South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-01-03
M,DalGe's Speech.

Oh Vie l<Ili uIbs
However they may be amalgamated
in the crucible of executive proclama-
ton or Of speculative theory, history
bears testimony, that the States are,
in point of fact, distinct and separate
CON munities, mutually independent of
each other, and each possessing the in
herent and underived attribute of SOW
ereignty. Not only are they separated
geographically, and by distinct and
independent political organic alton, but
they are still more practically separat.
ed by the diversity of their staple pro-
auctions, creating direct and irrecon-
cilabIe conflict Of interest between the
exporting and manufacturing States, as
decided as ever existed between any
two independent nations, ancient or
modern. 1t is, for example, the I'M
doubted interest, as it is the sacred
right, ofthe planting States, TO exchange
their staples for the manufactures Of
Europe, free from every obstruction or
incumbrance. II is the interest of the
manufacturing States, to obstruct, in
cumber & even prohibit this commerce
Of exchange between the planting
States and the manufacturing nations
of Europe; and because it is their in
terest, they have avaiIed themselves of
the ascendancy Of superior numbers, in
the federal legislature, to impose high
and prohibitive duties on imported
manufactures, in violation of every
principle Of natural justice, and the
most sacred of our constitutional rights.
A more vital opposition Of interest can
not we'll be conceived. But the full
extent and depth Of the danger which
impends over the plating States, has
not yet been disclosed, and delicate as
the subject is, feel Ito be my painful
duty to present it distinctly to your
view. The great agricultural staples
Of the planting States, are produced by
species of labor peculiar 10 those
States, and cannot be successfully pro-
duced by any other. 1t is demonstra-
BILE, that cotton could not be produced
by the labor OF hired freemen, for dou-
bic the average price it has command
ed for ten years past. AS it is the
cheapness only Of our staples ofexpor-
tation, that enables US to import foreign
manufactures cheaper than they can be
made by the American manufacturers,
it is obvious that the abolition of that
kind Of labor which is the basis Of our
wealth and prosperity, would annihi-
late at single blow, that entire branch
Of foreign commerce, which brings the
industry Of the exporting States into
competition with that ofthe manufac.
turing States. Here, then, is the deep
foundation Of our past oppression and
our future danger. The labor Of hired
ffeemen cannot successfully contend
with the labor of slaves, and has been
openly avowed in Congress, by dis.
tinguished Representative, that the la
Dor of a Northern freeman should new
er be put 10 equal competition with the
labor of Southern slave.
\ X
Here is conflict Of pecuniary inter-
est between separate and distinct COM
munities OF men, aggravated by the pre-
JUDGES of blind fanaticism against
our domestic institutions, on the part
of large portion of the people Of the
Northern and middle States. And
shall we, under these circumstances,
fold our arms in fatal apathy, and per-
nit the federal government to establish
its supremacy and omnipotence upon
the subverted sovereignty of South
Carolina? When we see that it is the
interest of those States which control
the operations of The federal govern.
ment, TO shackei our commerce and
destroy our property, shall South Cat
DINA PROSTATE the ensigns of her SOW
ereignty before them and submit her
rights and liberties to their magnanimi-
ty and justicef Let US not deceive
ourselves, nor yainly hope to avoid dam
ger by closing the eyes of our UNDER
standing against the evidence of its ap.
proaches. However melancholy the
fact may be, all history is but bloody
testimonial to establish it, that no com.
munity of mea upon the face of the
earth, in any age or under any dispen.
sation political or religious, ever has
been governed by justice 10 its negotia-
lions or its conflicts with other States.
No, gentlemen, it is not justice and
magnanimty, but interest and ambi-.
!ion-digni6ed and disguised under the
name of State policy--that ever has