly coincidont. The Herald an
tiripatcs the sudden ana almost magical
change OF Virginia into free State. We
lave only to stand still and watch the rapid so.
luton of the problem. according to Bennett
The Mercury does not think tha, the meta
morph"ss will take place quite rs soon as
the Herald predicts, but that "ty the ma
tural order Of things and in the course of
time," this result will he reached. Both
papers agree rs to The cartain and incvi,a-
bic destiny of Virgin:.-tlle only difference
OF opinion being merely question Of
time.
We will submit the question 10 our CO.
temporarics of the Murcury, if the company
in which they arc found on this subject
does not entitle us to the presumption
that their position is not mprcgnahlc. The
Herald Is proverbially inaccurate in all its
statements of matters of fact, and is en-
t'rcly unworthy of credit ia tie discussion
OF grave questions affecting the social con.
diti"n of the Southern States. We are
willing 10 hope that the Mercury has not
undertaken to express Il decided and ina.
ture conviction lis to the future Of Virrinia.
Certainly, the declaration that the "pre.
dominance of free labor in Virgins. is quite
possible" must either have been made very
loosely or after very labnr:uus and thor
o"gi' investigation. In proposing n reply
to some of the assumptions Of the that re.
spccted journal, we shall presume, of course.
that II means what it says. We will frank
ly confess, hover, that it is somewhat I'm.
'ni'IIl'nG t" he compelled to define the no
sllon of Virginia in relation to the slavery
question, and t" defend her from the unius
; suspicion Of being free State in cml,ryo.
The argument Of the Mercury is contained
in The following extract:
"Tle slave population Of Virginia, Ly
the last census, had increscd bu, two rer
cent-lhe wl'ite population some fifteen or
twenty per cent. And, although this must
le regarded us the combined result of the
continual drain Of slaves from Virginia to
colombo and settle the new Stalcs, on the
one band, and the influx of white immi-
grants from the North and foreign conn
tries, OH the other yet the fact that slave
labor Is not necessary in that climate, I'M
der the pressure Of public opinion from the
neighhoring States North, is ominous for
| the institution"
we agree with our contemporary that
there is a continual drain of slaves from
Virginia." and constant "in0ux of whit.
immigrants from the North and f,rciyu
countries" but we cannot allow that either
| circumstance is "oninons for the instiiu-
ton" What does the continual drain If
slaves from Virginia really provc2 1t
proves, beyond II doubt. that the institutian
Is firmly rooted in the State. The al
legged and the known cause Of 80 manv
sales. is the fact that servants command
such enormous prices. IF there WIS the
least danger Of Virginia becoming free
Stale. this kind of property would ncccssar-
lily he diminished greatly in value. There
would be IL general stampede among slave
h"lders-the negro market would f.lI.-
But the reverse of all this is known to he
true. Negroes never brought better prices
IN Virginia than now. and, hence, az FAR as
it goes, the fact alleged 10y the Mercury
serves rather to demonstrate the stability of
the institution.
lie exodus of selaves from Virginia
the small per cent of increase among this
portion OF our population as shown by the
last census. and the high prices whicl. this
species Of property is now commanding,
are all the results of fixed and immutaLIe
commercial laws. When nm owner of
slaves sees that. hy disposing Of tle,n and
investing the accruing funds in other pur-
suits, lie is able to make money Ivy the
operation, he will, as general thing, fol-
low the suggestions of money.making.-
Wherever, the world over, there is q dc.
mand for any kind Of property, there will
OF necessity, be supply-either limited or
large. Wherever ,he,supply is not very |
abundant, and the demand great, the price
OF property is always high. Just so in re-
siatton to the sale Of negroes in Virginis,-
IN.- II