ned and
cemented, if you like the expression, with the blood of kidnapped
innocents; but loaded with no heavier curses than abolition and its
begotten fanaticisms have brought upon your land--some of them
fulfilled, some yet to be. But besides the first cost of the slave, he
must be fed and clothed, well fed and well clothed, if not for
humanity's sake, that he may do good work, retain health and life, and
rear a family to supply his place. When old or sick, he is a clear
expense, and so is the helpless portion of his family. No poor law
provides for him when unable to work, or brings up his children for our
service when we need them. These are all heavy charges on slave labor.
Hence, in all countries where the denseness of the population has
reduced it to a matter of perfect certainty, that labor can be obtained,
whenever wanted, and the laborer be forced, by sheer necessity, to hire
for the smallest pittance that will keep soul and body together, and
rags upon his back while in actual employment--dependent at all other
times on alms or poor rates--in all such countries it is found cheaper
to pay this pittance, than to clothe, feed, nurse, support through
childhood, and pension in old age, a race of slaves. Indeed, the
advantage is so great as speedily to compensate for the loss of the
value of the slave. And I have no hesitation in saying, that if I could
cultivate my lands on these terms, I would, without a word, resign my
slaves, provided they could be properly disposed of. But the question
is, whether free or slave labor is cheapest to us in this country, at
this time, situated as we are. And it is decided at once by the fact
that we can not avail ourselves of any other than slave labor. We
neither have, nor can we procure, other labor to any extent, or on any
thing like the terms mentioned. We must, therefore, content ourselves
with our dear labor, under the consoling reflection that what is lost to
us, is gained to humanity; and that, inasmuch as our slave costs us more
than your free men costs you, by so much is he better off. You will
promptly say, emancipate your slaves, and then you will have free labor
on suitable terms. That might be if there were five hundred where there
now is one, and the continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, was as
densely populated as your Island. But until that comes to pass, no labor
can be procured in America on the terms you have it.

While I thus freely admit that to the in