The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-05-12
Revival Of the Slave Trade.


Trade; by John Is. Adger.' Both the ma
jority and the minority reports Of the Com.
mittee TO whom was referred the Message
of Gov. Adams relating to the slave trade
ahc considered, and in a way which demon.
stratcs that the writer has deeply felt aud
studied the various phases and aspects
which this exceedingly delicate, if not dan
gerous subject, presents to the people Of
the South. The writer agrees with the
able deductions set forth in the minority
report and strengt hens them by addi.
tionnl and well timed reasoning of his own.
While he deprecates the discussion of the
question rs calculated to divide public opin-
ion amongst us-to alicnntc, and SOW dis
scntions among those who should stand
shoulder 10 shoulder yet as il is begun
and upon one side is continually going on,
| it becomes the duty of those who dissent
from the eNtrayagant proposition to revive
the slave trade, 10 raise their voices and
warn the people of the South not to al an
don Lhck now imp-egnablc position for one
which they cannot hold.
Gov. Adams Argument for rc-opening
the slav trade, rs quoted and endorsed by
the m;S.ority report of the Committee TO
whom WAS referred that portion of his Mes
sage, was briefly, that the demand for cot
ton is greater than the South can meet, be-
cause Of the lack Of sufficient slave labor,
and the immediate consequence Of this will
be still higher price for cotton, which
must have tho effect 10 stimulate Other coun.
tries TO produce ii, aad thus the monopoly
which we now enjoy will be partially des.
| trored. This is met on the other hand by
the minority report and the reviewer. not
! b. spCcula'ions merely, but bv facts. Cot
ton is already grown in other parts Of the
world where the soil and climate is in the
least degree adapted to IFS cultivation
The price already affords an abundant slim
ulant. and England and France have tho
roughly experimental in various portions
of their domnions, but with such unsuc-
cess as 10 induce them to abandon the pro-
Jcct of raising cotton. a few cents ad-
vance in the price will not induce them to
renew efforts which have once been proven
frutless. There Is no section of the world
so well adapted TO the profitable cultivation
! of cotton ~ the Southern States of this
Union, and To whatever height the price
may be raised by the gsowiug demands of
consumption, the South will, in Il propor-
lionntc degree, enjoy the molopoly which
IT is now her good fortune 10 enjoy.
| In order to secure n continuance Of this
molopoly, it is proposed to reduce the price
of cotton one-ha!f by the Introduction Of n
sufficient number of slaves for that pur-
pose. and it is presumed that labor thereby
being cheaper, cotton may DC grown as
proh,ably-say at five cents, rs it i, now
at ten. To this proposition, the reviewer
refers substantially as follows:
In order to reduce the price Of slave
staples Onc~halr, you must double the
| amount Of labor, which is now, say four
millions slaves, by importing four millions
Of negroes from Africa. But, YOU must
add something to make up for their want
| of efficiency. Three American negroes are
certainly equal to four Africans the num-
Der, then, 10 be imported will be four.thirds
Of four millions. But the value of on: four
millions will be reduced by contamination
ut least one-fonrth, which will require an
additional importation Of four-thirds Of one
million making the whole number repnir-
ed, in order to double our labor, equal 10
four.thrds Of four millions added to four
thirds of one million. But labor is but
one element of price. To reduce the price
of slave produce, the slave trade must affect
the cost also Of land and transpoI tation.-
Now, allow that land and transportation con-
tribute two-iifths to price, ank leave for la
Dor the other three -tifths. The reduction
upon this two-ffths Of the price, (Which
two.fifths equal, of course, two.thirds of
the labor elemeni,) will call for an addition
al importation of two-thirds of four mil
lions Of American slaves, equal 10 four
thirds Of two-thirds of four millions of AZ
rican slaves. The grand total, therefore, Of
importation TO accomplish reduction of
ono-half in the price of slave staples will
thus be four thirds of four millions plus
tour thirds of one million, plus four thirds
of two thirds of four millions, equal to ten
and two-ninths millions Those who are
surprised at the result must remember that
political problems involve more than one
condition, and are not to be solved by sim
Pile arithne etic. The calculas would be n
much more suitable instrument for investi-
CATION. The project, of course, never could
go so far. Long before it could reach this
point the market of slaves would be glu..
ted slave labor worthless--nay, an incu-
bus; cotton down TO five or six cents the
English manufacturer bloated with wealth
the planter not able to buy provisions or
clothing for his slaves
The reviewer considers at length, the
delcterious effects which these barbarian
Africans, with whom polygamy, theft, yo-
lence and deeeat arc virtues, will necessari.
ly have upon our present well regulated
system of slavery.
1t has been urgrd as an advantage to tho
poor non. STAKEHOLDER, who at the present
prices cannot buy slaves. The reviewer re-
CARDS the poor man who owns no slaves