Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-04-18
EMANCIPATION IN MISSOURI.

EmhNC1T l1VN 1N mlOoVUhl.
Speech Of B. Grdntz Brown of 81. Louis, Delir-
cred in the Missouri House Of Representatives,
Feb. II, 1857.
Mr.. SPEAxER-It impresses me rs n foregone
conclusion that the people of Missouri will never
neither Shareholders nor non n.slnveholders-upder-
take to abolish the system of Slavery now preya-
lent among us, as a'mere act af humanity to the
slave but that whonever they do take this matter
in hand, public measure, it will be out Of re.
gard for the white man and not.the negro 1t will
he here, or elsewhere, conflict Of race, and do
say that the increase of white population, together
with the white emigration from other States
coming into Missouri, will whenever and wherever
the labor of the white man meets the labor of the
slave, beside the same plowshare, in the same
harvest-feld, face to face, not only be entitled 70
demand, but will receive the preference, and that
the white man will force the labor Of the slave to
give place and take itself off. The dignity, the
interest, the social relations of the white popnla-
ton, not less than the Democratic equality that
all our institutions of government,
will necesstate this result; and when it does
transpire it will be we'll for the country. This is
what has accomplished the determination of sys-
tens of Slavery in the Northern States of our
Union, and it is in this that we must look in any
and all predictions touching the future of the
Southern States, also. Paper edicts and proposed
statutes will be of little force effect until pop
ulation, and free white population at that, shall
insist upon its rights of labor, and supply the
great su5stratum upon which society rests for sup
port and to which it looks for production.
Viewing the question Of gradual emancipation as
a labor question, and in that light alone, l cannot
but regard the resolution now submitted as having
more significance, and more sinister bearing
than its mere language might seem to warrant. |
look upon it not only the initiation of polit-
cal agitation, but also as blow indirectly struck
at the white laborng men of this State.
1t must be apparent to all that the legitima to
inference from the denunciation of all emancipa-
ton movements as contained in the resolution be-
fore US, is antagonistc to the duty Of white labor;
that it aims to place it the same level with slave
labor and that it designs to do it as disgrace and
a stigma. 1t would mold public opinion in this State
after the aristocratc fashion, if its meaning could
be accomplished and in after years entail upon
our commonwealth those extreme and radical dis
PARTIES between different classes of society which,
the records of the past teach u.s. fruitful only
of revolutions, of civil wars and of the overthrow
Of all stable government As suca | denOunce it,
and call upon those who pin their faith to its Pro-
Slavery doctrine to vndcate it from the charge if
they would not merit indignant reputation at the
hands of those whe have elevated them TO the seats
they occupy IN this body,
l wish to bring into view some matters of
a more direct and practical bearing upon the
subject before us. There is, Sir,dlready gradual
act in force IN Missouri, Even now
the movement looking to the emancipation of all
the slaves in this State is in successful progress
The extinction Of Slavery system in our
midst is at this moment in the course of Tapid
accomplishment. This may seem strange, bold
reckless assertion, but it is true nevertheless. The
time at which this act went into operation | need
not name, but that it is in operation | will estab-
lish by most convincing evidence-and that it is
act stronger in syntax, more thorough in effect
and specder in result than any written law which
IL hn ,run hnd fbn at,,IAn e.,
will doubt when they come TO consider the proofs.
Look to the laboring population which is coming
into your State which is crowding your high
ways; which is extending itself along your
streams and railways; which is building up -four
ishing towns, laying out fertile farms, planting
vineyards in all sections of this State, and you
will the movement to which refer. Look
again. likewise, and observe that wherever this
population has fixed its domic rested its course
there it has driven off the institution of Slavery
before it as chaff before the Winter wind and you
will there see how potent and immediate it is in
its eniorcement-how irresistible in its DEGREES.
The census of Missouri has been taken during the
past year, and now lies upon your tables; and
there are startling facts revealed in that enumer
alton which will bear me out in all that have
said. To them | wish to refer you for evidence
that this adjustment of Slavery, which you are
here seeking to stiae and suppress by paper man
festoes, is already in force. and is fast gathering
strength ana momentum tnat must soon crush out
all opposition. The census is the act Of gradual
emancipation in Missouri. The returns are before
us. Let us examine them and compare them with
the figures Of preceding years. | hold 10 my
hand both the census for the year 1856 and that of
the year 1851, embracing a period of five years
between them, and thus afording fair method Of
analysing the mutations of populations during
that interval. / will make them the basis of some
calculations and ask of representatives that they
will reflect upon exhibits presented, and then say
whether have been hasty in assertion, or inaccu-
rate in any statement There are Sir, by compu-
tation, twenty-five counties in this State, which
show an actual decrease of the number of slaves
in each of them since 1851. There lO7 counties
10 Missouri so that il appears at the very outset
that, in nearly one fourth of the whole number
Slavery has positively decreased within the last
five years. Those counties to which | refer are as
follows: