IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 271 



well as profit, roads, bridges, school-houses and churches 

 completed all these things are creditable to us, as we are 

 now an industrious, thriving, intelligent, moral and reli 

 gious people. Such I have seen to be the fruits of free 

 labour; and whereas in those days money to borrow 

 could scarcely be met with, I know that the rural popu 

 lation of 4000, now living round this place, have at least 

 a million of dollars lent, and at interest.&quot; 



&quot; This is the fearful ordeal which the growers of wheat 

 by slave-labour, in Maryland and Virginia, dread to 

 encounter ; though experience proves it to be the sure 

 way to independence, comfort, and wealth. 



The people of the State of New York, generally, are 

 of the opinion of my friend Dr Beekman ; though they 

 differ, of course, as to the steps which the General Con 

 gress of the Union can or ought to take with a view to 

 the abolition of slavery in the sister States. In the 

 Keport of a Select Committee of the House of Kepresen- 

 tatives of the State of New York, presented to the Legis 

 lature in February 1849, it is declared, that &quot; the insti 

 tution of slavery is contrary to nature ; is in violation of 

 the sense of right planted in our hearts by the Author 

 of our being ; and is in contravention of the law by 

 which the voluntary exertions of individual man become 

 the means of general advancement.&quot;- &quot; It degrades 

 labour, the great source of national wealth ; it paralyses 

 industry, represses the spirit of enterprise, keeps all who 

 are subject to its provisions in necessary ignorance, 

 exhausts the fertility of the soil, and impoverishes those 

 who depend upon it for their prosperity.&quot; 



As respects the attempt to repress the discussion of 

 the slavery question, they say &quot; It is alike the privilege 

 and the duty of every citizen to testify against wrong in 

 whatever form it may present itself. Shall the thoughts 

 of a man be stifled in this community on a great moral 

 question ? Is he to stand dumb in the presence of what 



