this is only true of
Northern countries. It is matter of familiar remark that the tendency of
warm climates is to relax the human constitution and indispose to labor.
The earth yields abundantly--in some regions almost spontaneously--under
the influence of the sun, and the means of supporting life are obtained
with but slight exertion; and men will use no greater exertion than is
necessary to the purpose. This very luxuriance of vegetation, where no
other cause concurs, renders the air less salubrious, and even when
positive malady does not exist, the health is habitually impaired.
Indolence renders the constitution more liable to these effects of the
atmosphere, and these again aggravate the indolence. Nothing but the
coercion of slavery can overcome the repugnance to labor under these
circumstances, and by subduing the soil, improve and render wholesome
the climate.

It is worthy of remark, that there does not now exist on the face of the
earth, a people in a tropical climate, or one approaching to it, where
slavery does not exist, that is in a state of high civilization, or
exhibits the energies which mark the progress toward it. Mexico and the
South American Republics,[247] starting on their new career of
independence, and having gone through a farce of abolishing slavery,
are rapidly degenerating, even from semi-barbarism. The only portion of
the South American continent which seems to be making any favorable
progress, in spite of a weak and arbitrary civil government, is Brazil,
in which slavery has been retained. Cuba, of the same race with the
continental republics, is daily and rapidly advancing in industry and
civilization; and this is owing exclusively to her slaves. St. Domingo
is struck out of the map of civilized existence, and the British West
Indies will shortly be so. On the other continent, Spain and Portugal
are degenerate, and their rapid progress is downward. Their southern
coast is infested by disease, arising from causes which industry might
readily overcome, but that industry they will never exert. Greece is
still barbarous, and scantily peopled. The work of an English physician,
distinguished by strong sense and power of observation,[248] gives a
most affecting picture of the condition of Italy,--especially south of
the Appenines. With the decay of industry, the climate has degenerated
toward the condition from which it was first rescued by the labor of
slaves. There is poison in every man's vei