Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1862-08-21
The Comparative Value of Slave and
Other Property.

| Inc more we examine the various fear
lures OF slavery, the more apparent aud ur-
gent becomes the necessity of the policy of
emancipation There is no light in which
we can view slavery in which it IS bencf-
cal to the slave owner. All the benefit is
on the side of the slave. 1t is our duty at
the present day to look at the matter in a
business light, and to dispose OF it from con-
slderItIOnS OF economy
! y comparison of the value of slave, with
that of other property, will clearly exhibit
to the slave owner that his slaves are exceed
ingly disastrous to his pecuniary interest
1t IS the most perilous and least profitable
property III which we can invest our money.
our slave lies down tonight and dies. and
tomorrow morning YOU are worth one thou
sand dollars less than you are to-day. Or
nc takes to his heels and runs away. and
you are still minus your thousand dollars
Or, what Is even more than his death to the
owner, he may, by mere accident. be-
manned for life, and be thrown upon the
hands OF his master to be supported for
many years. lie may be born blind. or
deaf and dumb, and be the pen-ionrr of his
owner from infancy to old age Such are
the great and peculiar perils which beset
tins class OF property No other property
Is attended with such enormous risk.
These pcrilS may be borne and these
RISKS taken, II the revenue received from
slave property was somewhat commensurate
to the dangers which attend it. But the
contrary is true The income does not be-
Gin to compensate for the risk. While
slave property is the most perilous. it is also
the least profitable. Take the slave from
his infancy to old age and he does not pay
three per cent. interest on the money in
vested in him. From the time of his birth
to time he is large enough 10 hire out. he
has probably cost his owner at least five
hundred dollars. His wages at first are
fifteen or twenty dollars. This is about half
OF the legal interest on the amount invested
III the slave. 1t is true that each wear his
wages increases, but he increases also in
value. At no time is his wages equal to the
legal interest upon the money which he
would command IN ordinary times. A ne
gro valued at fifteen hundred dollars would
rarely hire for more than Scventv-fve dol
lars per annum-being fifteen dollars less
than the legal interest upon the amount of
his value. From his annual wages is to be
deducted a portion for his sick time, doctors
bills, medicine, taxes and the like. which
Will reduce the net income to a very low
figure. And in old age the negro arain
returns to the hands of his master. n tax
and burden for perhaps many years. So
that from beginning to end he scarcely paws
an interest Of three per cent One half the
money invested in almost any other kind of
property would yield 4 much larger interest.
You buy vessel. In few years she is
gone. But she has probably paid for her
self two or three times over. No one thinks
of purchasing house that will not raw at
least ten per cent. upon the purchase money.
for an allowance must be made for insurance.
taxes and repairs. Slave property, to be
profitable, ought to pay at least twenty Der
cent. AS it is, it is u sinking institution.
Any man WHO either buys or raises slaves
will be materially impoverished.
These facts are sufficient to indicate to
slave-Owners their true interest. They show
clearly that emancipation is the gate to pros
perlty. We have been burdened too long
by an institution which has not ONLY affect
ed our peace as community, but has been
dltastrous to our prosperity. 1t has kept
US comparatively poor all our lives. The
great problem heretofore has been how We
should dispose of it? That question is now
solved. The plan is revealed and the time
Is at hand. Shall we suffer the golden op-
portunty to go unimproved! Shall we de-
hberatcly and wilfully entail upon our child
red an institution which has well nigh des-
troyed us, and will surely involve them
The question addresses itself to the good
sense and enlightened Judgment Of our peo-
ple.-Ca"6'Nye (.hd) LntetGgencer.