The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-08-18

For The Western Democrat.
FREE NEGROES.

the reasons which should induce the Legis-
lature to enact some statute by which the
State could be protected against the bad
influence Of the free negro population,
either by forcibly compelling them to re-
move beyond her borders. or, which is
preferable. by selling them into slavery.
shall take it for granted, for the present,
that either or both modes are Constitu
tional; reserving that question for future
investigation and discussion. And if
shall succeed in arousing attention to the
Importance of some action on this subject.
] shall be amply compensated for my time
and pains. The slavery question has been
SO often discussed that most persons are
heartily tired of it, and / shall not there
fore NEEDLE with it in any of the usual
forms in which it is presented. But what
ever is calculated to give security TO the
institution and TO strengthen it among us,
is worthy of the consideration of that body
in whose bands the destiny of great and
free people is voluntarily and freely en-
trusted.
divest ourselves of all prejudice and sickly
sentimentalitv, and cndeavor TO view things
as they Does the free negro exert
deletcrious influence upon the slave They
are Il lazy, vngaboni race, and by their
idleness and want of thrift. are forced to
tamper with the slave in order TO eak out
precariOuS and miserable existence, or to
suffer the privutions ofhungcr and want.
Occupying an anomalous position, without
the rights of the whites or the protection of
the slave, they are the medium through
which the former are endangered and the
latter corrupted. Of the same or kindred
color, the slave regards them Ia better
than he is, and yet their possession of free
dom disrHtistics the servant with his condi-
ton, and instills into his mind all those
notions of INSTRUMENTATION and rebellion,
which, one year ago, came so near pro-
ducing a catastrophe. shocking to the
whole southern mind. With an abundance
of time, and far too indolcnt to employ
himself in useful labor, he occupies himself
in demoralizing the slave and subvertng
the Wholesome restraints of the master,
Restless and dissatisfied himself, and placed
by nature and by law in position from
which he can never hope to rise, he is an
internal fOc-an enemy in the camp-and
forms body guard by which the abolition
list will be enabled to gain the citadel and
demoli>I the institutions of the South.
If tt,nF. L.. L..
sure. they noiselessly slip from one section
to another, spreading moral pestilence and
INSTRUMENTATION wherever he is directed by
the controlling minds of our enemies. Ply
sically and intellectually unable to contend
with the stronger race, he gradually de-
scends in the scale of being, and but for
the partial restraints of law, would, in a
generation, us his brethren In st. Domingo
have done, relapse into barbarism. Their
condition is unhappy, and admitted by the
most miserable of them to he greatly in
fcrior to that of the slave. Hence, to bring
them under the control of kind masters
would be doing them positive benefit. All
history and experience demonstrates that
have neither prudence nor forethought, and
hence it is that but few of them accumulate
property, even under the most favorable
circumstances.
He is not only given to pilfcring, but in
duces fhe slave to supply his wants by
depredations, and, Us is too often the case,
pays him in liquor, thus doing the slave a
double injury. Who, that has looked
through the State, has not been struck with
the crime and want that seems TO be the
common heritage of this unfortunate race
Left to their own control, it is well known
that they will not exert themselves to OBJ
tain support honestly; hence, they have
fewer of tho nccessHrics of life than the
slave, and none of that careful attention
which provides for him when disease and
old age fixes its iron grasp upon him.
They are. i'll many instances, beyond the
pale of law, and subject to all the NAL
treatment which prejudice (2roduced by
their own misconduct) has engendered
against them, and | therefore conclude that
good home, with the certainty in sickness
and in health of oil the comforts of life,
would be n full and fair remuneration for
their nominal freedoms; thus, not only doing
the free negro a real and positive good, but
greatly protecting the slave and the insti-
tuition of the South, by converting its NEST
insidious foe into useful co-Iaborers. There
can be no valid objection to this proceeding.
viewed either morally or politically.
The South has long since occupied the
only tenable position that slavery in the
abstract is right, and confcrs positive and
absolute blessing upon the African; and if
we ever abandon that position, then is the
bulwark Of our hope gone, and abolition
becomes only question of time.
If the wholesome restraints of a master
Confers benefits on the slave, will it not
likewise have the same effect upon the
lazy, semi-oivilized free negro. If it is
right to hold those in slavery we now have,
we are eStOppel from lnnyirn the loom itx,