New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-04-06
4 sOUTaaac nj AssRlcuETUisE,

( 1t ID probable that before the year 2100 of the
Christian ern, human slavery will have become
,xtinct.
Aud then, after some further remerks on the
abiect the article closes with the following
The ultimate downfall Of slavery h the Southern
States will be the consequence partly OF moral
md partly Of political and eoonomical causes.
fhe entire circle of causes can already be traced
The moral convictions Of the Northern people, in
ardy sympathy with those of civilized Europe,
have embodied themselves in political action, by
which the spread Of slavery beyond its present
limits in the United States is hereafter rendered
impossible, In o statistical article, which we pub
lisfed yesterday, it was shown that migratory
is in progress from the old to the new
slave States resulting, no doubt, from the fact
that slave labor is more remuneratiye on new soils,
whose fertility has not been exhausl ed by sogenly
slave culture. 1t was shown, for example, that
Although the natural increase of the slave popu-
atan has been twenty three per cent. for the last
ten years, South Carolina has only about four per
cent. mere slaves now than in 1850; nineteen per
cent, OFFS, 10 slaves having emigrated with their
masters, from the State within the ten years.
1t may, perhaps, be said that parallel TO this is
found IN the older Northern States, whose popua-
ton increases with comparative slowness, in con-
sequeuce of the emigration of free laborers to the
new States of the West But the analogy will
soon end. As the West fills up with inhabitants,
and land becomes dear, the productiveness of the
older free States will be enhanced and their power
of supporting additional population Increased by
improved and more scientific methods of agricul-
tnre, But this reaction cannot take place on the
worn out soils of the older slave States for the
son that the process of recuperation requires de-
gree of intelligence in agricultural lahorers which
cannot be possessed by slaves When, therefore,
slavery has overrun and exhausted all the lands il
now possesses, being denied additional room to
expand in, slave owners will be at a disadvantage
in the production of cotton and other staples in
competition with free labor and scientific methods
employed in producing the same staples on the
70 sat
tiers shall have reached this stage, towards which
they are inevitably tending slavery will not only
be on the high road to extinction, but will have
nearly accomplished the journey
We have for long time thought that no man
ought to be allowed to write for the Northern press
unless he has passed at least two years of his eX-
istence in the slave States of the South doing no.
thing but studying Southern institutions, Southern
society, and the character and sentiments of the
Southern people. Then he would be prepared to
write intelgently upon the subject and would not,
unless dishonest, be guilty Of the grave errors and
51unders which Northern newspapers are con-
stantly making. No doubt, also, Southern writers
might get better insight into Northern affairs by
q similar sojourn. But the mistakes which the
people Of the South make in regard to the North
are almost ininitesmal compared with those which
are made pice uersa.
I Now, the writer of the above, we have no doubt
whatever, is perfectly honest and sincere in the
statement which he makes. He believes every
word of it. His article will be read by the sub.
scribers to the paper, and they will believe it.
And yet it is plain to those more familiar with
the subject that there is scarcely an assertion
made in the article that is correct, and NOT a
single sound premise for the conclusion that is
reached.
The 6 downfall . of slavery is to be accomplish
ed, he says, partly by moral causes and partly by
political aud economical. And all that is brought
forward, in the way Of economical causes, is the
fact that there is slave emigration from the Dor
der slave States to the South and that finally in
the South the soil will be exhausted, slavery will
become Improbable, and then will bets on the high
road to extinction!'
Now, in reply to all this, it is sufficient to say
that the census just taken shows an increase of
slaves in every Southern State, with the exception
of Maryland. Notwithstanding the large number
sold to the Gulf States, from Virginia. North Caro-
lima and Kentucky, each Of those States has in
creased the number of its slaves in the last ten
years. Equally at fault is the writer in asserting
that the soil of the border slave States is exhaust.
ed. 4 reference to the official figures contained in
the census report shows that their agricultural
productions are constantly increasing in guam.
tity--which would be impossible if the soil were
worn out Take the three States we have men
toned, and we boldly venture the assertion that
their agricultural capacity, to-day is equal to that
Of the same area of contiguous territory anywhere
on the surface of the globe. And the agricultural
interest never before was SO prosperous, nor those
engaged in If making money faster. They sell
slaves, not because the soil is worn out but be
cause the slaves increase rapidly, and there is a
steady demand for them in the Cotton States OF
the Gulf. The writer himself dsproves his own
declaration by admitting that Notwithstanding the
heavy deportation of slaves from South Carolina
within the last ten years. still the slave population
of that State has increased by four per cent.
!. The idea that the WORKOUT soils y of the South
cannot be made rich, e because the process of re-
cnperation requires degree of intelligence in
agricultural laborers which cannot be possessed
by siayes,n is a rather odd one. The editor OF
the World ought to know that the improvement
of lands is thing which is attended to by the
owners and masters Slaves have nothing to do
WjtlGit, except to execute orders We deny, in the
first place, that the soil is worn out at all, excep
here and there in few localities But the process
ofimproYing worn-out soil is as we'll understood il
the South as anywhere on earth. Take the plant
era of the South Glass; and they are as intelli
gent as any class of people anywhere, and espe
cialy skilled in operations Of agriculture.
But it's said that slavery, after a while, will
lssoverran and exhaust all the land it now posses
ses.o 1t cannot be exhausted, for there are means
of keeping these lands fertile for all time to come
| Besides, see what an immense Western and South
western field there is for the extension of slavery
Look at Texas, capable aloneof slave population
Of Millions to say nothing of other Southern State
and Territories, and future acquisitions.
The World also brings up the old idea, which ha
so often been demolished, about producing cottol
and ether staples, by free labor on the I" virgil
done, Mr.. World Cotton cannot be produced :. ii
other tropical countries, because the sun and thu
rain do not alternate often enough. Nature has pu
her veto upon the profitable cultivation of cottonit
every ether pert Of the globe except the Southern
States of this North American Continent--and ma
ture's laws cannot be reversed to accommodate
those loving friends of the South who are SO anx
ious 10 find some other region 10 produce cotton in
AS for other staples, which are to be raised in othe
tropical countries by G free labor we would k
to know what staples, and what sort of free labor
The native population? The native of tropica
countries cannot be induced to laborn at all, il
the sense in which we understand the word. Be
cause there is necessity for it, The kindly fruit
of the earth grow spontaneously around him