Slavery Weakens The Union

Tliat ihe nation is stronger and bette r a■o resist foreign invasión on account of hwoing 2,483, 5G3 slaves, is a proposhion no ensible man will advocate. But it can be fully demonstrated that it weakens our military furcö.ond exposes usgreatly to foreign aggressiona. Every eighth man amonfj the slaves is capsblo of bearing arm9, and in casu of insurrection, would turn out a formidable forcé against our rimes. When the population of the colonies was but a Httle greater than ibe present number of slaves and freeblacks of (bc South, our fathers withstood the force of the British empire for seven years. The Hollanders contended forty years for their liberty, and the SwissfougiiiGO bloody battles before ihey achieved theirs. All lustorj toacbes usihat a people bent on freedom,nnd onco thoroughly aroused for its attainment are not easily subdued. Allowing every fighth man to bo able to use arme, the laves would number more than three hundred thou sand etrong. And in case of rekfllion tbc North would be obliged to put it down. The earniogs of the freemen of the Norlh would be appropriated for reducing to bondage tnen who ivcro trying to becomo free. An ungrateful task, to those who lovo liberty, and yet one ihui we are solemuly bound by the Conetitution to perform. Witö regard to the danger of a servlie ineurteclion, those who are best quaüfied to jodge difter in opinión. Tho multiplied nnd uneensing precautions odopted in the slave States, parlicularly at the extreme South, ond the perpetual plots, cilher real or imsginary, that are said to be concocted ihere, indícate plainly that tho white 'people aro sfraid of sucb a catastrophe. In several States, the slave population already exceeds tlic number of whites, and in msny entire countie8 and large districts of country, the laves are two,threeand four fold as numerOU9&8 the whites. It is not 8urprising,then, that those who tyrannnizc over them, watch the moveme.nts of those whora thoy oppress wilh anxiety and alarm. Ontheother hand, the character of the negro is tnarked by patience, 8ubmi9sion,and bndnesB, eneration, and a dispneition to be easily pleased in any situation; and the fact ibat they have been kept In slavery for more than 200 years; and ncver yet raiscd siiy considerable insurrection, aeems to argue strongly that they witl not ri6e in rebellion in future years, unless stung to marines by insufferable oppression. Dr. Chanxing, who has been personaily acauainted with their characteristics, tells us that all the Southern slaves constantly long for liberty; but that their feciings raiher takes the shape of a hope that the rich boon mll one day come to them, (han a determination to make any pennauent and resolute efforts iorit8 altainment. The lovo oflibertyexislsin every bos.om without cessation; but U dues not exiet in eutHcient strength to prompt to independent &. powerful exertions Such a people might notwilhstanding, when iocited and sustained by a foreign enemy, &&ke a formidable stand against us, and, indeed, bfceome quite unconquerable. Let the Southern negroes obtatn their freedom, en for a few months, and if well supplied "fith arms, Ihey could never bc mduced to throw tfaem away, and once more voluntanly lie down under the lash of the driver. - Shuuld tdey be willing to do this, there would be ás louger bot re neon to fear them.Again, the nation 13 weakened by being deprived of the aid of these very negroeB in time of war. Were they emancipated, and tennnts and owners of the soi), as in the British West Indiea, they would be te strcnuous defenders. They would have an interest in its defenco. There would be no more reason for distrusting tbelr fidelity to the cause of the Union, thati there ia for doubtmg tho loyal feelings of tho refugees in Can ada towarda the British Queen who has receivcd them under her protection. If these things are so- if we are deprived oí ilie services of 300,000 able bodied men who might aid in defending our country - if these 300,000 are kept in such a condition that they are constanlly ready to commence a servile war, or tojoin a foreign invaderas soonasopportunity shall offei - and if, on the happening of either of tücse conlingencie3, every Northern man is [able to be draftcd and sent South to reduce freetnen lo slaves, or to kill them if they refuse to becorae laves - and is moreover liable to a continued taxation for the purpose of carryiog on a war revolting to every feel ng of humanity and justica, in whicli the only alternativo to the negro would be slavery or death- Iet us be no longer told that we of ths free Stales have nothing to do wuh slavery - that it is no concern of oura, and that we have no right even to discussit. In case of a war witu the alavés, the tune of the South would be altogether chonged. They would begin to cry out tor lelp - ir aid from our soldiers - our nation al tioops - our vessols of war - our military BtoreSj and for money io support the expenses of war. Should we bo 'villing to grant all these things to them without discussing the neceesity or rightfulness of that systeai by which their calamities carne upon them? And shall we nol now rather urge them to forsako their oppression, and avoid theso calamitiee?