Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-03-31

hYe per cent OF The population OF thos
J States. They voted, il recollect cor
rectIy, about l5,009, or a, most 1000
, votes in the last test OF their strength i
, the State of New York. out of about 400,
600 votes, which would give; about iv
per cent. Their strength: in that State
would SUPPOSE was fully equal to thei
average strenglh in. the .slaveholdin,
] States generally. Another class ;coasise
Of the great body ofthe citizens of those
i States, constituting al least seven-,enths o
the whole, and Who while they regart
slavery as an evil, and as such are disposed
Ito aid in restricting; and. exlirpa'ing it
when il eau be done consistently with lht
Constitution and without eItlans sering the
peace Or prosperity Of the country, do moi
regard it as ,sin, 10 be put down by al
and every means:
or The other two, one is small class,
perhaps not exceeding five per cent Of The
whole, who view slavery as we do, more
as al institution, anil The only one, by
which the Two races. 50 dissimllar as those
inhabiring the sIavelloldiug Stales, can
live together uenrly.in eqiIai nuinbers, in
peace aud prosperity, and lha; its aboli.
ton would cad in the exIirpation of one
or the olher race. lf they regard it as
an evil, il is in the abstract, just as govern
menr, with all its infections, anu thou
sands of other things, are evils, when view
cd in the abstract, but far otherwise, when
viewed iu the concrele, ;beea,ise they pre-
vent a greater anpilar iif evil rhau what
they inlict, as is The case of slavery as il
exists with Us.
The'remaining class is much larger, buI
still relatively small one. less, perhaps,
than twenty per cent of the whole. bul
possessing great activity and political in
luence 10, proportion TO its numbers. II
consists Of the political leaders Of the res
peclive parties. and their partisans and
followers. They. for the most part, are
perfectly indifferent about Abolition, and
are ready to take either side, for or against.
according To the calculation Of THE political
Fchauces; their great aud leading objec,
being to carry the elections especially the
Presidential, aud thereby receivelhe hon-
or. and embluflenls, incident TO power,
both in the Federal and Stale Govern
Imenls. .ss.ae, ..s...$
SICnarg Ine views and feelings the
several classest:in the mon -slayeho!ding
States, in reference 10 slavery, as il exists
with US. 1t Is manifest, Sn survey OF the
whole, that the first class-shat is, the
Abolition party proper-is the centre which
has given the impulse, that has put. 10 mo-
ltion this crusade asaius, our domestic TO-
sti,ulion. Its the only one That has any
decidedly hostile feelings in reference to it,
aud which, in opposing il. is aciualed by
any strong desire 10 restrict, or destroy it.
But, it may he asked. how can: so'small
class rally a large majority Of both par.
ties in the non sIavehuldns States 10 come
10 the determination they have, in refer
ence 10 our dbneslic institution. 1t is the
only one lha, has any decidedly: hostile
feelings in referenre't9 il. and which, in
opposing it. is actuated By any strong de-
sire TO restrict, or destroy il.
But, it may be asked. how can so small
class rally large maturity of both par.
lies iu The non slave holding States TO come
to The determination they have, n.refer-
ence to our domestic institution? TO an-
swer this question.it is necessary 10 60. one
step further, aud explain the babitudl state
of parties u those. anil. indeed, 10 almost
all the States of the Uni6n.
Thers are few of the nDn -slaveholdiDg
States, perhaps not more than two or three,
iu which the parties are not so nicely ba-
Iauced, as To make the result of elections,
both Stale aud Federal, go doubtful, as to
put il ia The power of small party. firm
Iy linked together, to tern the elections. by
throwing their weight into the scale Of the
party, which may most favor lis views !:
such is the Abolition party. They have,
from the first, made their views pararn ouut
to the party struggles oftle day, and thrown
their weight where their views could be
best promoted. By pursuing this course,
their influence was ;suon ffslt'in the elec
tons; ani, in consequence, 10 gain them
soon became the object Of party courtship:
FIRST by the Wings; but Tor The last twelve
mouths, more eagerly by the Democrats.
as If 10 make up for lost time. They arc
now openly courled'by buIhi each striving
By their yea 10 win their favor by expires.
sing lheir>earnest desire To- exclude what
they call slavery from all'he territories of
the Uuited States, acquired or to be &C.
quired. No doubt the Mexican war, and
the apprehension Of large acquisition OF
territory TO the slave holding States, has
done mucl, 10 produce this slate OF things; |;
but of itself it would have been feeble,
The main cause Or motive, them to this
crusade against our domestic institution,
is 10 be Traced TO the all.absorbing' inter.
esl, which both parties take, in carrying
the elections, especially lhe Presidential.
| Iudeed, when We reflect that the expendi-
ture of the Federal Government, at all
times great, is now swelled probably to
the rate of seventy million of dollars annu.
ally, aud that tue influence Of It's patron
age gives it great sway, not only: over its
own, but over the Stale elections, which
gives in addition to control over a vas1
1 amount of patronage. and the control oI
the Federal patronage, with all it's emolu
! meals and honnrs, ,cenlre in the Presiden