Year: 1859




Under tie leadership Of some not over "l'e pol'-
tcians, the Opposition in Kentucky, to the exist
ing national Administration, saw fit to place them
selves, a. the recent election, upon an ultra Pro-
Slavery platforD-s mansuyer, however which
did Lot prevent their deest and tue election OF the
Democratic candidate for Governor by decided ma
iority We are glad to see from the speech OF Judge
Nicholas delivered at a festival recently given at
Louisville to Gov. Morehead, that in spite of this
apparent temporary alteration, the Opposition of
Kentucky, which. according to Judge Nicholas,
includes three ourths if not four-fths of the slave
holders Of that State, still adhere TO the views of
Henry Cl.y On the Slavery question, and that they
have by 10 meas adopted the ultra Pro-Sayery
fanatcism which of late has taken such firm hold
in most Of the SlAveholding States.


Judge Nicholas complains, as We ourselves have
often DONE that upon this question Of Slavery cur
brethren Of the South are very exactng and hard to
please, and that any concession to them only opens
tie door to new demands and more alar ming claims.
Some fifteen years ago they declared themselves to
be in Danger of too large and too condemned q slave
population, and they camored for more territory in
which Slavery might expand itself, thereby saving
tie old Slave States from the aggravated evils at
tendaLt upon too great an increase in the number
Of slaves Their representations were listened to,
and at great expense Texas was added to the
Union and wide area opened to The spread Of
Slavery. Having obtained this concession those
Who demanded it turn about and declare that they
have not near slaves enough for the extent OF their
territory, and on that ground demand the reopen
iDg of the African s.ve-trade.


1t is the opinion, however, Of Judge Nicholas,
ard be gives it as the opinion of his political asso
ciates in Kentucky, that ID view of the future
there is no need of any measures for adding to the
number Ofthe slave population, but, on the contra
ry that its dimiDution is thing earnestly to bs
desired. We have already upward of four millions
Of slaves, and, according to the existing law Of
natural increase, IN twenty five years we shall have
nine millions, and in fifty years sixteen millions,
number nearly double the whole population, black
ard white Of all the existing Slave States.
With the ply sical and mental improvement which
tie negroes, if We judge the future BY the past,
will acquire in fifty years, not to insist upon the
pbysica enerya.on Of the whites in the more
Southern States-the effects Of climate which
agrees much better With the negroes than with
them-Judee Nicholas is puzzled 10 KNOW how
the negroes are to be kept 10 sucjecuon.
they were principally coperegated IN towns ana
cities. engaged in mechanical and manufacturing
employnents. it might be done BY an armed police.
But scattered as they are and must continue to be
in agricultural labor, and diminished in value as
they will be from this great increase IN their num-
ber. the armed force necessary to keep them down
would co,t more than they would be worth. Judge
Nicholas, believes that they could only be kept
down by diminution Of their numbers, and lie
,nt;ep.tes not without horror, resort, under the
law of selfpreserv alton, to the expedIent employed
by the Spartans to meet similar difficulty.


He depies the truth Of the suggestion, sometimes
msde BY way Of consolation against this impending
evil. that the increase of the white population will
ks. psce with that of slaves and that th1s there
will always be al equl relative power on the part
Of the whites to keep the slaves in subsection.
Slaves, like all other items Of we,llh, are subject
IN tha. universal law which tends to the monopoly
of property in few hands, and which, in q slave
holding community, operates with special energy
The effect Of this ir with the facilities Of emigrs-
grafton which exist among u.s. to keep down the
white population to low rate Of increase,
e.necisy in those districts where the slaves equal
the whites in number. A strong illustration Of this
fact is afforded BY the census in the case of
the States Of North and South Carolina, neither Of