按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ll parts of the country； who hasten to profit by the fresh resources which are then opened to industry。 The soil is soon divided amongst them； and a family of white settlers takes possession of each tract of country。 Besides which； European emigration is exclusively directed to the free States； for what would be the fate of a poor emigrant who crosses the Atlantic in search of ease and happiness if he were to land in a country where labor is stigmatized as degrading？
Thus the white population grows by its natural increase； and at the same time by the immense influx of emigrants； whilst the black population receives no emigrants； and is upon its decline。 The proportion which existed between the two races is soon inverted。 The negroes constitute a scanty remnant； a poor tribe of vagrants； which is lost in the midst of an immense people in full possession of the land； and the presence of the blacks is only marked by the injustice and the hardships of which they are the unhappy victims。
In several of the Western States the negro race never made its appearance； and in all the Northern States it is rapidly declining。 Thus the great question of its future condition is confined within a narrow circle； where it becomes less formidable； though not more easy of solution。
The more we descend towards the South； the more difficult does it become to abolish slavery with advantage： and this arises from several physical causes which it is important to point out。
The first of these causes is the climate； it is well known that in proportion as Europeans approach the tropics they suffer more from labor。 Many of the Americans even assert that within a certain latitude the exertions which a negro can make without danger are fatal to them； *o but I do not think that this opinion； which is so favorable to the indolence of the inhabitants of southern regions； is confirmed by experience。 The southern parts of the Union are not hotter than the South of Italy and of Spain； *p and it may be asked why the European cannot work as well there as in the two latter countries。 If slavery has been abolished in Italy and in Spain without causing the destruction of the masters； why should not the same thing take place in the Union？ I cannot believe that nature has prohibited the Europeans in Georgia and the Floridas； under pain of death； from raising the means of subsistence from the soil； but their labor would unquestionably be more irksome and less productive to them than to the inhabitants of New England。 As the free workman thus loses a portion of his superiority over the slave in the Southern States； there are fewer inducements to abolish slavery。
＇Footnote o： This is true of the spots in which rice is cultivated； rice…grounds； which are unwholesome in all countries； are particularly dangerous in those regions which are exposed to the beams of a tropical sun。 Europeans would not find it easy to cultivate the soil in that part of the New World if it must be necessarily be made to produce rice； but may they not subsist without rice…grounds？＇
＇Footnote p： These States are nearer to the equator than Italy and Spain； but the temperature of the continent of America is very much lower than that of Europe。
The Spanish Government formerly caused a certain number of peasants from the Acores to be transported into a district of Louisiana called Attakapas； by way of experiment。 These settlers still cultivate the soil without the assistance of slaves； but their industry is so languid as scarcely to supply their most necessary wants。＇
All the plants of Europe grow in the northern parts of the Union； the South has special productions of its own。 It has been observed that slave labor is a very expensive method of cultivating corn。 The farmer of corn land in a country where slavery is unknown habitually retains a small number of laborers in his service； and at seed…time and harvest he hires several additional hands； who only live at his cost for a short period。 But the agriculturist in a slave State is obliged to keep a large number of slaves the whole year round； in order to sow his fields and to gather in his crops； although their services are only required for a few weeks； but slaves are unable to wait till they are hired； and to subsist by their own labor in the mean time like free laborers； in order to have their services they must be bought。 Slavery； independently of its general disadvantages； is therefore still more inapplicable to countries in which corn is cultivated than to those which produce crops of a different kind。 The cultivation of tobacco； of cotton； and especially of the sugar…cane； demands； on the other hand； unremitting attention： and women and children are employed in it； whose services are of but little use in the cultivation of wheat。 Thus slavery is naturally more fitted to the countries from which these productions are derived。 Tobacco； cotton； and the sugar…cane are exclusively grown in the South； and they form one of the principal sources of the wealth of those States。 If slavery were abolished； the inhabitants of the South would be constrained to adopt one of two alternatives： they must either change their system of cultivation； and then they would come into competition with the more active and more experienced inhabitants of the North； or； if they continued to cultivate the same produce without slave labor； they would have to support the competition of the other States of the South； which might still retain their slaves。 Thus； peculiar reasons for maintaining slavery exist in the South which do not operate in the North。
But there is yet another motive which is more cogent than all the others： the South might indeed； rigorously speaking； abolish slavery； but how should it rid its territory of the black population？ Slaves and slavery are driven from the North by the same law； but this twofold result cannot be hoped for in the South。
The arguments which I have adduced to show that slavery is more natural and more advantageous in the South than in the North； sufficiently prove that the number of slaves must be far greater in the former districts。 It was to the southern settlements that the first Africans were brought； and it is there that the greatest number of them have always been imported。 As we advance towards the South； the prejudice which sanctions idleness increases in power。 In the States nearest to the tropics there is not a single white laborer； the negroes are consequently much more numerous in the South than in the North。 And； as I have already observed； this disproportion increases daily； since the negroes are transferred to one part of the Union as soon as slavery is abolished in the other。 Thus the black population augments in the South； not only by its natural fecundity； but by the compulsory emigration of the negroes from the North； and the African race has causes of increase in the South very analogous to those which so powerfully accelerate the growth of the European race in the North。
In the State of Maine there is one negro in 300 inhabitants； in Massachusetts； one in 100； in New York； two in 100； in Pennsylvania； three in the same number； in Maryland； thirty…four； in Virginia；