Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1847-05-20


ter could be foisted in, after the other has
been excluded.
The politics and politeness of the South
are ever ready. Since the North aflirms the
sinfulness of slavery, the former with his
courtesy admits the question to be profile
NAUTICAL, while with his politics he af1irms
their right under God SO to sin, if indeed it
be sin to hold slaves. The Constitution
not including the power of determining the
moral character of actions among the emu
merated powers conferred by that nstru-
ment, and as in their consciences they do
not believe that it is for ''The general well
fare of the United States,'' that they should
determine slaveholding either to be or not
to be sin, they conclude that the powers of
SHINING or not SHINING in the matter of slave
ry is preserved to the States respectively or
to the people," 1t is difficult to deal politi-
cally with such political ungodliness as this.
And yet no less task is imposed on the
Northern members of Congress.
The South think it bad policy, bad patri-
otism, and bad manners on the part of the
N orth, to ask them to give up slaveholding
vocal, and solemn manner declared, that they
will terminate their slaveholding and their
mortal existence simultaneously. They ha-
bitually take others at their word, and think
that it belongs to good manners so to do.
Feeling, doubt not, that the attempt to
carry out N orthern moral views on the floor
Of Congress, was but 'lading ones self with
4 hi oil ~
confronting the Northern constituency with
these Southern politicians.
But, Sir, the object which is proposed to
be gained by Southern addresses before
Northern audiences requires some defni-
ton. 1t does not clearly appear what end
"a Southern politician is to propose to him
self by going to the North to address the
people.
Some attitude of state towards the subject
of slavery, New-England might reasonably
be expected to present. What this attitude
really is, can only appropriately be learned
from her statesmen. In the mixture of po-
ltics and morality which comes from New
England, is there not little lack of clear
ness in the defining of political position p
Would not the good of the Union be sub
served if the New-England delegation were
asked why, in the present welldefned po-
siton in which the South stand, the North
continue to moralize with her?
And skonld not this interrogatory why
why ? why be reiterated, till the moral
view is made to subside, and the political
view is made clearly to appear?
Will the New-England delegation to a
man, adopt the language Of the Hon. Daniel
Webster? recollect not the occasion, but
from the lack Of rei!eration | should sup
pose that it was extorted from him on some
pressing occasion: ''The Constitution as II
is.o
Ifthey decline this, and prefer an otherwise
moral one, see not how it can be defined
without amounting to something like this
We moralists urge moral considerations up
on you, because we yet confidently hope to
persuade you to abolish slavery. Should
we despair of accomplishing this end, we
may possibly feel it our duty to separate
from you at all hazards, lest the wrath OF
God fall upon the Nation, and upon us, for
the sin of slaveholding.
This would bea position deeply to be re-
spec,ed and one that might be reached and
reasoned with. Much light would then
break in from the region where mist now
hangs Southern political views would then
be rendered demonstrably true, namely, that
there neither is or can be any question in
the purview of the Constitution, about the
abolition of slavery, which does not involve
the question of the continuance or dlssolu-
ton of the Union. Northern anti-slavery
morality, so entitled to respect, would then
have way thrown open for expressing it.
self other than though abolitionism, as is
now the case. Hidden things in the way
of conscientious scruples, could then be
brought to light in way in which they
could be respectfully met and answered.
Sir, it is no small matter which is on the
tapis of the civilized world in this our day,
respecting the continent of Africa, and the
Negro race. The freedom Of speech, the
freedom of the press, and the freedom OF
slaveholding are all impregnably fortified by
the Constitution of our land. The materi-
ais for page of history, which will be read
with deepest interest by coming generations
is being supplied by passing events. In
Congressional high places men are writing
memoirs of themselves, to be inserted under
the head, "Causes which conspired to avert
the danger which threatened the Republic -
or, to figure on the melancholy page of "The
decline and fall of the American Union"
Truly the freedom of speech and the free
dom of the press are doing their destined
work.
The sage of Ashland, for compromising
and enacling too much of statesman-like
wisdom on the subject of slavery, is beach
ed high and dry, not by the waves of the
sea, but by that which Holy Writ puts side