The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-10-23

puTpoSe vi eAteifuihS ncr laOOr system over
all the free States. In doing so she gives us
the right, in our own selfdcfensc to extend
orr free labor system over all the Slave re-
gion--a right which, but for her rebellion,
we should not have had under the Constitu.
ton.
TIE GAIN OF LIBERTY
If this prove disadvantage to the South.
ern Sts'es, owing to the ocular character
of their laboring population, they have no
right to complain, for it is disadvantage
only MS compared with us of the North, for
il will be better Cor the South herself to have
them slaves. In counting the population of
the Soath, we mast count not merely her
white, but also her colored and black popu-
luton. The moral, spiritual ard material
wellbeing of her four millions of black and
colored people must be considered, as well as
the moral, spiritual and material wellbcing
OF her eight millions Of whites These black
and colorcd people are as much human be-
beings whose welfare is as important and as
necessary to be consulted by the Statesman
thepolitical economist, the moralst and the
Christian, as.that of any. other portion of her
population; and what they would gain by
their emancipation should be thrown into the
balance against what might be lost by their
former owners. But even the three hundred
and forty seven thousand slave own, rs would
in reality, lose nothing, or gain in moral
more than they would lose in material pros
perity. We woull not believe Southern so
cicty would in case Of emancipation, be equal
to what itwould be if the population were OF
the VIII te race. The negro element would
remain in that society, and whenever it re-
main in that society, and whenever it re.
mains it viii be an inferior element; but far
less so as free, than enslayed. The white
pep 'lation of the South must always suffer
this drawback for having collected or sub
mitted to the collection Of, large African
population on their soil, and they have no
right TO complain if Obliged to make expia-
ton, as long, as the world stands, for having
introduced and sustained The institution of
negro slavery. But aside from the disad-
vantage OF having its labor:ng populations of
race with which the white race will mt
mingle, the South would gain by the ASSUME
lation of her labor system to that of the
North.
EMANCIPATION POSSIBLE WITHOUT INDUSTRIAL
RUIN.
NJ. Augustin Cochin has proved, in the
work before us, that slavery can be abolished
and the slaves converted into free laborers.
without any serious detriment, even to the
former slave proplictors. We all know that
free labor is more economical tlhan slave Ia.
To-, and, therefore, that freeman is worth
more, under the point of view of national
wealth than slave. The conversion of the
four N lions Of slaves now in the Southel n
Stat into freemen, would very much in
c ,a.e instead of diminishing the aggregate
we 18th Of these States: and if a portion Of
this increased aggregate wealth should pass
fom the hands Of a few slave proprietors,
ard into the hands of those who have hereto
fore been allowed to held no property, the
aggregate well being Of the whole commune
ty would also be augmented instead of dimin
ishcd, and therefore the South, regarded as
whole, or looking to her whole population,
would be unqucstionab1y great gamer by
the change 1t would not in any respect be
depopulated or impoverished, but would be
in the way of more rapid increase of its
population, and of that wealth which consti.
flutes the real strength and prospect y of a
State. What we propose, then, woull be in
no respect runous, or even injurious to the
Southern States themselves, but would be a
real advantage to them, and secure them af.
ter the peace all the real greatness, strength
and prosperity which States, with mixed
population, are capable Of The proposition,
then. involves no-wrong, no injustice, no in
jury to the white population Of the Southern
States While it would be an act of Justice.
though tar'ly justice. to the negro race so
long held in bondage and forced to forego all
their own lights and interests for the pride.
wealth and pleasure Of their white masters.
II seems to us, then, highly important. in
every possitlc view Of the case, that the