Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-11
'b.tvesp the people Of FneIand ana France haif

that - Cotton is King Or, in other words.
that its anti-slavery policy 10 really death and
destruction to all interests which have ynssed
under its influence, and that its coutinuaDce
threatens still greater disasters to the indus
trial interests of Britain, and cannot hereafter
effect the industrial interests of other countries
as injuriously as was intended in its inaugural
ton by England, which country Government
in inaugurating it, sought, by making what it
hoped would be a very inconsiderable English
sacrifice, to offer up upon the altar of Englands
Unsuitable thirst after commercial gain, the
competing interests of other nations in which
thousand fold more disastrous consequences to
them would be involved than could possibly be
fee, by way of initiating the new philanthropic
policy for an advanced world
The thoughtful reader will recognize in what
We quote below from the Times, confirmation.
strong indeed, of our own persistent views
upon the effect of anti-savery labor on the
substantial interests of this land, rs well rs of
the value of African slavery to all interests in
society in the United States-North, South,
East and West-to those of the African race
here as we'll rs the Caucasian.
From the London Times, December 22J
1t requires great foresight to perceive that
great contest is approaching the subject of Sla-
very and the Slave Trade. The battle of the
Negro will have to be fought by the philanthrO-
pists with great diminution of prestige, the re-
suit OF falsihed predictions and blasted hopes
The Broughams and Wilberforces Of the present
day will have to adopt a somewhat humbled tone
The manifestoes of Exeter hall must for once be
defensive and apologetic, for the world is now
wiser than when pulpit and platform resoundrd
with indignant appeals to humanity fve-and-
twenty years ago. The touching descriptions of
as far as regards own colonies Those who
are old enough may recollect the traditional por-
traits of the West India proprietors, their wives
and children, which are to be found in the
q" moral tales' Of the last generation. The owner
OF jamaica property was always lying on sofa,
drinking sanSar and swearing at Sambo, fine
mulatto youth, whose quivering lips and flashing
eye told how much he felt.
The lady of the house, always represented as
a FADED beauty with her brow wre:thed with
pearls, was, of course, being famed by two fe-
male slaves, whose delicate forms bore recent
traces of the lash. The youthful heir wandered
about the house exercising whip given TO him
by his mother expressly to beat the little Negroes
with. A faithful and pious Pompey, exposed to
every kind of ill usage because Dinah, who loved
him-oh, how fervently would not listen to The
unmanly proposals Of Drive, the overseer, com
pleted the picture. BY such representations as
these body Of as hardworking and loyal sub
obloquy, and Negro emancipation was effected
without regard to the interests Of men who were
popularity supposed to be revelling in ill-gotten
gains But politicians and the public, and even
the friends of the slaves themselves, have now
begun to see matters in Il clearer light Our own
colonies are impoverished but the sum of slave
rs not diminished IT has only been transferred
from US to more grasping, pitiless, and unscrupu-
lous hands. Never was the prospect of emanci-
patton more distant than now that foreign slave
owners are establishing monopoly of all the
~, nj IF fran ~.
which in the old times supplied so much sugar
coffee and cotton, are going ont Of cultivation
while Cuba, the Unite d States and Brazil are
every day extending the area of their cultivation
and the number of their slaves So valuable
indeed, is the slave in Cuba that In spite of trea
ties and penal laws, cruisers and bloc kades
thousands OF Africans are yearly carried az ross
the Atlantic TO work on the sugar and cotton
plantations The wealth of the island is such
than, In spite OF disagreement, oppressive taxes
and Spanish army of 25 900 men, its ptcprietoIs
are among the richest in the world
As to the United States, II liz, indeed, folly to
expect any change in that quarter slavery on
the North American continent has extended is
extending, will extend. AS long as the supplies
Of cotton are below the demand in all the mar
kets Of the world so long will slave labor he too
valuable to he parted with. Even the Northern
slave states, which bat few wears AGO were
discussing the gradual abandonment Of the sys-
tenn, are now silent about abolition. immediate
or prospective Their slaves are, at present
great, perhaps their greatest, source of wealth
II the cannot cultivate their own lands they breed
Negroes to supply new plantations in the South
10 may be- decla ed that the attacks of Abolition
lists and the interference of the North are the
cause Of this determination to uphold slavery
put no sensible man Will believe that mere irrta-
tlon and obstInacy could lead TO such great re-
suits The existence OF slavery Is an economical
question, and so long the system Il profitable
We cannot doubt that IL will be maintained
Much Tue same may be said with respect 10 Bra
zli. where the institution prevails with features
OF cruelty unknown even in the worst of times
under English rule.
Now, To these countries we have given a mo-
nopoiy OF products which are the chief basis of
our industry or among the chief so,nces of our
revenue. They are becoming rich powerful
arrog ant, every day less inclined to be guided by
English counsels Of moved by English interfef-
enc.. With all the readiness which self interest
induces they have learnt the arguments against
limiting slavery and slave importation, from our
mishaps, our acknowledgment Of failure from
their own prosperity, and from our dep-ndenc
upon them. They have the law of nations ON
their sid-, and may quote II in answer to any as
sertIon OF our rights to interfere in the cause OF
humanity. They are free nations, and Africa is
4 Tree coast. Negroes are necessary to ia Use the
cotton, sugar coffee and tobacco which the world
wants The white man cannot work under a
tropical sun, and, unless the African be used AZ
laborer, the faiIeSt regions Of the New World
must remain desert. In fine, negroes mu st be
had at any cost, and no nation has a pht to i'm
pose It's own scruPulosity on other free colnmuni-
ties. III England has ruined her own colonies
that Is no reason why she should seek to check
the progress Of the whole American continent
Such is the kind Of reasoning which is becom-
ing more and more common every day: and we
may depend upOn ii that In some form or under
some Pretext the slave owners of the other hemi.
sphere will again attempt to obtain supply of
negroes from the coast Of Africa The recent
Importation into the French colonies has naturally
aroused their attention, and II is no wonder that
we hear IT asked why few cargoes o. such
. emlgrants" could not be brought to New Or
Leans or Savannah, there to be settled according
TO the domestic institutions Of the State With
this renewed vitality Of slavery, OWN" to the
rapidly increasing value of the slave, We have
now to deal.
And it is not by preaching, or protesting. or
threatening, or denouncing, that the objects OF
humanity can be attained. The last generation
Were content to be merely destructives /; they
broke down the Slave system in the West indies
without attempting to replace it by better, and
the consequence has been the multiplication of
the former evils, and deepening Of the guilt, in
which we indirectly participate consumers of
the siave-Taised produce. Alter 20 years. expe-
Ilence we are now called upon to provide a
remedy. On all sides We hear the same cry
the colonies are perishing for want of sufficient
TABOR by additional supplies alone can the
principle OF free labor In the troDics he vipdi.