Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-12-09

IN the monetary eystem-tne serious u
jury of our shipping interests "a declir
: in our national resources--the paralys
Of industry in all its departments
gen eral depression in the value Of prope
ty, and a scene of bankruptcy and rui
to which the history Of our country afford
no parallel
Such would be some Of the more prom
inent and direct results Of that system {
ema cipation which deluded enthusiast
and selfish agitators would seek to accom-
plish.
But the picture is by 10 means complete
1t is plain that the evils | have enumerai
ed would fall with more crushing force oI
the interests and people Of the North
than on those of the South. But, Their
are others peculiarly affecting the fre,
States, which should not be passed ove
in silence.
Who, that has visited the Northern
States has failed to note, with pride anC
pleasure, the evidences Of prosperity anC
comfort that greets his eye at every turn
Well cultivated ields-neat farm houses
thriving vilages-cities thronged with q
busy and enterprising population-iac.
tories, furnishing employment to thous-
ands-harbors crowded with shipping
wharves loaded with the merchandise Of
the most distant lands--all bear testimony,
which cannot be mistaken, to the material
prosperity of the people. Innumerable
school houses, and churches, and noble
Institutions devoted to literary and be.
neyolent purposes, in like manner attest
the attention which is bestowed on the
culture and development of the moral and
intellectual faculties of the citizens.
Explore the sources of this wealth and
prospcrity-enquirc what stimulates this
industry into activity what gives vitali-
ty to this extensive domestic trade? what
freights these fleets of merchantmen, on
their outward voyages, and supplies the
means of buying the home bound eargoes
in a word, what sustains this whole ystem
Of industry, and equaizes the balance Of
trade between our own and foreign cOun.
tries? Every enlightened man will an.
swer, that the productions of the planting
States, the fruits OF slave labor, contribute
more than all other causes to these great
results ....
If, then, this system of labor should be
suddenly overthrown, by emancipating
the slaves Of the South, and the substitu-
ton Of worthless indolent, pauper popu-
laton in place of the active, well disciplin-
ed, and vigorous slaves who now supply
the productive power Of the South, who
can compute the amount of injury that
would accrue to the North2 Strike the
single article Of cotton from the CONNER
cial schedules, and what would become of
the factories, and commerce, and navigs.
ton Of the North and Of all the interests
dependent on them? Let business men
answer the question.
But these are not the only evils that
would accrue to the people of the non.
slave holding States, from such Il policy
If the Southern slaves were liberated,
they would, naturally desire to remove
from the scenes of their labor and humila.
tion, and seek abodes among the people Of
the North, whose sympathy had cheered
them in their bondage, and whose homes
and hearts, they would reasonably infer,
were open to receive them. The three
millions of liberated slaves, thus left free
to chouse their own place of residence.
would soon scatter themselves in Northern
and Western States, in quest Of the means
Of substance. The better class would
at ice come into competition with the
laboring population of the North, in all
the more simple employments for which
they were qualified: and the draymen,
hackmcn, curtmen, pOrtcrs, hotel walters,
Stevcdores, domestic servants, day y-laborers,
and others OF like occupations, would,
doubtless find them formable rivals, who
would supplant them, or greatly reduce
The profits of their callings. Much the
larger proportion, however, from their
natural aversion to labor, would refuse to
work, and, with their families, sink into
the lowest depths Of destitution and
wretchedness aud the jails, aims houses,
and penitcnatiaries of the North would be
their only refuge from starvation. They
would become an intolerable burthen, and
all classes would rise up and expel them
Under these circumstances, | can readily
see how the tendency to conflict be.
tween the black and white labOrer would
become irresponsible" The white la
borcr whose avOcatiOn had therefore been
respectable, aud who had been accustomed
to receive wages adequate to the support
OF his family, would not tolerate the com
petition Of those who would degrade the
dignity Of labor, and undcrbid him in his
business. The taxpa. ers would not sub
nit to the burthen OF maintaining an idle
aud thriitless population. The land holder
would not be content to have near his
premises class whose subsistence would
be eked out by piIfering. A conflict
would necessarily ensue-a conflict of
0clashing interests, and hostile races
brought into immediate collision con.
Aict which must necessarily result in
violence and bloodshed?
Is this picture overdrawn? | refer
those who think so to the riots that have
already occurred from these causes, in
Cincinnati and Philadelphia, and other
cities aud townships in the non slave
holding States. And when it is remem-
- A.