, 1861-12-31
Proposition OF the Chicago Times to
Convert Illinois into q slave State.

Convert ILLINOIS into q Stege state.
The Chicago Tines ia in 'fayor Of introdu-
cling s1ayery into Qlinoiato cultivate cotton.
True, 1t proposes to cotnsaenee with negro ap-
prensiceshlp, but that Is slavery under another
name and leads directly to the genuine article.
Its secession proeliYities have been apparent
for 4 long time, and now It takes step for
ward and advocates converting Illinois into q
slave State.
After referring to the recent articles in tile
TRIBUNE Oh the subject Of cotton culture in
this State, it proceeds to say:
Now we suppose everybody knows that there
are rast TRACTS escenent in Southern
Illinois. Yse fact has been notorious TO- years:
And nc suppose all Intelligent people know why
these lands hare been devoted to the culture Of
cotton only to about the extent that New ENGLAND
farmers cnt1vate tlaz-~a lst1s for their Owl con
sumption. The reason IL, white labor cannot be
ssat se e eead se i i too s
6a1vest Of tae ' cop 1edres wor Il vaat
ct the ntck Of time or the crop 10 lost. These
slant command of tie cutivator, ,and they caa BE- q
his Commend faa ;1nlE saso TIE
t1ment Of the State Is ayerse to it. But negro
aRpTenticsehsp may be introduced into ths State.
and thla Is needed IN the cnltiystIoa Ct cotton
ts Indispensable to its succk8sfu3 ctfltetio1. LIS
fnsrodpcilo1 and the cultivation Of cotton would
speedily add millions to the ANIMAL Production OF
II = eot9on nds SR
znd these immense p1airie wastes would be H'ade
10 bloasom as the white rose. And there IS NO So.
labor. Passing events are furnishing plentiful
srpply. The question VIII soon De = forced nPo99 P9
ohsn ss saus waens5 hsS q RI t t. ens
anesston cue Vii shortly be what it hss not been r.
thal til lave the race IN huhdreds Of thousands at
month. M, THIS viii be-i Inevitable, though there be
Witt shall We do with these hundreds Of thou
esuds of black barhariansf Shall VIC make labor
ers Of them in fields where their labor Wiu be mi
1sble, or Ehali we aiioW eiek1y abolition sentl-
mentality to make yagabonds OF them? Here fs a
question the decieion Of which viii determine the
yane ot the eotton laqas q Of Illinois Let noSoay
canvass it IN all Its aspects before making up his
mind upon IT, question Of African apprentice
mind.
So We must introduce hundreds OF thou
sands Of Southern slaves ,swhose labor can be
commanded By compulsory process" in or
der to grow cotton in Illinois. We turn ovcr
the task Of replying to this monstrous propo-
sition to the State R<gisteT-the Democratic
State organ-- In its Issue Of the 2Sth inst it
appends the following comments to the above
text from the pro~slayerY Times:
Ne were surprised to find the foregoing in
| the Chicago 757saes. It is lot probable that
very many white men in Illinois Nil] be taryly ir
| discovering the 'swTong side'' Of this propo
| sition, which is simply to hand over one O.
| Of negroes, nouainally hecmen, but really
t slaves. It is to exclude white, labor from
| Southern Illinois and supply its place will
! that Of freed negroes from the South, who, b!
some process not defined, arc to be mad'
| q7tusi slaves again. An astounding proposi
ton, indeed, to he made in Illinois, for the ap
| proya1 Of Illinois white men. The mass o
the people in Southern Illinois are white Ia
borers from the Southern States, Tor thei
Children who left their homes in slave States
| because Of their inability to labor proftabl,
By the side Of black slayes, and they viii lear
4 source as the Chicago Times, it is advise'
that compulsory negro labor be brought i
competition with theirs upon the soil Of Ill
nois.
If cotton can be grown in this State, it cal
bc grown by white men, and if such Gro
can be proGtab1y raised, white men zoiN gro'
it. If It cannot be made profitable withou
filing up that fine section Of our State wit
population Of degraded laborers, let US G
on with the production Of shog and hominy
let us continue to raiEe corn, wheat, ryt
oats, tobacco, vine and fruits Better tha
the many should reap small profits on sma
farms than that the few, with vast fields, b
degraded labor, should reap large ones.
q Sufficient for the day i the evil thereof
When the Times sho1cs tllat negro horde is
be rolled in upon us as one Of the results {
| tue Tar, it viii be time enough to discuss th
. disposition to be made of them. We are nc
yet without hope that the war will result
keeping them where they belong. If cotto
cannot be mnde one Of our profitable pr
ducts, except by enormous aecessions Of Iii
, | gro population, whereby white labor for otht
: PRODUCTIONS viii be repelled, and our stdt
made bastard copy OF Georgia OF Alabam
$ | we can, and should, forcSo cotton profits
J.. We are pleased to learn that the 1llino
$ Central Railroad Company is taking steps #
I the introduction of cotton cultivation alon
{ the southern line Of its road, but We trust th
4 this influential company is not doing so with
al view to al expected initiation Of the pole
y recommended by the Times.
When re say that ne prefer that cottc
should not be product Of our State rather ths
!, have it produced by the means suggested
=, the Tinaes, VIC scarcely deem It neeIssary f
+ us, at least, to discuss the question Of its pre-
S itable cultivation by white labor. # cottt
0 and negroes arc inseparable institutions,
q us do without the former. By the adoptit
- ofa certain clause IN our State Constitute
y by an almost unanimous vote, the people
e Illinois have shown that they have q decid
u ! disflstc for 3ss0ciati0n vii h fhc Inter-