The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-07-30
Thursday Morning. July 30. 1868.
Argument against Slavery.

Mrs Kembles Journal of residence on a
Georgian Plantation is exciting great atten-
ton. The fair author dashes into the question
of slavery without preface or circumlocution.
The work takes the form of journal, or con-
fidential correspondence with Miss Sedgwck,
TO whom the volume is dedicated. The au-
thor at the outset thus controverts the princi-
pies Of the peculiar institution. We make
the folloxiIk Extracts from the work.
Ny Deal return you Mr.-'s
letter. do not think it answers any of the
questions debated in our last conversation at
all satisfactorily; the right one man has to en-
slave another he has not the hardihood 10 as
sert but in the reasons he adduces TO defend,
that act of injustice, the contradictory state
ments he makes appear TO me TO refnte each
other. He says, that TO the continental Euro
pean protesting against the abstract iniquiiy
of slavery, his answer would be, The slaves
are infinitely better of than half the conti-
mental peasantry.' To the Englishmen, "rhey
are happy compared with the miserable Irish"
But supposlng that this answered the ques-
tion of original injustice, which it does not,
it is not a true reply. Though the negroes are
fed, clothed and housed, and though the Irish
peasant is starved, naked and roofess, the
bare name of lreeman-the lordship over his
own person--the power to choose and will
are blessings beyond food, raiment or shelter;
possessing which, the want of every comfort
of life is yet more tolerable than their fullest
enjoyment without them.
Ask the thousands of ragged destitutes who
yearly land upon these shores to seek the
means of existence; ask the lriendless, penni-
less foreign emgrant ii he will give up his
present misery, his future uncertainty, his
doubtful and difficult struggle for life OF once,
for the secure, and as it Is called fortunate de-
pendence OF the slave. The Indignation with
which he would spurn the offer will prove that
he possesses one good above all others, and
that his birtliright as man is more precious
TO him yet than the mess of pottage for which
he Is told TO exchange it because he is star
wing.
HER VIEWS ON AMALGAMATIoN.
am rather surprised at the outbreak of
violent disgust which Mr.- INDUCES in
on the subject of amaigamation, as that formed
no part OF our discussion and seems TO me a
curious subject for abstract argument. should
think the internarrying between blacks aud
whites matter TO be as little insisted upon ii
repugnant, as prevented if agreeable to the
majority of the two races. At the same time.
cannot help being astonished at the furious
and ungoverned execraton which all refer
ence TO the possibility OF a fusion of the races
draws down upon those who suggest it, be-
cause nobody pretends TO deny that, through
out the South, a large proportion OF the popu-
ialion IS the olsprlng Oh wnite men ana color
ed women. La New Orleans, class OF
unhappy ieinaies exists whose mingled blood
Goes not prevent their being remarkable Tor
tneir beauty, anu Win wnon no man, no gen
ues'dn, ih that Guy shrinks from associatihg;
anu "nne tne Save owners ol the southern
States insist vehemently upon the mental and
physical inferiority of the blacks, they are
benevolently doing their best, in one way at
~..-. 81. a.
icast, 10 raise and improve the degraded race,
and the bastard population which forms so
omlnous an element in the social safety of
thelr cities certainly exhibit, IN their forms
and features the benefit they derive from their
white progenltors II Is hard to conceive that
some mental Improvement does not accompany
Ihis physciai @
Already the nner forms OF the European
races are cast IN these dusky monids; the out
"ara cohnguratioa can hardly thus improve
wi'hou. corresponding progress III the inward
capacities. ihe wnite mans piood anu bones
na'e eeso''eh this oroh1e race, ana pequeaih-
ou " ~, ~ sonic uegree, QUALITIES, .ebdencles,
SapaointFs' sucn as are the inheritance Oh the
lsnose oiue. VI nu'na'i ahiihals. Mr.
land many othersl speak as If there were
haturai repughahce IN all whites to any alliance
with the black race; and yet 1t is notorious,
that almost every Southern planter has fam
hy, more or less numerous, OF illegitimate col
ored children. Most certainly, few people
would ike TO assert that such connections are
iorined because II Is the interest oil these plan
tefs 70 increase the number OF their human
property, and that, they add TO their revenue
uy t,e closest intimacy with creatures that
.hey ioathe, IN order to reckon among their
wealth. the children of their body, Surely
lhae - a mohstrous and unnatural position,