The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-23
slavery and its Effects.

Editors Dispatch: was Airican sia'Tl1
as If existed 10 the southern Seaies iaVoraole
TO high Development of literary ana artistic
tos,e atforline means and leisure for culture
aud impartipg a sort Of aristoc'atlc tone 10
society. which was supposed 70 lend great
refinement to manners and corresponding
intellectual elevation? This was the view
taken by nearly all of the defenders oil tne.
institution, drawing their conclusions, per.
hans. not so much from the actual condition
Of society here as from other countries
where slavery existed at the time OF their
greatest advancement in the arts, literature,
and material prosperity. The intellectual
grandeur of Greece and Rome, win tnelr
Splendld orators, poets, artists, ana phlioso-
piers, furnish the most strlk1nS eAah-
Dles for the conclusions reached oy
many who defended African slavery on
The ground that its effect upon society was
really benetcent. While these examples may
wsrran: the conclusions reached, yet actual
expericnce has taught US different lesson;
for. with a climate not unlike the most SOUTH
ern parts OF Europe, and with institutions
ia some respects resembling those OF the
Greeks and Romans, our society has been
quite barren Of the great re>ul.S we USED TO
be fond Of maintaining, and which Daturally
grew out of our peculiar institutions. It's SAID
We bave made little progress in literary and
art culture, because inddctiye science ana tbe
useful arts have for the last century en-
gayed the public mind. This may be true !;
but what have We contributed 10 the worlds
knowledge on these very subjects that have
most engaged mems thoughts: "Have we
enlarged the bounds Of human empire :"
Not much, We must admit. There Is one
field of knowledge, however, to which we
point with some degree ofpride, not upJlstlF !:
the science Of government; yet we scarcely
think new idea has been added to that ; Tor
Hampdcn, Tane, Sidney, and Melton coz
tended for the same principles. Then, CIR
cunstanced as we have been in this aye oil
progress, contributing so little to science,
literature, the fine arts, or the useful arts,
ought We not ralber to feel mortified ID
looking around us and finding ourselves so
far behind in TIE race Of intellectual ana
material advancement: Slavery really did
not make condition of things favorable 10
mental and material development, but &C.
tually stood in the way of the highest lnfer'
est of society, and should haIe oeeh Sot'en
rid of more than a halfccnury ago.
The boosted sagacity OF I'll our sla'es'
men should have seen (some did) that the in
poyerlsnin. In peace and real weakness 10
rs in war: driving hundreds of our b.st
Young men away because Of the consequent
DEGRADATION of labor, and instilling prtju-
dice against even mechanical empoyments
fatal to our hest interest. Had the SUBJECT
been discussed only in it, bearings on our inic.
re t, the in, itl,on would have, we doubt
MOI, disappeared long ago. But in the new
order of things let US realize that we are wo-
fully behind the times. Let some public.
spirited n busiast, such as 1gnalius Loyoa
was to the Church of Rome, move our peo-
ole from their slow and Flooding way into
one of more enterprise and thrift. We want
more public spirit aud combination Of en-
ergy. Single.hauded we cannot accomplish
much, because there is DO great c0ncentra.
ton of capital in the hands of individuals,
but united purpose and effort will surely
bring general prosperity. A. ;. b.