Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-11-06

Tho number Of landowners in New York
WAS rs ! to IL Of the Inhabitants. In Brook
lyn it was rs | to ~.
Now. would not the man bc considered in
sane who would attempt to convince the people
Of New York that only 1900 persons were
interested in the preservation OF the real estate
or their magnificent city: it he raised the
a~grarian cry for 4 division Of property, that
might have support from the bascr instincts OF
hun,an nature. But that il should be annlhi-
lated that her iron and marble stores. her
~,rincely mansions, her p"alatial public e%dlliccS,
should be RACED To the ground On the prclcXt
that ONLY fifteen thousand persons were MN
crs Of the real estate in the city, and that they
were an ariStocracy seeking by high rents 10
oppress the people to panrper to their pride
and luxurious living, would he considered but
the rawlings Of a maniac. And yet the argu-
ment of Helper, who bases the justice Of abo-
l~i,ionisln upon Tie injury and the oppression
of the nnn-slayci:ullcrS By the 3un, nUn slave
holders, has no greater force to recommend 1t.
An illustration is sometimes better than m
argument: but this truth does not appear by
illustration alone. All the white community
Mt the South is interested in the institntInn.-
The lawyer, the doctor, the merchant, the me-
chanic, the debtor and the creditor, are all inter
csted in an institution that enables the South to
bring forth her teeming productions, by which
human wants Are supplied and the means fur
nislcd for the payment ofdebtS. The North is
Interested in the institution, and England would
be bankrupt If the labor Of the slaves were Sus-
pended for Il year. Every man who has a
Shirt to his back, in short, the Whole civilized
world, is Interested in the institution.
1t is a great mistake to say that the free Ia.
boring man has no interest in the preservation
OF the institutions Of The South. In 4 country
Of free labor, as in Massachusetts and Maine
during the strike Of the SiIncrnakcrS last win
tor, capital and labor We're directly arraycd
against caci, other. 1t bccaIIr the interest Of
c%auital that the manufacture Of SHOES should
be decreased or That The shoemaker should re.
ccivc less wages, so that the shoes should be
sold ut Il less price. Capital Strovc TO reduce
wages TO he lowest point 0i subsistence. The
interests of the two were entirely antagOniStic;
but at the South labor ard capital are in har-
mony. 1t is the interest Of the capitalists that
labor should ut all times receive II rcmuncra-
ting compensation ; and the consequence is
that the white labOrcr or mechanic. receives Il
higher remuneration for his work at the South
lIlIll 1T lHC u ~ " ijhIIllCI IL y
no matter What is the ],rIrc Of the produce Of
his plantation, strives To make rs large Il crop
rs posslhlc-no matter what is the product of
his years work, his negroes must Lc fed and
clothed, and be SubSiStcd in comfort. Wcrcan-
not turn our labor adrift to Scuiilc for itself in
years Of depression, ~ is done in countries of
free labor. There are consequently no periods
ofriot and mnh>, n" starvation and want,
though there may Lc Il Cnriailmcnt Of Injuries.
But Is it not the interest of the manuiaclu.
ring class that cotton should he produced at a
low price: Is 1t not their interest that all the
coarscr articles that enter into the production
Of the manufactured articles should be bought
at a low price, and with an adequate supply.
The scheme Of our present tariff is based upon
this idea; more strikingly, perhaps, in free wool
than in any other. but the principle is acted
on and developed in This instance. besides, it
is the interest Of the manufacturing class that
the Southern labor should bc of II kuri that will
not give them = competitor. and that, while fur
niShing the raw products cheap, will give them
4 large market Tor the consumption Of their
manufactures. There is but one class of white
labor at the South that candor c0iIprls ne To
state wonld he benefited by the abolition of
slavery, and that is 4 small class Of small cotton
planters, who have no slaves, but who work and
gather their own cotton. If slavery were abul.
ishcd, the product OF their own labor would be
much enhanced in value, and from the dcstruc.
ton Of the supply We would see cotton at al
most fabulous prices. But is it, men of the
North, your Interest 10 produce this result:
England and France are cxpendins immense
and sending armies and navicS. to
conquer 4 trade with China and Japan. They
have both endeavored to establish, II luo,hold
upon the lSthmus. with q view to facilitate this
trade. We have sought by mere powerful
means 10 open intercourse and trade with those
l~'ecollcct the visit anil the enter
tainmcnt OF the Japanese Embassy. Did YOU
stop to inquire what were the domestic ~in<litu-
tons Of Japan, as I reason why We Slionli not
desire 10 open their ports to tie wlrilc-wineed
Of commerce: We know tnat the !
institutions "r that country arc ahhorFent to
our ideas of right; that the people are de-
graded and reduced tn 4 state Il little above
We may well inquire, if the En-.
represented the Princes Of Jaian, what
was the condition Of the subjects: Commerce
does not stop TO make inquiries Of this kind,
but leaves to time to work ou. the ameliora-
of such evils, with the full persuasion that
commerce goes there also follow civiliza.
ton and religion. and. like the shadow Of the
they heal and restore all upon whom