y to motives of hunainly to consideradiminished the profits eder. It is probable ese motives.

itution was formed, the y excluded from it, alons relate to slaves; but > protect the interests of es that have proved to be that great instrument. The he Northern States, partly is not adapted to their inlife, and partly because of an

on the question of its morhand, the black man could do limate almost prohibited white id was especially useful in the tobacco, sugar, and cotton. Eli on of the cotton-gin in 1793-a s the seeds out of 3,000 pounds of hich before had been done by negro te of one pound a day-increased ery slave in the country, and gave s of empire such as had never before in the western world. So quickly

seen, that before the model was ted the building was broken open at e machine stolen. The invention was oughout the cotton States (the legis but two of which, the Carolinas, gave even a small compensation), and all

2

THE SLAVE TRADE.

[1772.

had slowly expanded the Pilgrim's demand of "liberty for us" into "liberty for all."

The business of buying slaves in Africa and importing them into America was very profitable, and for a long time its moral character was not questioned. That same monarch by whose name we designate our accepted version of the Scriptures, chartered companies to carry on the trade, and took stock in them. William of Orange, who invaded England to restore the liberties of Englishmen, especially fostered the traffic, and declared it was "highly beneficial to the nation." A century and a half ago, the great evangelist, George Whitefield, was compelling a company of slaves to work a plantation for the support of an orphan asylum. In 1760, when the colony of South Carolina passed an act prohibiting the further importation of slaves, the British government refused to sanction it, declaring that the trade was not only beneficial but necessary to the mother country. Virginia met with a similar rebuff when she attempted to place a prohibitory tariff on slave importation in 1772. Indeed, the gov

ernors of the various colonies, in the West Indies as well as on the continent, were commanded by the home government to sanction no law for the restriction of the slave trade. Such a law was passed in Jamaica in 1765, but was vetoed by the governor, who declared that he acted in accordance with his instructions. The opposition to the slave trade, which culminated in its abolition by the United States in 1808, has been attributed by

1793.]

THE COTTON-GIN.

3

the apologists for slavery solely to motives of humanity; by its antagonists, mainly to considerations of thrift, since that trade diminished the profits of the American slave-breeder. It is probable that it arose from both of these motives.

When the Federal Constitution was formed, the word "slave" was carefully excluded from it, although three of its provisions relate to slaves; but an attempt was made to protect the interests of slavery with compromises that have proved to be the weakest portions of that great instrument. The institution died out of the Northern States, partly because slave labor was not adapted to their industries and mode of life, and partly because of an awakening conscience on the question of its morality. On the other hand, the black man could do what the Southern climate almost prohibited white men from doing, and was especially useful in the cultivation of rice, tobacco, sugar, and cotton. Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton-gin in 1793-a machine that takes the seeds out of 3,000 pounds of cotton in a day, which before had been done by negro women at the rate of one pound a day-increased the value of every slave in the country, and gave birth to dreams of empire such as had never before been known in the western world. So quickly was its value seen, that before the model was quite completed the building was broken open at night and the machine stolen. The invention was pirated throughout the cotton States (the legis latures of but two of which, the Carolinas, gave Whitney even a small compensation), and all

4

INSURRECTIONS.

[1822.

attempts to renew the patent were voted down in Congress by the Southern members.

In the same year in which the cotton-gin was invented, a fugitive-slave law was passed by Congress, to carry out that provision of the Constitution by which the return of runaway slaves was guaranteed. In time, as the anti-slavery sentiment grew in the Northern States, one after another of them enacted what were known as personal liberty laws, which were calculated, some directly and some indirectly, to prevent the execution of any law for the reclamation of fugitive slaves. That of Ohio prescribed a heavy penalty for kidnapping a colored person with the intention of taking him out of the State. That of New Jersey granted a jury trial whenever a negro was claimed as a fugitive slave, and excluded the testimony of the alleged owner. That of Pennsylvania forbade any judge or magistrate to take cognizance of any case under the Federal slave act. And so generally of others.

Insurrections of a servile population are naturally to be expected, and it was constantly urged by the friends of slavery that agitation of the question of its rightfulness was liable at any time to produce a murderous outbreak. Many who admitted that the whole system was wrong and unfortunate, considered "the horrors of Santo Domingo" a sufficient argument against all discussion. And yet there were but two such affairs of any importance in the United States. In 1822 Denmark Vesey, an intelligent and educated free negro in

1831.1

INSURRECTIONS.

5

Charleston, planned an insurrection; but the plot was discovered, and Vesey, with thirty-four of his followers, was hanged. In 1831 Nat Turner, a slave of Southampton County, Virginia, who saw visions and dreamed dreams, conceived that he had been chosen by the Lord to lead the blacks out of bondage. Setting out with six men, he undertook to rouse the entire colored population and kill all the whites. The band of insurgents increased as it went, and in two days fifty-five whites were murdered. But the alarm spread rapidly, the planters came riding in from all directions, armed to the teeth, and after a fight the insurgents were overcome. Seventeen negroes were hanged, and others who were suspected were tortured, burned, or shot.

In one respect, these two affairs produced precisely opposite effects. In South Carolina, after Vesey's insurrection, a law was passed forbidding free negroes to reside in the State, and reducing to slavery any black person that should enter it. In pursuance of this, negro sailors, citizens of Massachusetts, employed on vessels entering the port of Charleston, were seized and imprisoned; and when Massachusetts sent a commissioner to lay her protest before the South Carolina authorities, he was ordered to leave that State at once, on peril of his life. On the other hand, Turner's insurrection was followed by a proposition in the Virginia Legislature to abolish slavery; and though this was voted down, it received considerable support from able and earnest men.