Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-03-09
From tho CharlestonFEvening News.
RE.OPENING THE AFRICAN SiETE TRADE.

The advocates of the Shye Trade lay down
as the basis of their policy;.tbe hypothesis that
re-opening it will reduce tae price of negroes to
an average of $500 per head. Our calculation
of the present number ofiislaves in the United
States, makes them 4,000D00. The average Of
their price to-day is at least 5000, and gives a.
their total value s., 400QO0.0OO. The first
positive step in the proposed policy is to reduce
the value Of this vast property one half or twelve
hundred millions This is;both cool and daring
is it not reckless? Tbs loss is something
positive, substantial and oH Ha tremendous scale
What compensation for Ills proposed? The
/! reduction of the price of1labor. Mr.. Harper
demonstrates that such reduction does not Genc
fit, but damages the SOUTH The reduction Of
the price Of land. If We t4ke the tobacco cot
ton, rice and sugar States,ss which embrace to
within few hundred thouiand, the entire body
of our slave population, to ssit, Virginia, North
and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee,
leaving out Texas, whose immense area is but
in small part yet cultivated, and we have
495, 900 square miles, or AG,SOO,O0O acres of
land. These States are alEeady quite denSely
populated, Lave much af t5eir lands worn out
and rrecIaimable under ouf system of culture,
and as much more incaplbla OF cultivation. Mr..
Spratt's estimate Of an avefage value Of Sc per
acre is high enough, and gyes $1,000 100000
an amount not equal t9the value Of their
slaves An increase Of twenty five per cent on
the value Of their lands w0nld be an enormous
and rather fancful estimate. The immense
territories of the United Satcs bring into tile
market three times the quaatity Of land, afford
much wider margin for land speculations, and
draw of, even from the South, our white popu-
lation. The newly imported Africans would
also in large proportion seek the Western wilds
not embraced in the area of the States named.
The population of these States, both white and
colored is steadily increasing in density, and in
the same ratio advances the value of the land.
So that the increase of value which may be at
tributed to the importation Of Africans is large
ly estimated if put at twenty-five per cent.
This gives SITS, 100000 to those States in
increase OF value Of land as compensation fnr the
loss of 81 ,000,000,0J0 or more than double, ON
the value of their slave property.
Let lis come nearer home apd apply the argyll
mcnt to South Carolina. She has ut present
59l 900 slaves, worth $234,600000. A reduc-
ton Of one half would entail,a loss to the peo-
pie Of the State of one hundred and seventeen
million of dollars. She can now sell all her ne
groes at the amount first stated. Why should
SIZE incur the loss 2 IIrr area is 9,385 square
miles or lS S0G, 400 acres, Or in value Sll2,-
S38, ,400-an amount not eqED to the los; The
compensation f,r it in rise 0f price would be
only twenty-eight millions. II is evident that
Svuth Carolina has far more interest in raising
native negroes, than in importing Africans.
In ad lition to the loss here pnvtn, Mr..
Harper in the extract to-day prneee'lS after
having established The depreciation which would
result to Southern lahnr and our system nf in
duStry, to bring tu view the lus>es on cIttnn and
all the Southern pruhucts-a loss on income as
well as capital, and the additional burden Of i'm
creased expenses. IL shows that for the mas.
Sc, of our people, and especially the poor. they
would have to pay higher for tine neccsSarics Of
life, while they would get less wages or means
tu pay with.
Why should tue poorer man be enabled to
buy negro at a reduced price, when the land
for their cultivation is increased upon him in
price, anl wlien the profits upon his whole i'll
vestment AMI Industry would be diminished in
equal if not greater proportion to the reduction
Of negro pruperty2
Why should. tie investments Of the South to
the amount of twenty-five hundred millions Of
dulltrs in nsgr', property he disturbed in all its
relations, be deprived Of its guarantees of the
llw and society under which they were made,
be prustrated in value and SECURITY, and the en-
tire system Of economy On which they rest,
subverted}
Why should the holders Of those investments
be brought, in order to preserve their values,
into divisions from AMI aatagonsm 10 those who
seek their depression, to the political, social and
economic distraction Of the South?
What is the attempt to destroy or rather
divert twelve hundred millions Of value from
our present slave property, for the pretence of
benefit to the non-slarcholtling class, but agrar
anis,n-yes, agrarianisln on vast anil startling
scale, and sought under the sanctions Of puli,i
cal demagogueism! Mr.. Spratt had as well
propose at once general dvidngg-out among all
the people Of the entire property Of the South,
both slave and landed, anil have general scram-
bic over it. Does he suppose that our inteli-
gent, honest and conservative people will con
sent to have attempted under the forms of law
and order, what strikes at their very vitals and
foundation