Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-08


Address. Of President Smith, Delivered
before the Students and a large CltiZcn
Audience In the Chapel At Randolph
mncon College, on the day set apart ior
Fasting and Prayer.
1t is not my business or my disposition, at
any time. TO take part in political discussions,
or to attempt to give direction to the affairs OF
State: vet i should not hesitate, as patriot
to give expression to such views as hold con-
corning the present condition of our country.
Indeed, consenting 10 participate in the selem-
mites of the present occasion, on this day set
apart by our Church and the Chief Magistrate
Of the land, as Il season of public lasting and
PRAYER, in view Of the disturbed and unhappy
condition of our country, feel called upon to
submit such views Of the state OF public affairs,
as seem to me best calculated to promote the
objects of this meeting.
We live in country hitherto peculiarly Ia
vored, and under government, not without
its faults. il is true, but which | hesitate not
to say, is the best to be found on the lace oil
the whole earth-a land which, so far as nat
ural advantages and civil and religious prlvi-
leges are concerned, is far in advance oil any
other M ton on the globe. No one, presume,
will doubt this. Yet we are in troublouS times.
The political affairs Of the country are so con.
fused and tangled up, that we are threatened
with all the horrors Of civil If not scrvlle
war. This is enough TO move the hearts and
unscal the lips Of patriots in every class OIL So
ccty. ! wish to bring to your attention inc
present condition Of the Southern States Of
this Confrderacy, to look for the causes OF that
condition, and raise some inquiries as To Inc re-
suits of the issucs now pressing upon US
And if fail 10 enlist your sympathies and ell
gage your hearts in behalf Of your country,
shat! fail in an honest effort to promote the
welfare OF the land We love.
I. What is the condition Of this section of
the Union:
The leading fact, which ought to be be-
fore your mind, but which, so far as ] know,
is ignored by many, if not b. all the speakers,
writers, and thinkers Of the land, is this: the
Southern States Of this Union stand committed
in tile Providence Of God to mdintain the IN.
stitntion NJ domestic sl0rery.
In the Providence of God negroes are among
US as our slaves. ! will not stop here to 90 in
to an analysis OF the reasons for the propricty
OF the relations they sustain to us; but pro-
coed directly to show that every consideration
of humanity to them and duty to ourselves de-
mands that wc Should keep them in the posi-
ton they occupy. This agitation in the coun-
try ias its existence in the declared purpose
and bold attempt to destroy the institution Of
slavery. humanity demands that We should
maintain it. Suppose the measures Of the
North were carried out. and the Southern
States induced to emancipatc their slaves If
they should enact laws providing for immc-
date or gradual emancipation, then, Of
course, the surplus laboring class ofthc North.
crn States. whether the degraded native born,
or the pinchcd and pressed Migrants from for
cign lands, would, according to the laws Of so.
ciety come hilherward, in competition with the
African for the labor now performed by him
What then would be the result: We have ser
wants enough ut present to do all our work
nil Of whom, according TO our system, are COM
tnrtably provided for; but had We tho free Sys-
tenn, and then twice ns many lahorcrs to supply
with work, which would be the case in the ma
ture OF things, we would have direct competi-
ton between the incoming ponr white popua
ton and the Africans amongst US, and one.hall
would bc altogether out Of work. or the whole,
by the laws Of competition must live on half rs
much as the laboring class among US now re-
ouirC When in competition Tor the labor
which class would get it? The white man most
certainly The African has not, in the first
place, that intelligence necessary to successful
competition and, secondly, owing to lack Of
discretion, irugaity and economy, could not
offer the same terms as the white man, and
must be the sufferer What would become OF
him? Shall he clnigrate? Where can he 60: 70
the North? In many instances the free negro
is not allowed 10 20 there now, and it he did
90, it would not relieve the matter; for they
would always lie feeble competitors with a
race that has no sympathy with them
Would you colonlzc them, and let them pos.
scs new lands! They have not the necessary
enterprise, nor intelligence, the scheme has
long since proven itself Il failure. The ulti.
mate result then would bc that Il degraded
free negro population, would hang rs an in
cubus upon the South. Yet they must live,
eat and be clothed But how: As the poor
in England and Ireland arc, by charity They
ploymcnt This fact has pressed thousands Of
them across the ocean to this land. Popua-
ton increases in Il sconctrical ratio, while
capital is confined to numerical increase
only; and when the hive gets too full to thrive
it must swarm; and long since, we would have
seen in the North, the same condition OF
wretchedness and want among the poorer
classes, as is found in England and ireland,
which have invited them 10 plentiful home.
These Africans then must live among is, and
live by begging stealing and numbering.
What then would be the result to us? 1t is
blow at all progress; and how long would We
stand it. We would be constrained 10 find
remedy. Look at it. With this competition
iIt.,n; and as lie has degree Of intelligence,
,f I'm IN
many instances compete successfully with the
white man. Suppose ten or twenty years
from this day, the companion nf your early
boyhood: your fathers servant, your nurse,
should come and say, master have served
you, have served your father long, how you
employ those white men, and have nothing to
cat" Could you turn him Off? No! Your Eir-
cinia soul, your Southern heart would forbid it..
Though the white man he a better workman,
YOU employ the negro, and thereby provoke
the white laborcT. The stomach argument
rises above all moral obligation, and he takes
vengeance This fact, considered with the
laws of competition, and the negro incubus
which the system Of free labor would press
upon US, would most certainly, on the system,
OF free labor, ertermiaatc the African popula.
ton in these States, wherever The Anglo. Saxon
race might spread
Be not startled, then, when I say. at all haz-
ards domestic slavery mast be maintained-
This is war by the pressure OF the free labor
system upon the bread, bed and comforts Of
our slaves. am glad speak to so many OF
my neighbors, and the farmers Of this comtnu.
nifty. TO you must SAY, that you are doing
your servants an injury, because you do not
give them proper ideas upon this subject.
have heard it stated that servants in various
sections think they are to be free next March,
1t is natural that they should think SO, from
what they hear daily. Now, are you doing
yourselves and them justice in keeping from
them the real animus Of this trouble in the
land? It is 10 root them o'st. not 10 frye them
and, rs sure as VIC are here, if the doctrine OF
Seward prevails, who claims tins rs "tlIe white
l.,l ,lo c,to n ho To,li,, ,,;ll In 81