The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-02-18
BY DAVIS g. CREWS.
NAPoLEoN's DEFENCE OF THE NEW SLAVE
TRADE OF FRANCE

We s'''c" !" '''c article, III reply tt
the Times, that the decline of the Enyisl
colonies should not he attributed to Negro
emancipation, and that the professional
abolili"nistS Of England were guilty Of tina,
decline brought about, as it wa< hy thei,
UNJUST and systcr.Iatic hostility to the plan
tcrs. In Or - to restore free labor, INJURED
10y Il ,ri'. which WAS unsuccessful aud false
in principle, the Times calls upon us to re-
new the experiment.; on Il new plan. We
have always thought that complicated
plan WAS unucccu<ary--:,ll that is required
is to give labor in tine colonies the same
freedom and latitude secured To it in Europe.
For instance, the planters have no, been free
to procure laborcrs to continue aud extend
the cultivation Of the soil This is one of
the principal errors the ;bo!;;iomists have
committed. In Europe the supply Of labor
crs has always exceeded the demand. In
the colonies, Oh the con rarv, The demand
has exceeded the supply. The population
is Insufficient and it never can be augment
ed by a European emigration. In the tr"p-
les 10 European can venture to cultivate the
soil. To him it yields but deadly rnana-
tions, while its richest products l'roiigal!y
bestowed, repay the Labor Of African or
Asiatic. The white man may, without dan
ger, carry his capita. aud his industry to
the colonies, Tut his constitution is unfi,,cl
to endure great physical fatigue there.
The co!oniSts could have procured labor
ers from Africa and Asia, that could rot bc
surpassed if tie aholtiouists had consented :;
but this they would not do, and with their
usual mode of reasoning, claimed to act for
the interest of the slave, Willie refusing to
this reform the indispensable elements of
success. SO cffectually have they opposed
Indian and African emigration that in the
English West India Islands the cultivation
Of the soil has been let to the caprice of
Creole laborers, who, enjoying an undistur
bed monopoly, naturally abuse it by charg-
ing high for little labor.
1t is the business of Great Britain to bring
these fanatical aboiitioniss to reason. But
the consequences Of their false doctrines
have affected us. Our colonies have suf.
fercd from lack Of hands rs well us the Eng
lish colonies, and it cannot he any logger
endured. If our ncighhors choose TO sub
nit to the consequences OF their abolition
,,f i 4
to adopt them as its rule ofc"nluct Their
code of philanthropy is not Il law for U.S.
thus our government having recognized
emigration lis al once useful aud moral, has
authorized traders to engage laborers in
A'ia and Africa for the French colonies.
Up to the present time Asia has furnished
very small number Of lahorcrs. Will sup
ply be more abundant in future? We know
not. India is not a French colony
In :liat vast territory we possess only
few establishments Of very limited extent.
Emigration has not been viewed without
jealousy by the Anglo Indians. The intol-
crancc Of the aboliioni>ts has been made use
OF there to injurc and rct;rd our operations.
As for China, it is SO distinct that We can
not look to it for cmiyran.s; the expense
would be too great. BESIDES the unsettled
condition OF the Chinese empire is an ot-
stacle that must not be overlooked
But Africa continues to Le the source
whence the colonies first drew their labor.
ing population. 1t is convenient to our
American possessions. Its inhabitants arc
gentle, robust, socablc and inclined to agri.
cultural pursuits. Then, in addition to this,
they are oppressed and subject to honors of
perpetual anarchy in their own country.
Are not these reasons sufficient to induce
me to look TO Africa for laborcrs for our CO.
lonies? And our planters, authorized 10y II
government careful Of their interests, have
turned their attention to that quarter
African emigration has commenced; it is
pursued with energy: and we hope it will
continue until our colonies revive.
But it is a great scandal to the supcran
nuated society which was accustomed for
twenty-five years to behold the world bow
to its DEGREES in matters of philanthropy.-
What! lay hands on Africa, the holy ark
which has been guarded with sucl, an ex-
treme jealousy, and defended still more by
the prestige whicl, it has acquired! Yet
the Times thinks the present opportunity
fortunate for seizing it again; and thanks
to its proceeding. Parliament already re-
sounds with the declaration Of grievances,
the most griovous of which is that they can
not have laborers from Africa except they
purchase them again. 1t is natural result
Of the social state Of that country. Slavery
isthe general condition ofits working popu-
lation. AS it is not among the merchants,
the mechanics, nor the landed proprietors
that we find em,orant loborers here. an in