Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-01-04

OF their negroes.
But where would this process of the increase
of slaves, and %over-supply OF productions, and
decrease of prices and profits, end: | have
argued it at the point where the slave popula-
ton was supposed TO be doubled, and then |
haze taken it at the low figure OF three hum
drcd dollars for negroes. But have We any AS
srlrancc that it would stop ut that: As lon.
as money could be made by importing Il wild
negro, that importation would continue. If
the much dcspised Acts of Congress, as they
are by some. had not wisely prohibited this
traffic from. and after the year lSOs, and the
flood gates of African importation had CONT
nucd to be u%pliftcd. long ere this the South
would have been claInoring for the exercise OF
Congressional power 10 protect her against 30
great an evil. Long ere this, some Of these ar
gu,ncnts ! am making against it would have
been more tlnn speculation and theory. And
the effort now would be just the reverse OF
that which the advocates of this policy are
making; instead of getting more negroes, plans
would be dcvising to c%olonize them back in
Africa, or in some other way to get rid OF them
as a nuisance.
The only node of making the institution oil
slavery permanent, is to keep it valuable and
profitable. When. from any cause or combl-
nation of causes it is rendered valuclcss, slaves
will be enancip,tcd. They never were clnan-
cipatcd in any If the Northern States while it
was In their interest TO keep them enSlaved.-
When that guarantee failed, the institution fell
into decay. When negroes were useful, ii was
right, religiously, morally and politically. But
when negro property became a burden instead
of a benefit, and q nuisance instead Of Il bless
ing. the religion, morality and politics Of men
changed accordingly. II was not Abolition So
cieties, nor abolition speeches, nor sermons that
converted the Northern States into free States.
It was the workings of the higher law Of self
interest. The law Of utility Is the supreme law
of mankind-it is above all other law III lis
practical influence. And ! am much inclined
10 suspect that tie same principles would work
out the same results everywhere. The minds
of the Southern rople are now firmly ground
cd upon the queaion in a moral, religious and
political view; but it is a fact, which the histo-
nv of the question even in the South fully veri-
iics, that our convictions have kept pace with
, the advancing usefulness of slave labor. And
if You could reduce the value Of our negroes to
three hundred CELLARS instead Of twelve hun
! drel. ahd by the same process bring about that
inevitable accompanying consequence of re-
ducing the productive value of slave labor, You
would strike a blsv at the security and pcrma-
nency of the institution; you would pave the
way for abolition VII in the Southern mind. II
| is a we'll known fet, that many years ago. even
| in Georgia, when lcgrocs were worth scarcely
! one.fourth what tley are now, there was 4 loose
state Of public pinion on this subject
Georgia used to receive the resolutions of the
Legislatures Of fre,Statcs. recommending cman-
~cipation. with muh less indignation than she
would now. II wnld surprise many who have
not looked into thehistory Of this question, to
see how loose and unstable were the founda-
tons Of this cherished institution in times past.
In the opinion of tia Supreme Court Of l;ror-
! gia. pronounced by Judge L%umpkin, in the case
Of Clcland ". WatAs, Vol. WI. page 5l+, the
following %allusion tdthi, subject was made by
that distinguished lrist. while reviewing the
history OF our poliT and legislation upon the
subject of emancipation and the importation OF
slaves, &C.:
I'm 1894, Il resolution from the State of
Ohio on the subject II the abolition of Slavery
having been laid b., the Governor before TIE
Legislature" the Report which was adopted
thereon, after expressing regret, at this unnc-
ceSslry interference on the part Of n sister
State, concludes with this sentence: Georgia
claims the right, with her Southern sisters
whose situation in dis regard is similar, of
moving this question when al enlarged system
! of benevolent and plilanthropic eXcrtions, in
consistency with her sights and interest, shall
render it practicable Is il not apparent that,
up TO this period, III, true character of this
institution Of Slavery had not been fully I'M
dcrstood and appreciated at the South, and
that she looked 10 emancipation. in some undo
fined mode, in the uncertain future, as the only
cure for the supposed cvilf Thanks to the
blind Zealots Of the North for their nm
warrantaLlc interference with this instit,i-
ton. 1t has reused the public mind TO a
thorough investigation Of the subject. The
result is settled CONNECTION that it was wisely
ordained by 4 ~forecaS; high as heaven above
mans, for the good It both races. and 4 calm
and fixed determination to preserve and defend
it, at any and all hazGdS."
1t is generally supposed that this change of
opinion on the subjecthas arisen from the pro
grcss of intellectual enlightenment. and from u
more thorough investigation of the subject,
caused to some extern, by the interference OF
the abolitionists, rs Judge I.nmpkin justly oh.
serves. Now. that thee has been in our coun-
try much intellectual progress, is not to be de-
MED. But, OF most questions of general states
manShip. We have not hr outStrippcd the early
patriots, even if we hare attained to the wisdom
which distinguished thnn. We still yield a re-
v%erential acquicscencc ia their judgment on most
subjects. On the subject of slavery, we have
grown wiser from experience and time; and there
is one great experiment in the philosophy OF
Slavery which time and experience alone could
have made, which has thrown moro light upon
the question in all its bearings than was
possessed by all the wisdom Of OH ancestors.
And this experiment has done much TO bring
us to u full understanding and appreciation OF
the true character of this institution hat
is that experiment: 1t is a practical one. 1t
is the one which has been made by the develop,
ment of those great agricultural departments
of industry and labor, in which Slavery has
been chiefly employed. and which has resulted
in the exhibition Of the wonderful fruitfulncs,
and productive value Of negro labor. The
utility and value of the institution, thus
cyinced and established, has aroused H. to
better understanding of the nature of tho
institution, and proven to the world and to
ourselves that il is a g1oR m.t;t"fi"". This
development of its usefulness, which rem
ucTs IL lUDIC a. pItS~HiS w 'p'h '"'' .
by far the strongest argumcnt that ever was
made in its behalf. 1t has been, both sub
stantially and literally, the h"'mq argu
mcnt in defence Of slavery for the theory
and metaphysics all followed in its wake. Nci
ther is this the acknowledgment of u fact which
shareholders or the friends Of slavery need he
ashamed OF. No stronger argument can be liao
of the divine origin. and Of the moral ioinda
ton of slavery, than the fact of its great utility
To mankind-to the maker and consumer oi IL
products. and also to the slave himself. Tn,
fact, that these sable descendants Of African
barbarians are made the industrious producers
Of those articles which add 80 much t" tn,
comfort of the world and so much to the pr"
gress of commerce, which itself has been the
forerunner of civilization. and the vehicle o
Christianity. is, to my mind, no small evidence
of the wisdom and forecast" of that mystic
rieus Providence which transferred them hi,her
H.. A. - as.-a