Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1858-05-08
African Apprentice System.

issue of the Times I see Yon have brought
\ before the public the policys, ought TO be
!. enacted into law at the last session Of the
Legislature, Of Introducing Tree negroes lnte
this State. bound for q term OF years. Al
> the time this act was hurried through the
] House Of Representatives.. i was called home
5 a short time OF, account Of afiictioas III m
r family. | learned, en- my return, that the
bill had been introduced, referred immeitate-
ly to the Committee on agriculture, Was re-
ported back promptly TO the House, and the
rules being suspended, ~was.passed with little
j. or no reflection as to the Consequences that
might result from SO important a measure
,, So great was the haste Mt!1 which it. was
: passed through the House, that=i learned 4
member, who had absented himself for a
very short time from the hallof the House;
found, upon his ~return, that the bill had not
only been read once, as is usual, but had re-
ceivei its three several readings under a
suspension of the rules and was passed
Now, what was the bill? It is SO short |
will quote the W hole of it:
AN C
To grant the authority Of the State of Louisiana for
the importation Of free black labofess into this State.
"sEcT!ox /. Be- e'saeted, &C., That James
H. Brigham and Ills associates, be, and they
are hereby authorized, to import into he
State Of Louisiana, for agricultural and other
labor!ng purposes, twenty-five hundred free
Africans; Provided, They shall be indentired
as apprentices TO labor for d term OF years,
winch the parties may agree upon between
themselves, not less than fifteen years.
Note we'll the bail and the report of the
committee accompanying il. thatthe iustli-
cation eli the measure is placed (entireIy and
solely as regards its ie GaEltyl upon the ground
that they are not slaves bnr free negroes
They could not import %siares, for the attempt
would have subjected the citizens engaged
In snch Z traffic. to all the pains and penalties
enacted against the slave trade. They must
OF necessity COME as ireeI1en bound for d
term of years. Now, at the expiration Of
that term. what power is there to force a
freeman to r~eeI1den:ure? Hence, the ire
sls5ible conclusion that, at the end OF their
term Of service, they and their increase re-
main here amongst MS as Unemployed free
negroes. One horn Oh other Of the dilemma
has TO be taken.
Here. then, is ar attempt to inansurate a
new and extraordinary policy. by the intro-
doetion into the State OF free negroes, OF the
most harbarous and degraded class 4 move
at war with the true interests and cherished
policy OF the State, which5s to free ourselves
from this free negro population now %ar1lourt-
f"-TN" ~S;SN"a EANAtA ftAit5t : a bAtG " itpiE !
white population OF Jackson. Union. OuaeI1-
lta and Caldwell parishes. Ihis question of
Improvisation must not be arsuet as If the
number to be introduced is to be limited hy
the bill. Every one knows that this meas
ure Is tous an entering wedge. and il once |
adopted as the policy Of The State. other com
failies would be authorized to pagtake OF this |
valuable traffic, aud in less than five years
25,ooo, or possibly 100000 would find their
way to Louisiana. This would be the iaeri-
table result Of a speculation which would ad-
ms Of a profit Of $500 to $500 being realized
on every African imported! into the State
And tbs profit ~ again being invested.
would 1t realized a seeosld time IN less than
SIX fnoHths. tatis7 In wonderful short tine,
hundreds OF thousands Of these wild heath
ems "olld be scattered throughout our aesro
population, vastly the Interiors Of our slaves.
morally, physically and Intellectually aid
yet, looking down upon our slaves, from the
tauciel superiority cf being tTse, and telling
them eterlafIy, We are ouiY hired freeman
-oGr term will not last IoH.-We will then
return to oar native country toilpe at Our
ease. hnt Will remember and compassionate
you, Pcos slave for lite.H Can any slavebotd-
agree to have his ssa?es suhiecte, to this
comparison with these dahasezi
Tree saEages! / have been raised from NV
with nine, ana in their behalf. would
Eesatf as insulting any com paFlsou hQ which
these Tree harl:a-aeT> would seek either to be
'AI.- 1fiuats or suleTiors, The Inevitable
consequences Of the law. which would thus
bring into daily contact the iutsiligeot hon
EST, faithful. and christian Slave. with the d.
graded. bestlai, and benigtItee savage. sno,rh
stu ifeemasis would admit Of comparisons
which might possibly SOW The seeds ii 1nsu,-s
aftsinaftop, and render disc onteIlted our now
happy, contentea aud faithful slave nonrIa-
tioa. |
But if the Introduction of these free an
pre- atAced Airlcabs into the State is to be OIL
sucn great benehtt to our citizens as the friends
me measure claim that it will be. Whvf5
Should tie advocates OF it seek TO fasten # /
upon the State in the most od;ous and anti
Democratic manner3 Why make a monono-
y OF fhss great good to a single con1nany VI
Why not open the trat iic to al the citizens If /
aitke. by q law deciallng that hereafter any s
.iE'zen or citizens OF this. State NAV Inoport
rec African apprenticesa Have our ewes +
become open to the beauties Of rlonopoIy e. i
those who were to compose this corn 3,
oany, OF tight entitled to privileges denied !
% the other citizens Of the State Whv
'houid nor a company formed for the burmese. I
Win as much pfosriety. ask The State To give >
.hefa the monopoly Of alone introducing into a
he otafe alliabor saving machines, ,1pon the ,
ground OF developing the agricultural :es- a
'''rees OF the State? There would be strong G
n reasons tor granting a monopoly TO the q
machinery company than to importer Of free i
ssroee. Tor one would be asking a monopoly t
the introduction of things of vast import. i
nee to our citizens, and not forbidden by law E
'ha!S5 the other Is asking what's nov forbid k
en- ov law, IS In opposition to the wel!-es- +
an1iShea police Of Keeping the free negro t.
population out Of our State and Il Is in eH5sat ).
0 the benefit Of taeyIGw at thezexrsns If tba =
est Interests OF the MAN., by strik1nr = :
eadly blow al the institution Of sIayerS = .
t Ieast four Stafasn of this- r. =. -:r.-L =