The letter of Mr. Barker is valuable, also, as a graphic delineation of the ‘public opinion’ of the south.  The great difficulty with which the release of these free men was procured, notwithstanding the personal efforts of Mr. Jacob Barker, who is a gentleman of influence, and has, we believe, been an alderman of New Orleans, reveals a ‘public opinion,’ insensible as adamant to the liberty of colored men.

It would be easy to fill scores of pages with details similar to the preceding.  We have furnished enough, however, to show, that, in all probability, each United States’ census of the slave population, is increased by the addition to it of thousands of free colored persons, kidnapped and sold as slaves.

5th.  To argue that the rapid multiplication of any class in the community, is proof that such a class is well-clothed, well-housed, abundantly fed, and very comfortable, is as absurd as to argue that those who have few children, must of course, be ill-clothed, ill-housed, badly lodged, overworked, ill-fed, &c. &c.  True, privations and inflictions may be carried to such an extent as to occasion a fearful diminishment of population.  That was the case generally with the slave population in the West Indies, and, as has been shown, is true of certain portions of the southern states.  But the fact that such an effect is not produced, does not prove that the slaves do not experience great privations and severe inflictions.  They may suffer much hardship, and great cruelties, without experiencing so great a derangement of the vital functions as to prevent child-bearing.  The Israelites multiplied with astonishing rapidity, under the task-masters and burdens of Egypt.  Does this falsify the declarations of Scripture, that ’they sighed by reason of their bondage,’ and that the Egyptians ‘made them serve with rigor,’ and made ‘their lives bitter with hard bondage.’  ‘I have seen,’ said God, ‘their afflictions.  I have beard their groanings,’ &c.  The history of the human race shows, that great privations and much suffering may be experienced, without materially checking the rapid increase of population.

Besides, if we should give to the objection all it claims, it would merely prove, that the female slaves, or rather a portion of them, are in a comfortable condition; and that, so far as the absolute necessities of life are concerned, the females of child-bearing age, in Delaware, Maryland, northern, western, and middle Virginia, the upper parts of Kentucky and Missouri, and among the mountains of east Tennessee and western North Carolina, are in general tolerably well supplied.  The same remark, with some qualifications, may be made of the slaves generally, in those parts of the country where the people are slaveholders, mainly, that they may enjoy the privilege and profit of being slave-breeders.

OBJECTION VIII.—­’PUBLIC OPINION IS A PROTECTION TO THE SLAVE.’