Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-05-20


this charge, but VIC are not positively in
formed as to it. We intend making some
inquiry and reporting the result to our read
crS.
The Solltll-Sidc, by II Southcriler.
We give place with pleasure to the follow
ing letter from reader in Mobile, one Of
whose letters we published few weeks since.
II presents the Southern view of the slavery
question, in its strongest light. We are glad
to present it to our readers, that the few
apologists for slavery in our midst may have
few facts from their own side to deal with,
and may learn the true ground of defence for
their position.
MOBILE, May ?, 1852
Mr. MAnlN When wrote you, in March
last, had no expectation of seeing the matter
in print However, have no right to object
to the publication. did not write the VIII ole
argument in favor of slavery. There arc
many more things yet to be said The
negro's body we can see, and it is better fed
better clothed, and lives under more regular
and better government here than in Africa
Here, they, if they choose, attend the same
church that the white people do and the
MethodistS and Baptists both have large and
comfortable churches and good preachers for
the negroes, and sometimes the negroes have
black preacher. | think this is caring
more for their souls than the rulers in Africa
do As for my knowledge of Africa, don't
depend on writer's who write for money, but
received the most of my information from an
African, who used to belong to a family near
this city. lie was accidentally killed, few
months ago, by a shot from a gun in his own
hands. If you wish to learn the African
character, rules and government by reading
books, will refer you to the publication
called the TYPES Of Man," by Gliddon &
Mott This work purports to, and l think
does, give tolerable good history of all the
races of men. was acquainted with both
70 the authors, and think that they have done
full justice to their undertaking. Gliddon was
an Englshman by BIRTH and a man of learn
ago in Philadelphia. Mott resides here at
this time. You condemn my opinion about
slavery in Africa, but don't give your own
opinion on the subject of bringing the Afri-
cans into state of slavery. If you would
converse with persons who have visited the
African shores, and sought an acquaintance
with the condition of the inhabitants, you
will learn that not more than one tenth of
the people are free, and those who are not
slaves enjoy poor miserable freedom.
Many Africans buy articles of merchan-
disc along the coast, and pack on the backs
Of slaves into the interior, to trade for more
slaves. And as for the African improving
his condition, time and experience has taught
us that he cannot do it alone, or with his own
race. We cannot discover that the African
has advanced one step in civilization in the
last thousand years. w.
l. As to the care for the bodies and souls
of the slaves referred to by CIV" and tri-
umphantly appealed to by all apologists for
slavery, it proves nothing to the point. We
charge that the relation Of master and slave
is in itself wrong to each of them, however
happy, comfortable and well-cared for they
both may be. "W.' answers, "we feed and
clothe them and send them to church." A
chld-stealer might make the same answer,
with as much propriety. 1t is no more a
justification, or excuse, or palliation, for the
STAKEHOLDER, if slavery is crime, than it
would be for any other wrong doer. In other
words, it has nothing to do with the question.
2. We have not read Messrs. Gliddon &
Motifs book, but will do so at the first oppor-
tunity, and we are glad to learn (for the first
time, we must confess with some shame
that DR.. Livingstone has such eminent rivals
in his field Of labor.
8. "Our opinion on bringing Africans into
a state of slavery" as it is requested by "W.,'
is just this: that the bringing of more Afri-
cans into our country, as slaves, and also the
retaining of those now here in slavery, is, to
say nothing about the injury to ourselves, the
wrong to them, and the crime involved, a
gross social and political blunder, for which
the people of this country, both North and
South, so long as they are united, are unitedly
responsible, and for which they are both
bound to suffer just as for any other blunder.
In the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Ala
bama, Georgia, South Carolina and North
Carolina, the whites at the last census num-
bered 1885, 9l, and the blacks 2,l20,263,
while the rate per cent. of increase of the
former was at that time SO per cent, and of
the latter 45 per cent, and this rate on the
colored side has grown larger and that of the
whites smaller in those States in the last ten
years, so that at present, assuming the one to
no In nfh
the whites will number 100000, and the
blacks 100000. What will become of our
southern friends when, after while, these
growing millions of blacks will eat them out
of house and home, and swarm in black
myriads like the locusts Of Egypt, over all
the land, outnumbering them three to one ?
And what will become Of US, their northern
brethren, if we continue to keep this black
colony in tow, bearing the expenses Of their
custom houses, their post Offices, their wars,
and their territory purchasing policy? 1t
may, in no long time, become question not
only of principle, but of policy and self
preservation with the Northern States, how
far and how long they are bound to play such
losing game-how long their partnership
with their friends of the South should con-
tinue. That is our opinion of the right and
the wisdom of bringing Africans into a state
Of slavery in this country.
4. AS to the capability of the African for
improvement, we are of opinion that CIV"
and we may both live to see the time when
the Africans will commence to show their
Advancement in a manner more striking and
true to their present teachings, than COM
Portable to their teachers. We do not hope
it, but we fear it.
SEVEN YEARS IN YE WESTERN LANDE.-