Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-10-01
NO. 80.
The value of slave labor may be seen at q

SlauCe, Wy coWpdTiuS tiie mouey poHci VI bue
South with that of the North. The North,
with double our population, exports less than
half the amout annually which is exported
by the South, as I have before shown. This
gives the South superiority in national
strength over the North; and in a war Of
defence, with slaves to till the soil for the
support of armies in the field and fleets on
the ocean, with long line of sea-coast, good
harbors, and wide extent of territory,
which is natural bulwark, we may regard
ourselves, without boasting, as invincible.-
The large revenue of the South would, in
time of war, enable us to supply all the need
full arms of service, and if men should be
wanting, to hire soldiers from abroad. The
Colonies had, we know, in the Revolution,
as much trouble in fighting the mercenary
Hessians as the native British. .,".
What would the South be now, if slave
labor had never been employed? Instead
of our hills and valleys teemiug with rich
crops, our AourishiDg cities and towns, our
comfortable residences dotting the whole
land, and our large yearly incomes, our
country would DOW be desert waste In
stead of exciting the envy of the North and
the respect of other nations, chill penury
would preside over our obscure condition,
aud r - ..-...-
"Freeze the genial current of the soul,
while ncighboriug. and foreign grandeur
would look on US "with disdainful smile"
But the tide of Southern prosperity was
checked BY prohibiting, after the year 1908,
the importation of slaves; and now, especi-
ally since the great additions which have
been made to our territory, in the South
West, the necessity for re.openiug the Afri-
can slave trade becomes manifest. The in
dependence of our wealthy SHAREHOLDERS in
the South will not stiae their patriotism,
throw obstacles in the way of this salutary
measure, and thus prevent the onward rapid
march of their country to her meridian
splendor and power. Let Us not be content
with merely doing we'll but let our motto
be, EXCELSIOR. .---. .r-r...-.
Slavery forti6es in free people the love
of liberty and devotion to country. Men
who are accustomed to be masters will not
submit to aggression on their rights, or pale
before the countenance Of insoent tyranny.
Slavery is one of the elements constituting
Southern chivalry; and nowhere among the
colonies in the Revolution was the motto of
"Liberty or Death" followed and obeyed with
more sclf-sacri6cing enthusiasm than by the
Southern people. a .'~.
Governor Adams, in his message to our
last Legislature, very we'll says, among many
good thing, that the increasing price of cot
ton will induce its production in the East
Indies and elsewhere, and eudauger the mon.
opoly now enjoyed by the South in its pro.
ductiou that it is necessary, in order to
support this monopoly, to have more slave
labor in the South to supply the growing de.
mand in the world for the article; that if
free labor is to compete with slave labor in
the South, twill weaken slavery; that to
strengthen the institution, one slave in eyely
family should be exempt from levy and sale
for debts hereafter, to be contracted: and
thatthe act Of Congress making the slave
trade piracy ''is brand upon u.s." which
ought to be removed, because, "if the trade
be piracy the slave must be plundcr." Gov.
ernor Adams deserves great credit for bis
bold and sensible advocacy of re-opening this
trade. Condemned at first by some, he is
destined to enjoy the general plaudits ofhis
country.
I conclude this branch of the subject by
remarking, what hinted at before, that
slave labor was auxiliary, if not essential, in
building up Roman power. From q small
beginning, Limited to the city, Romeabs-
came first the mistress of Italy and Sicily,
and afterwards of the world. The iutroduc.
ton Of slaves was never repressed there
the slave trade was always open, and history
does not inform us that any complaint was
ever made in Rome or her extended terrific
ry, of redundant slave population. Slave.
ry fostered the arts and sciences by afford
ing the free citizens leisure for their pursuit,
improved the spirit of the people, brought
money into the treasury, and erected those
splendid models of architecture which have
been unrivalled to this day. Rome fell by
the corruption of herpeople, which was pull.
ing her down, about the coming Of Christ
on earth. She fell from her greatness when
she lost her respect for virtue and surrender
ed to licentiousness and enervating luxury.
Reimbursement paved the way --.
To villain bonds and despots' sBay." -~.
The re.opening of the slave trade is prac.
ticable. The Constitution of the United
States does not forbid it, but simply pro.
vides that it should not be prohibited by
Congress, prior to 1908. After that period,
Congress passed law making it piracy to
engage in this trade. Congress can repeal
this law, by bare majority, ndre-open the
slave trade, with such regulations and restric.
tions as the interest Of the South may die.
tate. ...........
1t is the true interest of the North to
create this new order of things becaus, g.
mong other investments, the North has
$500, 100000 invested in manufactures,
and would be benefited by increased sup
plies Of cotton and diminished prices Of the
article. The whole manufacturing world
would be benefited in the same way. In
time of peace, plenty and ordinary health,
population doubles in 20 years. Before We
| can beoin tn increase the sunnIv os: nottor