The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-15
PROPOSITION TO MAKE MARYLAND, DEL
AWARE AND MISSOURI FREE STATES.

The following we take from the w ashington cor
respondence of the New York Herald:
There is new project on foot, no less important
tn an to make Maryland and Delaware free States,
by having the general government, with the con
sent of the owners, to purchase their slaves.
Several leading citizens Of Baltimore had an in-
terview yesterday with certain Northern members
of Congress to ascertain their opinion-a better
opinion-whether the administration would be
willing to purchase the slaves in those States at
fair price, if the would consent to sell them
and then coonize such of them as their masters
refused to retain as hired servants. The Congress
men gave an affirmative answer, and thought the
people of the North would cheerfuy acquiesce in
the proposition. The Baltimore gentlemen stated
that if the Union was to be dissolved Maryland,
a slave State, would go with the South though
her interests and geographical position placed her
with the free States. But whether the Union
tinues divides, slavery is felt to be incubus
the prosperity of Maryland. Slavery is slowly dy-
ing out, having decreased six thousand il the last
decade.
1t was stated at the conference that there were
only eighty thousand slaves in the State, which, at
$500 per head, old and young, higher price than
will bring for years to come, would only be forty
millions of dollars. duty of ten per cent on the
four hundred millions of annual imports would pay
for them in a single year. One per cent. duty
would pay the interest on the bonds and create a
sinking fund that would liquidate the principle in
few years. The Baltimore gentlemen remarked
that, once free State, Northern capital, skill,
labor and enterprise, would flow in a broad stream
into MARYLAND, property would enhance, business
improve and white population rapidly increase.
Baltimore would soon rival Philadelphia as man
utacturng city, and Maryland would be converted
into garden to supply the wants of Northern
cities.
Delaware has only two thousand slaves. One
million of dollars would indemnify the owners and
make her free State.
Missouri has but one hundred thousand slaves
Fifty millions would pay for them, and make her
rival Illinois in wealth, population and improve
ment. Thus less than one hundred millions would
rid them all of an institution for which neither
their climate nor products suited, and bestow
on them the advantages of free labor. The Balti-
moreaos said that free trade and direct taxa
tion will become the established policy of South
ern Confeceracy, as it will be ruled by the South
Carolina and Cotton States school of political
omists. The federal expenses of a Southern Con.
federacy will not be less than thirty millions a
year, of which Maryland would have to pay two
millions. Her present State taxes are three hun
dred and sixty thousand per year; hence her taxes
would be increased six-fod while her manufactur-
ing interests would be destroyed under the opera
tion of free trade and direct taxation. Virginia
would have to pay over four millions. Kentucky
and Missouri each three millions, and little Della
ware one-auarter of million of dollars.
Those border States could only escape from this
Juggernaut machine by seeding from the cotton
confederacy and reuniting with the ''Stars and
Stripes" setting up for themselves. In either
event, what would become of their slaves? The
Baltmoreans thought the best thing for Maryland
to sell her slaves, employ the proceeds to build
| manufactures and improve farms, and place her
self in the society of the great family of free labor
powerful protection and friendship.