The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-06 00:00:00

WHICH SETTLEMENT WILL ADVANCE
LIBERTY?

There are two inquiries which in the present
condition of affairs in America force themselves
forward, and must have influence according to the
answers which they receive.
The first is—What will be the effect on sla-
very if the entire Slave States were separated
and formed a confederacy of their own ? The im-
pression here is strong that if left to themselves
they would soon become embarrassed, and that
slavery would the sooner die out. It is argued
that this separation would release the North from
all obligations to return fugitive slaves, and that
great multitudes of slaves would escape from the
Border States. We have no doubt that many most
benevolently entertain this view, but we think there
is no force in it. If such a separation is effected,
a new power arises, having all the attributes of
a nation. They will use all their strength, so
as to secure and advance slavery, the one great
object of their organisation. As new territory is
essential to the spread, nay, they maintenance of
slavery, they will, by conquest, add new terri-
tory further South and West, and over that
they will spread the institution. In order to
supply themselves with the necessary labour for
cultivation, they will open the slave trade. This
will become to them a necessity, since the number
who will escape from the Border States into
liberty, will be so great that it will reduce mate-
rially the number to be sold ; or the Border States,
in order to secure themselves from this method of
depletion, will probably at once sell off to the South
the great mass of their slaves, and thus, there being
no steady supply from the slave-breeding States,
they will feel compelled to open the slave trade.
Thus situated the interest of the Border States will
no longer be in conflict with the opening of the
slave trade. To our mind the inevitable result of a
separation will be the opening of the slave trade,
the extension of slavery, and the carrying of that
system far on into the future.

The second question is, What will be the effect on
Slavery if the rebellion is put down, and the Union
remains entire? Will not the Seceders have the
same guarantees of the Constitution extended
to them ? Will they not be in the same position
they occupied before they rebelled ? And will they
not most certainly perpetuate slavery ? It is true
that all that was theirs under the Constitution will
be theirs still. But it must be borne in mind that
they will come back humbled, having failed in
their plans. They will not again threaten that if
their demands are not met they will break up the
Union—that will have lost all its influence on the
North. They come back knowing that the fugitive
slave law must be repealed, and that it is the will
of the majority that no new Slave State shall
be admitted. This will kill that thirst for
conquest—for new territory for slave States
—which has so long disturbed the nation.
This will place a cordon around slavery, and
hedge it in ;—being thus hedged in, and com-
pelled to live within its own limits, the tillage
of the land must be entirely changed, which will so
increase the expense as to render Slave labour less
valuable. Besides, the all pervading providence of
God is opening new sources for the supply of cotton,
so that when a few years hence the demand for
American cotton shall be far less urgent, its price
must fall, and then the cry will be from all the
South, how can we get rid of our slaves ? As the
profitableness of slavery intensified the desire to
maintain and extend it, so when it becomes no
longer profitable, but a source of expense, the same
selfishness will cry aloud for its abolition. God
works wonderful changes by means of the selfish
interests of men. In our judgment then it is best
for humanity and liberty that the rebellion should
be put down, and that the United States should
remain entire under its present Constittftion.—
_London American.

THIS DAY'S MARKETS.

CORN EXCHANGE.

IMT ERIAL WEEKLY AVERAGES. Wheat, 55s scl;
barley, 34s 3a ; oats, 25s 8d ; rye, 33s ld ; beans, 45s
lld ; and peas, 40s 7d.
THE Six WEEKS' AVERAGES. Wheat, 55s 2d ;
barley, 36s Od ; oats, 25s Od ; rye, 33s 4d ; beans, 44s Od ;
peas, 40s 6d
ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEK.—Wheat, 63,268;
barley, 5,530; oats, 5,531; rye, 31; beans, 4,008; peas,
136 quarters.