Address to the Non-Slaveholders of the South: on the Social and Political Evils of SlaveryTappan, Lewis
History
Address to the Non-Slaveholders of the South: on the Social and Political Evils of Slavery
Tappan, Lewis
Slavery -- United States
Even this disproportion, enormous as it is, is greatly aggravated in
regard to particular States.
New York gave 455,761 votes, and had 36 electors.
Virginia }
Maryland } gave 242,547 " " 36 "
N. Carolina }
Ohio gave 328,489 " " 28 "
Delaware }
Georgia }
Louisiana }
Alabama } gave 237,811 " " 38 "
Arkansas }
Florida }
Texas }
These facts address themselves to the understanding of all, and prove,
beyond cavil, that the slave States have a most unfair and unreasonable
representation in Congress, and a very disproportionate share in the
election of President.
Nor can these States complain that they are stinted in the distribution
of the _patronage_ of the national government. The rule of _federal
numbers_, confined by the Constitution to the apportionment of
representatives, has been extended, by the influence of the
slaveholders, to other and very different subjects. Thus, the
distribution among the States of the surplus revenue, and of the
proceeds of the public lands, was made according to this same iniquitous
rule.
It is not to be supposed that the slaveholders have failed to avail
themselves of their influence in the federal government. A very brief
statement will convince you, that if they are now feeble and emaciated,
it is not because they have been deprived of their share of the loaves
and fishes.
By law, midshipmen and cadets, at West Point, are appointed according to
the Federal ratio; thus have the slaveholders secured to themselves an
additional number of officers in the Army and Navy, on account of their
slaves.
Reflect for a moment on the vast patronage wielded by the President of
the United States, and then recollect, that should the present incumbent
(General Taylor) serve his full term, the office will have been filled
no less than _fifty-two_ years out of sixty-four by slaveholders![15]
[15] Except one month by General Harrison.
Of 21 Secretaries of State, appointed up to 5th March, 1849, only six
have been taken from the free States.
For 37 years out of 60, the chair of the House of Representatives has
been filled and its Committees appointed by slaveholders.
Of the Judges of the Supreme Court, 18 have been taken from the slave,
and but 14 from the free States.
In 1842, the United States were represented at foreign Courts by 19
Ministers and Charges d'Affaires. Of these fat Offices, no less than 13
were assigned to slaveholders!
Surely, surely, if the South be wanting in every element of
prosperity--if ignorance, barbarity and poverty be her characteristics,
it is not because she has not exercised her due influence in the general
government, or received her share of its honors and emoluments.
PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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