Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-05-18
The Iniustiee OF sInverr.

In regarding the exactions Of the slavery
power, in this Union, upon the white citi.
zcns of the FREQ States, we have lost sight
of-or rather never had sight of--the great
oppression which the non-saveholding peo-
pie Of the individual slave States suffer
from the tyranny of the Shareholders Of
their own States. AT the Republican Con.
vention just held in Wheeling, Va, an ad-
dress was issued exhibiting this tyranny
and injustice, by which it will be seen that
We of the free States know nothing, com.
paratively, Of the injustice of the slave
power. The address shows that the cotton
and sugar interests are constantly warning
upon the manufacturing interests so as to
drive mechanics into the raising of farm
products for the use Of those cotton and
sugar interests; summing up this matter
| thus:
The theory Of the cotton and sugar plan
ter has been, that the less diversified the in
dustry Of the non-cotton and sugar States,
the moro would be thrown back upon agri-
cultural pursuits, and the greater the num-
Der of people thus employed, the cheaper
could supplies of breadstuffs be had for the
sustenance of slave population, whose la
Dor could be more profitably employed in
raising cotton and sugar than breadstufs.-
To such course, so inimical to the best
interests of our own and SO many other
States-the Republican party is opposed.
Its policy here, as elsewhere, is 10 encour-
age the white labor Of the country by
building up manufactures, and TO favor the
development of the mechanic arts by a
proper and judicious tariff of duties on for
eign goods. Such policy would develop
the sleeping resources of this our own State
as well as of other States; would give
white labor just remunerative reward, and
would supply our growers Of wheat, corr
and oats, and our raisers of stock, demand
for their products at their own doors.
Tho address then brings the question
down to State affairs and from that portion
we extract as follows:
Here in Virginia, as in other parts of the
United States, we have suffered under tht
steady yearly encroacbments of the slave
capital upon the personal rights of the la
boring white man. The non-slaveholdint
farmers, mechanics, and working men O
Western Virginia are oppressed and weighe'
down with taxation for the benefit of East
ern Virginia slave capitalists, merely be
cause they have the political power auC
choose to exercise it, tyrannies withou
mercy. Capital in the shape of slaves, un
f der our Virginia (mis-called) Democrati
, legislation is made to pay but $300,00t
toward the expenses of tho State; whereas
if it were taxed as other capital is, woul
i be made to contribute at least 81, 100000
The products of the slave labor of Virgins
consisting altogether of tobacco, corn, whea
, and oats, arc exempt, too, while labor of th
non-slaveholding part of the State, consistin
n of cattle, hogs, sheep, &C., are made to cor
tribute largely to the State Treasury
! With this and other resources so unjustl
+. derived from the white laboring men q
:. Western Virginia, our Eastern Virgini
slave capitalists have constructed canals
: and interlaced their part of the State wit
railroads, and are thus enabled at our el
! pense to carry off their productions of tc
bacco, corn, wheat, &C., to seaboard ma
: ket; whilst the West, having no seaboar
= coast, and no railroad facilities supplied I
q her by the State, is compelled to feed hC
,r products to heavily taxed stock in order
get them carried to purchaser. So TIN
oil h.
: Eastern Virginia slave capitalists, arc e
- empt from taxation, yet so soon as they a
, made here in the West to assume the for
g Of stock, they are heavily taxed. The ia
- mer in Eastern Virginia raises little or I
- - stock because he finds it more profitable, |
the railroads and canals built before h
:. - door, to send his grain to market, instes
!, of, like the Western farmer being cor
: PEELED to feed his grain in order to drive
=, " to point where it will find purchaser
" Whilst, also, the slave under l2 years
y y age, by these same mis-called Democrat
- j rulers Of Virginia, is held as privileged pro
~ ', erty, and as such is free from all taxatio
- - though he may be worth thousand
: :. more dollars, the young colts, calves, lamt
anu pigs, Ol our western fHRluh Ihrne
are regularly listed by our COMMISSIONS
of the Revenue, and made to contribute
Nj the State treasury. And whilst the own
"a of slave over 70 years of age, and wor
an upon fair average $1,000, is taxed for hi
] only the small pittance of $l,20, tho smi
no merchant, even with capital as meager
Il 5000, is made to pay tho first year, the O
i erous tax Of 500; and after that an enc
AZ nous percentage upon his sales. And ev,
n tho white laboring man, though he mi
n. own DO capital at all, bo be a mechanic,
ot day laborer, or only casual hand in hi
M vest-feld, is made, by this falsely call
a Democratic legislation to pay pcrcenta
ss upon his hard earned wages, in order th
Of the privileged property of our Easter tas
he masters may not be compelled TO contribu
its just share to the public expenses.
And, wherever we turn our eyes up a
Tn down the course Of legislation at Richmor
r. we see this unequal and unjust exempt
he following the line of slave property. WI
Il if bull or steer of one of our Weste
Al Virginia farmers becomes vicious, so as
- be public nuisance, he is ordered by d
IL law to be killed, and his loss falls upon
owner. and upon him alone: but II il hs