Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-02-11

feeling upon their pOSterltN 10 u lnOuSaHu gen /
crations to secure it
THE PRICE or LABOR IN THE SOUTH
Some very high prices Rave been paid of late
for Negroes as reported by the papers; and
the fact is announced as something wonderful.
1t is evidently thought by many that the agita-
ton of the slave question in Congress should
tend to render the tenure of Negro property so
insecure that its price should necessarily fall
But however much our Southern brethren may
abuse us of the North for studied enmity against
their institutions, they must nevertheless be
convinced that we do in fact lack either the in
tention or the ability to injure them.
But let us examine into this high price paid
for Negroes. We often hear of fifteen hundred
dollars being paid for "likely" Negro man;
and in one case we have heard of as high fig
ure as twenty-six bundled dollars. Now the
interest on fifteen hundred dollars, at the rate
of ten per cent, which is common in consider
able portion Of our country, is one hundred and
fifty dollars year, and as it is well known that
ilc -NSHlO Ndi SNdltSiN w hiblN tiuh OhN-hht
as much work as the white man, it therefore
follows that the South is quite commonly pay
ing the equivalent of three hundred dollars a
year for ordinary labor, board and clothing in
cluded. In fact, such high price for labor
cannot be sustained by any agricultural interest
of the country whatever; and instead Of ind
eating condition of prosperity, it shows state
of decadencc threatening bankruptcy and ruin.
Those who manage to bear up under such high
prices for labor can only be few capitalists,
while the great mass of the people must be re-
duccd, as they are in all other oligarchies, to
state of poverty and dependence.
The material wealth of a country depends
greatly upon the talent and ability of its popu-
lation. Under the operation Of slave-labor
New England would soon be reduced to waste.
The talents and abilities of the slave-holding
States generally leave their native soil to seek
more genial development Under the auspices
of free institutions. The more enterprising Of
the poor white men of the South migrate to the
Northwest leaving their places in the South
and SOUTHWEST to be filed up with blacks and
the lower order of their own race. 1t is in this
way that the population of the slave States is
constantly deteriorating in those chief elements
which constitute social and political prosperity.
Their deterioration is not comparative only, but
it is positive. 1t is like that deterioration which
Spain and France have both so severely felt
from the blind and passionate impolicy of driv-
ing out the Flemings and the Huguenots from
their respective dominions, whereby they have
both fallen in course from the position of lead
/ ing powers in Europe, surrendering the supre-
macy to England who received the skill and
, ability which they did not know how to appre-
ciate.
| One of the worst features attending the de-
cadence of people, besides the darkling sus-
picions and jealousies which it excites, is the
pride and arrogance with which they seek to
compensate for their deficiencies. Where they
should resort to argument and reflection and
efforts at self-amendment, they give way to vio-
lent outbursts OF passion. The laws themselves
and measures of public utility, such CONNER
cal and manufacturing interests, our brethren
of the South seek to render the instruments Of
vengeance and retaliation; and even such al
all-pervading matter as book making and the
diffusion OF knowledge, which ought to be as
free as air, becomes subjected to their loca
prejud!ces Stumbling headlong in their mad
career, like rock hurled down the mountain
side, increasing rapidly in the violence of theil
descent, they come at length to practice sucf
outrages upon their fellow citizens, by sudder
explosions, letter opening, tar and feathering
ETC., as would cause almost any other people il
Christendom to blush for shame and mortified
ton. But with hands reeking from such dirt,
work as this, and Boosting of the price of Ne
groes, they claim to WELD the destinies of tn,
United States.
One of the principal reasons urged by thu
democrats in favor Of the war against Mexico
was, that numerous barbarous outragcs haC
been committed upon our citizens by the Mexi
can people and government. Our national ar
chives at Washington were fairly made to groal
with the complaints of our people against un
redressed insults and injuries. If there was al
occasion for foreign war then, so much in VIC
lation of the Republican form of government
there is certainly some need of attention to tn
complaints of our fellow citizens now, when tn
source of their ill treatment lies at home. Gu
people have much clearer right to pursue thei
ayocations in the slave States without molesta