Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-02-03
Debate in Springfield !
slavery and Dissolution.



urday evening last.
"Resoiced, That the dissolution of the
Union is preferable to the existence Of
slavery"
ii. WhrMoRE being entitled TO the floor
AT the adjournment remarked that at the
previous discussion there seemed TO be con-
siderable confusion in regard to the positions
that should be properly occupied in the dis
cussion Of this question, and would endeay-
or to relieve the question from false posit-
ions. 1t is not the gain we derive from
slavery that we should look at one gentle
man on the negative clearly demonstrated
in his combination Of statistics that it was
really benefit TO us, but let the gentleman
review the history of the past and see what
was the designo the founders of the Union,
and whether that object has been attained
and whether it can be with the existence Of
slavery. The affirmative are not to advocate
dissolution. The question is, would it be
preferable He referred to the i'll treat
ment Of our great men in Congress, tram
pied upon, spit upon, and forced by the
South to submit except they advance their
opinions with the revolver and knife as
hackers.
JESSIE STEDMAN.-He remarked that
if he occupied too much time he should not
complain il he was choked off. He view
ed the positions as that of two men in co.
partnership-one thorough business man
the other spendthriit and yagabond. Now
is continuance of the o-partnership or a
dissolution preferable. Again it is like a
family of twenty, part are industrious,
saving and profitable, the rest spendthrifts
and idle. We are bound together by a
constitution, and all things being equal, 1t
would be best for us TO remain so, but should
the Union be divided we have no fears for
the result to the North; we should have, it
is true, enemies at our door, but we can
take care of our rights. still it is better TO
have the good will of a dog than his i'll will.
The evils of dissolution would be great,
but taking into consideration the fact that
four millions of human beings are in bond
age and that the whole country are obliged
to submit to the influence of the institution
that evil is but small compared to the con-
tinuance of these things.
Moan Stafford followed on the same
side, and wished to know the connection that
dissolution had TO the abolition of slavery.
He thought the profits of slave labor did
not bear on the question. 1t had been ad-
vanced that the condition of the slave was
elevated by being enslaved. This was not
so and he referred TO the accounts of trav-
elers in Africa to prove it.
L. c. GALE next replied for the mega
tive, and would insist that the other side
should advocate the dissolution Of the Union,
% III" resolution plainly implied that they
must prefer dissolution TO the continuance
of slavery, and should advocate either one
or the other. He objected to the COMPARE
son Of the two sections of our country to a
partnership of two men in The same BUSH
ness and having the same interests. We
have free labor and slave labor, we have
products in one portion not produced in the
other, a variety of soil and climate. He
would take gentlemen on this ground. Here
are two men engaged in business in town,
we conterd that one should give up his bust
ness as he is continually impoverishing the
community by his improbable management,
Now TO learn the truth of the matter take
statement of the business of the two, learn
the per ct. of their profits, and then if it
shows loss the question is settled. He
then proceeded TO show that the agricultur-
al products of the two sections figured, as a
per ct. upon the capital invested. The
North cultivate per inhabitant Al acres, the
South counting the slaves as equal to the
white men at the North, cultivate acres
per inhabitant. Total agricultural products
North "a per ct, South 80 perct. Include
with this the manufacturing interests, making
the two great channels of growth and pros
perity, and we find that the North produce
60 per ct. on their capital, the South &c.
The South exported of the products of the
country for the year ending 1857, 1885,
100000, the North S95,000,000. Exports
per inhabitant North 100000, South
including slaves, s19,o00,000. Cost of
Railroads per mile, North, S30,l49. South,
s13,S8S. There were some things in which
the North did lead, among them were pau
pers made by the system Of sustaining the
poor. A. the North in 1850 we have of
paupers 1872, South 2l,160, or about
one third the number in New York alone.
The State debts of the North were S110,-
100000, South, sS2,O00,000. These fig
ures require no comment. The result is
plain to all. While the gentleman on the
affirmative has given few individual cases
which are the most favorable 10 the North,
we have shown you the things as a whole,