The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-01-27
SLAVERY RECEDING.


ago would have been hailed as indubitable
proof of the permanence as well as the prosperity
of Slavery, are now looked upon in very diff
ferent light:
Negroes for the Somh.-The Portsmouth
(ya.) Transcript says:
Heavy shipments Of negroes for the lar
South are made almost every day by the Sea
board and Roanoake railroad. Yesterday,
about a hundred arrived here from the eastern
shore of Maryland, and passed through, ana
this morning another car load from Delaware
was sent on.
Let our people bear this in mind IN their
purchases of negroes at present high prices
Weourselves have observed the enormous influx
of negroes upon the cotton and sugar-grOwlng
States for the last two months and more. We
suppose that the daily shipments by the rall-
roads from Augusta, South and West alone,
have not averaged less than some two hundred
during this time, and they are still coming at
that, if not greater ratio. There has never
been anything like it before. Con federation.
The champions of Slavery are in sad pre-
dicament. The price of negroes was never
higher, and the fears for the permanency ofthe
institution were never greater. The high price
of slaves arises from the high price Of cotton !;
and the demand for cotton requires constant
" increasing production. How is it, then, that
the South is losing confidence in the permanent
CIV Of the institution? One would naturally
suppose that the contrary effect would fellow,
and that a character of stability and perma-
nence would be given to Slavery in proportion
10 its value to Shareholders. But they are ron
dered miserable in the midst of prosperity by
state of nervous apprehension which has be-
come chronic. They are ever on the verge of
a crisis, which threatens to overturn, if not to
destroy, the social fabric. Surely that system
cannot be blessing, morally, politically, or so
cially, which keeps whole people in state of
nervous trepidation.
The immediate trouble with which the South
is threatened, by its prosperity and the high
price of negroes, is the danger that the demand
/ for slaves in the Gulf States may depopulate
Virginia, MARYLAND, and other States, and thus
turn them over 10 the occupancy of free white
settlers from the North. Hitherto, the effect of
carrying slaves to the Southwest has been to
!. make new slave States, without unmaking old
Jones. But, in the progress of Northern devel
fopment the period has arrived when every plant
ation in Virginia which is vacated by the re-
moval Of the slaves to the South will be seized
by greedy land hunters from the north of Ma
son and Dixon's line; and thus, by a process
similar 70 the natural one Of petrifaction, Nir-
gina Is becoming a free State.
/ The Virginians at first were disposed to re-
L ,l,;- { croo Int
interest is stronger than prejudice, and the en-
HANGING value of land is gradually conciliating
the most influential class, the holders of land.
NAV double the value of their real estate by re-
| moving their negroes to the Southwest The
negro-trader is becoming most active and
powerful instrument in the emancipation of
Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware.
But from the far South warning cry Of
alarm comes TO us We are told that the Gulf
2 States are in imminent danger of being desert.
led by their Northern copartners. in the bless
ings of Slavery-a state Of exclusive blessed
ness which our generous countrymen of the
/ sunny South by no means covet. What is to
| be done? Some propose laws prohibiting the
| further introduction of slaves from the more
northern States but this will not be seriously
listened to when the price of cotton and the de-
mand for negroes are what they are at present.
! Discardng this proposition, they resort to the
African slave trade. By importing slaves from
Africa, they reduce the price to one-third, and
at the same time prevent the older States from
! becoming free by the economical process of sell
ling out to the cotton planters. This is the ia
/ vorite idea of the young and enthusiastic por-
/ ton of the South and we shall not be surprised
to persistent efforts to reduce it TO practice.
in spite of the grave protests of cooler heads.
| The African slave trade cannot be successfully
combated without taking position inconsist-
ent with Slavery itself; and, although the bet
/ ter portion Of Southern society will oppose it.
it will have the interests and the prejudices of
the reckless and the enterprising in its favor.
A writer in leading Southern journal.
commenting upon the above statements in re-
gard to the influx Of slaves, says:
The facts stated in these paragraphs are
Of startling significance The great demand
for slave labor in the South, and its precarious
tenure in the border States, is causing them to
send us their slave population in unprecedented
numbers, and we are buying il at marvellous
prices. What is to be the effect of this upon
! the border States Free labor will necessarily
| take the place of slave labor; and when it pre-
+ pouderates, as it soon must, they will become
Anti-Slavery States
/ He insists on the revival of the slave trade ::
but if that measure is rejected, he recommends
the prohibition of further slave importations
from the old States and concludes as follows
One or the other remedy must be adopted,
! or We will ultimately be driven into the extreme
South ike wild animals crowding on nromon.
tories to avoid flood. Our enemies at the
North already see the inevitable result of the
causes at work, and exultingly proclaim that
they will drive US into the Mexican Gulf or
the great American Sahara Yet the South
Is qmescent. Her products command high
prices her iesta halls are lit, and voices of uni
versal giadness are lifted up, while the pillars
OF her strength are lettering beneath her. As
the lamented Pinckney Henderson truly said.
IN ms last hours, We are most unfortunate
people
The introduction of 90, 900 African slaves into
the Gulf States annually, would have the effect
of reducing the value of Virginia negroes to a
nominal figure very small excess of the de.
mand over the supply of any article in market. is
sufficient to raise the price out of all proportion
to the difference and on the other hand an
excess of supply over the demand will reduce
the price in similar proportion. This is well.
settled principle in political economy, and will
apply as we'll to negroes as to other property
If the slave trade could be legalized, the effect
would be to produce redundant supply OF