Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker volume 6.djvu/274

Rh dual; no right to property—a human accident; none to his body or soul—the substance of humanity itself. But I fear you do not yet quite understand the difference between the regressive force of slavery at the South, and the progressive force of freedom at the North. Therefore, to see in noonday light the effect of each on the present welfare and the future progress of a people, compare an old typical slave State with an old typical free State, and then compare a new slave State with a new free State. 1. South Carolina contains 29,385 square miles of land; Connecticut, 4674. In 1850, South Carolina had 668,507 inhabitants, whereof 283,523 were free, and 384,984 slaves; while Connecticut had 370,792 inhabitants, all free.

The government value of all the land in South Carolina was $5.08 an acre; in Connecticut it was $30.50 the acre. All the farms in South Carolina contained 16,217,700 acres, and were worth $82,431,684 ; while the farms of Connecticut were worth $72,726,422, though they contained only 2,383,879 acres. Thus Slavery and Freedom affect the value of land in the old States.

In 1850, South Carolina had 340 miles of railroad; and Connecticut 547, on a territory not equal to one-sixth of South Carolina. In 1855, South Carolina had $11,500,000 in railroads ; Connecticut had then $20,000,000.

The shipping of South Carolina amounts to 36,000 tons; in Connecticut, to 125,000, though she is not advantageously situated for navigation.

The value of the real and personal property in South Carolina, in 1850, was estimated by the Federal Government at $288,257,694. This includes the value of all the slaves, who, at $400 apiece, amount to $153,993,600. Subtracting this sum, which is neither property in land nor thing, but wholly unreal and fictitious, there remains $134,264,094 as the entire property of the great slave State; while the total valuation of the land and things in Connecticut, in 1850, was $155,707,980. In other words, in South Carolina, 670,000 persons, with 30,000 square miles of land, are worth $134,000,000 ; while in Connecticut, 370,000 men, with only 4600 square miles of land, are worth $156,000,000. Thus do Slavery and Freedom affect the general wealth of the people in the old States.