New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-11

EMANCIPATION IN MISSOURI.
SPEECH OF B GRAFT BROWN OF ST LOUIS
70 the Missouri House Of Representatives. Feb H. 1857

Mr.. SpIAxER, / offer in regard 70 this ensncipst'n
question from man persons her. 10 Missouri, as well az
ebevbere who are ensncipstionists. differ from them
chiefly A. 70 the which may produce emsncip<
ton and the means that may hs'ten its accomplish
m.pt. /. may be that ! wrong in the convictions
which have been forced upon me by all teat have
,e.p and besri upon this ,ubec but yet csnno. for
oct what have read Of the history of the States OF
This Mon and all the facts that stand out from thoee
paets 20 far they relate TO the spread or abolition OF
Slavery only 'eno 20 confirm me the more IN my IN
pre,sions. i know that it existed In many OF the
States where does lot now exst, and that IN all OF
them tie extr ction 10 cbroncled by acts OF legs
recorded upon the statute books. But do not believe
that this Institution Of Slavery ever has been abolished
10 any Of those States simpy and solely by those acs
II IVES mutually gone before it wss prohibited Those
avs were but the declarations Of the exciting relations
Of society in what now ktown as the Free States,
and not monuments as many cobtend OF high legis4-
tive enactment bssed upon motives of philanthropy.
Humanity, unaided lofty pure humanity, has played
but an irsgpifcsn part in this great worldwide ques-
ton of Slavery and Freedom.
Ip stating this position wish to be fuly understood,
and especially as it relates 70 our own State 1t n
presses me az foregOne conclusion that the people OF
Missouri will pever-neiher shareholders nor nom
shareholders 10 abolish the system of Slav
cry nsw prevalent among us Sc mere act OF humanity
10 the slave but that whenever they do take this MAJ
ter in hand public measure, it will be out OF egTd
for the white map and not the negro. II will be here
a. elsewhere conflict Of race and do say that the
increase Of free white pOpu alton, together with the
white emigration from other States c"'niog into MIG
,ouri. will whenever and wherever the labor of the
white man meets TIE labor Of the slave beside the
same plowshsre, in the same harvest-hed, face TO
face not only be entitled 10 demand but will receive
the preference and that the labor of the white man
will force the labor of the slave to give place and take
itself of The dignity, the interest the social relations
Of the white popula ION not less tnsn the Democratic
equality that interD enetrates oil Of institutions Of
sovernmen mt will Iecessitste this result; and when
does transpre 1t will be well for the country Tns
what has accomplished the determination OF systems OF
Slavery tie Northern States Of our Union, and IT Ia
TO tins tina, we ist look any all pre1ictions
touching tie future of the Southers Safes als' Paper
tdicts proposed statutes i'll be OF ltte force or e.
feet until population and free white population al III
shall intist upon it, rights of lab1r aod supply the
great substratum upon which society rest for support
and to which it looks for production.
Viewing the question CT gradual emancipation az
labor question and ia that light alone, cannot bat
regard the resolution now submitted as having more
ely nicance and sinister bearing than its mt re
lsDeusge might seem to warrant. / look upon 1t not
only the Initiation Of political agitation, bat ALEC
u
| of this Stare. II must be sppueLt 70 al
that the Legitimate inference from the denunciaton OF
all emancipation movements, Ss contained IN TIE reso
luen before U.S. anagonsc to the dignity Of white
labor; that il aims to place it the level with
slave labor and that 1t dts gns TO 1t diegr ce and
sigma. 1t would mold public opinion in this S,.te
after the aristOcrstic fashion, II it's meaning could be
acct plisbed and 10 after years entail upon our com
moDwealh tbofe exire ne and radical dispaities be
tween different classes Of society which, the records OF
the past teach US are fruitful only of revolutions of
-. 3 DO thr,x NJ "a sfA 90
Az tuch denoupce il, and call upon To 'se who pm
Il cir faith t. its ProSlavery doctrine to vindcae
fom tie charge ii they would not merit indignant
liquidation at The bar de of those who have elevated
them to the seats they occupy in this body
Mr. Speaker, in the remarks hsve submitted thus
far have sddreesed myself to theoretical points Incl
dent TO this di cussion and to this question lwIh
TO bring into view some ma ters OF m IRE direct
and practical bearing upon the subject before U.S.
There u.s. Sir olrtodg gradual ema, cipdtoa act 4"
force ~ Missouri Even now the movement looking
to tie eman cipaicn Ct all the slaves 10 ths state 10
,ucct,tful progress. The extinction Of Slavery a. a
syriy m6st is al this )ment 10 the curse OF
rspid accomplishment. This may seem strange,
bold, reckless 1srtion but It " true, nevertheless
The time which THU act went into operation nesd
not name, but that it is in operation will establish by
most convincing evideDce-and that il is An act
stronger In tyhtsI, more thorough in effect and
spt der In result than any written law which could be
ins,roed upon the statates here few will doub. whsn
they come to conscer the proofs Look to the sborng
population which is coming iLto your s ate; which is
mowdiUg your highways, which is extending itself
al ID Your sire Aus and railways; which is building up
hourshiog towns laying out festi farms, planting
vine aIds 10 all sections Of this State, and YOU will
tee the movement - which | refer. Look az ain,
likewise ard observe that wherever this population
hes fixed Its domici 1ts,ed IN its course there
has driven IF the institution Of Slavery before
ss chat before the Winter wind and you will there
how potent and immediate il is in its enforcement
bow resstabe in its decrees The census of Missouri
has been taken during the past year and no lies upon
your tables and there startling facts revealed In
that eDimeration which will bear me ont in all that
have raid. To them wish to refer you for evi lenoe
that this Adjustment of Slavery, which you hare
air, ady in force and s fast gathering strength and
momentum that must crush out all oppUston.
Iks census tie act Of gradual enaRcip1ttJa As
sozrt. TIE returns are before Let eXsmioe
them and compare them With the figures of preceding
years. bold in my hand both the for the yesr
1856 and that of the year 1851 embracing period OF
1--WE years between them and thus al riding fair
thoo of anal eng the mutations of populations dur
ng that interval will make then the basis Of 90 lie
calculations, snc ssk OF representatives. that they will
reject upon exhibits presented aud then say whether
have been hssty IN assertion or inaccurate in any
statement. There are, Sir, by computation, twenty
five unii,s this State which show az actual de-
Of the Iuner Of slaves in each Of tie u since
1851 There lO7 counties in Mis- souri, - that il az
pears At the very Outset tha, Ia nearly fogrh of
the whole nun Der Slsvery hH positively docressed
within the las hve yesrs. Those couniits 10 which
refer are as fellows:
co..ne. si.S. si.Ss, ,. Thts S w.
Cape GirsrceAu........l7 eo 1901 ls,2ft llUu
Crawford rs 81 b,ll2 1854
Dsdel... 10y 1I c,Sie 1851
F1knkhn ........,...l No. l,oS SooS l,to1
Jtbtfson......... olS - o$Io sOSS
Madison 40 OIL oSo o,bD
Marion. ...............2,tt 26ss 9,aes l0ll2
Miller ..,.............. lSs Ito $50 1881
UssfOnsde