Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-19
TALKS ON SLAVERY
Prof. Allen Johnson Delivers Fifth
of Series OF Lectures.
IN UNIVERSITY EXTENSION COURSE
The Influence of Slavery in Politics
the Topic Of Address Delivered at
Market Street Theatre - Closing
Lecture March 81.

the Topic of Address Delivered at
Market Street Theatre Closing
Lecture March 81.
From Tuesdays Daily.
"The Slavery Issue in Politics" was
the topic of an interesting and instruc-
tive lecture delivered Monday in
the University Extension course at the !
Market Street theatre by Prof. Allen
Johnson. of Grinnell college The lee
ture was the fifth in the series of six
being delivered upon the subject OF
American Party Politics and Party |
Leaders" The audience. owing to
the bad weather was small, but was
appreciatiye and attentive. The lee
ture, a scholarly one, was given in
an attractive manner and was well re-
ceived. The sixth and last lecture in
the present course will be given March
81, and will be upon the subject Lin
coin and Douglas"
The lecture delivered was in part
| as follows.
Just as the Pilgrim fathers were
about to set foot on Plymouth Rock to
found Christian commonwealth in
the wilds of America, a Dutch vessel
sailed into the harbor of Jamestown,
in Virginia, and sold into captivity
twenty African negroes. The Pilgrim
| Fathers, the apostles of freedom, the
negroes the victims of force. Negro
/ slavery did not spread rapidly but
by the close of the century it had
found it's way into all the colonies and
the number of blacks was about
100000.
Slavery Did Not Thrive in the North.
Slavery did not thrive in the north.
Cold climate, barren soil and diversi-
fed pursuits did not suit the negro
In the south among swamps that
breathed death to the white man the
negro was in his element and thrived.
But the negro would not work voiun-
tarily, therefore he must be made to
work. Therein lies the apology of the
eighteenth century for negro slavery.
Slavery did not kindle any scruples in
the American mind until the eve of
the revolution. Then in the struggle
for inalienable rights of man humani-
tarians came to recognize the incon-
sistency between such theories and
human slavery. The northern colo--
MES, one by one, began to abolish an
institution that was never profitable
to them
Washington Favored Abolition.
Washington favored the abolition
:, of slavery. Jefferson agitated a
scheme for the gradual emancipation
of the slaves and their deportation tc
some foreign territory. af
r Cotton Become King.
l. The growing of cotton as staple
crop strengthened the hold of the slav
). cry sentiment in the south, Separat
ing the seed from the fibre was SLOW
:, and tedious operation and had to BIZ
: performed by hand. A negro coult
= separate about two pounds per day
The invention of the cotton gin gave
an enormous impetus to the business
t. for by its use negro could prepare
Il 100 pounds per day. Cotton became
= king, the negro helpless slave TIL,
II more northerly southern states be
II came slave breeders to the more south
e erly ones. Cotton growing quickly es
hausted the SOIL More was neede
and the Question of territorial expan
sion become a burning one.
- South Had No Manufactures.
i. Negro labor was unskilled labor
The south had no manufactures ant
was compelled to purchase all manu-
Y featured articles either of the north o
20 from foreign countries. The nortl
l. needed tariff to protect its manu-
g. featuring industries and this tarii
made the price of all manufacture
articles both foreign and northern
~ higher to the southern consumer. Thi
y again caused another source for bite
y feeling between the two sections.
:, South Sent Good Men to Congress.
- The south was wise in sending it
ablest men to congress and in contiI
uing them in Office. Their experenc
II and training in legislative work Ell
&c abled the south to obtain more tina
its just share of legislative benefits
a.. The south soon learned that it coul
10 never hope to dominate the north an
III their only resort was to preserve
balance of power by the admission {
new territory into the union to /
n, made into slave states. They had Ii
Is tie territory to work upon compare
IT'S with the north.
The Liberator.
In 1881 appeared the advance sheet
of the Liberator. Its editor was a
obscure young Journalist who had If
IT. some years been advocating the abo
ton OF slavery. The apostle of abo
at ton had at last appeared in the persC
re, of VIM Lloyd Garrison. Almost S
es simultaneously with the appearance
"a. the Liberator occurred the negro i
IS surrection known as the Nat Turn,
a instruction in the course of whic
elk sixty or more white people were ma
ce sacred. The south connected the tv
N. and grew more bitter than ev,
nc against the editor of the LiberatC
Even in the north feeling grew bitt
against him and he was all but mo
70 bed in the streets of Boston. But Il
m abolition movement grew. In 1910 Il
re abolitionist first tried to propaga
ire their ideas through the medium of
political party During the 40s 81