Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-08-13
MOrtester Daily spy
THE DAILY SPY.


of the south.
1t is a remarkable circumstance that the
Journals which are at this time dealing the
heaviest blows at the institution Of slavery are
printed in the slave states. Naturally men
who have grown up in the midst of slavery
comprehend all the evils with which it curses
society; and such men as those who write for
the Nashville Union speak from a bitter eXpe-
rence; they have felt the oppression of the
save-owning aristocracy; they know whereof
they speak. The writers OF the Missouri
Democrat, the Nashville Union, the Baltimore
American, and Of other journals in the south
ern states which are intelligently discussing
the evils which slavery intiicts upon the white
population among whom it exists, are south
ern men. How is it they have not spoken be
fore? How is it they speak boldly now?
What will be the results OF their discussions
They were silent before the war, because
they were not permitted to speak. The
Shareholders crushed out all discussion of this
subject in the south. Their excuse for this
tyranny was that to talk about slavery would
at once produce slave insurrection-that
bugbear Of ali the masters, with which they
frightened very many who had nothing to do
with the evil. But recent events have proved
beyond doubt that the slaves do not rise, do
not murder their masters, do not burn, raw
age, and page, even when the utmost free
dom is used in discussing the question. HAS
there been slave instruction in Tennessee?
But nowhere has slavery been denounced in
more lively language than in the Nashville
Union, tine ablest and most popular press in
that state, and one of the best in the country
Have the slaves Of Missouri murdered their
masters? Yet there their condition has been
discuss ed in the newspapers and in the legis-
laure without stint. Is Maryland desolated
by il seryle war! Yet in all parts of that state
the question has been argued by able and fear
less writer's.
1t Appears therefore, that the old excuse for
forbidding the exercise of free speech in the
south-tbat it would produce ii rising of the
slaves and ''the horrors OF Il midnight maSsa.
cre"-is, like many other fables which the
Shareholders imposed on the world, without
foundation in fact. Phe truth is, that a free
and intelligent discussion of the question
would in very few years have turned every
slave state into Il free state; the people--the
nUn-slavehOlding whites enlightened by
few capable and experienced writer's and
speakers, would have seen, as they already
see IN Missouri, that every slave takes bread
out of the mouths OF free white workingmen;
that where slavery is systematzed, there
white labor is not used at all that the cotton
planters preferred to make carpenters wheel
wrlghtS, blacksmiths OF their slaves, and thus
starvc out Of the country all white artisans;
and that to preserve themselves and their
families who form the great numerical ma
jority OF the slave states, the non saveholders
must crush this monster which oppressed
them, dSgraced them, kept them in ignorance
and poverty, and would presently eXpatriatc
them.
1t was tie fear Of a peaceful instruction
OF the poor whites against the slave system,
and not the fear Of the rising OF the slaves,
which induced the master spirits of slavery to
eXtinguisIl tree discussion at the south. 1t was
for this that they kept the poor white popula-
ton in shameful ignorance, and amused the
minds Of those who ''sat on stumps by the
wayside' with monstrous fables. Their pO-
litical supremacy was founded not less on the
helpless ignorance OF the nOn-slaveholding
whites than on the bonds of the blacks.
We need not wonder that the moment the
arm of these oppreSS0rs is torn away, men are
found to speak so boldly on this question.
The truth is, that in every southern state the
more intelligent Of the shareholders have
long known and felt the dis advantage under
which they were placed by the system which
prevailed there. These have now awaited
themselves OF the first opportunity to speak
out their minds, and to proclaim to their fell
low citizens and neighbors the wrongs which
they have suffered, and the cause of these
y
slaveholdlng and cotton planting aristocracy
has been broken. there has begun at once
movement, originated and carried on by the
people of the south themselves, for the ex-
tincuOn OF slavery, as necessary guard
against the misruIe of the planters and a sure
means TO bring prosperity to the mass of the
people. Wherever our armies eXpel the reb-
els and break their power, such movements
are begun; the latest instance is the estab
Ill, 49,, 81 Yah,
burg, which is to be conducted by Union
loving Mississippian.
1t will not escape the attention of those who
observe this phenomenon of ii free and Union
loving anti-slavery press in the south, that
there the question is argued exclusively in
relation to the condition and prospects of the
white Observation-Disclosures. 1t is because slavery
Expresses the poor white man because slave
holders oppose and discourage free schools,
and all public improvement, except such as
is especially beneficial to their class; because
where planters rule, there white workingmen
are despised, suspected and unemployed;
because the overgrown estates of the planters
swallow up the little freehods of the nom
slaveholdcrs-for these reasons slavery is
hated and its extinction is urged. This is the
peculiarly Of the southern anti slavery senti-
ment, and this marks its origin.
What will result from this discussion? I'm
doubtedly, the continuance OF tree presses IN
the south ensures the destruction of slavery
with the general consent of the people of the
slave states In Missouri, already, a cOnven.
ton chosen before the war began has passed
an ordinance decreeing gradual emancipation 4;
and there Is little doubt that if il convention
fresh from the people had handled the ques.
ton, the duration Of slavery would have been
greatly curtaled, and probably immediate
emancipation would have been carried West
Virginia is already tree. Maryland and Del
aware will soon follow; and unless they has
ten Tennessee will be before them In Ken
lucky two emarclpationists have been chosen
for congress; and under their lead an eman
cipatiun party may before long be formed.
Wherever the people OF the south are pro-
tected in the exercise OF the sacred right of
free discussion, there similar results will fol-
few: and that which some tar-seeing southern
men have frequently declared-that at the
close of this war the strongest and most de
ternlined anti-savery party would be found in
the south--is no longer improbable. We adj
wise the political trimmers to take this into
consideration
Finally, it should be added that those states
which first decree the extinction of slavery
will be the first to receive the benefit of the
new direction which, for many reasons, emf
grafton, both foreign and domestic, must take
on the return of peace. Emgrants will nc
longer seek exclusively the far west. They