The Shasta courier., 1862-04-26
Emancipation!

mense impetus has been given TO the cause
cf abolitionism, by the events occurring in
this country in the last twelve months. The
most careless observer of events must have
observed this. In speculseing over the war
and its incidents, the consequence alluded to
seems but natural enough, and one of the
earliest and most patent Of the results of
radical pro-slavery idea, confronted in coun-
Gil and on the field with an antipathy to the
institution itself. Something more than to
merely antagonize the idea of slave extension
is the fruit of the clash of opinion, in this in.
stance, where one of the contestants is pow
erful and the other comparatively weak
Though perfectly willing to give the il stitu.
ton all of its constitutional rights, but few
men can now be found who will trouble
themselves to do it favor, and would let
nearly every presumption of law be taken
against it. This sentiment, inculcated and
fostered by the incidents of the war, is LA
bic to abuse. Understanding somewhat of
the question, we are free to say that no
scheme of national emancipation, as yet de-
vised, is at once practicable and proper
The task of freeing the slaves by the plan
proposed by Mr.. Lincoln, is perhaps as little
Objectionable as any other, and may be very
creditable to his character as practical
statesman; nevertheless, it could not be
adopted without the very greatest injury to
the white races, and-what is of far more
importance to the radical abolitionists-the
negroes, colonization abroad is not feasible, for
the all sufficient reason that we own no terri
tory abroad, on which to place thefreed men.
To this it might be added that project Of
colonizing, even if we had the territory,
four or five millions of people, establishing
laws and government for them, and general
ly setting them up, is in numberless ways,
and for sufficient reasons, altogether out of
the question, and. is as wild and visionary as
that other plan of the old-timo abolitionists,
of freeing them absolutely at once, land bodily
incorporating that race into the mass Of our
citizens In justice to the slave, but pre-ems
incntlY in justice to the white man, those nor
any other schemes of emancipation or aBoli--
ton are feasible. When slaves cease to be
slaves in this Government, ,-it can only be ac-
complished gradually unless, indeed. it
should result as one.of the accidents of the
war now. Sc madlY waged by slave owners,
in redress of some imaginary grievance, or to
enforce some mythical right, that nobody has
thought of assailing-
Passing this. the danger to- which the in
stitution of slavery is now chiefly exposed,
lies in very small compass, and is easily
defined. All will agree that when slavery
becomes improbable, it will cease, from the
action of the owners themselves, to have an
existence. Men who trace their lineage to
Adam never upheld anything that is of no
profit or convenience to them. Such is the
staple of human character, that considerations
of absolute selfshness are altogether sufici-
ent to determine, not the right or wrong of
slavery, for that is philanthropic question,
but whether it shall continue or cease. This
being granted, if it can be shown that the
production of cotton, sugar and tobacco
would no longer be profitable to the producer.
and further, that the continuance of this war
by the acts Of the rebels, SO results. we will
come in sight of the exact truth of how the
interminable negro qu u.stion is to be and will
be solved. As to the culture of cotton. il
could be reasonably doubted, that if the re
bellion ceased to-day, whether its production
would be profitable. The millions of Eng
lish spindles must turn, and England has
heretofore been our cotton customer, without
whom the production of this staple would be
altogether idle and useless. The events of
the war have driven that nation to looking TO
her own capacities for its production, and she
finds that she has an abundance of the cheap-
est labor ready to her hand, with almost a
continent in exteat, peculiarly adapted to
the successful growing of cotton Should the
war close one year from now, and the South
resume its wonted agricultural pursuits, it
will find that, though the car acities of the
cotton lands have in no way deteriorated, and
that even yet she is possessed of all appliances
ioi ies 'ueocSsiui PIOuuCtiOu, nevertheless she
cannot afford to produce it, for the best rca
son ever offered, that is, that nobody wants
10 buy, and that the markets to which in the
before time she looked, have been supplied
rom another and more kindred source.
Sugar has been produced, because its produc-
ion has heretofore been rendered profitable
BY an act of Congress fostering and protect
ing the cultivation of the cane, In view of
recent events, it is barely probable that this
law, discriminating against the sugar con. |
sumers and in favor of the sugar producers
will remain very long on the statute book.
Cotton and sugar being no longer a nrof;t.
able species of agriculture, the raising Of ne.
grocs, mules, horses, and bacon. heretofore
carried on in some of the Middle States
which has looked for market In some Of The
cotton and sugar growing States, would for
the same reasons cease to be profitable. 1t
is certainly plausible that this state of things
should be reached, and if it ever should, sla.
very will be disused, just because it does not
pay to maintain it. When that day comes.
if ii ever should, it will remain for the slave
owners themselves, on the broadest and least
disputed principles of popular sovereignty,