Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-09-01
For the Journal.

Mr.. EDITOR AS we are now favored Win
a little breathing time between our State and
general Election, it is but right we should look
around and examine carefully the prevailing
currents of the day. and discover, if possible,
whether our vessel of State lies in good and
safe mooring. do not pretend to wear the
Gods of Tiresias, the wise, but feel no squeam-
ish scruples in declaring that the "signs are
portentous for Storm A crisis, in my opin-
ion, is fast approaching, so pregnant with dan
ger, yea, absolute destruction, to the prospect
ty of the South, that it is high time we had
began seriously to calculate, "not, indeed"
''the value of the Union,'' 6 for that is above
all value," but what line of policy we should
adopt to ward off the impending blow. Po-
litical incendiaries, wearing the garb Of false
philanthropy, infest the Northern portion OF
our country, who are striving, not, indeed, 10
effect dissolution OF our happy Union, but 10
bring the South, shorn of much of lis political
power, PROSTATE at the feet Of their selfish des-
potism. 1t is idle, yea, it is criminal, for us
any longer TO indulge in the delusion that
these incendiares compose but a miserable
faction, despcable alike for their numbers and
purposes. They have now organized sec
tional party, the numerical strength of which
has been much increased by the peculiar cir
Cumstances attending the organization of the
two great political parties now canyasing fol
supremacy before the American people. The
resolutions lately adopted at their Buffalo Con-
vention, breathing as they do the most unmit-
igated hostility to the South, but too clearly
indicate the confidence they feel in the strength
of their neutral position. You may rely on
it, we have a most willy, unprincipIed foe to
deal with, whose reckless duplicity is only e.
qualled by its inveterate antipathy to our well
fare and prosperity. The suggestion is spon-
taneous-What shall we do TO deprive this
venemous reptile of its power? Extract its
fangs? Our Federal constitution is well known
TO have been the result not of compromise,
but a sacrifice, on the part Of the South, of its
interest, to advance the common welfare OF
our common country. The history OF the Ma
tional Convention that framed our constltu-
ton, satisfactorily proves that the appropriate
light in which domestic slavery should be
viewed, constituted the chief stumbling block
in the contamination of its patriotic laborS.-
The delegates from the Northern States insisted
that slaves should be regarded only IN the light
of property &C chattels,' fit objects OF tax
alton but unworthy repositories of the elective
franchise. The delegates from the Southern
States, on the contrary, maintained that aItho
slaves were incapable of voting, yet they were
not 10 be regarded exclusively in the light OF
"chatteIs" That our domestic laws drew a
line of distinction between them and other ar
tlcles of property-had vouchsafed unto them
the enjoyment of personal rights of subordl-
nate character-and insisted that, as slaves en-
tered into and constituted portion of that
mass of State property liable to taxation by
the General Government, it was but right and
proper they should be represented This dit
ference in the relative views of the Northern
and Southern delegates appeared to be fatally
irreconcilable and so it would have proven
if the South had not most magnanimously con-
scented to make the sacrifice which she did
&c You are unwilling [said the Southern dele
gates TO their Northern friends to extend the
right of representation to our taxable slaves
now, in order to produce harmony and allay
excitement, we will consent to strike off two
fifths of their numbers if you will allow the
remaining three ffths to be added to our white
population, and enter into the basis of OuI
Federal representation" The condition was
accepted, hence the peculiar phraseology OF
the third clause of the second section of the
first article of our Federal Constitution, viz
That representatives and direct taxes shall be
apportioned among the several States which
may be included in this Union according tc
their respective numbers, which shall be de.
termined by adding TO the whole number Of
free persons, including those bound to service
for term of years, and excluding Indians no
taxed, three ffths of all other persons. This
will e o,h ipo i've
and exclusive. All free persons, including
those persons bound to service for term Of
years, and taxable Indians, are included anl
counted per capita. Indians not taxed arc
excluded. Slaves are only included sub mo
do-three-fifths are to be counted, and The
remaining two-ffths to be rejected If theil
personality was recognized, why should they
be curtaled of two-ffths of their numbers If
their Federal representation A moments re-
Election will satisfy any one that slaves were
viewed by the trainers of the constitution in {
double aspect, both as persons and property
Which party, | ask, is now DESTROYS of chan
cling their constitutional character? We, o.
the South, have manifested no disposition tC
interfere with, alter, or change, the relation
which they bear 10 the rest of our people bu
as much cannot be said in Justification of these
Northern incendiaries; for whilst they are de-
nouncing us for holding our fellow beings ir
bondage, they are striving, with all their nigh
and main, to deprive them of the last vestige
of individuality, and insist on their being con-
sidered merely in the light of property This
is the head and front of the present Abolition
movement Can we Illustrate their nefarious
designs 1t is my opinion that we should
bear and forbear as long as possible, but If we
should be driven to the wall, and be compelled
either to change our constitutional position OF
violate those cords which bind us together as
agreat American family, let us adopt the first
alternative, and henceforth consider our slaves
not IN the light of property but of PERSONS
Inc question will occur, how can this be ef-
tected answer in this wise Let slavery
co nOmine be abolished throughout the South
and let each slave State substitute in its place
a legaiZed system OF indentures Let appro-
pirate officers be appointed in every county or
district, whose duty it shall be to indent. for
the space of ninety-nne years, every person
OF color, to such master as may be able to
exhibit the best right TO the services of such
apprentice and that the said master, to whom
the said negro shall be indented, shall be in,
vested with each and all the rights in the man
agement and control over the said indented ne
gro, as owners of slaves are now in possession
of. |, of course, do not assume to delineate
this great radical change in detail Ii is sufti-
Cient formy purpose 10 attract public attention
10 the consideration of the subject. What are
its recommendations In the first place, il
will completely divest these canting hypocrites
of the cloak of false philanthropy which they
wear They need no longer sicken with