The Slave States of America

Front matter

THE SLAVE STATES OF AMERICA. BY J. S. BUCKINGHAM, ESQ. AUTHOR OF "AMERICA, HISTORICAL, STATISTIC, AND DESCRIPTIVE." IN TAVO VOLUMES. VOL. I. FISHER, SON, & CO. NEWGATE ST. LONDON; RUE ST. HONORS, PARIS. Til HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT. London, March, 1842. Sir, As Your Royal Highness has had the kindness to assure me, that it would afford you great pleasure to continue your distinguished patronage to my present Work, on the Slave States of America ; and still further, to express a generous hope, that my labours, in this instance, may be crowned with tlie same success which attended my former Work on the Free States of that country ; — I avail myself of this privilege, to lay before Your Royal Highness a faithful Narrative of my Journey through that portion of the North American Republic, in which the Institution of Slavery still exists, and to which, its sup porters and defenders still cling, with a tenacity as much to be deplored as it is to be won dered at. a2 TO H. R. H. THE PRINCE ALBERT.

I believe that one of the first public occa sions on which Your Royal Highness honoured with Your presence, any great assemblage of the People of England, was on presiding at the meeting held in London, during my ab sence in America, for the purpose of considering the best means of abolishing Slavery and the Slave Trade throughout the World. I well remember the deep impression which the news of that event created on the other side of the Atlantic — when the illustrious Consort of the Queen of England, under whose benign aus pices, Slavery had been abolished in her own dominions, was seen coming forward and pledging himself to the World, as the Friend ofthe unhappy Slave, in whatever region his lot might be cast — by placing himself at the head of a Society for promoting his Freedom, composed of statesmen of all parties, and indi viduals of all sects and persuasions— with Her Majesty as its Patroness, and Your Royal Highness as its President.

It was believed by many, that the moral influence of England, thus represented and embodied, would do more to advance the cause of Emancipation in America, than any agency that had yet been put into operation. Those, therefore, who desired this consummation — and they comprehend the most numerous, intelligent, and virtuous portion of the community in the TO H. R. H. THE PRINCE AJLBERT. Northern States of America— regarded this event as a new star of hope that had arisen on the horizon ; while those who would retard this consummation, beheld it as an evil omen, with corresponding dread or fear. To strengthen Your Royal Highness in your high and generous resolves, and to en courage that large portion of the people of England, by whom this noble effort to " strike off the chains of the captive, and bid the oppressed go free," is cordially supported and sustained — these Volumes may be referred to, as containing abundant proofs of the evils, which it is the object of the Society over which Your Royal Highness presides, to root out : as well as of the benefits which could not fail to result from the substitution of vigorous and productive Free-labour, instead of the ineffi cient, because ill-requited, toil of unwilling Slaves, over the magnificent regions through which these Travels extend.