The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-05-15
INCREASE OF SLAVE LABOR.

which have appeared from timc to time in its col
umns. in relation to the institution of slavery, aud
the modes by which il may be strengthened and per-
pctuacd. This article treats almost exclusively of
the increase Of slave labor and to our judgment an
swers most conclusively the objections made by the
writer's who oppose the " African Apprentice Bill, :"
in that branch Of their arguments. The other mum.
bcrs in connection with the question: shall appear in
future issues.
The undonbted consequence of the present scar
city oi slaves is rise in the price, and the result of
this Is the concentration of slave labor in the hands
OF the wealthy, and In the richest districts in the
country. And their final consequence must be. first
to render slavery iocdi interest in those States having
marked geographical difference of climate soil
and production aud. second to occasion an undue
migration from the northern frontier States of the
south into the others. both of which are lmrtful To
southern interests This migration of slaves is ma.
iuray induced by the constant pressure of northern
opinion and influences upon the border counties but
il must be accelerated throughout the border states
by the high price of slaves which renders Il nroltn
bic, at the same time that it is prudent to Weld to
ms northern pressure and make room for the cheap
eSt nhor lhus " i that northern pressure ayaita
and southern demands for slave labor. (nnder the cx
isling prohibition Of the slave tradcO combine TO
prevent natural dilnsion of slavery throughout the
border States But if the south at large were TO re-
ccyc additional labor from abroad as all new conn
rics require. no demonstration is requisite TO show
that slavery would be more generally dii,uscd, and
northern pressure against the institution would be
much less potent.
Again the high price Of slaves brings hirclinn
and slave labor into an undesirable conflict There
Is n security and pcrmanencc in the possession of
slave labor quite unknown in the possession Of hire
ling labor and this i paid for in the ,r,ce of the
slave. Til. Of the secure possession of the
slaves labor stands in lien Of the money paid for
him and il le essence Of slave property The sup
port OF the slave is his wages; and since secure pos
session prevents those fluctuations in the item of sup
port or wages which are occasoned. under the laws
Of demand and supply in the case of hircling or in
secure mhar. they appear IN the price of the slave
and being occasioncd by similar causes are similar,
~ character Hence. although the cost Of the slave
Y, caPtat il must be governed by the same general
laws which control the wages of the hircling This
description Of capital. then, unlike others is subject
70 the laws which govern wages and this surrr.ts
the great danger ofinroducing any disurl,inr cnusc
adverse 70 q supply Of slave labor corrcspondinoI
With the demand for it, while the supply Of hrrlna
labor i unboundrd The immediate consequence of
such disturbing cause is rise in the price Of slaves
very disl rop prtonate to any rise in wages This
rise being occasioncl by statute law and not by the
natural lNw Of cause and effect is artificial and be-
ing nnaccompaai"d ly any similar rise in wages,
amounts toa bonus on hiralng Iabor--a protective
taE-anI uf 4.
or, and pac'caliy invites il to struggle with slave
labor wherever climate will admit. The Invitation
i readily acceptrd.Thc contest begins in our towns
ana villages, and on our public works. railroads and
calats secure labor being capital. is necessarily
lmld for nothing is more timd than capital In
sccure labor, not being vested interest having no.
hing to lose and everything to gain pushes forward
on venture When TO This are added the decided
effects OF the negro mania upon the public mind. and
the marvellous supincness Of Shareholders II is easy
to understand the danger Of bringing hireline and
slave labor into conflict in our more Southern States
or OF encouraging the struggle in the border states
Aftiicnlly high prices for slaves naturally low wa
So for hreIlngs and unrelcntins Abolition hotili-
:. y the south when brought into cooperative ac
ton must consprc TO our embarrassment and ruin.
II may be objected that high price whether artificial
or not, Is beneficial to of the southern States
On this point. much is to be said when the digcussion
becomes more minute for the present II IL sufficient
TO know that low price would by much the greater
number The truth is too palpablc to be questioned
that large and commanding interest in the soutl
needs speedy addition TO its productive capacity
And If this addition is to be accompanied by a gen
eral reduction in the price of slaves surely n small
majority in q few states will not clog the progress
and prosperity Of all the Lest Is it not TO he cy
pectod that that Texas, Alabama Mississippi. and
other states would like to stock their plantations nm
on the same cheap terms that their elder sisters Vir
gnia and the Carolinas did? Besides is it not po
ny for the older states to put ii within the power of
their small farmers and mechanics to purchase few
'laycs at reasonable price? If this were done. an
would be witnessed similar to that
which now exists in Georgia a new impulse
would be given to the productive industry of the
whole south, and a yoke would be removed which
las been more fatal to our material progress and DO
tcal power than all the tariffs and compromises of
congress put together, hurtful as they have becn.
u It were desired to destroy the former equilibrium
between the north and SOUTH and to cripple the pros
oorlty OF the latter way certaia Man am 9th.