Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-03-13
lgtom .hs St. Ioal. Democrat, March 3. /


A hlIsSoURlAN's DEFENCE OF FREs LARoR.-
In 1850 the area of land under cultivation in
the free states was 10S, OS2, IA acres and its
cash value was 81, l43, 334, 49,, or $IS,e3 per
acre In the slave states, the number of acres
under cultivation, ut the same date was lSO-
De, 292, and the cash value 81 III, 649 649, or
1918 per acre. In the slave states, cultivated,
land is one-thtrd valuable as in the free states
We have now the quantity and value of the
cultivated land in both sections, and the next
stop is 70 ascertain the annual produce Of each.
Still referring to Dc Bow we find that tho nm.
nual agricultural produce of the free states is
$s2TSo5 1885, and of the slave states $685., $780,
057 8 =
Although the. South, or rather the slave
statess cultivate seventy millions ofacres more
thanstho free states, yet tho value the annual
productions of the latter is greater than the val-
ue OF the former, cotton and sugar included, by
the amazing sum of one lundred and ninety-
three millions Of dollars What more convinc-
ing demonstration Of the superiority of free Ia.
Dor over slave labor could be furnished to prnc-
ucalEuehs What fact could attest more forci-
bly, the intrinsic superiority Of the skilled labor
of the free white men over tho annual force OF,
the slaVel The stuPeRd0us fact Yindicatcs in.
tclligCnce against the advocates OF physical
forces showing that even IN the laborer, mind is
more precious than muscle.
In the free states, in 1850. there were 1909.
1875 employed in agriculture, and as the value
OF the produce which they raised that year was
$s25000, 900, the average value of the labor of
every individual was $3.50. In the slave states
there were 1,l97, 64g free men and 100000
slaves Engaged IN agriculture, and the value of
their products was 1854 900 OOO or SlTS per
head Thus the free labor produces twice as
much % the slave, the free states produce one
hnndTedl and seventy millions worth more than
the slave states although tho latter have mill
lion moro IAboreFss and ssventy-two millions
morefHcres under cultivation.
What makes the comparison still moro unfa.
vora6le for the slave states is the fact that they
havea monopoly Of cotton, cane sugar, rice,
andslRe may add, tobacco and hemp, and have
in addition, a finer climate. Those marvellous,
discrepancies exist in the agricultural condition
OF tho respective sections, and agriculture list
fByoEite employment Of southern capital and
southern enterprise. How can they be accoun--
ted tog. except BY the ihferiority of servile la
boz. The energy, skin and perseverance, of the
white man, Is victorious over. the Indictment
skies and rugged soil Of the North.
Tho morals OF the free labor cannot be main
tRinedi in nxtapOsition with slave labor 0Yhere
slavery. prevails the dignity oI free labor viii
not be recognised. Man, accustomed to ascot
ate slavery and labor, accustomed to see the
plough and sickle in the hands of the slave, will
attOch the idea of iperiprity to the vocation aud
thence 20 every iRdividual who la6ors init We
may say this is unjust; and so 1t Isl hut vet the
wlseSt and most disp passionate are under the In.
huepee Of the law Of the association of ideas,
and can no more escape frum' It than they can
cxpel de idea u space from their mind.
10 preserve or restore tho true dignity Of
mAnt1td m onf UIltiug men, the total Seyer-
anee 81 esy from stor Is essential OF atleast
frouseHeFy division of la5gF which is followed.
by whit neIls pect IS The basis Of NOR
atty and conscious de9Eadatiop thessourea of
The me1neJ wees 9uiolI tnnately, the shadow
Of sleye tlVellss on. several Kinds Of labor,
and set upon the people is easily
discen dignitJ Of labor, even more
than us Tor enaNcip alton in Mis-.
souri,
AZ ~ corresliO ndent of the Boston Z 7tlOt
tysfhosj ffeh,