Mr. RITTER. I have no doubt they are as much as they ever will be. The people of the State of Alabama made, in 1860, the following products: Wheat, bn., at 81 I bu Rye, 2bu. at $1 73, 012 Corn, , at 50ct! 7 oats, bu., at 50cts 358, 217 Rice. 499.509lbs, at 10ete Tobacco. at 10cts. “. 2, 128 Cotton, 997, 97b8ales, at 4001btso the bale and at 20cts. $ 79, 838, 240 Value of live stock, including horses, mules, asses, milch cows, working oxen. other cattle, sheep, and swme. 43, 061, 805 Total. 8141.007.371 This ives an average to each person in the State of Alabama, including slaves, of about $146; and if the average is made between the white and free colored persons only it is about $206, against an average of $06 in the State of Illinois. These facts, it seems to me, are sufficient to satisfy the most prejudiced partisan as to which is the most profitable, free or slave labor; but as some persons are never satisfied unless extremes are made to meet, Ibeg to ask attention to a few facts in relation to the States of Massachusetts and SCarolina. Massachusetts had a population in 1860 of White persons. Free colored persons. The assessed value of real estate and personal property in Massachusetts in 1560 was $777, 157, 816, making an average to eachperson in the State of about $631. SCarolina had a population in 1860 of White persons. Free colored. The assessed value of real estate and personal property in SCarolina was in1800 $489, 319, 128, which makes an average to each person in the State, including slaves, of $695; and if the average is made between the white and free colored persons, who were the ownens of the property, the avemgn value to each one. of these will be found to be about $1, 624, against $631 in the State of Massachusetts. In Massachusettsin 1560: Wheat raised. 110.753bu., at 61 "a Rye, 3, !)85 bu. 8119.788 bu. at $1 " Indian corn. 2.151(hiibu"at 50cts." 1.07. 311 Outs, 1, 150, 07b5u., at 50ots. 600, 037 100, 110110 Tobnce o 3.213.21l5bs. at 10cts."5 lbw. 323, 319 Value oflive storkjucluding horses, mules, asses, milch oows, workingoxen, othercut tle .slioop, and swine. 12.737.744 Total sun "nus" This gives an average to each person in the State of Massachusetts of about 2518. SCarolina raised in 1860: Wheat, 1, 235, 63b1n., at 81 $1 ha. y so 31 o,, 091bu., at 89 Corn. 15.01. 6bon6., at 50cts." Outs, 9:16.07b4u., at 50cts.“ 465, Rice, 119, 101,52ib8s, at 10015. 6 11, 910, 052 Tobacco, 104, 11l2bs at 10cts. 10, Cotton, 3:11.41b3ales, counted at 400 be to the halo, and 20cts. lb, is about. 28, 273, 010 Value oflive stock, incluingliorse s, mules, asses.iiiilch cows. working oxen other cattle.sheep and swine. Total. This gives an average to each person in the State of SCarolina, including slaves, of about 104 dollars; and if the average is made between the white and free colored persons only, it will be to each about 243 dollars, against about 13 dollars to each person in the State of Massachusetts. It may be said that Massachusetts is not an agricultural State, and that her wealth and profits arise from her mannfactories. This does not alter the case, as her property is certainly all included in her list of property assessed for taxation, and the some difference exists there. But we are told that the negro will work better and produce more as a free man than they have ever done as slaves. To ascertain what is true, or what we may expect from the colored people that have been lately made free, we have only to ascertain what has been the result where any large numbers of that race have been suddenly emancipated; and in order that there shall be no cause for contradiction on this point as to the facts of the case I will give them in the language of that eminent his torian, Alison, who, in his History of Europe, says that “St. Domingo. the greatest except Cuba, and be yond all question the most fiOllllEllln ollf the West ndia islands before the Revolution is about 300 milesin length and itsnvers ebreiidth about 90 miles. The Spanish assess 2/3rds and the French theremainder. n the French portion the inhabitants consisted of about 40,000 whites 60,000 mnlattoes, and 500,000 negroslaves. This French colony wiis immensely productive, exceeding all the British 1!1LD(18 10oEr8.L Its exports. including the Spanish portion, were 18.400, 00a0n.dits imports 10,000, 00soterlin. 1800 vessels and 27 t sailors were employedin conductins tho vnst coonlosnairaidl trudic. It was this splendid and unequnled eolonial possession which the French nation threw away and destroyedat the commencement of the Revolution. with n. recklessness and iniprovidence of which the previous history of the world had afforded no exam ple. Hardly had the cry of liberty and equality been raisedin Francesays our historian, whenit responded warmly and vehemently from the shoresof StDo mingo. The slave population were rapidly assailed bg revolutionary agentsandemissanes and the work s ops and fields of the planters overrun by heated missionaries who poured into Uninurant and ardent multitude the new born ideas of Europoan freedom. “The Cpnstituent Assemblyof March 8, 1700, had empowered the coloniesto make known their wishes on the subject of a constitution by Colonin1 Assem blics freely elected by their own citizens and on the 15th of May, 1701, the privileges of equality were conferred by the same authority on persons of color born of a free father and mother. he ilsnters openly endeavored to resist the decree, an civilWar was proaring, when. on the night of the 23th of August: 701.the negro insurrection long and silently organized, at oncebroke forth and wrapped th“e whole northern purt of the colony in flames. The conspiracy embraced nearly the wholenegro population of the island. Thse ruelties exercised exceeded anything recordedin history. he negroes marched with spiked infants on their spearsinstead of colors. They sawed as under their male prisoners and violated the females on the dead bodiesof their husbands.” Here, sir, we have the result of an attempt to put the negro on an equality with the white man. Sir, does it afford any consolation to those who are so persistently endeavoring to bring on an equality here? What is there in this plain and clear historic fact that gives hope for a better result here if these wild and fanatical schemes are pressed upon the people of these U.S.? Do we not know, sir, that history will regent itself, and that if they continue to press an force upon the people this equality that similar results will be the consequence here? But, sir, let us follow our author a little further, and see what has been the result of the emancipation of these people upon the industry and prosperity of the island. He informs us that the universal freedom of the blacks was proclaimed on the 3d of J nue, 1793, and then gives us the following table, which he. says contains the comrative wealth. produce, and trade of StDomingo in 1789 an in 1832, after 40 years of nominal freedom: 1789. Population. " (lands. Sufiar exported. Co as, pounds. Exports to France. Imports from France. Population. Su ar. Co as, pounds. Ships employed. Sailors. Exports to France. Imports Here sir, we have a very sad but very instructive account of the result of suddenly emancipating large numbers of the colored race. Sir, is history to repeat itself in this instance? Is it not most rational for us to suppose that it will? What reason have we to believe that the colored people will do any better here than they have done under similar circumstances in other countries? Sir, can an gentleman suppose after bein informed oft ese plain historical facts that t use large and rich plantations in the former slave States will ever (for generations to come) he made to wave and almost to groan with or on account of the rich harvests of former years? No sir. But on the contrary these broad and fertile acres will be unculti vated, the fences that once inclosed them rotted and gone, and the land which once sent forth such large and heavy crops of grain, tobacco and cotton will be covered with brambles another wild growth that will afford no profit to either man or beast. But, sir, we have other evidence to prove that whenever large numbers of colored people are suddenly emancipated the result is tedestruction of labor, and consequently a very large falling off of the products of the soil. I will call the attention of gentlemen to the facts as they have occurred in the island of Jamaica, where the negroes were emancipated under the most favorable circumstances; their freedom was not said to be the reinilt of war. No, sir; the Parliament of GreatBritain honestly made an appropriation to pay the owners for their property, and full O unlity, as it is desired here, was granted to the negro race. Parliament passed the act liberating the slaves on this island in 1888. Their population at that time was, of whites, 15, 776; mulattoes, 68, 627; and of blacks, 293, 126. In the year 1810 Jamaica imported to the camount of 4, 308, 837, and her exports were 8, 803, 579. In 20 years after the emancipation of the slaves her imports had fallen to the sum of 864, 094 and her exports to the sum of 887, 276; and in 1864 her exports were only 403, 620, and her imports 932, 316. Thu e has been some increase in her black and mu latto population; but the white population have decreased to the amount of 1, 60, and during the period between 1832and 1847, 605. Sugar and coffee plantations containing 356,432 acres of land were entirely abandoned; and from 1848 to 1853 578 other plantations. 391,187 acres, were totally or partially 11tu(8rn111125 to waste. These facts were recently stated in a speech delivered in the other end of this Capitol by one of the Senators from Kentucky [Mr. DAVIS] as being verified by Mr. Carey, and a statement made by the West India Association 0t Glasgow and other documents. Mr. Bigelow, in his Notes on Jamaica, says: “Shipping has desertedher ports, lier mngnificent plantationsof suzar and colleoare running to woods, or private dwellings are falling to decay. the comforts and luxuries which belong to industrial prosperity have beencut off, onoby one.from her inhab itants; and the day is at hand when there Will beno one left to represent the wealth, intelligence, and hospitalityfor which the Jamaica planter was once sodistinguished. The same writer, on page 63, says: "It is diflieult to exaggerate. nndlyct more difficult, t define. the poverty and industrial prostration 0t nmuica. The natural wealth and spontaneouspro ductiveness of the island are sogreatthat no onecan starve; and yet it seemsasifthe faculty of accumulation were suspguded. All the productive powerof the soil is mama to waste: the finest land in the world maybe hu at any price and almost for the asking; la orrcccives no componsation and the product oi labor does not seem to know the way to market. Families accustomed to wealth and every luxury have witnessed the decline of their income!until now. with undiminished estates.they find themselveswrcstlin with poverty for the commonest necessaries of life and on page 54 he “ says: Since the your 1833w. hen the British slave emancipation act was passed.the real estate of the island has been rapidly depreciating in yalue, audits productive ncua as mensteadily diminishing to its present comparatively ruine us standard." and on pa O 5 5the same writer gives us a table, wine 1 c says is from official returns, showmg the amount. of exports for 3 years previous to the emancipation act With the exports for 3 years preceding the month of October, 1848. He t on adds thatBy this contrast it appears that during the last 3 years theisland has exported less than half the tuner. rain, or gimrcr, lossthan 1/3rd the ooffcc, less than one 10th them olasses and nearly two million pounds lessof pimento than during the 3 years which preceded the emancipation not.” and on pages 62and 68 of the same author we have this statement: “ The value of fixed property near estates before emancipation was estimate at 1120.00000 sterlinz. but that.the same property then could not be sold [or more than 12660.8 sterling." Mr. Speaker, can any gentleman suppose, with this exhibition of facts before him, that the former slave States will, at any time for generations to come, be able to pay 1/2 the amount of revenue that they would have done if their system of labor had not been destroyed? If so, I confess it is more than I can do. But, Iir, whatever the deficiency may be, it must be clear to every one that those wh slaves will each one have to ay their propertionate part to make u that deficiency. But, sir, admitting that what I have said is true, the great question of what is the best course for us to a opt under the present state of affairs, still presses itself upon us and demands our serious and earnest consideration. Sir, it is the duty of all patriots to take facts as they exist and make the best out of them that we are able to do, without rerd to party considerations. We all know t at. we were once the most hop and prosperous people upon this globe. e also know that that is not the case now, but that our happiness and prosperity as a nation is, to say the least of it, greatly diminished. What, then, I ask, is necessary for us to do in order again to be prosperous and happy? I know, sir, that some plain, common sense ieople would think the question easily answered, and that all we have to do would be to retrace our action and return to the condition we were in when we were pros perous before, with all the laws and customs that we then had, and we would be so again. But, sir, these people forget that politicians are now ruling and leading the people of the U.S., and their minds are filled with the ideas of progress and reform, and that although these proessions and reforms may be alone for the sa c of maintaining a articular party, yet rather than acknowle go that they have failed in their attempts at reformation, they will press forward to something in advance, eveni theybring ruin upon all. ow. air, under this state of case the people will have to regard all that has been done as fixed facts, at. least for a time, and look to these O did not own facts as they now exist, and make the best we can of them. Mr. Speaker, I affirm that in my judgment one of the most important things that can now be done in order to restore this Government and give confidence to the people in its justice and integrity, is for those who are now controlling it to pay all loyal persons for all the property of every kind that has been taken y the Government or its agents in order to enable it to put down the rebellion. Sir, no man can have confidence in the justice or integrity of a Government when he knows that it has taken the proceeds of his hard earnings, and then delays or refuses to make just compensation in some way. Sir, a very large number of loyal men in these U.S. have had pro)crty of different kinds taken from them, an in many cases it was property upon which they mainly depended for a support, and yet payment is Withheld or refuse. Now, sir, what effect is this course to have upon the minds of the people? Does not every gentleman know that if the Government fails to pay the citizen his just claims, and at the same time forces these same citizens to pay taxes to support these men in office, that it will have a tendency to alienate the minds of the citizens and all love for the Government or its stability will be destroyed? Sir, what other course could be adopted that would be so well calculated to bring on a repudiation of the entire debt, and thus to prostrate and de stroy the credit and honor of this nation? Sir, only a few days since there was a reposition made in this House by an honorable member, [Mr. LAWRENCE] to amend the Constitution so as to prohibit the payment by the Government or by the States for slaves that had been emancipated by it. Now, sir, why is such an amendment as this asked? Surely if the Constitution and laws of our country give no claim to those who formerly owned these slaves, such an amendment is entirely useless, and if thelmover of the proposition had not thought that these people had a claim founded upon the Constitution and laws he would not have proused such an amendment. I, then, these peeple have this claim, and to avoid it this amendment is sought and forced upon these people without their consent, I ask, 511w, ill notthis be repudiation, so far as it goes, of the deepest dye, and what other effect do gentlemen suppose that such ameasure can have upon the minds of the people except to alienate them from the Government and prepare them to vote for the repudiation of the whole debt of the U.S.? Sir, I warn gentlemen, if they do not desire such a repudiation, to stop in their wild and mad career and to cease their efforts to force their peculiar views upon the people. Sir, let us imitate the noble example set us by our President; let us unroll the Constitution, as he has done, and be verned by it; let as open the doors of this House to the Representatives duly elected and qualified from all the States; let each State regulate and control their own affairs in their own way, subject to the Constitution and laws of the U.S. This, sir, in my judgment, is the only way that we can ever have a restored Union. We may have a Government kept together by military power, but it will not in that way ever give us a restored Union.