Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1845-09-04
GOV. HAMMOND'S LETTERS--NO. 9.
ADDRESS TO THOMAS GARRISON THU
ENGLISH ABOLITIONIST.

ENGLISH ABOLITIONIST.
Slavery Units ciazefects-duezling- mobs
-repudiation-licentio usness-compard-
the expense of free and SLAVE labor
treatment of SLAVES nstruction-punish-
mems.
In a social point of view the Abolitionists
pronounce slavery to be a monsIous evil.
If it was so, it would he our own peculiar
concern, and superfuous benevolence in
them to lament over it. Seeing their bitter
hostility to US, however, they might leave
to cope with our own calamiies. But they
make war upon us out of excess of charity,
and attempt to purify us by covering us with
calumny. You have read and assisted to
circulate great deal about affravs, duels,
and murders occurring here, and all attrlbu-
ted TO the terrible decentralization of slavery.
Not single event of this sort takes place
among us, but it is caught up by the aboli-
tionists snd paraded over the world with
endless comments, variations, and eXaggera-
tons. 7 GU should not take what reaches
you as mere sample, and infer that there
is vast deal more that you never hear
You hear all, and more than all the truth.
nized throughout the slave region, and the
disputes of certain classes are frequently re-
ferred for diustment to the trial by combat
1t would not be appropriate for me to enter,
in this letter, into defence OF the practice
of duelling, nor 10 maintain at length that ii
does not tarnish the character ola people to
acknowledge standard of honor. What
ever evils may arise from them, however,
they cannot be attributed to slavery, since
the same notion and custom prevails both
in France and England. Few of your prime
ministers, of the last half century even, have
escaped the contagion, believe. The af-
trays, of which so much is said, and in which
relies, bowie-knives, and pistols are so pro-
minent, occur mostly in the frontier States
of the southwest. They are naturally lnci-
dental to the condition of society as it exists
in many sections of these recently settled
countries, and will as naturally cease in due
time. Adventures from the other States
and from Europe, as desperate in character
as they are in fortune, congregate in these
wild regions, jostling one another and often
forcing the peaceable and honest into rem
contres in self-defence. Slavery has moth
ing to do with these things. Stability and
peace are the first desires of every slave
holder, and the true tendency of the system.
1t could not possibly exist amid the eternal
anarchy and civil broils of the ancient Spa
nish dominions in America. And for this
very reason, domestic slavery has ceased
there. So far from encouraging strife, such
scenes Of riot and bloodshed as have with
in the few years diSgraced our northern
cities, and as you have lately witnessed in
Birmingham, and Bristol, and Wales, not
ONLY never have occurred, but will venture
to say never will occur in our slaveholding
States. The only thing that can create a
mob as you might call it, here, is the APP
pearance of an Abolitionist whom the peo-
pie assemble to chaStise. And this is no
more of mob, than rally Of shepherds
to chase a wolf out of their pasture would
be one.
But we are swindlers and regulators =
Pennsylvania is not slave State A ma
iorily of the States which have failed to
meet their obligations punctualIy are nom
slareholding; and two-thirds of the debt
said 10 be repudiated is owned by these
States. Many of the States of this Union
are heavily encountered with debt-none so
hopelesslY as England Pennsylvania owes
500 for each Acknowledgment 1929,
counting her paupers. Nor has there been
any reputation definite and final, of law
full debt, that am aware of. A few States
have failed to pay some instalments of inte-
rest. The extraordinary financial Difficult
ties which occurred few years ago account
for it. Time will set all things right again.
Every dollar of both principal and interest
owed by any State, north or south, will be