Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-04-06

Putnam, Baldwin and some others, it wi
be seen by the census that the negro populs
ton is much greater than that of the whites
In some of these it is more than double. j
the richer portions of Alabama the same re
suit is found to exits. In the counties of Ma
con, Montgomery, Lowndes, Dallas, Greene
Marengo, Madi,ion, Perry, Sumter, Wilco:
and others, the negro population is vastly i
the ascendant as to numbers. In five or si
of these it is double, and in several it ]
within fraction of being three, times a
great.
In South Carolina, it is likewise tue cas-
In such Districts as Abheville, Beaufort, Char
lesion, Collcton, Edgefeld, Fairfield, Orange
burg, Richland, Sumter and others. Indeed
in all the older portions of the Slave States
where these causes have had their due effect
and in the richer regions adapted TO slave Ia
Dor, this same result has been manifested
Now, is it not to he inferred that in all the
richer regions Of country adapted to slave
labor, in the entire South, when time shal
have developed the full operation of these
same causes, the same results will follow
And in this way, is it not easy to perceive
that the increase of negro laborers in the
great cotton region where slavery must ever
be chiefly confined, will diminish the number
of the white inhabitants Of that region, and
in that way, instead of adding strength, great
ly weaken it? Neither would this result be
calculated to widen the basis of slavery by
introducing it into the possession Of the poorer
class. Tue effect of such expansion OF slave
ry as have described, is to drive out that
class. So that, in this view as well as in
every other that am able to take of this
measure, seem to defeat and render more hope
less the very objects they profess to have in
view.
There is another effect which this mode of
increasing our political power may have upon
the institution of slavery. As slaves are i'll
creased, there will be Il growing necessity
and tendency to furcc slave labor out OF its
legitimate fields, and bring it into competition
with the labor Of the non.slaveholdins por-
tion OF the South. The province of slave la
bor lies appropriately 10 the culture of cot.
ton and sugar, hemp, rice and tobacco. ]
have spoken principally Of cotton in this es-
say-because it is the most important Now
should regard that contract with other Ia
Dor, which would be the effect of an enlarge
ment Of the sphere Of its employment, as
anything but calculated TO enlist the nom
slaveholdng population in its interest, or to
add to the strength Of their devotion to it.
IL was urged q, G mutive fpr re-opening this
traffic, by the authors Of the Report already
alluded to, that it would le.d to develop
lnellt of the arts-by this very means, that
slave labir would fDw into otuer channels OF
industry. think it was cuntenled that tue
negro would make lhe finest "manipula'ist
III t e wurl;i," BECAUSE. he was naturally the
greatest foil, or, to use the language OF the
writer, I" be auSe of his common absence from
reflection" Of that kind of talent the coun-
try is 1t entirely d,stitute.
Now, if the state OF feeling in this large
class Of non.slaveh'lrl,ng iaborers is such as
this Report represents (which | do not BY
any means admit or Lslieye-it demepstrates
the impoicy of, a neasufe sahrch, would ,te,ia
ever so remotely t, thut result. The Report
says. there are large classes Of persons who
have to mike their own bread with their own
hands, and these are distinctly conscious that
there is difference between white and slave
labor. They ssud that consciousness into
Legislatures of their several States, aud i'll
South Carolina alone, perhaps Of all the
Southern States, where there is an excess OF
one hundred Thousand slaves, it is safe to hold
that there is and ought to bc no difference, and
that it is MT polite and is not proper to re-
strict the slave to such a range Of occupations
us will keep him out Of competition with th,
white man. Now, If the half of this is hall
true, it shows the great necessity of keeping
slave labor within its appropriate channels.
For any policy calculated to rouse the dormant
element Of opposition to the institution in the
very bosom of the South-which the writer
here very distinctly enough defines and de.
cllres does exist-would surely not be a meas
ure of advantage to the cause. Without en-.
dorsing syllable Of what is said in reference
to that class by the author, / oppose this poll
cy, because it will force upon that class tuat
contract and competition with the lsbor Of
the slave which is in itself, as the experience
of other States shows, well calculated to gen.
crate and develope that very state Of feeling
which is here attributed to them. In other
words, the tendency wo Id be ~ make eue-
mies instead OF friends to the institution even
in the heart of the South. 1t can never be
possible for all the people Of the South to be-.
come shareholders. All cannot bc capitalists,
even with the sparsity of our population, much
less 80 at a future day when population shall
be greater. The disproportion OF these classes
is now amazingly great in every Southern
State, and desire to see no measure set on
foot and no policy inauguratcd, that will in
volve the perilous risk OF Il conflict of'interest
Or opinion between them. AS it is now, with
slavery chiefly confined 10 these agricultural
staples, and highly profitable in ITSELF it does
not come in competition with the labor OF the
white man-but rather has q tendency to en-
hance the general price of labor in the coun-
try. desire no change-no innovation upon
this state of things. | want no new applica.
tons Of slave labor, no diversions from its
natural channels. Upon this train OF thought
much might be said-but there arc some points
un which it is perhaps wiser tu reflect than to
write. ly il well kuowr that this very ques'
,Iud ui' ru,upslitiuu Vi minor hAs hilliertn been
the srrra spring by whph abolition MOVE
menia l,sre been originuied snd propelled,
and addressing itself, as it does, to 'he natu.
rai prejudice ntwceu clasSes OF society and
TraicS OF con:.tluIi, Il ~ 0tire the hnNt casliy
brought into action and the most difficult IL
alIav. 1t is this sensitive chord that has been
Touched i'y impious AMI designing hands, in
sach Slave States as Delaware and Maryland,
Kentucky and Missouri, and the result has
been, 10 force upon society there that unEoly
strife which should have been kept forever be-
tween the distant sections.
Indeed, the very agitation Of this policy by
its movers and advocates, particularly if it
becomes an instrument in tie hands Of par.
ties-of which l do not deny that there is
much danger-lnay have tendency to devel,
opc this jealousy, and after a contest is once
Openly made and all the passions OF opposi'
tiun to the movement are developed and drawn
out, as they will be whenever the issue Of an
election is made to turn npon it, it will he an
easy transition, for that whole prejudice to be
turned against slavery itself. The experience
OF party strife in this country has proven that
there is no spring Of passion or jealousy-ao
vulgar prejudice in classes Of society or con:
dition of lfe-no latent element Of discord
in the mass of the voting population, which
designing partisaus will not touch and move