Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-30

1t appears. sir, that the exports in one year, Of
this article
From Boston, Ii s,n54. $40 lbs, OF the value Of $500 ,ieo
Prom New York. 1875 esi 1911 .5n6
from Philad's, '2eO YSI /" " 2eU,S,T
10 eo o8I " = ee,Os6, SIS
From Charleston ass ,bs.. Of the vs'ueof .as
E Efo@ s Nsw opIss,, ., 3 !. SOS
9s9l $3.50
These data, sir, exhibit a most remarkable
state Of facts; I will content myself with
these six ports, three North and three in the
Confederate States; and | will dismiss the sub.
ject, as my wish is 10 create no prcjudices or to
excite more than that sort Of inquiry which IS
always necessary in such matters to enable us
to arrive al truth. | suppose, sir, that the
SO pounds they exported from Savannah, was a
single box, at So per pound, sent to some
friend, or taken by some gentleman gong
abroad. The document TO which | have re.
trrred. is before me, and any member can have
access to it at any moment
| tell you then, sir, and | frankly say II, that
| caA find no relief in Southern Contcderacy
or from any such a quarter. | would be recreant
TO my constituents, if ! did not stand up and
announce these facts, as | do upon this tioor.
Indeed, upon this point | can very well see
now they would be in a worse condition than
they are now, or than they would be in the
United States, because they now have the ports
Of Boston, New York, Philadelphia Baltimore,
and all the ports of the North open, where
this article is received duty free. Cat them
of, as | said before, make them aliens and
strangers to US, and you will lose the advan-
tages Of that market, at least, for sales as well
as shipping and although we are told VIC
shall be welcomed by the South, yet so far as
the tobacco interest is concerned, they have
already commenced by imposing a duty OF ten
per cent upon the manufactured article. re-
peat, therefore, that 80 far ms the tobacco int.
rest is concerned, the people of Virginia have
but little to hope for in either quarter, while
the great European markets are almost closed
to US by the heavy duties imposed upon our
labor.
| desire now, Tor O moment, 10 advert to the
argument Of my friend from Augusta, (Mr.
BALDWIN, who said that we had an ample
field Tor the employment of slave labor here IN
our own State. Why, Sir, ! think think there
we're gentlemen in Virginia-t do not now
refer to tho gentleman from Augusta-who,
but u year or two past, declared that slave
labor never could be probably employed in
Kansas, and that it was useless to have . battle
over it, SO far as Kansas was concerned. lam
rather inclined to believe that the argument
was good, if no principle had been involved.
| But let me ask the gentleman from Augusta,
If Western Virginia is adapted 10 the protta.
BILE employment Of slave labor, why, in
the period of one hundred years, has not slave
labor gone there, to n much greater extent!
TL- L. ,l,o f;la oF cfaya ap,iuratInD hean IN
the direction Of the South almost exclusively,
if it is not because there slave labor is most
profitable? If you can make this descrip'
ton of labor profitable in attending to the
pleasant, happy, profitable business OF Iced,
ing cattle, gathering fodder, hay, corn, oats ana
wheat, and in attending to all those active
interests that belong peculiarly to a farm
ing and grazing community-it you can
show me that any number OF slaves can DC
employed protitsbly in such labor, Will
abandon all the theories | have ever entertain
ed upon this subject Slavery vii! 60 where
i, can be employed with the most pTod'; and
tell you that section is where cotton is KING,
in the extreme South. | ask my friend from
Augusta, if Western Virginia, speak Of the
West generally, is adapted for the profitable
employment of slave labor, when the slaves OF
Eastern Virginia will seek the best market
wny, with all the material resources OF the
people of that part Of the State, have they not
purchased the slaves in the market OF Eastern
Virginia? have no doubt the brave and no
BILE and true men you have in Augusta and in
the counties round you in the whole West,
have all the means, all the elements, to an al
most unlimited extent for investment in that
species Of property, if they desired or
found it for their interest to purchase It is
not because of any hostility TO the ins,itn-
ton they DO not The fact is, that they have
never gone much into the purchase OF Slaves,
because, with their fertile fields covered Win
grain and waving in grass, making the heart
Of the farmer rejoice and the heart Oh his ca''a.
rem to be glad, their capital can be employed
10 better advantage than in the employment OF
slaves to any great extent, or the institution
would have been extended into all parts OF the
West, fpr | am very sure there Is little, II any,
an,i-slavery sentimentin Virginia, Castor West.
But while the institution does not exist there 10
the same extent it does in the E lstern portion OF
the State, | can say, as have said before, that
believe the whole people Of the Mest are
ready to protect it as one OF the institutions Of
the State.
Gentlemen ask, will not The Southern States
return Z Well, Mr.. Chairman, | should hardy
suppose that = nation which has established its
Independence, will undo that act. You have
said by your report here, that though It has
not been recognized as an Independent Tepuo'
lie, YOU will not permit Mr.. LINCOLN Hnh his
Cabinet to lay the strong urm Of power upon
it. The Committee Of 81 has thus Tar &C
knowledeed the independence OF the Conisde
rate States Of the South. With an area OF o64 600
square miles, all area greater than England,
ireland, Scotland, France, Spain and Portugal
combined, can We suppose that u people with
that extent ofterritOry-.a people whose ""rongs
..have inpelled them to cast CT odsdienc'
" TO the Federal Government" rs the Commit
tee admit; a people VIM, acting oD the spirit
OF their fathers, have declared their indepen'
dence-do you believe that they intend to
! come back 10 q government whose people, IN
one section, have outraged their rights, insult
ed their feelings, taken their property and dis
regarded their interests Never! l am sure,
never, unless their rights are fully secured
| would to heaven I could say that | believe
all would, even then. All my Efforts, every
energy of my heart shall be directed to the
accomplishment Of such q result. My PROPOSE
| ton seeks the accomplishment Of this object.
] know not what Others may desire; attn d.
rccted II in my efforts to that object IN all good
faith-ss | am sure all arc.
81 have done as you have done ih~aLs'what
I" I can induced as you have been; that's Ter
g." my country"
want US, then, to unite together here IN
these border slave States, to prepare ourselves
first to consult md arrange, and then to pre-
pare a plan Of Government, with which We
snail be prepared to unite ourselves. when
we have accomplished our objects then we
would ask the people OF the North TO recon
slider their purpose, to reconsider all their
schemes, and not to raise tue arm Of power
over the rights Of people who would fee!
themselves disgraced if they submitted to it
Let US ask them to reconsider their views, and
to adopt another Constitution which will guard
the rights Of the whole people of tho borde',
and morc Southern States whose cooperation
we want also.