Year: 1863

surely it is not proper, specially to protect
a class of labOrers, that, to the extent to
which they obtain, etfectually prevent the
white man from procuring work


Legislation should also be directed to Sc
cure that system which offers the greatest
inducements to immigration and which, by
comparative analysis, has been found to open
up the resources Of the State.


What caused the immense wealth, in
crease and material dcvelopement of the
free States! In what, except slavery, did
New York differ from Virginia, in which
the advantage was not on the side of the
latter! Interior i'll soil, in climate in water
power, in minerals, in harbors, in all the
natural advantages that make up the raw
material for Improvement, why has the one
State advanced, while the other has retro
graded, in relative development!


What prevents more rapid immigration
into this State, and the consequent increase,
not only of population, but Of general inn
provement attendant upon it? Nothing
but the fact. that in institution-in educa-
tion-in name, it is a slave State There is
shrinking on the part Of men, reared un-
der free instituslOns, from contact with slave
~. They are unwilling to bring up their
childrcd under its influence. do not argue
whether this sentiment be right or wrong
| speak of it as L fact, established and adj
mitted, preventing men coming from free
States to settle among us. If it be desira-
bic that they should come, to invest their
! capital-to bring with them habits Of in
duStly and frugality--to enrich the State,
not only by their labor and example, but bv
stimulating additional immigration. ensur-
ing diversified employment and creating ad-
ditional demand for the products of the soil
and therefore enhanced prices for the land.
it would seem to be desirable to do away
with the impediment that hinders this con
summation, and if the hindrance be found
in the existence Of slavery, to put it in the
course Of definite extinction


An objection is made to this policy, that
it will turn lose upon society large class
of persons untitled for the enjoyment Of
freedom.


This objection, it will be perceived, ap-
plies only to immediate emancipation, and
In relation to that, Is, to my mind, more


specious than solid.


We have, now, about 10000 free negroes
in this State. AS an element ofsocety they
are not desirable, but | submit, that their
sudden removal from the labor of the State


would be highly inconvenient Their grad


ual displacement and colonization, effecting


separation Of the races and supplying their


place with white labor, would be beneficial


to both. This 10000 free negro element,


is to the slave, as II to |, and the emanci-


pated slave population would quietly sink


into and be absorbed by the great mass of


free negroes and no man would recognize


that another free negro had becd added to


the State. In fact, now, in al but name.


the State is free. The difficulty is to make


white men i'll other States understand our
condition There is no distinguishing
badge by which slave can be disccrned
, from free negro. lie has all his actual


privileges and immunitics and, practically,
, no one can tell whether a negro is bond or
free. The question would be different if
! all the negroes in the State were slaves and
the proposition were the comforting of free
dom upon onc-fifth of our entire population.
: involving the instant destruction of an ex-


tensive domestic institution and an immedi-
ate and radical change of regulation be-
tween the races. No such question is pre-
| sented IN this State. The large mass of the
E negro population are already free There


Is no possibility of their return to bondage.
, The justicc-the humanity of our people
D forbid it, and no sensible addition would be
: made by the immediate, not to say gradual


emancipation of the slaves


Another objection has been urged, that
t emancipation, by inducing emigration from


slave States, would produce large acces-
Y sion to our free negro population.
y However plausible this apprehension in
g theory, its tallacy is apparent by the test OF
: experience


s have collated the statistics Of the rela,
d tive increase of the whites and free ncgroe,
s Of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and


New Jersey


j, A careful survey Of the table appended
Y will show that Pennsylvania has Increased
r most rapidly in white, and Maryland in free
Y negro population.


n The result is attained, despite the fact
= that the Southern boundary OF Pennsvlva
r mia, through its entire extent, forms the d


vision line between freedom and slavery and
: the common belief that New Jersey is tho
l receptacle for a large proportion Of the run
l. away slaves of Delaware and Maryland.


The further gratifying result is shewn
a that the relative increase Of the white pop
It ulation is rapidly and steadily augmenting
e The negro is nota migratory being. Hc
If will, somtimes, run from bondage. Like
y other men, he has aspirations for freedom
g With no inducement to emigrate, the free
|, negro rarely leaves the place where he wa'
n reared. Ills love Of locality is proverbal
l. Where he was born he dies Those who leave
e their native vicinity, for the most part, con
IS gregate in neghboring cities. Philadel
IS phia contains nearly half the free negroeso O
o Pennsylvania.


d / pass by, as unworthy of notice, the sug


gestion of the probable establishment of the
:, social and political equality of the races as
q consequence offreedom, such suggestion may
D. be tolerable in political canvass, in which
d the aspirant for popular favor plays upor
n the prejudice Of the citizen to influence hi