The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-07-22
From The Richmond (va) South July Z
THE VALUE OF SLAVERY AND ITS 1NrGr
ENCE IN VIRGINIA

we regret to see that some of cur EXCHANGE
OF the Southern States have been unpecessar;lr
exclted by the recent course of our cotemnore,1
OF the enquirer. The cotton States are M
taken IN supposing that Virginia desires the
continuance OF the Union for the purpose ~
keeping up the value of slave property. VIA,
ever fugitive editorials may suggest, the peonI.
of Virginia desire to preserve the relations h.
tween the States of this Confederacv md,
the influence of higher motives and more WORTH
suggestions than those revealed by our cotam
porary. No sordid considerations coptrolls3
Virginia when she adopted our Constitnt;on
No calculations of pecunisry interest will in.
duce her to retain her position as a member of
the Union by which Slavery is guaranteed AMI
sustained. She will never be seduced nro
being the South of Northern ConfedersrT
by mere pecuniary considerations If Slsverv
is morally wrong, or politically and socially An
evil, and our people are convinced of it. she
might be easily induced to get rid of it. Be-.
lieving, as her people do, that it ia morally
right, and politically and socially advants geou.
to the present generation as well as to poster
ty, she will use all the forces she possesses 10
retain her institutions, to maintain her position
In the Confederacy, and under no circumstap
ces will she divide herself from her sister States
of the South
The cotton States may rest assured that Viz
gina has no reason to value slaves as mere
merchantable commodity. They possess with
us tar higher value. Our slaves are our com
panions and friends, endeared to us by ties and
associations which We cannot sunder to gain
pecuniary wealth from our Southern brethren
and we will not estimate our alliance with the
slave States by its value in dollars. We have
In n a
cial alliances, and they are not to be decided BIZ
moneyed obligations. We believe that it is far
better for US to retain our slaves and rear our
children in a slaveholding community, than to
rid ourselves of great blessing, by petty
trade, however gainful. We really believe Ss
very conservative institution and a bessiny
to our whole community. Under such circum.
stances, it is not wonderful that we object TO
any proposition to sell out, at whatever pecu.
mary advantage, O most valuable, and one Of
the best securities of real freedom.
Our friends in the South are utterly mistaken
in supposing that cotton is the sole maintenance
OF Negro Slavery in the United States. Let
them look to the continued rise in the price Of
tobacco-let them remember the increase 10 it's
use, the rapidly increasing consumption of il IN
continental Europe, the vast progress Of free
trade-the fact resulting from these events,
that the Virginia planter has for several years
rivalled the Southern trader in our own mar
kets for slaves. Let them reflect on the fact
that tobacco is the most pleasant and least de.
leterious of narcotic Injuries, and that its cult
walton is most gainful and least laborious in
the State of Virginia, and they will have no
reason to appreheud that our people will betrsy
their principles or sacrifice their interests 10
become the South of Northern Confederacy
Neither power nor money could repay our PEG.
pie for so pernicious separation, or so unnat
ural a union.