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

whether IL be true, as has been asserted in various auar
ters, anu on high authority. that there il an inherent
systems. ~ IN
As preliminary to this enquiry, 1t may he proper I,
EtAncs a. .ne origin OF the system Of slavelabor in M
History informs us, that more than a century elapsed
after the discovery OF America, before any succcssfa
effort was made to establish permanent settlements o
Tue wn,te race on the eastern coast OF our country. Tn,
hrst Colony was founded at jamestown, in 1907. but fU
many years it had TO struggle against such discouragins
uluncuineS, mat II barely maintained a precarious exist
cncc. A few years later. the Pilgrims landed on Ply
mouth rock, aud, by degrees, sparSely populated Colonies
spreadthemSeives along the coast, from Maine TO Georgia
me dangers aud privatons incident 20 the settlement
and suhjugation OF a new country prevented rapid immi
grafton TO Il; and, Notwithstanding the strong induce
,nents that were offered, in the form Of liberal grants o
ahu, the growth OF the Colonies was, 10y no means, salts
factory to those Interested. The number of sborers was
inadequate TO the efficient settlement and cultivation OF
tne Ierule lands To supply this demand, the Mother
country: ABOUT the year l62O, rcsorted TO the e~xpedicni
OF introducing into these Colonies a class of involuntary
Immigrants, in the persons of Africans, who had been
captured in the wars between hostile tribes. in their ma.
i've country, aud, according 20 their ussgcs, sold into
slavery. This policy was approved and practised by the
Colonies for more than a century.
AT the date OF the declaration Of our national indepen-
denee, thn system OF Involuntary servitude, or slavery.
had become engraited on the institutions of all the Colo.
MES 1 use the term all the Colonies, advisedly, for, al
though an impression has very generally prevailed, that
slavery never existed in some Of the New England States,
the TACT Is otherwise. AZ may be seen by reference to the
census tables. According to the census of 1890, there
"NtN 100 W IN new Hampshire, anu IL IN vermont,
ana the official returns of 1850, show that there were
slaves at that time, in every New England State, except
Vermont.
{ the commencement of our national existence, there.
fore, a compound system of labor~partly free and part
" Aave-pervaded the whole eonfedcraey.
Ihis system continued, in all the States, until the
drudgcry OF subduing the pJimeval forests, and clearing
the country for cultivation aud comfortable habitation,
had been accomplished. Then the citizens of the north
ern and middle states began Ia turn their attention to
other branches OF industry, and the discovery was soon
made, that while negro labor NAV bN ~proftably employed
IN pursuits which require mere physical strength, it can
not compete, successfully, with white labor. in those avo-
cations IN which skill. ingenuity and intellect, constitute
important elements. Experience also demonstrated. at
an carly day, that the negro race were physically untitled
TO endure the rgors of a northern climate. These con-
slderatons led TO a general conviction, in the Northern
COLONIES, that negro labor vas Improbable, and Induced
them to adopt measures to lid themselves of the incum-
brance OF an unproductive population.
And here, 1t may be instructive to pause, and contem-
plate the means by which that object was accomplished
SON" OF our brethren Of the North are disposed. like
certain OF The IhariseeS Oi old, to thank God e that thew
are not As other men are, and 10 assume To themselves
aud their States, great credit for diSinterestedncSS aud
beneVolcncc, in hbcrating their slaves. am as little
disposed, a. any other man, to Withhold from them the
praise To which they are justly entitled, for their many ac-
knowledged virtues. take pleasure in bearing testimony
to their Intelligence, integrity, industry. ~frugalty, pnalic
spirit and general henevoence. But respect for the
truth OF history constants me To deny their right To be
regarded a. the benetacturS OF the negro race.
\ general impression prevails, both in the North and
South, that the people of the Northern States, influenced
" u generous spirit OF philanthropy, ana a noble ueNO-
ton TO the cause of human liberty, voluntarily cmauci.
patcd their slaves, by legislative enactments. II their
legislation had been such as IL generally supposed. il
might well be questioned, how far il would establish their
just claim TO any high degree Of merit, in a moral point
OF view because, as | have already stated. it had be-
come manifest, before any such laws were adopted, that
the slaves of the Northern States were a burlhen, rather
than a benefit. The policy OF those States might, there
fore, be fairly attributed. rather to a disposition to rid
themselves OF an Ignorant, improviient and Improbable
population, than to a desire 10 do justice TO u "down-trod-
den" race.
But, what are the facts of the caseg Nv professional
duty has led No to Investigate the legislation of some
four or i've OF the Northern States, on the subject of sla.
very ana ! have yet 10 hnd a law of any one of them,
by which a single slave has been made free. | think |
may safely challenge the production of any such Law,
from the archives of any colony or State of this coufede.
racy. This Is a bold proposition, but | believe il to be
true. As far as | have observed, the whole system Of
Northern legislation has been directed, not TO the eman.
cipaton OF slaves, bat TO the removal of the slave popu.
latiOn beyond their limits. All their laws on the subject
were prospective. None OF them, a. far ~ | have been
able TO discover, operated to confer freedom on the
slaves in being. They simply provided, that the offspring
OF female slaves, who should be born within the iurisdic.
ton Of the States passing such laws. after specifc a dates.
should be deemed free. All who we're slaves At the time
remained slaves. The laws were intended 10 operate
only on the aiter-boru children, aud the rights secured
to these were altogether contingent. and could never
vest without the concurrence of the owner OF the female
slave. There was no prohibition Of the removal of the
iemale-. II the owner thought proper to retain them in
the State which had adopted such laws, her Offspring,
horn after the appointed day. became free. Freedom.
therefore, even to the aiter-hOru children. Wa moi the
effect OF Legislation alone, but Of legislation and the con.
current action of the master, in retaining the female in
The State, until the law could take effect on the children.
Without the consent Of the master, indicated by retain
ing her in the State. until after the prescribed date. the
hS would have been imperative.
IL require TO great slgacity TO see that this is the
whole object aud tendency OF their legislation was, as I
have already stated, not 10 the emancipation of slaves.
but their removal 10 other States. II amounted, simply.
20 a notice to the owner, 10 sell his female slaves before
a given day, under penalty OF ~forfeiting her increase
The practical effects we're such az might have been rea-
souably anticipated. The owners Of the females took
especial care TO sell, them southwark before the laws
took effect, and 10 this way the improbable slaves were
transferred TO the South, where the climate Wss more
]propitous, aud tho productions better adapted to their
peculiar capacities for labor.
This yeiw Of the effects Of thee laws l. strongly for
tilted 10y facts derived from the census tables. We have
no authentic means of azcertaiuiug the number of slaves
in any Of the States, prior to 1890. and VIC cannot, there
fore, institute all the enquiries which We might desire,
but We DO know that the policy Of removal, miscalled
emancipation, was adopted between l776 and 1890, aud
was in iuii operation at the latter date. A reference TO
the census Of i1sushaws, that The EbOie ngnLeE &c free
negroes In the nine Northern States, (~iucluding Maiue) AZ
that date, vas but q, 100. The fact that the number of
free negroes Ia those States was % small, in 1890 IL
very persuasive, At least, to prove, that under tAis much
Landed system Of legislation, freedom accrued to a very
small proportion Of the slaves OF the Northern States
Much the larger number were sold TO the people Of the
South, and the descendants Of those slaves, now held
lander lh2 SFrfaHTY Of tuo given by Northern vendors,
constitute a large portion Of the slate population oftbc
~f-fN'" sA-N-H *"A "a FNAtsHF7NN NAA'l NllA y NutIl
by citizens Of the South, contributed, in no small degree.
70 build up the manufactures aud commerce OF the North
ern and Middle States.
Il j. also instructive TO observe how the anti-slavery
legislation Of the North. has kept pace with the increase
Of the growth Of the great staples Of the South.
IL wasnot uutil the latter part Of The eighteenth century
after Hargraye and Arkwright had invented the spinning
jenny and the cotton gin, that cotton became one Of the
important crops Of the Southern States. Aslate as 1924,
vheu Gen. Iiukpey Gf South gafonna, enumerated 10
John Jay the exports Of South Carolina, cotton was not
included in the Ut.
The inventions Of the great mechanic, above referred
10, gave u vigorous impulse 10 the culture Of cotton. and
Il has nOw become lhe most important article OF Amcti.
can commerce.
Cotton is an article peculiarly adapted to negro labor.
IT, culture i simple. aud requires but little skill IL can
be- produced prohpbly, only IN the Southern States,
where the almost vertical rays Of the sun, snd the d.bif.
tating influences Of lbe climate, render i impossible for
the white ace 70 perform tho hbOF n]ccesrary 10 Oh and
secure the crop. The physical pecuhapies Of the negro,
on The Other hand. nc him admirsby for the work. Gre.
Ftqd Fii4 Q system Of cores apd glands, aaspttd to ,hc
tropical cimHte 81 bis native country, be tbdves aud
grows strong, under Tho suliry beat Of the planting states,
which would ctuqe the most athletic Of the Caucasian race.
Ia siuk into hopeless prOstratOn.
When Cotton became an important crop IN the South.
t opened "a wide field for negro labor, aud created large
demand for negro hbOrers. The opposite condition Of
thing, in The northern States where 10 had been asc,r.