Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-09-16
poIitieal.
From the Chicago Tribune and Press.
A GRAVE QUESTION.

A GRAVE QUESTION.
The alarming natural increase Of the Slave
population Of the South, taken in connection
with the mad project for re-opening the Afri-
can Slave Trade, suggests the grave inquiry,
What shall be done to keep down this dan
gerous element which is growing in our
midst to such ungovernable proportions 1t
is an undoubted fact that the laws of numer-
ical increase, which are swelling the black
race in the United States, will not be sus-
pended to accommodate our peril. On the
contrary, those persons who have a qualified
supervision over the matter are exercising
Their ingenuity, like patriarchal herdsmen, to
double and qusdruple their stock of insurrec-
ton power, by every means at their command,
decent and indecent. The ancient Spartans,
perceiving the necessity Of thinning out
servile race, multiplying with fearful rapidity
on their hands, adopted the expedient of
periodical massacre - cooping up a given
number Of Helots la a defenceless vale, and
turning upon them a squadron of young
butchers, very much in the fashion Of modern
rat-kling. But even this system did not
prevent several bloody insurrections, in which
many of the first families Of Sparta we're ex-
terminated. The Spartan plan cannot be
adopted in this country for several reasons.
Slaves are worth too much money per head
TO be thus sacrificed. The moral sentiment
OF the land would rebel against it, and per-
haps lead TO the forcible Liberation of the en-
tire black race. The most desperate conflict
that ever Redeemed the Italian peninsula was
the servlle war inaugurated by Spsrticus in
the year IL, b. c.. One of the most bloody
and successful revolutions on record was the
rising of slaves in Hayti in 179l. Less than
three years ago a popular tumult among a
few hundreds Of slaves along the Cumberland
River shook the States of Kentucky and Ten
nessee like an earthquake.
No future event can be calculated on with
more absolute certainty than mighty social
convulsion in the Southern half Of the Unisn,
unless some step is taken to check the in
crease of the servie race. The nature of
things is not to be thwarted. History is not
to be cheated out of her dues. 1t is only
question of time, and the longer the solution
OF the problem is postponed by compromises
the more fearful will be the ultimate catas-
trophe. Nor is the question limited to check
ing the increase of slaves merely. "Emanci-
patton and deportation lin the language of
MIR. Jetferson) are the sole and sovereign
cure of the evil which threatens us. We
quote from the author of the Declaration of
Independence:
lie mind must bear it and adopt it, or worse
will follow. Nothing is more certainly writ
ten in the book of fate than that these peo-
pie (the negroes) to be free nor is it
less certain that the two races equally free.
cannot live in the same government Nature,
habits, opinion, have drawn indellible lines
OF distinction between them. 1t is still in
our power to direct the process of emancpa-
ton and deportation, and in such a slow de-
gree as that the evil will wear off insensibly.
and their place be pdri passu filed up with
free white laborers. If, on the contrary it is
left to force itself on, human nature must
shudder at the prospect held up. We eshould
IN vain look for an example in the Spanish
deportation or depletion Of the Moors."
Again he says in letter to Mr. Sparks:
"The second object, and the most Interest,"
ing to us, coming home to our physical
and moral characters, to our happiness and
safety, is to provide an asylum to which we
can, by degrees, send the whole Of that pop
uiation from among us, and establish them
under our patronage and protection, as a
separate, free and Independent people, in some
country and climate friendly to human life
and happiness
Again in letter to Mr.. Coles he says:
Yet the hour of emancipation is advance
ing in the march Of time. II tciU come and,
whether brought on by the generous energies
of our own minds, or by the bloody process
of st. Domingo, excited and conducted by
the power of our present enemy, if once sta
toned permanently within our country, and
offering asylum and arms to the oppressed,
is leaf of our history not yet turned over"
Our readers have had their attention fire.
quently called to the scheme promulgated by
Mr.. Frank Blair, Jr., in the House Of Repre-
sentatives, and introduced by Mr.. Doolittle
of Wisconsin, in the Senate, for the acquisi-
ton, by treaty. in Yucatan, Central or South
America, of the rights and privileges of set
tlement and of citizenship for the benefit Of
such persons of African descent may vol
UNFAIRLY desire TO emigrate TO the United
States. We republish Mr.. Doolittle's reso-
luton:
Whereas the numerous disabilities to which free
persons Of color Of African descent subject in many
OF the free States have made 1t desirable the Of
large numbers Of them, to seek elsewhere favor
able field for their labor and enterprises and Whereas
the same class Of persons is regarded with still greater
disfavor in the savehoding States from considerations
deemed controlling that further emancipation in many
OF them has been prohibited by law unless the persons
emancpaed shall be at the time removed beyond
the jurisdiction Of the State, and in Of them the
grave question is seriously entertained whether persons
reduced 10 slavery II they continue to remain within
their Jurisdictions and whereas IN Yucatan and Central
and South America there regions almost unin-
habited Of the beautiful and productive countries In
the world, in climate well adapted to the constitution
Of the African 10 develop its greatest power and
highest activity; Therefore
Res6ired, That the Committee Of Foreign Relations
Inquire into the eKpediency Of acquiring by treaty in
Yneatan, Central South America the rights and priv
leges of settlement and Of citizenship the benefit Of
such persons Of color Of African descent as may volun
tary desire to emigrae from the United States. and
form themselves into coony colonies, under tho
avs Of the State States 10 which they emgrate; the
United States, in consideration OF the commercial ad
yannges Of free trade with such colony colonies max
ing and securing the necessary and proper engagements
to maintain them in the enjoyment Of the rights and
privileges acquired by such treaty OF treaties"
Though this suggestion has not yet receiv-
ed the attention it merits, it is becoming of
more and more consequence every day, and in
Just the proportion that the Democracy clam
OF for the re-opening Of the Slave Trade, the
acquisition of Cuba. and the annexation Of
Territory for further Slave occupation, will ID
rise in Importance. Two undeniable facts
establish the wisdom and feasibility Of the
'cheme; the prime necessity of getting rid
'f the major portion, if not the whole of the
'lave population, and the adaptedness Of Cen
raj and South America in soil and climate.
o the colored race and these races only If
- a