1858,] OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES.          447

grin, to which youthful minds are subject—should feel an
abiding attachment in riper years, is but natural and practi-
cally true. And when the cares and toils of life come upon
both master and slave in after years, and their united efforts
procure for them an independence against the casualties of
fortune—it is but reasonable, and consistent with this per-
vading law of humanity that the master should do something
for his slave as a token of gratitude for the fidelity and true
allegiance which his slave has borne him.

What shall that something be ? Reasoning for himself, as
though he were in the condition of his slave, he comes to the
conclusion that freedom is the most substantial boon lie can
bestow; and fondly cherishes the hope that his slave will
continue to be the same estimable and worthy freeman that
he has proved himself to be as a slave.

The act is done; the slave goes to himself, and no longer
forms part of that household. He goes out into the world,
to do and act for himself, with spirits elated and a bright fu-
ture before him. It may be that he has a wife and children,
and his master (as is often the case) has given him a house
and land, besides fitting him up for housekeeping, and a rea-
sonable supply of money. The master takes pleasure in all
this, for he remembers their childhood, their youth and ma-
turer years cemented by a thousand tokens of mutual fideli-
ty and acts of kindness towards each other. The slave ap-
preciates the act as a substantive proof of his master's re-
gard, and vows his honor, as the dearest pledge he can give,
for his future sobriety, industry and probity, in the exercise
of his freedom.

This act passes for humanity. Pious divines call it hu-
manity; honorable men call it humane; pathetic persons,
strangers and all classes of society declare it to be a humane
act. The master is satisfied with his deed. The slave, now
free, rejoices in a state of being entirely new, romantic and
undefined; with no cares, duties or responsibilities attending
it, which are not fully merged in the term—Freedom.

Maryland has practised upon this principle of humanity for
the last sixty years, until her free negro population has grown
to 90,000. Virginia has done the same thing, till her num-
ber reaches over 60,000. Delaware now contains one free negro
for every four persons of her entire population. North Ca-
rolina numbers over 30,000 free negroes. These are all
slave-holding States, and ought to know by experience and
observation whether this act of emancipation is really a curse
or a blessing to the negro race. Freedom to him confers no
social or political equality with the white race, and the fatal
delusion soon ends in a return to his native barbarism. He
vitiates the slave, and contaminates the humbler class of