But in ascertaining the number of the people for this purpose, five
slaves are counted as being equal to three whites. The slaves do not
vote; they are only counted and so used as to swell the influence of the
white people's votes. The practical effect of this is more aptly shown by
a comparison of the States of South Carolina and Maine. South Carolina
has six representatives, and so has Maine; South Carolina has eight
Presidential electors, and so has Maine. This is precise equality so far;
and of course they are equal in senators, each having two. Thus in the
control of the government the two States are equals precisely. But how
are they in the number of their white people? Maine has 581,813, while
South Carolina has 274,567; Maine has twice as many as South Carolina,
and 32,679 over. Thus, each white man in South Carolina is more than the
double of any man in Maine. This is all because South Carolina, besides
her free people, has 384,984 slaves. The South Carolinian has precisely
the same advantage over the white man in every other free State as well
as in Maine. He is more than the double of any one of us in this crowd.
The same advantage, but not to the same extent, is held by all the
citizens of the slave States over those of the free; and it is an
absolute truth, without an exception, that there is no voter in any slave
State but who has more legal power in the government than any voter in
any free State.
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