Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-07-20
A STRONG ARGUMENT FOR REPUB-
TICANISM

We invite the careful attention Of every
reader to the article on the FIRST page Of this
paper entitled slavery in Rome" There is
no one who will not be instructed by It; no
one who will not get new view Of the slave
~ question and no Republican who will rise
from the reading Of it without stronger faith
in the necessity Of his party for the welfare
Of his country, and higher adm ration for the
true conservatism and genuine craftsmanship
of the Republican creed. The article is a
condensed statement of the conclusions drawn
by two foreign writer's, in respect to the effect
Of slavery upon ancient Rome. They studied
with no reference 10 American slavery. Their
researches were purely historical, and their
conclusions are rational Perhaps we may
assume that the American reviewer had no
party purpose yet the article is really one
Of the strongest arguments for the Republican
side of the slavery question that we have ever
road. ltis obvious that the very effects as
cribed to slavery in the Roman Republic are
produced by slavery in the United States.
The great domains tho form under which
the estruciive action Of slavery was carried
on, taking possession Of the agriculture of the
country and driving the free classes to the
cities slavery dsputing with free labor, $50
that. shut out from all honorable careers, it
persisted in corruption. This is the very
dnguerrcotype Of the slave States Of this I'm
ION. Take these facts from the census Of $50
Area of free States, Go 597 square miles free popua
iion, lS,i3l6'6 slaves go
Area Of slave states, 6jl sos square miles free popu
iauon, 6i1l6b; slaves, 3,2Oi,Ojli number Of slave
holders, 3i7,ilj
Where are the "iaiifndia," the large farms,
which absorb States in few hands, and which,
by being titled by slaves, either reduce free
laborers to the Lowell of slaves, or drive them
out TO the cities. or out Of the slave to the
free States The above facts answer. Less
than 400, 900 Shareholders arc the chief own
crs of an area nearly one-third larger than
that of all the free States. The lafifundia
are in the slave States then. With a third
more area than the free States the slave
States have more than one-quarter less of en-
tire population, and of that entire population
one-third consists of slaves. Such are the
fruits of iatfundia in tho South. 10 is the
story of Rome over again. Swiftly is slavery
tending to 1.-THE decay and final overthrow of
tho american Republic"
And what is the remedy We would put
a stop to slavery in tho States if we could as
the source of SO much peril, But it is en-
irenched thereby the Federal compact, against
Federal legislation. We haze the right to
put a stop to it in the Territories and the
Republicans will do it if they can. AT pres
cnt, however, the Supreme Court stands in
the way, and threatens TO annul every act
against slavery in the Territories What then :
The HOMESTEAD BIIL-down with the
iatfundia hurrah for small farms for free
men That is measure which, so far as the
territories and the unsold lands in all the
States are concerned, aims a blow at slavery
in vital point. 1t hits iatfandia in the
head and yet in a constitutional way. Even
the Supreme Court cannot get round the
homestead bill for that body has fortunately
admitted that Congress has the right to man
age and dispose OF the public lands. The
Shareholders grumble; the southern member,
voted almost unit against the Homestead
bill but it was rather because the effect Of i
is adverse to slavery than from any doubt o
the power of Congress to pass it,
We have thus touched upon a point or tw,
of the article to which we again ask the at
tention Of the reader; but have sufficient
indicated that the Republicans have truly dis
cerned the disease springing from slavery an
prescribed the most appropriate and cfFoctua
remedies within their power.