ANTI-SLAVERT SOCIETY. 331 



lions of white freemen ; and in the next fifty years, Virginia 

 would contain twenty millions of happy human beings. 



As a state, it is our interest, in Ohio, to have slavery continu- 

 ed in the slave-holding states, for a century yet, otherwise our 

 growth would be checked. The broad and deep streams of 

 wealth, numbers, enterprise, youth, vigor, and the very life 

 blood of the slave holding states, now rolling into Ohio like 

 mighty floods, would be stnyed; and even roll back to their 

 sources, rendering those states, not merely our equals, but 

 even our superiors, in numbers, wealth and political power. 

 No. We have adopted a policy which, for a century yet, requires 

 slavery in the states south of us, to be continued, until they 

 become deserts, (that is none of our business) while we have 

 twelve millions of people in Ohio; until, indeed, this whole 

 state, becomes one vast, lovely paradise: all cultivated, inter- 

 sected every where, by roads and canals; covered with cities 

 and their splendid domes. No; let slavery be continued 

 where it is, during the next century, at least. Bat, let that 

 subject, be freely discussed, though, by whoever pleases to dis- 

 cuss it, either in Ohio or elsewhere. Let the law reign, and 

 our people be free forever. No; never will we whisper a word, 

 that any old Virginia nabob shall hear, advising him to abolish 

 slavery in that most splendid of all countries in the world, 

 wherein to build up manufactures, and make that state more 

 populous than Great Britain is at this time. 



The secret of our growth, in all that is desirable, must be 

 kept a profound secret among ourselves. With such views 

 of this subject, where is the patriotic citizen of this most pros- 

 perous of all states ever founded, on the surface of this earth, 

 who would wish to stay its growth or, even check its prosperi- 

 ty? No; let slavery be continued for a century at least, and 

 our descendants will go and settle in the now slave holdingr 

 states, as forests, and make them, what they will not be until 

 then. 



