Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-10-01


lation were of the white racer The negro
element would remain in that society, and, /,
wherever it remains it will be an inferior
element; but far less so as free, than as en-
shaved. The white population of the
South must always suffer this drawback
for having collected, or submitted to the
collection Of a large African population on
their soil, and they have no right to COM
plainif obliged 70 make expiation, as long
,as the world stands, for having introduced
and sustained the institution of negro
slavery. But aside from the disad dvantage
of having its laboring population OF race
with which the white race will not minsle,
the South would gain by tho assimilation
of her labor system to that of the North.
RMAScIPATIoN Possible WITHOUT INDUSTRIAL
gkpT INT 7HUR. E9s ~ aHT
n, .Augustin Cochin has proved, in tue
work before us, that slavery can be abo1-
iished, and the ,slayes converted into, free
laborers, without any serious detriment,
even to the former slave proprietors. i've
all know that free labor is more economical
than slave labor, and therefore, that a
freeman is worth more; under the point of
view of national wealth. than a siave.-
The conversion of the four millions of
slaves now in the Southern States into free
men, would very much increase instead
of diminishing the aggregate wealth of
these States and if portion of this in-
creased aggregate wealth should pass
from the hands of few slave proprie-
tors, and into the hands of those who
have heretofore been allowed to hold no
property, the aggregate well-being of the
whole community would also be aug
mented instead of dimished, and there
fore the South, regarded as whole, or
looking to her whole population, would
be unquestfonably great gamer by the
change. Itwould not in any respect be de
populated or Impoverished, but would be
in the way of a more rapid increase of
its population, aad of that wealth which
constitutes the real strength and prosperi-
ty of State. What we propose, then,
would be in no respect ruinOus, or even in-
furious to the Southern States themselves,
but would be n real advantage to them,
and secure them after tho peace ail the re-
al greatness, strength and prosperity states
with mixed population are capable Of
The proposition, then, involves no wrong,
no injustice, no injury to the white popu.
lNtion of the Southern States; while it
would be un act of justice, though tardy
justice, to the negro race so long held in
bondage, and forced to torego all their own
rights and interests for the pride, wealth
and pleasure of their white masters.
1t seems to us, then, highly important,
in every possible view of the case, that the
Federal Government should avail itself of
the opportunity given it by the southern
rebellion to perform this act of justice TO
the negro race, to nssimilate the labor sys-
TEN of the South to that of the North;to
and to wipe out the foul stain of slavery,
which has hitherto sulIied the otherwise
bright cscutcheon of our Republic. We
are no fanatics on the subject of slavery,
as is well-kuown to our readers, and we
make no extraordinary pretensions to mod
ern philanthropy; but we cannot help fear
ing that, If the G5vetnment lets slip the
present opportunity of'doing Justice to the
negro race, and of placing our republic
throughout in harmony with modern civil
ization, God, who is especially the God of
the poor and the oppressed, will never give
victory TO our arms, or suffer us to succeed
in our efforts to suppress rebellion, and
restore peace and integrity to the Union.
We have too long turned n deaf ear to the
cry of the enslaved ;we have too long suf-
fered our hearts TO grow Gallons to the
wrongs of the down-trodden in our own
country; We have too long been willing to
grow rich, to erect our palaces, and gdth-
or Injuries around US by the toll, the
sweat, and the blood Of our enslaved
brethren. May it not be that tho cry of
these brethren hls already entered the
ear of Heaven, and that He has taken up
their cause, and determined that if we
refuse any longer to break their chains, to
set them free, and TO treat them as our
brothers and fellow-citizens, we shall no
longer exist as natiou2 May it not be
that, in this matter, we have Him to reckon
with, and that the first step towards sue.
cess is justice to the wronged2 We con
fess that we fear, and deeply fear, il VIC
let slip the opportunity which the South
ern rebellion gives us to do justice to the
slave, or TO make his cause ours, in vain
shall we have gathered our forces and gone
forth to battle. We fear God may be using
the rebels rs instruments of our punish
ment-instruments themselves to be de-
stroyed, when through them our own de-
struction has been effected. We speak SOL
emnly aud in deep earnest for he fights
Mt terrible odds who has the infinite and
Just God against him. 1t may be that nm
all-wise Providence has suffered this re-
bellion for the very purpose of giving US
an opportunityof emaucipating rightfnlly,
without destroying, but as n means of pre-
Serving, the Union, tue men, women and
children now held in bondage, and of re-
deeming Our past offences. If so, most
fearful will be His Judgment upon us, if
We neglect the opportunity, and fail to avail
ourselves of theright. Now is our day of
grace This opportunity neglected, our
day of grace may be over, and our Repub-
lie follow the fate of all others, and be-
come kissing and a by-word in all the
earth. Which may God in His Infinite