The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-07-10
The Weather and Crops.

us to make fires quite comfortable, and to
| chill the cotton plants pretty effectuallv
Some Of our Exchanges report the reception Of
cotton blooms; and though we have not seen
any VIC learn that they are numerous in
different portions of the District. The
corn crop is doing finely aud promises all abun
dant har vest The crop of oats is generally
good, and the Wheat unusually fine. We have
heard in several instances of yield Of from
20 to SO bushels of wheat to the acre and
on Col. Marshalls' plantation in this vicinity
there was yield on one or two choice acres
of between 80 and 10 bushels
Plan for the Abolition of Slavery.
We publish below, an extract from an inter.
csting article of the London Times, on ccrtui,,
porpostions submitted to the Prime Minister OF
Eng ganI in relation to the Slave Trade and tho
abolition of slavery. The suggestion was to
the effect, that the Slave trade should be abol.
ished, though the abolition of Slavery; which
was to be effected by the employment Of free
labor obtained from the same markets. The
capacity and aptitude Of the blacks. for tropi-
cal labor was to be recognized, emigration
agencies established in Africa suitable vessels
provided for the passage. and facilities Of re-
turn and voluntary contracts entered into for
obtaining the services of the African on fair
terms; and that Slavery should thus be abol-
iShch by putting an end TO the necessity for its
maintc nance.
The scheme. ms the Charleston Standard re-
marks. seems TO be entirely visioncry, us prom
Using to furnish any proper substitute for
Slave labor. The Negro is fitted for State
Of Slavery and in no other condition, can his
labor be made profitable Whilst therefore
this project would furnish relief to the pro.
duccr, neither would the condition of the negro
by promoted, but it would likely be more dc.
graded and miserable than in a State of Slave
ry:
Take first the interest Of the planter, fairly
considered y slave cost f1I0; free black
cmigrant cnuli bc landed in the West Indies
for about f7 los, leaving difference in the
first price large enough 10 cover an infinity of
minor expenses. In fnct as regards outlay.
there is no doubt that the balance would be
in favor of free labor. At some Of the seasons
of urgency IL is possible that planter might
miss that power of operation which an absolute
command over the bodies Of his slaves insured,
but against this consideration how many others
Dances or insurrectIons no smouldcring fire
under the surface of things ready at any mo-
ment to explode i'll devastation and havoc.
There would be no danger of Intercepted sup
plies, such rs the increased efficiency of the
preventive squadron might at any time bring
about, or the policy of the Supreme Govern.
ment occasion. All would be lawful. regular,
and certain. at present the Cuban planters
must feel that they are under the perpetual
risk Of losing those importations on which they
the proposed employment of
the gnnboats may perhaps go far towards
producing such a result; whereas. when free
emigration il once established such pcrils will
cease In Africa, the consequences Of such
system might he beneficial in the extreme. AS
captives would no longer be snlcablc. it is rea-
sonablc to expect they would no longer be
made, and with the motives. thus removed
would he removed also the principal causes of
intestine war. Then, again, it would be scarce
ly possible to imagine proceedings better cal
cuIatcd for the ultimate civilization and CONVEX
sion of the whole African race. The substitution
of lawful, safe and we'll frequented highway
for the dreadful middle passage the establish
ment of recognized agencies OIL African terrific
ry, the return Of free blacks to their country
after intercourse and familiarity with more
civilized races and habits,-all these things
would tend necessarily to bring tho Africans
ont OF their isolation, and to open to mission
aries and traders regions now visited only by
murderers, kidnappers or adventurous travel
lers. From this point of view, indeed, the
prospects are rs encouraging as they could be.
The chief difficulty, of course, would lie in
the preparation of the country which was to
receive free immigrants in the case of imported
slaves, for it is manifest that the very rst con
dition at this point must be the emancipation
of the slaves already possessed Unless this
condition was fulfilled the blacks might be
soon absorbed in the slave class as happens in
Cuba ut the present moment-Thc difficulties
contingent OIL such measure might be consid-
ernblc, but could hardly be in.urmountable,
and it they were once overcome n guarantee
would be obtained that the free labor would
never degenerate into slavery. The point
however, to be urged with the greatest force
is this,--that whether the embarrassment at.
tending emancipation be great or small; they
must at any rate be less in theend than those
which accompanying maintenance ofslavery. If
the Abolitionists have not had things exactly
their own way, yetsneither have the Slave.
owners. They are living under the ban of
Europe. The most powerful State in the world
are enlisted in the accomplishment Ola policy
the object:of which is to destroy the traffic on
which they depend. At any moment, by tho
discovery of some new system or cxpedient
the slave trade may become practically IN i'm.
possibility, and even where slaveholling is
maintained without importation, as in America,
the convulsions which such an institution gen.
erates shake the very foundations of the State
The substitution of some better system for one
SO precarious and 80 fraught with hazard as
this. is SO obviously dictate of common pru,
dence that We cannot think it would he disras
garded if once the opportunity were given: and
it is on this account that wesattack 80 much
weight to the proposition whichshas been made.
Hitherto. in our slave trade policy we have
confined our efforts to the Interruption of, the
supply, without attending to the demand. The
suggestion pow madesproyides remedy for
tie defect and ams at TIE abolition Of slsFerS
throughsthe sesta blishnient Of g better market
for !akps 1tsspF6ject hassits difficulties, no
doubt 5bntanps gfaater' than those which have
met shs sysfys point Of the question, and
WHICH, haFe encountered with less promise
OF fnal, ,tEmlhph than is offered here.
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