Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-10-31

Where, then. I repeat l. the evidence OF antasonl-n
between the Interests or the labor of the North and OF
the South 2 Those who are disposed 90 ininlge Ia nar.
row aud contracted views of subjects may fancy they sec
evidences Of an (" irrepressible eonaict" between heat md
cold, light and darkness, summer and winter the GEN.
jects In the material world. which seem 10 be irreeon-
cilcabls; vet under the rule OF a wiso aud bcnehcent
Providence. how beautifully all these apparently opposipg
elements work together In harmony. 70 accomplish the
wonderful designs of Him whose hand directs the ma
chincry Of the universal $50
When the scales are removed from the eyes Of such AZ
l have mentioned, they discern that the only discord was
In their own wicked hearts, and that the seeming antago-
nism In the elements OF nature was but harmony not un-
der-tood
SO. IL often happens. in regard to political Affairs, tina,
men whose minds are mised by local interests, or dis.
torted by party p~rejudiees, can see nothing In the pro-
grcss OF events but evidences OF cisshiug interests aud
"irrcpressible conflicts. " while, TO those who survey the
same objects, from a loftier stand point, every elemen, /.
seen to be performing its appropriate functions, for the
development Of some wise aud benefeent result
How strangely must that mind be constituted. which
can perceive a tendency TO antagonism in two systems
which move in different orbits, and have entirely diaereut
functions to perform systems widely separated, geo
graphicahy, and whose influence Is felt only in the bene-
hts which they reciprocally confer on each otheri
Southern labor L. devoted 60 the production of articles
unsmted To the climate aud labor of the free States. Its
great staples are cotton, sugar, tobacco and rice. OF
these but one, tobacco. and that TO a small extent only
can be produced nortl lof the Delaware.
On the other hand, the labor OF the free States Is direc-
~ " u CULTIVATION OF gram and the feeding of live
stock, and TO manufactures and commerce. aud other
pursuits which are better adapted to the habits of their
people. and the qualities and peculiarities Of their soil
and climate.
How, then, can the labor of one section com. into
competition with that of the othery do not the produc-
tons OF the North find their best markets In the south y
arc not me slaves oil the planting States the largest con-
sumers OF the coarse woolens, and cottons, and shoes
aud hats made by the labor OF the NORTH Do not the
planters also buy a large portion Of the finer goods. and
furniture, and hardware, and machinery, and carriages.
N a0lInrN m Wtanlan s-t .
at the Norths
And. does not the South supply the North with itsNot.
Ton, ana sugar, and rice, and tobacco, aud other com.
modities, in their crude condition. ready TO b. conva,,sd
by the labor and skill Of tho North. into the mos, yaln..
BILE subjects OF commences How then can There no an.
iAgonism between two sections of country, and two sys.
TENS oil labor, whose productions, and whose ayocations
are 50 widely diherenty Antagonism implies opposition
-rvalry,-compeution the Interference of one with
the other. But here, there is nothing Of the Kind
Neither produces what the other can pro6tably nrodvca
ON the contrary, each produces precisely what the 9th.
er cannot produce, but what the other needs. Each of.
iers 10 the other a good market for what IL has TO sell
An eSchanSe' mutually beneficial, takes place between
them. Both are enriched by It. The product of slave
labor helps TO pay the wages OF the free labor of the
hotth, ana the product OF free labor helps to paw to the
owner oil slaves the expense which lie iueurs, and the
proht which hr makes, by his operations on his plapt,.
ton. Zach section, and each system, consequently co,.
tributes To the prosperity aud wealth of the other. They
are mutual benciactors, instead OF antagonists. The re.
lations between the two systems have become so intimate
aud so interviewer with each other, that they can no Inn
ger be regarded a. separate, independent systems hut
are, in fact, harmonious elements OF one great system of
American labor. The truth Of this proposition will be
manifest, II we viii turn our thoughts, Tor "A moment In
the consequences which would cnsue from "A disturbanc,
ct the relations, which now happily subsist between
these elements.
throughout the u. y, We cannot d ,ubt that m, cons..
quences would be similar TO those which followe ed euan.
cipaion IN the British West India Islands. Wherever
the negro is found, his nature il the same. Their indis
position To labor has become DruVerlial IL axbn,,. Z.
self, not only in their native country, and in the sultry
climate OF the south, but also amidst the hustle and nc
u'"! o. Tue Northern and Western cities in which they
congregatc. They labor only under the pressure of ne.
cessity, and only TO the extent which that necessity inn.
peritively requires. As soon, therefore, rs the discipline
nnd compulsory authority Of the master was withdrawn.
they would sink into habits OF idleuess. which woulj
leave the plantations of the Southern States like those M
Jamaica, dcsolatc and uncultivated. They would sect n
Preeanous subsistence, by Irregular effort, and by deprc-
dailons on the property of those around them. The nro-
duction of the great staples of the South would r,n,dj,
diminish, and ultimately, they would cease to be article.
OF export. White labor could not be substituted he.
cause experience has shown, that the white race canuot
endure the exposure TO the sun aud atmosphere. which
u necessary for the production OF cotton. tobacco. SUI
gar aud rice. The abolition OF slavery would ther.Gor.
ne equivalent TO the Punishment Of those articles from
the manufactures and commerce of the country. And
what mind can conceive, or what pen portray the eonse.
quencc, to the business, and comfort and hapniness or
the civilized world! IL would involve the destruction of
countless millions OF dollars of capital in the South vest.
ed in lands, and in slaves and stock aud machinery me-
eessary To cultivate them and in the North. in the iacto.
ues erected 20 work up the products Of Southern labor
and 10 produce all the fabrics necessary TO SUNNY its
wants. IL would involve the prostIalion of domestic
trade, manufactures, and the mechanic arts-the stagna.
toh OF foreign commerce-the arrangement of the bal
anee OF trade and rates OF e&change-disAsfrous conyu,.
sions in the monetary systematic serious injury of our
shipping interests-a decline in our national resource
the paralysis OF industry in all its departments-a gene.
raj depression in the value of property, and a scene of
bankruptcy and ruin to which the history of our country
affords NO parallel
Such would DO some Of the more prominent and direct
results oil that system OF emancipation which deluded en-.
ihqsiasts and selfish agitators would seek to accomplish.
but the picture ~, by no means, complete. IL il plain
that the evils | have enumerated, would fall with more
crushing force on the interests and people Of the Nortb,
than on those of the South. But, there are others pecu,
marry affecting the Tree States, which should not be pass.
ed over in silence.
Who, that has visited the Northern States. has failed
to note, with pride and pleasure, the evidences of pros
perity and comfort that greet his eve NJ eyery ,urn >
Wen cultivated helds-neat farm .bouses-thriving villa.
ges-cities thronged with a busy and enterprising popu.
lation-iactories, furnishing employment 10 thousands-
haroorS crowded with shipping-wharve loaded with the
merchandise OF the most distant lands-all bear tcstimons
which cannot be mistaken, to the material prosperity Of
the people. Innumcrable school house,. and cbnrrbe.
ana noble institutions, DEVOTED to literary and benevolent
purposes, IA like manner attest the attention which il
bestowed on the culture and development of the moral
and Intellectual faculties Of the citizens.
Explore the sources of all this wealth and prosper;iy-
enquire what stimulates this industry into aatyityS-
EAA'N AN.1A HAIH
what ireights these fleets Of merchantmen. ON their ont.
ward voyages, and supplies the means Of buying the
home bound caIgpesEig = word, what sustains this
WhGe ststea OF industry, aud eqnalizes the balance Of
irade hetween our own and foreign countriesY Every
enlightened man will answer, that the productions Of the
planting States. the fruits Of slave labor. contribute
more than all other causes 10 these great results
IL, then, this system Of labor should be suddenly Over
thrown, by emancipating the slaves Of the South, and the
substitution Of a worthless, indolepi paUper population
In place OF the active, wGi.daciptined, and vigorous
slaves who now seppG the productive power of the
SOUTH who can compute the amount Of injury that would
accrue to the Sortbf Strike the single article of cotton
from the eomnegcisl schedules, aud what would become
q the factories, and commerce, aud navigation OF the
Northl aud Of all the interests dependent on themy let
business men answer the question.
But these are not the only evils. that would enure Ia
the people Of the non-slave-holding states, from such A
policy. " the Southern slaves were lihera,ed hey would
naturally. desire to remove ram ne scenes Of their Ia.
hor aud humiiati0S, snd seek sboics among tho peoplo
Of the A2ph, whose sympathy lad cheered thsm in ,k,i,
bondage, and whose homes and hearts, they would re,.
sonably infer, were open 20 receive theIa. The tbree
millions of liberated sayCL thas left free To choo ,e their
own places II residpnes, WOnld soon scatter Themselves In
the Nggthep and Western states, IN quest Of the means
W subsistence. The better class would at once com,
intu competition with the laboing population of tbs
North, 10 al the more simple employments for Nbtrb.
they we're qualified, and the dfaymen, hnckmen. c,rtm4n
portera, hOtclwaiters, s%tevelOtes, domestic aeryauta o.y.
abOrera. and Othera of ike 0fcunat,us .r,t1 J..tu-.