Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-02
a Golden Bridge over the IrrepressIble


A Golden Bridge Over the IrrePressibie
Conflict.
A friend, who proposes to buy out the
irreplessible conflict and retire 1t from busi-
ness, has furnished us a statement OF the
number of slaves in the following States,
compiled from the census Of 1850: District of
Columbia, 1881; Delaware, 2. 200; Maryland,
90 1868; Kentucky, 2lO9sl; Missouri, s7,422;
North Carolina, 2ss. 54s; Tennessee, 239, ,459;
virginS, 472 52s making ], 1896 2s3 slaves in
these eight States. 1t is not supposed that
the number has increased since then. These,
at very liberal average Of $500 each, would
amount to $4ls, 5s4 900; and it is proposed
to buy out this stock at the public expense,
and have these States quit the business.
This project has been sgitated somewhat
in the Eastern journals, and many feel quite
saDguine of its feasibility, and profess zeal
which would lead them TO damn the ex-
pense in such a cause that is, damn in
pious sense" as Mr.. Flagg says he means,
when he damns the Constitution. We have
not heard that the shareholders have been
consulted on this proposition but as it takes
two to make bargain 10 any kind of stock,
and as each owner will have right to say
whether he will sell out, it may be import
ant to have their unanimous consent.
The original stock no more comprises oil
the Shareholders interest in his flock, than
does the original flock of any other wool,
growing farmer. There is the wool and the
increase, as sheep farmers say. Virginia
turns off twenty million dollars worth Of
patria1cbal relations in year. So light
and genteel an employment for the chivalry
is not to be lightly given up. Besides, Gov,
Wise says the slaves are bound to them by q
patriaIcbal tie, and it might be an afiiiction
to the slaves to break it, except in the direc
ton of Dixits land.
The North has naturally great confidence
in the virtue Of money as a cure for all evil
This is particularly manifest in New En-
gland. They habitually think that all thai
is ne cessary TO bring on the millennium is tC
contribute to the Missionary Societies, Biblt
Societies, Tract Societies and Evangelical
| Societies in general. Consequently, theI
shell out feely and regard the thing as done
or at least, doing. 1t is quite natural tha
the North should look to money as the solu
ton of this great American problem.
But suppose the purchase effected, wha
are we going to do with our colored ele
phant? The South will not have him, 70
the general theory is that as soon as releases
from bondage, the negro takes to vagabond
age, throat-cuttipg and such recreations
The North will not have him, for here hos
tility to free negroes is political capital
and grave and reverend legislators, VIII
ought to know better, and who at home, ar
capable of earning an honest living, aud
maintaining respectable position in societ!
and who are naturally humane in their in
stincts, are dragged by party pressure, like
bull TO the ring to vote for measures of OF
preston, or of petty hostility to these peop
in Ohio.
The project is a chimera, utterly impract
cable, even if we have twice that amount {
money in hand to negotiate with. Besides
is long way in advance of civilization i
the free States. When we have arrived {
the first rudiments of democracy and inds
pendeDce, and are willing to depend on OF
own manhood for our superiority, instead
coIing on class legislation to help US ket
other people in infericrity, and when '
shall proclaim that the humblest being tn
God made shall nd a refuge from oppressiC
in this free country, then it will do for US
begin to talk of improving the conditions
society among our Southern neighbors.