The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-01
THE BENEFITS of EMANCIPATION.

=.
THE BENEFITS of EMANCIPATION.
We publish, to-day, on our first page,
an extract from the report of the Special
Committee, appointed in April, 1862, to
inquire and report to the House of Repre-
sentatives, of the Congress of the United
states-whether any plan could be pro-
posed and recommended for the GRADUAL
emancipation Of all the African slaves in
the States of Delaware, Maryland, Eir-
ginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri,
by the local authorities of those States, and
the colonization of the slaves to be eman-
cipated; and how far, and in what way,
the Government of the United States could
rightfully facilitate that enterprise. As
this report bears the impress of greatabil-
ity and profound research, we invite the
especial attention of our reader-whether
they be shareholders or laboring men, who
live by the hard earnings of their own
hands-to the extract we have made from
it. And we would call the particular at
tention of land-holders, and our white farm
hands, to that portion of the extract which
draws the contrast between New Castle and
Sussex counties, Our late faithful, indus
trious, Representative, Judge Fisher, was
a member of that committee, and it looks
, to us very like, as though he had prepared
/ that portion of the report which we give
! in our columns, to-day. 1t is written in
!, that easy and simple style, which is wont
n to characterize the productions of his pen
n Upon an examination of the Census Re.
e ports, it will be found that the statistics
:. contained in the extract, showing the grea
3, advantages of free labor over slave labor
IF though given in round numbers, are al
s most perfectly accurate.
. It will be seen, that while in the FIRE,
d county of New Castle, Cat least one-thirc
s less in area than Sussex the averag
e yield of the land is thirty-six bushels o
e corn and eighteen bushels of wheat to tn
e acre, Sussex county only produces, on al
If average, twelve bushels of corn and 81:
} bushels of wheat per acre. If there be an
s. error in this particular, we believe it is il
n overestimating the yield of Sussex lands
lie From what we have seen and know of tn
ut soil and productions of our own county, W
&c should very much incline to doubt if Sus
n sex produces, on an average, over ten bush
lg els of corn or three of wheat to the acre.
nc 1t is also observable, that while the az
~ erage price of land in New Castle count
on is sixty-seven dollars per acre, that of SUI
i'd sex lands is not exceeding six dollars
ce. Such facts as these ought to address then
nd selves to the sound sense, as we'll as to tn
las pockets Of those of our people who ow
ng more land than they can improve, and WI
cir would be glad to part with portion of
cal to those enterprizing and thrifty farme
he from the free states, at even less pri,
md than six dollars.
lsi- We would appeal to every owner of wo
) in out lands, in this county, whether he wou
ac- not be benefited by the introduction, in
rial his neighborhood, of number Of SUI
e is men from Pennsylvania and other northe
His states. We would also ask him, in all ca
cen dor, whether he does not believe that
and slavery were abolished in Delaware, su
ned men would come in crowds to buy up c
our slave-impoverished lands, and make {
ltel- deserts to blossom as the rose,
ex- But it is not only to the interest of {
ne land-holder, that we desire to address
pop arguments in behalf of emancipation.
ally feel an interest in those whom poverty g
y of want of education have compelled tn
ion, to hire out their services, to cultivate
rom. land of other men more favored than thu
7 to selves in earthly riches We ask the wi
y to man, who is forced to hire out as a ia
lie is hand, to look at the disparity between
uted monthly wages given in New Castle
nate those in Sussex. That difference is N
our than enough to cloth him. Farm-labor
rer we call uEon you to look to your own
good terests and future welfare. Why is it
,igip in New Castle county, (where there is {
dis one slave to about two hundred and
tate, free people, the farm hand receives
in teen dollars per month, whilst in Sn'
nded (where there is slave to every tive
isfed free people, you are compelled to labor
is re- nine dollars per month? Is there
d be other reason than because the owners
e fu- thousand slaves can bring their slave !
a.