Smyrna times., 1862-04-24
Faulkner Opposed to Slavery.

Hon. Charles James Faulkner, late Embas-
sador to the Court of the Tuieries, ex Wing,
eX-DemOcrat, and now n avowed rebel, having
been arrested as traitor by our Government,
and exchanged tor the Hon. Alfred Fly, was
young and tOerably honest member of that
Virginia Legislature of 1882 which took up tne
subject Of slavery (under the spur of the Nat
Turner nSurrecuO) } and very nearly resolved
on It's abolition. la his speech on that occa-
SION, MIR Faulkner SAID:
" am sraIIfied to perceive that no gentle.
man has yet risen IN this Hall the avowed ad.
vocate Of Slavery. The day has gone by when
such voice could be listened to with patience,
or even with forb0arance. | even regret that
there should be one among us whe enters the
list as It's GpOLogiSt, except on the ground of
uncomfortable necessity. Let me request him
to compare the sOveholding portion of this
Commonwealth-barr desolate, scared as it
were, by the avenging hand of Heaven-with
the descriptions which we have of this same
country from those who first broke its virgin
soil. To what is this change ascrlbabe =
Solely 10 the witherlng and blasting effects of
Slavery. Ii this does not satisfy hun, let me
| request him to travel to the Northern States
aud contrast the coBtentment and happiness
which prevail throughout the country, the tusy
cheerful sound OF Industry, the rapidly swelling
growth OF population, their means aud institu.
tons OF education, their sk'll and Proficiency
IN useful arts, their enterprise and public spirit,
monuments of their commercial and manuiac.
turing industry, and, above all, their devoted
attachment to the Cove rnment from which they
derive proteclion-let him compare all these
with the division, discomfort, Incidence and
poverty, of the Southern country. TO what is
this ascrIbable! Ii is 10 that vice in the organ.
lZatlOn OF society, by which one half OF it's in.
habrtants are arrayed in interest and feeling
aganst the other half; TO that unfortunate
state Vt society in which freemen regard labor
as dlsgracetul, and slaves shrink from it as
burden tyranicaly imposed upon them; 10 tha
condition OF things IN which half a million o
your population can teel no sympathy with The
society 10 the prosperity of which they are for
hidden TO participate, and no attachment TO
government at whose hands they receive moth
ing but injustice.
"lf the lncredulous inquirer should sugges
that this manifest contrast might be traced Il
: difference Of climate, or TO other causes dis
} unct from Slavery itself, permit me to refe
him to the two States of Kentucky and Ohio
No difference OF soil or climate, no diversity il
the original settlement of those two States ca
e be adduced to account for the remarkable dis
4 proportion in their advancement. Separate
2 by river alone, they seem to have been puI
: posely and prOVdentialIy designed to exhib
j. in their future histories tn ..;:..a 20 whic
$ necessarily results from cocu..y aIlic'ed viii
8 the curse Of Slavery, and lo4uiry tIal is IRE
J. from it. The same may be said Of the tw
d States of Missouri and Illinois.
: "Slavery is an institution which presse
/, heavily on the best interests of the State.
e banishes free white labor. II exterminate
J. mechanics, artisans, manufacturers. ltdeprivt
It them oftOccupaton it deprives them OF brea
1f i converts the energy OF community I'M
Incidence, its power into imbecility its etficieI
: cy into weakness. Being thus injurious, hay
'e not we right to demand its determination
rs Shall a society suffer that the stakeholder ma
S, continue to gather his virginia. crop Of huma
a. flesh! What is his pecunary claim compare
Id with the great interests Of the common wea
D. Must the country languish and die that Il
y, STAKEHOLDER may flourish! Shall all lnteres
o. be subservient to one! Shall all rights
ne subordinate TO the interests of the slaveholde
it. Has not the mechanic rights! Have not Il
~ middle classes their rights !-rights incsmpa
'lr Bile with the existence OF Slavery"
or Mr.. Faulkner is now fighting with the rebe
he whose avowed purpose is to extend over 4
ge whole country that system he describes as
49, ruinous to the welfare and prosperity of State
he His concluding questions have great signi
IS. canoe at this time.