St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-03-01
F. HILDRETH, EDITOR & PROPRIETOR.
St.CharleS City, Iowa, March |, 1860.
EnSIaving Poor White People.

The idea of enslaving the poor
white population of the South, is by
no means a new one and it is eX-
prcssly defended by its advocates.
upon the ground that the Slavery Of
the Bible was not negro Slavery, but
white Slavery; and that negro slavery
was the exception. To regard to the
present condition of the great mass of
the white population of the South
Governor Hammond uses the follow
ing language
They obtain prccarious subsist-
ence by occasional jobs, by hunting,
by fishing, by plundcring fields or
folds, and too often, by what is in its
effects, far worse, trading with slaves,
and inducing them to plumber for their
| benefit.
Mr.. William Gcary, of South Caro-.
lima, treating upon the same subject,
says:
ANY man who is an observer of
things, conld hardly pass through our
country without being struck with
the fact, that all the capital, enter
prise, and intelligence is employed in
directing slave labor and the conse-
qucncc is, that a large portion of our
poor white people are wholly neglect
ed, and are suffered to while away an
existence in Il state but one step in
advance of the Indian Of the forest.
1t is an evil Of vast magnitude, and
nothing but change in public seuti
mcnt will effect its cure.
This state of things-this horrible
dcbasement Of millions Of white labor
ers, when white women are seen
working in the cotton field side by
side with the Negro, for the paltry
sum Of twenty-five cents per day-is
the natural and inevitable conse-
qucncc of the debasing influence of
the Institution of Slavery upon free
labor. And it is the knowledge OF
this fact, that induces the Republican
Party to array itself against the eX
tension of the Slave Institution into
the free Territory of the Union. And
what is the remedy proposed at the
South for this dcbascmcnt Of the
white man produced by the lnstitu
ton of Slavery? Why, simply to re-
ducc this white population to Slavery
for which they claim Bible warrant
as 1.-THE only means cf clcvating them
to the moral condition of the Negro.
But this is no worse than the law of
Arkansas, which went into operation
few weeks since, and reduced t.
perpetual slavery every free ncSrc
found in the State on the 10th day ot
December last and under which
thousands are fleeing to the North
while whole families numbering n,
doubt, many thousands, incapable %
getting away, arc to be sold into pei
petual slavery at public auction, an'
the money paid into the Treasury o
the State Capital mode this, q
: raising the wind and Missouri an
+ Tennessee are discussing the propr
$ ETY. of passing similar laws. On
branch of the Legislature of Missouri
did actually passed the bill but tn
voice of the venerable Judge Catror
'' of the Supreme Court, has, we believe
r, effectually checked this infamy i
Ill Tennessee.
>, In regard to this question of ell
shaving the poor white population {
the South, Mr.. George Fitz. Hugh,
. his Book upon The failure of Fro
~ Society" published in Richmond
D holds the following language:
= But for Christianity, Free Sociei
would be wilderness of crime al
Christianity has not fair play and
proper field of action, where Cover
mcnt has failed to institute the peac
bcgetting and protective influence
domestic slavery.
= Make the laboring man the slave
one man instead of the slave of soci
ty, and he would be far better %
III Two hundred years of liberty ha,
made white lahorers IA paupcr ba
ditti. Free society has failed, al
that which is not free must be subs
2. tuted.
Free society is a monstrous abe
ty ton, and slavery the healthy, beau
We full, and natural being which they a
al trying unconsciously to adopt III
IL slaves are governed far better tn;
the free laborers at the North are go
y erned. Our negroes are not only bt
E ter off as to physical comfort than fir
laborers, but their moral condition
better. We do not adopt the theo
that Ham was the ancestor to the I
gro race. The Jewish slaves we
not negroes and to contine the jus
fication of slavery to that race, Won
be to weaken it's Scriptnral authoril
, and to lose the whole weight of pl
:, fame authority-for we read of
negro slavery III ancient times.
e, Slavery, black or white, Is RI
ana necessary Nature has made
st weak in mind or body. slaves. /
erS wise and virtuurs, the brave, {
strong in mind and body, are born
command. Men are not born
b, equal rights. Ii would h, lar a.
the truth to say, that some were l.,