The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-02-18
THE SLAVE TRADE.

the purpose, have made labored arguments dc.
Tending the Slave Trade as being morally and
politically right But thcro seems TO be som,
scr"plcs upon the question of cxpcdicncy.
We dislike to waste words in the discussion o
, any subject, without the hope of good TO result
thrcirom, and from considerations of this kind
we have hitherto maintained what might b,
called II "stubborn silence" Although we be.
l'cve the institution of slavery and the Slav,
Trade can he defended upon the principles o
religion and humanity, yet we are not Of opinion
that The dictates Of reason, christianity or poIi
cy VIII ever supciin'luce that sentiment in th,
public mind Of this country which would render
the attempt to reopen the Slave Trade success.
iuI, 50 long as our present government stands
So That while the North, with It's well known Ell
mI'y to African scrvitulc, hollis the balance Of
political power over us, we can have no hope,
save the hope against ic;,>or, that the Slave
rade VIII ever become practical question:
Notwithstanding we regard its discussion futile
rs II political measure, VIC c;lunoL understand
how the southern stakeholder can reconcile his
disnpprobation of the African Slave Trade upou
the principles of morality, with the custom of
y ID
lainS III III" south. because, if the negro is faith
fully represented in history, at home he is Il slave
in it's most ahrcl sense. lie is under the domino
ion of hrmiaizc,l and cruel mast.rS-chrls To-
whose service they are bound, and their life and
liberty t!iSp"sabe III will.
If then he is IL slave at home, is il more n sin
to buy him i'll Africa than in Virginia? And
shall We Of the South dispute the morality of the
slave traIli" when we src il carried ON every
day among MS! For us TO pretend that il is Il
sin that II is Il n"iSr"us wrong upnm the llcr-
ties of ilis bcniyhtcd race, Is io profess what
our daily practice proves la be false If the
African Slave Trad. was right prior TO lSOS,
can 1t be wrong now! The tenure Of our negro
property is basel upon the legitimacy of this
trade, and if il WAS originally wrong, we hold
our slave property. not hy moral or legitimate
right, but by piracy and robbery.
We are not among those who take ground
against this measure from pccnniary motives, al
lodging that I" Introduce the slave traffic
would lesson our wealth and prosperity by lcprc-
cia,ing tins Species of property. Assuming that
the planters of the Soutl, can make n clear prof,
TO the hand, per annum, Of one hundred dnIi;us,
AMI allowing that rcopcning the Slave Trade
would reduce the present value of slaves down TO
S'3o, taking these assumptions us truc, we can
demonstrate by figures that if tho profit Of slave
labor is rc-nvc>tcd in slaves and worked upon
our plantations, that at the end Of eight years
The planters will have more wealth, rating their
negroes at $3.50, than it would be pussblc for
tl'eln to have at the present price of labor. 1t
may be stated thus: If planter has 90 hands,
and allowing 500 per hand profit invested every
year for negroes at $1,000 per head at the end of
eight years he will have l26 negroes, worth
$l2G,0Oo On the other ha:.d give him 60 hands,
and bring down the price to $3.50 !; let him in
Vest the profits in negroes, and at the end Of
eight years he has 3Gi negroes, which at $3.50
per head arc worth $lS5, ,OO0-showing tInt by
reducing The price Of labor to the figures We have
given, ta, il this short period his negro property
would he worth so, 1000, or II per cent. more
than 1t would he possible for him to make it at
the present price of labor.
If we extend tie calculation, We frA that in
~ years, mt the reduced price Of labor, that our
negro property will he worth more than double
Il.
unless it is true that by opening the Slave Trade
our productions would increase 50 much bcyonl
the demand and consumption that thcv would
become valuclcss. and thereby render Save Ia
bor nnprottahc, unless this is to be the conse-
qucnccs Of the Slave Trade, it is manif.s,lv
clear that it can be defended by every planter
IN the South, npoE the ground Of ultimate pecu-
mary interest.
1t Is an rsresions error to say that to cheapen
Iab"r, while the profits of labor remain the same
would diminish our material wealth Whether
The reduction in the price of labor would i'll
crease our production u such an extent us mn.
tcrihily to drprcciatc its value, is n question
which orr space will not permit us to discuss
at present, but would merely remark that we
oche'e II The consumption increases in the same
ratio for the next century as it has done for The
past halt century, that it will require the cul,i
vatIon Of every Of land where cotton can
be grown, TO supply the demand AT moderate
prices.
We have six hundred millions Of acres Of land
III 'he southern States, nine tcnl's of which. ac
cordInS to the census report of IS5U, are uncn-
closed. We have tlic land but are destitute of
labor TO improve it. We think it foIIy to look ,o
any supply of labor with whicI, To produce co,.
ton and rice other than tha, Of the African under
The control Of the white man.
Slavery and the Slave Trade may be dcspiscd
it may he called pracy-thc anathcmas of Abo
IItIonists may be heaped upon it-but however
much our enemies may vent their spleen apains,
lis and our own, we believe we speak the con.
scientIo'is sentiment of the Southern public whom
we say that there is no agency, whether ap.
pointed by God or man. that has done more 10
cV'ze and christianize an ignorant and dcluIed
people, than has been accomplished by the intro.
duct'on Of slavery into this country. It is the
flrst law of progress and civilization that the
lintntorcd barbarian must be taueht-,o lol,o- bo.
fore he can be civilized. Nopeople ever have Or
ever will rise in the scale of intell,penco who
do not fret practice the habit of labor and ipdus.
try; and in order TO chris,ianize the African. yo
must carry civilization among them, or Lrino
them in contact with it here. Here, under tho
control of superior intelligence, he is first
taught the necessity and habit of inJus,rv o,a