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There are traitors in the North as well as in the South, and there are
abolitionists
in the South as well as in the North. Some of the Southern
abolitionists
have strange views in regard to slavery and its abolition.
Among the rest, the
distinguished son of Grorgia, Hon, Robert Toombs, holds
a prominent place.
His views are clearly stated in the following extract
from one of his speeches on
abolition. In speaking of the negro, he said—
“His condition is not permanent among us, and we may find his exodus in
the unvarying laws of population. Under the conditions of labor in England,
and the continent of Europe, slavery could not exist here, or anywhere else.—
The moment wages descend to a point barely sufficient to support the laborer
and his family, capital cannot afford to own labor, and slavery instantly
ceases. Slavery ceased in England in obedience to this law, and not from any
regard to liberty or humanity. The increase of population will produce the
same result in this country, and American slavery, like that of England, will
find its euthanasy [death] in the general prostration of all labor.
Mr. Toombs believes that slavery will die out, when the wages of white
workingmen are run down so low that “capital cannot afford to
own labor;”
in other words, when free white workingmen are reduced
to the same level as
negro slaves, then the negroes will be set free. We
must make white men and
their families as cheap as negro
slaves! Workingmen! How do you like the
prospect held out to you?
Another traitor, the Richmond Enquirer, in an article
showing the superiority
of “the nigger” over white
men, says—
“Free society is a monstrous abortion, and slavery, the beautiful, healthy,
and natural state of being which they [the South] are trying to adopt.“The slaves are governed far better than the Free laborers of the North.—
Our slaves are not only better off as to physical comfort, than Free Laborers,
but their moral condition is better.”
These are the sentiments advocated by men who are doing their utmost to
destroy the Union, overthrow the institutions of popular freedom, and
reduce
free white workingmen to the same political, social, and moral
condition as their
slaves.
Will the Workingmen of the Union help them any longer?