The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-01-08

1877 "
OF canals, there were in 1854 in the
free States $685. mlles'
Slave States Lilo
47ss 4"
Public schools in 1859 in the free 80 900
Public schools in 1850 in the slave
States l85O7
Pupils at school in the slave States 58l,86l
In New York alone 6Io,ZZI
In all the free States 2,769,9Ol
Pnblic libraries in the free States IO5S
Public libraries in the slave States l52
School libraries in the free States 1851
School libraries in the slave States 1876
Improved land in the free States and slave
States and average value per acre Free States,
81 688, O4O - average value per acre, Sl9.83;
slave States, 81 $50 427-average value per acre,
S6l8
Unimproved land in free States, 5O,394734
acres; unimproved land in the slave States,
125, 78l, 800 acres.
Postage collected, with the cost Of the trans
portation of the mails, for 1855: Free States,
collected $4,67O, 725-cost of transportation,
s., sos 295; slave States collected 81 ,553, l9S-
cost of transportation, S23S5,953
In further confederation Of the difference in the
prosperity of the different sections, will read an
extract from the speech of Mr.. Marshall, Of Vir-
ginia. delivered in the House of Delegates of the
State of Virginia, in the year 1882:
Slavery is ruinous to the whites--retards i'm
provement-roots out industrious population
banishes the yeomanry of the country-deprives
the spinner, the weaver, the smith, the shoe
maker, the carpenter, of employment and sup
port This evil admits of no remedy--it is in
creasng and will continue to increase until
{ the whole country will be inundated with one
black wave covering its whole extent, with
4 r. e. bara II Hoo fiorrO ha
surface. The master has no capital but what is
vested in human flesh; the father, instead of
being richer for his sons, is at loss how to
provide for them; there is no diversity Of occu-
pations, no incentives to enterprise. Labor of
every species is disreputable, because perform
ed mostly by slaves Our towns are stationary,
our villages almost everywhere declining, and
{ the general aspect of the country marks the
curse of wastefu idle, reckless population,
who have no interest in the SOIL and care not
{ how much it is impoverished.
Public improvements arc neglected, and the
entire continent does not present q region for
which nature has done so much and art so little.
If cultivated by free labor the soil of Virginia
{ is capable of sustaining a vast population,
among whom labor would be honorable, and
where the busy hum of men would tell that
all were happy and all were free"
There is the testimony of son of Virginia.
1t is the portraiture of the bad effects OF the in
stituton of Slavery, by man who was surround
ed by it.
Mr. Speaker, the question is forced uHon us ::
will we agree to have such States as that describ
ed erected in our Territories, instead of States
like the great and prosperous States of Ohio Indi-
ana and Illinois Are we to have prosperous free
States or States weighed down by the incubus
of Slavery 1t is q question not of party but
one for the profound consideration of the people
of every section Of the Union 1t is question
which goes to the heart of every lover of his
country and her prosperity.
But some of the Opposition party in this House
claim their recent triumph in the country as the
endorsement of Slavery extension. | ask gem
tlemen to pause and consider before they reach
that conclusion. The Northern wing of the Dem
ocratic party appealed everywhere to the antipa-
thy of the Northern people to the institution of
Slavery. They charged that the Republicans at
the last session voted to extend Slavery into the
Territory of Kansas, and that the Democracy
were opposed to that extension. They held the
doctrine that the people ofthe Territories had the
right to exclude Slavery during their Territorial
existence, by their Territorial legislature and
that they would most certainly do so. If mis-
represent the position of the Northern Democrats
in the late contest the membersSf that party here
from the North can correct me. There was not a
Northern Democrat who took ground in favor
of the extension of Slavery; nor was there one
who would admit that under the Kansas-Nebras-
ka bill Slavery could possibly go into either of
those Territories. Then sir, if Slavery be intro
duced into Kansas, and the schemes of the Dem
ocratic party, as intimated on this floor and
Swallowed forth in the Cincinnati platform, be
carried out, there will be startling reaction in
the North against those men who have perpetrated
this deception. Let gentlemen who talk of nation
aGty remember that Virginia Democrat, canvass
ing Indiana with his peculiar notions would be
as badly defeated as an Indiana Democrat would
be defeated in Virginia. I hope that the incom-
ing Administration will do its dsty l hope that
the cry of " Buchanan, Breckenridge and Free
Kansas" may not prove to be be false cry
want Kansas TO be free State. prefer this to
mere party considerations. Party is the creature
of an hour; principle survives forever.
\ | said, in the beginning, that this canvass had
settled no principle in reference to this question
It would be statesmanlike as well as manly upon
the part of the Democracy, if they would at once
define what they mean by perfectly free" Do
they mean by it, that when people go to Terri
tory they shall have the right to prohibit Slavery
aud exclude it from the Territory during its Ter
ritorial existence? That is only Northern view
Of the matter, but the doctrine is hooted from both
wings of the Capitol Perfectly free" means.
according to the latest definition, that the people
are compelled to take Slavery and nurse it. and
cannot prohibit it; that it must be imposed upon
them whether they will or not and that they
cannot exclude it until they come to form State
Constitution, preparatory to their admission into
the Union as a State. Sir, they are not as free
under that construction as are the people of
State. Kentucky, to-day, can abolish Slavery if
she will, as also may any other Southern State
but those gentlemenwho are in favor of perfect
freedom" say that States may abolish Slavery,
but that the people of Territory cannot that
Congress cannot, and that power can. Sir is
this charging the liberties of men? Is this giving
to men who emigrate to Territory-and that is
the argument usedin support of the measure-the
same rights they enjoyed in the States? This
BILL in its exposition, its language and its appli-
cation, has been fraud upon this country.
But do not propose to discuss that question
now. say, in conclusion, that whatever con-
clusions gentlemen may draw from this canvass,
the great principle which underlies the platform
and action of the Republican party win always
live, and continue to live on and on and when
ever you attack the outposts of Freedom, you will
find that it will take the possession of this Gov
eminent, and administer it upon the same prin-
ciples, and upon the same platform, upon which
1t was administered in the better days of the
country.