The Mission of Free Labor on the American Continent by William Alanson Howard
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Title:The mission of free labor on the American continent. An address delivered August 10, 1858, before the Philomathesian society of Middlebury college, Vermont.

Author:Howard, William Alanson, 1813-1880.

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Print Source:The mission of free labor on the American continent. An address delivered August 10, 1858, before the Philomathesian society of Middlebury college, Vermont.

Howard, William Alanson, 1813-1880.

8 p. 22 cm.

[n.p.,

1858?]

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L i L L1 f L 1 L i L L.,:i ~~~~ A OnteAeianOniet 7I~,,~bE’ AN ADDRESS ~ /
f: qv DELIVERED AUGUST 10, 1858, BEFORE THE PHILOMATIIESIAN SOCIETY OF

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE, VERMONT. ~ & BY HON. WM. At! OWARD OF DETRLOIT, ICIHB.

As the traveler works his way through a country, he becomes impressed with certain great leading features of the “landscape” which, to him, serve as a measure of distances during his progress, and in all of his after recollections they are the indices of the several parts and the chief emblems of the whole.Thus the mountains, the rivers, the lakes, the plains, the cities, the ruins, of the country, not less than state lines, attract the attention of the most superficial observer. So the islands that lift themselves up from the bed of the sea, form paths and way-marks for the otherwise trackless ocean. And they that go down in ships to do business on great waters, thus divide and mark the parts of their journeys. In like manner, all history is divided by great and important events into epochs or periods, distinctly marked, and not less indicative of convulsions in society and concussions in the moral elements than are theImountains and the broken crust of the earth of the mighty agencies that produced them. Prophesy, too, but dimly shadowed forth certain great features of coming.events. And those holy men whose lips were touched with’ fire, and who spake as they were moved by the spirit of inspiration, instead of describing all the developments of the future, did but point out some of the distant mountain peaks that mark the way, and a few of the winding gorges through which the path should lead. The stream of time, instead of rolling over the smooth surface of the plain, winds in the valleys and through the deep gorges of the mountains, now well nigh lost in the bogs and marshes, and then it comes forth and sends its rainbow hues across the heavens as it leaps the cataract, and in eternal thunder shouts to Heaven that it is free and will be free forever. And man, the choicest freight on its bosom, too, shall come forth free, all radiant with light and glory, when he shall have ceased to learn war and oppression any more, and shall no more wander amidst the marshes and bogs and quicksands of sin and uncleanness. Then, too, shall he be free indeed.

Time is marked by the creation, the-fall of man, the deluge, the advent of the Messiah, the rise and fall of emp ire s, w ars, pe stilence, and other prominent events. While each na tion in its turn has had its birth, growth, ma turity, and too many of them, alas, their de cline and destruction. / The birth and rise of each nation is marked by certain great -events that in after years be come memorials and household words, and their recital rouses the patriotism, fires the zeal, and nerves the arms of her sons to no ble daring fo r he r d efense and her progress.No nation ever long flourished wit hout the se mementoes, and in proportion to their vigor in each case, other things being equal, has th e progress been marked and the power invincible. But it is not necessary to my purpose to dwell upon the incidents of national greatness or to state with fullness or philosophical accuracy the prominent divisions of the world’s history andd progress. It comports with my present design” however, to state that the discovery of this continent not only formed a new era, but presented a greatly enlarged field of effort, and gave promise of more rapid progress and a higher civilization. Perhaps the most marked feature in the discovery and his. tory of this continent thus far is the clear in dications of the care, wisdom and goodness of an overruling Providence in each transpiring event from the birth of Columbus to the pre sent time.

This is true not only of our own rise and progress as a nation, but true of all the circumstances attendant upon the discove ry and early settlement of the continent, and even of the events of the Old World. The very convulsions of Europe were made the means of throwing upon these shores the right material at the right time. Their perse cutions for conscience sake, instead of crush ing out the spirit of civil and religious liberty, caused it to glow with intense heat until it be came a living fire in the very bones of the men and women who were to raise its standard and sow its seed broadcast in the New World. Surely aGod moves in a mys terious w ay His wonders to perform.” To my mind, the existence of this contin ent does not more certainly show the hand o f th e Creator, t han does its history the c are, wisdom and purpose of a superintending Providence at every step of the p rocess. I say purpose, for although it does not ye t a ppear precisely what we shall be, he must be blind indeed who fails to see that thattis is to be the thea tre of great events in the physical, intelleetual and moral world. That physical science is here to achieve higher triumphs than the world has ever seen is being every day demonstrated. The most powerful agencies in nature are yoked to man’s car, and are doing his work at a rapid rate. The most subtle elements are subjected to his will. He not only sports with the lightnings of Heaven, but they are become his swift-winged messengers. That there is to be a higher degree of intel lectual development may be inferred from the abundance and cheapness of educational facil ities, the general diffusion of knowledge, and On the Amer3Lcan Continen.t. 0 ,E 2/1 ‘H 11

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the fact that knowledge is fast becoming the law of man’s being, not less than of his pro gress. That Christianity is to make this the field of yet more lofty display of the benefi cence and divinity of her sacred mission, may be more than inferred from the ways of Prov idence and the words of prophesy. But still, humanly speaking, much may depend upon the men of this generation, much upon the scholars, much upon the teachers. Who knows what mission ice this great drama ourw Alma Mater may yet have to perform?

Who knows what interests of the race may yet clus ter around her sacred enclosure? Who of you young gentlemen shall yet stand in the deadly breach-who shall wield an empire? Perhaps none. But this know, that, however humble your sphere, your efforts can never be unimportant in the great drama of life. May God give you the wisdom to perceive, and the nerve, the courage and the strength to act your parts without guile, and with unflinching fidelity. The college we all owe so much, and, I trust, all love so well, has been greatly distinguished in her. career thus far for the practical charac ter of her training, and the beneficial results to the church and the world. If rival Seminaries have sometimes ques tioned her philosophy, none have doubted her Z~se.fulness. If we consider her age and limited endowments, she stands prominent. Like Cornelia of old, she has had her jewels, to whom she could point with pride in all the professions in every department of civilization and religious effort. Her sons have gone forth with a practical knowledge of the world as it is, and a correct standard of what it should be. Taking a practical view of -the world as the great field of effort, their philosophy has seldom rejected anything because it is useful, or adopted it alone because it seemed expedient. Everywhere her sons have grappled with the realities of life, and acting with “zealous prudence and prudent zeal,” have taught their philosophy by example. Should these views com-‘ mand your assent, you may not deem some observations upon the MISSION OF FREE LABOR TPON TIlS

CONTINENT altogether inappropriate to the occasion. If my theme be deemed deficient in cl.issical elegance and literary susceptibility, it is at least important. Considered in relation to physical development and progress, it is the question of the age. It has been said that “civilization is earth’s central stream, and all literature, arts and sciences, philosophies and religions are but tributaries to swell its tide and increase its current.” If this be so, then the stream and each and all of the tributaries have their physical conditions, connections. and necessities. A cheap and adequate Supply of the necessaries of life form not only the law of population, but is an essential element of or necessary condition of civilization, art, science, philoso. phy, freedom and religion. Nothing can be done without bread-bread for the many. A nation of pabtpers cannot be a nation of freemen. Nature has indeed been bountiful. The resources of this continent are almost past conception. And I adop~ filIsy the eloquent language of one of oar own s tatesmen and mos t gifted ora tors, where he so grap hically describe s the wonderful processes of nature in his reply too the scepticism of Hume: “Did this philoso ph er,” says he, “ever contempla te the land -s cape at the close of t he year, when seeds, grains and fruits have ripened, and stalks have withered, and leaves have fallen, and winter ~has forced her icy curb even into the roaring -jaws of Niagara, and sheeted half a continent with her glittering shroud, and all this teeming vegetation and organized life are locked in cold and marble obstruction, and, after week upon week, and month upon month, have swept with sleet and chilly rain and howling storm over the earth, and riveted their bolts upon the doors of nature’s sepulchre; when the sun at length begins to wheel in higher circles through the sky, and softer winds breathe over the melting snows-did he ever behold the long-hidden earth at length appear, and soon the timid grass peep forth, and anon the autumnal wheat begin to paint the field, and velvet leaflets to burst from purple beds, through the reviving forests, and then the mellow soil to open its fruitful bosom to every grain and seed dropped from the planter’s hand, buried but to spring up again, clothed with a new, mysterious being; and then, as fervid suns inflame the air, and softer showers distill from the clouds, and gentle dews set their pearls on twig and tendril-did he ever watch the ripening grain and fruit, pendent from stock and vine and tree, the mneadow, the field, the pasture, and grove, each after its kind, arrayed in myriad-tinted garments, in stinct with circulating life; seven millions of counted leaves on a single tree, each of which is a system whose exquisite complication puts to shame the shrewdest cunning of the human hand; every planted seed and grain which had been loaned to the earth compounding its pious usury thirty, sixty, a hundred fbld-all harmoniously adapted to the sustenance of iving nature-the bread of a hungry world; here a cornfield whose yellow blades are nodding with the food of man; there an unplanted wilderness-the great Father’s farm where He I who hears the raven’s cry’

has cultivated with His own hand His merciful crop of berries, and nuts, and acorns, and seeds, for the humbler families of animated nature-the solemn elephant, the browsing deer, the wild pigeon, whose fluttering caravan darkens the sky; the merry squirrel, who bounds from branch to branch, in the joy of his life; has he seen all this-does he see it every year, month and day does he live, and move and think in this atmosphere of wonder-himself the greatest wonder of all, whose smallest fibre and faintest pulsation is as much a mnystery as the blazing glories of Orion’s beltand does he still maintain that a miracle is contrary to experience?

If he has, and if he does, then let him go, in the name of Heavren, and say it is contrary to experience that the augfust Power which turns the clods of the earth into the daily bread of a thousand million of souls could feed five thousand in the wilderness.” Alike graphic and truthful.

But still the stern decree remains, ” In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread.” If wit consider the bsou,:~ties of nature, as 2 I I .9 51 4

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3 kind has never been found in any territory possessed by a single nation.” We are invited to “be just and fear not.” Providence calls us to live, and learn, and labor and prosper. Did time permit me in the second place to enumerate our “civil advantages,” they would be found not less marked than our natural resources. Providence, through our fathers, wrought out for and bequeathed to us the richest legacy in this respect the world has te ever seen. The protection of equal laws, ensuring to every man his civil rights; the power to make our own laws; the voice that every man has in making, altering and amending the laws he is required to respect and obey, ar e all elements of power and greatness.The equality of rank we enjoy opens to each citizen every path to distinction, wealth and usefulness which his disposition and talents prompt him to pursue. The powers of the individual are never wasted in an uncongenial and forced pursuit to which he is doomed by the accident of birth, but the energies of the whole are stimulated by the certainty that each shall receive his just reward. The equal distribution of estates insured by custom as well as law pre vents that accumulation of wealth in the hands of individuals which would lead to repose and indolence, while it secures to the many a sufciency to stimulate them to activity The simplicity and economy of our system of government; the absence of a large standing army and an overgrown navy; our free dom from national debt, the result of the wars and follies of age, which so heavily oppress other nations, save us from oppressive taxation, and enable us to appropriate the hundreds of millions which are thus wrung from others to the increase of our wealth. Our public domain constitutes at once a vast fund for public improvement, and a boundless field for individual effort. It invites to intelligent labor; and in return for tha t hi gh state of cultivation whi c h freemen al one can pro duce, promises to yield a bountiful support for a thousand millions of happy people. But to do this it must be worked, and not skimcrmed; neither must it be poisoned by the tread of any slave, nor bediewed by the reluctant sweat and the scalding tears of unrequited toil.

The existence of this nation has commen ced at a time when the sciences of legislation and political economy are better understood than at any period of the world’s history. The former teaches how the rights and interests of communities may be secured, the other how their labor may be made productive, and their wealth may be augmented. ” The result of the world’s experience on these subjects has been collected and digested from these facts principles have been deduced and established, and the knowledge of themn is beginning to be widely diifused. For lack of this knowledge, anl nations have been for centuries retarded in their improvement, and some have been utter ly crushed under the weight of intolerable evils which they had imnposed upon them selves.”’ “We are,” says a writer on these ?ubjects, “like the mariner who commtences his voyage with all the charts collected from the experience, often fatal to themnselves, of displayed in the creation of this continent, we shall see that “the progress of other nations is not the standard by which we are to meas ure our own advancement.” “We are a pe culiar people in almost every respect, in the era, the cause s and the circumstances of our origin, and the rapidity of our increase, the extent a nd g eneral fe rtility of our soil, the early and unprecedented achievement of our liberties, the principles and organiz atio n of our G-o vernment, and theisolation of our p o si tion.” Reason teaches us toExpect greater and far d ifferent results from those which have been witnessed in other times and in other countries. “The wi ld i m agi nings of our fath ers at the establishment of o ur indc ep en dence were ta e rr th an the realities w e now behold.” Tim e will not permit me to mention, much ; les s to dwell u pon, the sure data of our fu ture p rogres s, drawn not from view of the omnusty past, but from the livilng present. In passing, I wi ll indica t e a few of them on ly, and that by c la sses rather than in detail. F i rst. Our b aatural advantages. The ex.

tent of ou r t e rrit ory, computed in acres, stags gers ou r powers of enumeration. In miles it swells to a size we can scarcely grasp in our con cepti on. W e m ea sure it by degrees, and bound it by ocea ns and zones.

Less than one third of it is sufficiently reclaimed from the wildern ess t o ad mit th e o rganization of State G ove rnments upon it, while the portion alrea dy se t tled and cultivated could advantageously sust a in a population ten times as dense as that by which it is now occupied. No equal porti on o f t h e ea rth present s less l and unimpr ovabl e by t he h a nd of man. “Even the mountains which are dotted over it enhance its value.” They contai n beneath their rugge d rocks inexhaustible stores of min eral wealth, and thus combine with the variety of soil and diversity of climate to furnish fa cilities fbr every species of manufacture, and invite to diversified and skillful labor. Our rivers, which intersect every, district, and inter lock the limbs of our confederacy, are une qualed for numberrs, extent and magnificence by the streams of the Old World. The Mis souri river,although reckoned as one of the trib utaries of the Mississippi, is navigable for 2, 750 miles. These great continental arteries present natural channels of intercommunica tion which invite and foster commerce, and which bring our inland valleys into proximity to the seaboard. Our coasts, stretching thou sands of miles, indented with numberless bays and commodious harbors,. seem formed by the hand of Providence for the use of a peo ple who were to traffic with the whole world upon the exuberance of the resources of this continent as developed by our own handi craft. “‘Our isolated position is another singular natural advantage which we enjoy.” “We are far removed by intervening oceans from those Powerful nations who, by disturbing our borders, appropriating our possessions, or threatening our liberties, might divert a per tionm of our efforts anld resources firomn the ad vancement of our wealth to the defence of oulr territory.” ” Natural advantages formn the basis of per Ilnanenlt national wealth and power.”? i’And such a uniors of important advalntages of this’. 4 1 t io I I i I 7

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4 earlier navigators. With these we can steer a more direct and less dangerous course.” 3. Kntowledge.-” There must be knowledge and the general diffusion of knowledge to enable any nation to avail itself of its resouices.” Natural advantages and civil privileges would be, to an ignorant people, what sunlight is to the blind or music to the deaf. It has been well said that “knowledge is the divining rod which points to the hidden mines of wealth; it is the key which unlocks the treasures of darkness.” “Mankind have as yet attained comparatively little mastery over the powers of nature, simply because they but recently set themselves diligently to inquire into her secrets.” The result of future discoveries in the arts and sciences upon the increase of our national wealth, and power will be, if we may judge from the past,truly incalculable. Present discoveries are already producing wonderful results. Popular education and the cheap and general diffusion of useful knowledge will lead to other and importat discoveries. Both these agents exist, and are in progress towards higher perfection and greater achievement in the usful arts than have yet been produced. 4. The spirit of enterprise which characterizes our people is not less marked than are our natural advantages, our civil privileges, or our educational facilities. This characteristic has drawn forth the highest encomiums from the statesmen and philosophers of other countries.

If its future triumphs are to be measured by its past success, we have the strongest guaranty of the future. The rapid strides of our infancy in arts, agriculture, roads, canals, railroads, telegraphs, manufactures and commerce, furnish the strongest guaranties for the ultimate full development of all our resources. The trade of two western cities increased in 16 years of their infancy ending 1835, from two thousand tons, to one million one hundred and eighty-seven thousand seven hundred and sixty tons. Twenty-five years has sufficed to spread a complete net work of railroads over the old States and they are now stretching out their iron tendrils to all the new States and Territories, gad another decade will find the continent bound fast in iron ba nds fr om ocean to ocean. The commerce of Asia and the Chinese seas mingling with the golden harvests of the Pacific slope, shall meet the products of eastern skill and handicraft midway on the continent. If, then, we consider our natural advantages, our wide territory, the extensive natural arteries running through it, our civil advantages, the diffusion of knowledge, the boundless spirit of enterprise that is still forming chains of artificial intercommunication, and communicating intelligence from post to post on the *wings of lightning, our perfect freedom of trade with each other ”

it is lnot unreasonable to conclude that the day is not far distant when our internal commerce alone will equal the present amount of commerce of the whole world.” Such, briefly, is the field, and if the imperfect sketch so hastily given, has brought it sufficiently before you for our present discussion,you will follow me to our main enquiry: Vhat system of labor shall occupy this field2 What system shall prove itself adequate to its necessarily rapid anid comn lete develomenlt? Is it the voluntary or the involuntary system? Can the unskillful, unrequited toil of the dec graded African work out our destiny for us? Or does it require the all-conquering energies of the Anglo-Saxon race? Can the fear of the lash upon minds degraded, and sensibilities blunted, move human muscles to:the accomplishment of t his gre at wo rk? Or does it require the omnipresent, unceasing p ower of hope? Capital and labor are the grea t inst r uments, and int e lli gence the necessary direction for s u ch physica l pr ogres s. In this sense money and muscle move the world! Money and muscle are th e driving wheels that drag o n the car of progress. Motive is the fi re, and the hope of reward is the expansibility of the steam. Intel ligence with one h and upon the ” valve,” and the oth er upon the ” brakes,” looks out sharply for ” smash ups.-‘ Let us briefly contrast the two systems with reference to their powers of development a nd their adaptation to the field before us. It is no t my purpose to discuss t he human i ta rian view of the subject, nor yet to enter upon tihe highrer fields of i ts moral and religious relations. These have and will hereafter receive abler treatment at other hands than I could give them, even did time permit me to enter upon so important an en quir y. It is a s a question of Political economy-an elemen t o f physical power and development, I am to con sider it. Let all section al animosity and all part y prejudice be laid as ide!

I have nothing to say for or against an y section or any party! I speak fo r a continentq I -se e k a power ade-p quate to a task, commensurate with our destiny. As mo ral and rel igious relation s are the mos t essential elements of national and individual prosperity, I readily admit that a much higher and stronger argument might be drawn from at o e tna that sourc e than any that I shall or can present from my l ow er field of enquiry. But my present purpose will be sufficiently accomplished by an examination of the principles upon which the two conflicting systems rest, and the practical results of their historical development. First-The elements of the two systems. The discussion of this subject has forced itself upon us, perhaps, prematurely, by the vigorous struggle already commenced between the two systems, for the possession of this continent.

Practically they cannot mingle! And therefore each would “crush the other out.” Each demands expansion as a necessary element of its vigor. Each succeeding day increases the necessity for it. On the one side, is enlisted two thousand millions of property, so called, backed by the prejudices of caste and race, and the habits of generation,s. On the other side its involved free homes for the millions and all that is necessary to their life, or ennobling to their labor. In proportion as experience has made it more certain that the two systems could not mingle and work harmoniously and vigorously sifle by side, have wise men foreseen that soonler or later a struggle must ensue. It is upon us sooner than the -wisest could have a~nticipated. The first open manifestation of the strife was ill Kansas=  The “Lexington,” the “;Bunker Hill” of the contest. while the ” Yorktown” mar lee ikr in IP” “I 4 v I i

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5 suit from its being permitted to exist, however Providence may over-rule it for his own glory and the welfare of one or both of the races, it is as certain to come to] an end as the throne of the Eternal is to continue forever, and for the same reason. God will subdue all things to himself.

Either the “Golden rule” must be repealed, or all such systems of injustice must sooner or later come to an end. It is also in its very nature, as antagonistic to the real freedom of the State, as it is unjust and oppressive to its immediate victims. It tends directly to foster privileged classes. It would make  the State an oligarchy. Itis restless under its own inherent weakness and decrepitude. It seizes what it fondly dreamed was the cheapest system of labor; and when it finds it the dearest of all labor it attributes its want of success to all causes except the right one. Outstriped in the race of improvement it alternates between Nullification and Disunion, but still fails to see the cause of its failure. The other system is based upon Heaven’s great law-that every man shall reap what he sows; every man receive the result of his own exertions-the reward of his own toil. Its policy is to have, as far as may be” every man own the soil he works, and every man work the soil he owns.

This tends directly to make all labor skillful, and to increase the productiveness of the soil. This secures the competency essential to personal independence, and makes every man who thus enjoys the comforts of a home and the protection of his property and his civil rights, not only a contented citizen, but a resolute defender of a just and free government that secures to him and all others such ample protection. For purposes of defense, they are the best of all soldiers. They are thrice armed in that they know their quarrel just, and the cause is their own. Who ever heard of the freemen of Vermont raving about nullification or disunion? They are at once the freest and most conservative people on the globe. Under such a system we might expect to find our people comparatively prosperous, contented and happy. But we are not left to conjecture on the subject. If we look at the practical working of the two systems, the contrast is everywhere most striking. It is apparent to the most superficial observer.

The traveler does not need to be shown the State lines, or to be told where the one system begins or the other ends. It is shown in the aggregate results, and in every part of the details. At the close of each decade, a new census speaks with increasing emphasis. It is shown in the relative population, in their comparative comfort and happiness, in the aggregate productions, in the educational statistics,” but most of all in the appearance of the blighted fields. Mother earth cries out constantly and mournfully against this sacrilege. But this need not rest upon mere statement or upon interested or prejudiced winesses. Let those love be summoned to the stand who practice this expensive anud inadequate system, and their testimony, even before a jury of its supporters will demonstrate, that its weakness andl imbecility is only equaled bJy its inherent wickedness. the distance. Th e strug gle f or the pre sent and perhaps for many years to come, may be for our Territories alone, and per h ap s th e Central Americ an an d M exican States. Bu t so on er or later t he ove rshadowing power of the on e must encroach upon t he ac tual occupations of the other, and then will th e struggle be inev itable, destructive in its progress and decisive in its results. Meanwhile, the spirit of slavery has already changed her front. S he n o longer asks for quarter as a necessary and temporary evil, but ‘boldly claims to be one of the necessary elements of a higher civilization. She arrogates to herself a Divine origin, and boldly makes her appeal to the “Bible.” In proportion to her assumptions and her arrogance, has her insolence towards the free labor of the country increased, until she characterizes all laborers alike, black and white, as the “mud-sills” of society. Her arrogance, her assumptions, and her bold appeal to the ” Bible,” may be alike the result of her fears, or her supposed necessities, and not of her convictions or her choice. Certainly “The spirit of slavery never seeks refuge in the Bible of its own accord. The horns of the altar are its last resort-seized only in desperation, as it rushes from the terror of the avenger’s arm.

Like ether unclean spirits, it’ hateth the lignt, neither cometh to the light, lest its deeds should be reproved.’ Goaded to frenzy in its’colaflicts with conscience and common sense, defied all quarter, and hunted romi every covert, it vaults over the sacred inclosure, and courses up and down the Bible, seeking rest and finding none. The law of love, glowing on every page, flashes around it an omnipresent anguish and despair. It shrinks from the hated light, and howls under the consuming touch, as demons quailed before the Son of God, and shrieked;’ Torment us not.’ At last, it shrinks away under the types of the Mosaic system, and seels to burrow out of sight among their shadows. Vain hope! Its asylum is its sepulchre; its city of refuge, the city of destruction. It flies from light into the sun, from heat into devouring fire, and from the voice of God into the thickest of his thunders.” Slavery would make this continent her trophy. Perhaps she may find it her tomb! Never before has two conflicting systems marshalled such transcendent power to contend for so great a prize. In proportion to the magnitude of the interests involved and the strength of the forces engaged, should be the moderation, dignity, fairness and thoroughness of the discussion. We should remember that the southern people are our brethren, our equals, and that our highest duty as citizens is to preserve the inheritance bequeathed to us by our’

forefathers and to tfulfill every obligation toward them with fidelity and kindness. But we ought to feel, and in all proper waits, and on all suitable occasions, to show, w~e are men, not slaves, or traitors, or cowards that w^Ie kaow our rights and dare maintain them. I have said that the twteo systems rest upon entirely different principles. The one is a system of force. It is based on physical force and power, and not on justice. ligt, not riqh~t lis its law. And whatever oon( r < ,A , -k A It 4, I

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6 trate of South Carolina, Governor Hammond, before the South Carolina Institute, the following exposition: “According to the best calculations which, in the absence of statistic facts, can be made, it is believed#that, of the three hundred thousand wthite inhabitants of South Carolina, there are not less than fifty thousand whose industry, such as it is, is not, in the present condition of things, and does not promise, hereafter, to be, adequate to procure them, honestly, such a support as every white person in this country is, and feels himself entitled to. “

Some cannot be said to work at all. They obtain a precarious subsistence by occasional jobs, by hunting, by fishing, sometimes by plundering fields or folds, and too often, by what is, in its effects, far worse-trading with slaves, and seducing them to plunder for their benefit.” This is the witness who talks fiippantly about the “mud sills” of society in the Free States; and yet by his own testimony it app e a r s that not less than one-s ixth of th e white inhabitants in his own State, are from necessity.

either paupers or thieves. DE Bow’s Review says: “It is too obvious to require extended illustration, that the slow advance of our population mainly arises from the impoverished condition of our lands. As lands become exhausted, the returns are not only small and unremunerating, but crops become uncertain, from casualties and vicissitudes of season, subsistence more precarious, and obtained at greater cost. The striking fact that those districts possessing naturally the best soils are almost stationary in population, while districts of inferior soils naturally are filling up, shows not only the exhausted state of the soil in the former, but proves that the character of slave labor. and the system of cultivation adopted, are unfriendly to density of population. T”he exhaustion of our lands, above alluded to, is further evinced by the fact that, in the last thirty years, they have remained generally stationary in price, and, in many instances, have actually declined. Another fact, very significant of this truth, is the regularly increased amount of lands cultivated in different crops per hand, particularly in cotton, while the amount produced is proportionably less.” And again, the business committee of the South Carolina Agricultural Society reported, August 9, 1855: “Our old fields are enlarging, our homesteads have beendecreasing fearfullyinnumber.” “We are not only losing some of our most energetic and useful citizens to supply the bone and sinew of other States, but we are losing our slave population, wh.ch is the true wealth of the State; our stocks of hogs, horses, mules. and cattle, are diminishing in size and decreasing in number; and our purses are strained for the last cent to supply their places from the northwestern States.” Before the revolutionary war, Georgia and Virginia both made it the special ground of complaint against “King George,” that by thrusting slaves upon the colonies, he had excluded free white laborers, and by checking in this way the influx of laborers and mechanics, prevented the healthffl growth and prosperity so much desired. Anid as late as 1832, in a debate iii the Virg,inial Legislature, the -lion. Chas. J. Faulkner, then a member of that body and now a member of Coles r ongress from that State, and one of tlic Strongest advocates of making Kan sas a Slave State, in reference to the eastern portion of that State sending their slaves into its western portion, said: “Uniformity in political views and feelings and inter ests, in all parts of this widely extended State would, I admit, be extreme ly desirable, but th at unifo rmri ty is pur chased at too deai a rate, when the bold and intrepid fores t ier of the West must yield to the slothful and degraded African; and those hills and valleys which until now have reechoed with the songs and industry of freemen, shall have become converted into desolation and barren ness by the withering footsteps of slavery. Sir, it is to avert any such possible consequcdnces to mly country, that 1, one of thle humblest, but not the least determined of the Westernl delegation, have raised my voice for eman cipation. Sir, tax oulr lands villify oulr country carry the sword of extermination through our defenceless X;illages, but spare u1s, I implore youl, spare us the curse of slavery, that bitterest drop from the chalice of thle destroyinlg angel.” In1 the same debate Mr. Mafrshall said. ” It is not for the sake of the slave, nom ameliorate his condition, that abolition is dlesirabule.

Wherefore then object to slavery? Because it-is ruinous to the whites retards improvemnent-roots out an industrious population banishes the yeomanry of the country deprives the spinner, the weaver, the smith, the shloe~mak; er th~e ca::pentler, of emp)loymen t and support. sphere is Labor of every species is disreputable. because performed by slaves. Our towns are stationary, our villages almost everywhere declining and the general aspect of the country marks t he cur se of a wasteful idle and reckless population.” In the same deba te fr. Boling said - “The system of slavery drives from us the laboring man, the honest and dustrious poor. *

The small freeholdersare driven off also. * The sparseness of the white population appears almost an in. surmountable obstacle in the way of the edu catio n of their children. If we tur n our eyes to th at par t o f o ur c ount ry wh ich lies below the mountains, and particularly below our views, it seems as if some judgment of Hea ven had pas sed over it and sear ed i t. Fields o nce cultivated are waste and de solate. The eye is no longer cheered by the rich verdure that decked i t in other days. No, sir but fatigued by an interminable wilderness of worn-out, gullied, piny old fields.” In the same discussion Mr. Brodnax said: ‘ That slavery in Virginia is an evil, and a transcendant evil, it would be idle, and more than idle for any human being to deny. Many of the finest portions of her terrritory, originally, now exhibit scenes o f wi de spread desola tio n an d d ecay. Wh o can doubt that it is principally slavery that is at the b ottom of it all?” Mr. Moore said: ” The very spot whe re our ancestors landed about two hundred years ago. appears to be on the eve of again becoming the haunt of wi ld animals.” Mr. Bruce said: “Our soil is almost everywhere exhausted. Its character is writte in in indelible letters, on every side, in the commonweal th; he who runs may read, and the traveler needs no int erpreter to tell him th at all is ba rrenness and desolation.” Add re s sing a Virginian audie nce, in a late speech, Gov. Wise, in language as graphic as it is truthful, says: “

Commerce has long ago spread her sails and sailed away from you. You have not as yet dug more than coal enoughto warm yourselvesatyour own he arths.

You have s e t no tilt-hamnmer of Vulcan to strike blows worthy of gods in your own iron foundries. Yo u have not ye t spun more than coarse cotton enough, in the way of manufacture, to clothe your own slaves. You have no commerce, no mining, no manufoa,ures. You have relied oni the single powe r of agricultfhe, a n d 8such arichultare! Your sedge-patches outshine the sun. Your inattention to your only source of wealth has se a red the very bosoma of mother earth. Instea d of h av ing to feed cattle upon a thousand hills, you have had to chas e the stump tailed steer through the sedge-patches to procure a tough beef,.steak. The present state of things has existed too long in Virginia. The landlord has skinned the tenant, and the tenant has skinned the land, until all have grown poor~ together.” The Richmond Eyxaminer says: “We haveCause to feel deeply for our situation.

Philadelphia herself contains a population far greater than the whole free population of eastern Virginia. The little State of Massachusetts has an aggregate wealth exceeding that of Virginia by more than $126,000,000.”

Twenty years earlier the elder Ritchie said: ” Something must be done, and it is the part of no honest man to deny it-ofno free press to conceal it.

When this dark population is growing upon us; when every new census is but gathering its appalling numbers upon us; when within a period equal to thatin which this Federal Constitution has been in existence, these numbers will increase to more than two millions within Virginia; when our sister States are closing their doors upon our blacks for sale, and when our whites are moving westwardly in greater numbers than we like to hear of;when this, the fairest land on all this continent for soil, and climate, and situation, combined, might become a sort of garden spot, if it were worked by the hands of white men alone;-can w e, ought we, to sit quietly down, fold our arms and say to each other, well, well, this thing will not come to the worst in our days-wewill leave it to our children, and our grand-children and great grand children, to take care of themselves and to brave the storm! Is this to act like wise men? Means, sure, but gradual, systemiiatic but discreet, ought to be adopted for reducing the mass of evil which is pressing upon the South, and will still more press upon her the longer it is lput off. We say now, in the utmost sincerity of our hearts, that our wvisest men cannot give too much of their attention to the subject, nor can they give it too soon.” I have purposely introduced none but the testimony of’ those interested, who use and still sustain thle system, to avoid all appearance of prejudice and ulnfairness in the discussion. Thlus far, at least, in our inquiries, has “Northern tanatimisIm been silent, I might multiply these proofs to any extent, but time will not p)ermit. Nor can I trespass upon your patience at tlhis hotte hourl to enumerate the triumrtphs of I I 4 ,f #I i

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7 Need I detain this audience to tell them what free labor has achieved in your own beloved New England? Would you learn its triumphs, look about you. These mountains yield their treasures to its magic touch! Your hill-sides are clothed in living green! Behold these valleys! I need not tire your ear with words. Nor need you tax your eyes with reading. Rather behold its triumphs in characters of living light. The lowing of your cattle and the bleating of your flocks echo through all these valleys and over all these hills! Your once bar ren so.il in this comparatively severe climate, now groans beneath the abundance it is forced, to yield. Shall I point you to the Middle States? or yet to the West? The same re sults are seen. Indeed I might almost say there is no west. The west is only an en larged New England. Those monstrous iron beasts that go screaming through the land de vour up intervening distances, and “wed all our distant cities.” They take up the very bowels of western mountains, the coal, the iron, the copper, and quickly cast them into the very fires of the New England furnaces. The cattle of a thousand hills travel’in their stables at the rate of twenty miles an hour to ward our city slaughter-houses, that a hungry world may receive their “I meat in due season.” Western graneries empty their contents into eastern storehouses. While all your manu factories diffthse the products of their skill and handicraft through all the veins and arteries of the Republic. The very lords of the involun tary system are dependent upon the skill of our free artisans for most of their luxuries. A southern writer has graphically described this process: “See him rise in the morning from a northern bed and clothe himselfin northern apparel; see him walk across the floor on a northern carpet, and perform his ablutions out of a northern basin and ewer. See him un cover a box of northern powder, and clean his teeth with a northern brush: see him reflect his physiognomy in a rorthern mirror, and arrange his hair with a northern comb; see him dosing himself with medicaments of north ern quacks. and perfuming his handkerchief with north ern cologne; see him referring to the time in a northern watch, and glancing at the news in a northern gazette; seehimand his family sitting in northern chairs, and singing and praying out of northern books see him at the breakfast table, saying grace over a northern plate, eating with northern cutlery, and drinkingfrom northern utensils; see him charmed with the melody of a northern piano, or musing over the pages of a northern novel; see him riding to his neighbor’s in a northern carriage or furrowing his lands with a northern plough; see him lighting his cigar with a northern match, and flogging his negroes with a northern lash; see him with northern pen and ink, writing letters on northern paper and sending them away in northern envelopes, sealed with northern wax, and impressed with a northern seal.” Did time permit us to examine the actual sta tistics, the result of these two systems minute ly, we should find that although that portion of the country worked by involuntary labor had the advantage in extent, variety and rich ness of soil-the advantage in climate and po sition-yet she has contributed little to the progress of the arts and sciences-little to the cause of morality and religion. And while she is comparatively destitute of manufactories and commerce, her yearly agricultural products faii far below th ose produced by her rival,upon a more barren soil, and under a severer cli mnate. We are told that ” Colton ist IEinc].” The statistics show that (]ra~ss “its Sexte.” “There were in 1850, in the free States, 877,000 farms, containing 10S,000,000) acres, valued at $82,143,000,000; being about ~;20 per acre. The products of these farmsa amount ede to more thlan $860,(}00,000. Thrtl-e were in the s l ave States, 564,000 f arms, co ntaining 180,000,000 acres, valued at $1,117,000,000, bein g about $6 p er acre, and the products of these pl anta tion s amoun ted to about $630,000, 000. The farms of the fre e States avera ge d 120 acres; the slave State plantations averaged more than 300 acres. The 34,000 farms of cold, steril e M assachusetts, averaging 99 acrese each, embracing w i,500,000 acres, v alu e d at $32 50
per acre, amounting to $112,o000,000; the 3000000 plantations of South Carolina, ave raging 540 acres each, embracing 16,000,000 of acres, valued at $5 08 per acre, amountin g to $82,d00,000. The farms o f the fr ee States are cultivated by 2,500,000 persons, and yield a production of nearly $8 per acre, and more than $300 per head to each person; the plan tations of the slave States are tilled by more than 3,250,000 persons, and they yield a pro duction of less than, $4 per acre, and less than $200 per head to each person, “Turning from the agriculture of the two sections, let us glance at the manufactures. Here the superiority of the North stands con fessed. In 1850 the North had 94,000 estab lishments; $430,000,000 of capital invested; $465,000,000 of raw material were used; 780, 000 persons were employed; $196,000,000 were paid for labor, and $842,000,000 were produced. The South had only 27,000 estab lishments; $95,000,000 of capital; used $86, 000,000 of raw material; employed 161,00
persons; paid $33,000,000 for labor, and pro duced $165,000,000.

Massachusetts had 8,300 establishments; $83,000,000 of capital; used $86,000,000 of raw material; employed 165, 000 persons; paid $40,000,000
for labor, and produced $151,000,000. South Carolina had only 1,400
establishments; $7,000,000 capital; used $4,900,000 of raw material; emploved 12,000 persons; paid’,$2,300,000 for labor, and produced $9,700,000. The wages of wo men are higher in the cotton mills of Massa chusetts than the wages of men in the iron works of South Carolina. The productiv6 ins dustry of Massachusetts, in manufactures and the mechanic arts, has increased immensely since 1850. It now averages $280 per head.

The productive industry of South Carolina according to De B3ow, is $62 per head.” It has been far from any purpose of mine to excite prejudice or hostility against the people of any portion of our common country. I would have all citizens cherish fraternal feelings and relations. I would invoke you all to live up to the letter and spirit of the ” constitution ” and the “Union.” But I am far from being one of those who deem it necessary to - save the Ugtion ” at each session of Congress, by some fresh violation of the principles upon which it is based. I have enduring faith in our institutions. I have an abiding trust in Providence, who has here raised up an army of skillfill, enterprising and self-relianlt laborers at once the apostles of liberty, and of progress in science arnd the useful arts.

Thle cavaliers had already pitched their tents at Jamnestown, with their chivalry and their dependants in fact the elements of the involuntary system. Its roots were striking deeply on the new continent. Providence would mak~e this thse field of the great strulggle, and of thew final triumph of the onle systeml or the other. Thley are therefore I -A 4 i I 4

4 .1I ‘i, i

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S to be permitted to grow, side by side, and that’ the lesson might be the more impressive, the weaker system takes the better field, while her rival is to take a colder climate and a more barren field. Humanly speaking, intensified thought governs the world. Tyranny often destroys itself by its excesses. Often must the great actors in the drama of life be schooled in affliction and persecution. A few non-conformists could find no peace in all England. They fled to Holland. T-Tn able to enjoy that perfect freedom of worship and conscience they so longed for, they turn their eves to the New World. We behold them on the beach taking their last sad leave of earthly friends, and embarking their little all in a frail craft upon the stormy ocean.Their chief treasures were in Heaven. But their high resolve, their unalterable purpose, and their undying love of civil and religious liberty, contained the gems of a continent’s civilization and many of the most important elements of a world’s progress and history. To them “It was not all of life to live Nor all of death to die.” Their little bark, although driven about by the fierce winds and tossed for months, could no more have been lost than the world could have failed to be created. In fact, though well nigh empty of this word’s goods, it con tained more than all the world beside. It had a pure bible and the spirit of liberty impressed upon the hearts of living men and women. This precious freight is landed upon a barren rock amidst the snows and ice of winter, in a wilderness inhabited by savages. First of all the woods are made vocal with their lofty hymn of praise, as it goes up mingling with the moan of the winds and the roar of the ocean. But precious as was this treasure, these principles, they were not yet purified, refined, and purged from all the dross of intolerence and persecution. They must be replanted again and again, and cultivated and grown on this new virgin soil, and generations must come, and go for 150 years before they could finally culminate in the birth of a great nation to be founded on them.

And when the pe ri od of gestation was passed and the time had fully come, then appeared the immortal De claration of Independence, embracing every rightful element of a free and just govern rnent and overthrowing the foundation of the usurpations and tyrannies, the accumulation of all ages.

Then came not grudgingly and with -doubt and hesitation, but quickly, honestly, firmly, the pledge of fortunes, lives, and sa cred honor for its support, come what might, weal or woe. And although they must en counter the mightiest nation of earth, without an army, without a navy, without arms, with out money, without credit, without discipline, yet there came from every hill and valley, rolling through the whole land, the cry, the inspiring cry, the all conquering cry, “Liber ty or Death!” ” Liberty or Death!! ” To them liberty was life. To them submission oae d eath. And I repeat the care of Providence in the ettlement and early history of the continent is as distinctly seen as is His hand in the creation. Ineed not dwell upon the events of the Revolutionary struggle. They are all familiar as household words. Our v ery children lisp them. They alter n ately retreated and rallied and struggled and hoped on, but despaired never.

Neither could they be conquered. If’they had no shoes they pathed the frozen snow wi th era fe,n mk ed their bare feet, and marked their course with their t rickli ng blood. And when their garments w er e t attere d and worn, and -some of th em riddled with ba lls, and the Government was too poor to supply them or even pay them their wages, God raise d up patri oti c women, who, without pay or reward, or hope of reward, by the labor of their own hands supplied them with garments and with stock ings for their frozen feet. But I will not dwell upon these things: I would rather move you to present duties than excite your sympathies by past sufferings.

Thus, whether we consider the field to be oc cupied, our natural advantages, the extent of territory, our isolated position, our civil priv ileges, the general diffusion of knowledge, the spirit of enterprise, the success that has at tended past efforts, the circumstances attend ing the settlement of the country our origin or history all alike should inspire courage and hope and excite to greater efforts. When this system of involuntary servitude shall disappear, when and by what means this incubus shall be lifted off from the energies of a continent, is known only to the future; but sooner or later, and, as I believe, not re motely, the time of deliverance will come. One remarkable feature has marked our pro gress thus far. Our population, under a steady increase quadruples each half century, and the ratio has been kept up as well since our numbers have become large as when thev were small. Should the present ratio continue, we should have in the year 1900, one hundred millions of, inhabitants, and the year 1950 would find 400, 000,000 of people within our present limits; another fifty years still would produce 1,l600, 000,000, or nearly twice the present popula tion of the globe. I do not say this number will ever be attained. Whether it be physic cally possible to support so many does not now concern me to enquire. But before a century can pass, before we shall have reached one-quarter of this vast number, before we have half what it is possible for the soil to support, we shall cease to have room for ne gro slaves, or the wasteful, thriftless slave cul ture that now disfigures our landscape. Be fore that time, shall have come, he will indeed be regarded as a benefactor ”’ who causes two spears of grass to grow where but one grew betore.” Anld that system of labor will have become intolerable which produces but one ear of corn where ten ought to grow. It will have passed’away. Free labor -will have achieved higher triumphs and entered upon nobler fields. And our beroad land, dotted all over with free and happy homes, and covered’ with teeming millions, will exhibit a higher civilization, and disclose the ripening plans,! and complete the chain of providences, and; vindicate the ways of God to ]Ian.

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