The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-07-25

agitation :::ro. the subject. Such was
the state of things no farther back than
six years.
Now what is the state of the question
both in Congress and the States in
which slavery does not exist? In Con-
.gress the South have been defeated
and prostrated on this great question.
She has been insulted, and even the sa-
cred guarantees of the Constitution,
which should be her protection, have
been grossly violated and tramplcd upon
in the House Of Representatives. The
rules adopted to prevent the agitation
Of the subject have been repealed, and
even on the great question relating to
the territories, she has failed i'll obtain
ing the rights and securities which she
claims under the Constitution. And
what is the state of the question in the
free States +? A change equally as
radical and profound has there taken
place among both people and politicians.
Six years ago tho South could rely i'm
plicity upon the support of one of the
great parties at the North. She had
friends in Congress from the North be-
longing to the Democratic party, who
nobly defended and maintained her
rights. But now, what is the state of
things? Nearly all those friends have
been stricken down and have disapDcar-
ed, and she is left to battle for her
rights almost alone and single-handed
These are facts, stubborn facts, and
they cannot be denied. And now it
remains to inquire into the causes
which have produced this great change
in the sentiments and conduct of the
people Of the free States, and in Con.
gress, upon the subject of slavery, and
to ascertain, ifpossible, who have been
its authors.
In ourjudgement, there is but one
cause, and the authors to that cause are
as apparent to our view as the cause it.
self. 1t is the alliance of the South
ern Wings with Northern Wings; for
which the leaders of the Whig party in
the South are alone responsible. Let
us look back into tho history of the
slavery question in Congress, and see
if We have not abundant evidence to
support the position which we have as
sumed.
Every SouthoY man will remember,
that the agitation of the slave question
in Congress is comparatively Of recent
date. II commenced under the auspi.
ces of the late John Quincy Adams,
who owed debt Of hatred and revenge
to the South for the political hostility
which both he and his father encoun
tered from the Democracy of that por.
ton of the Union. He became the
great agitator, and the patron of the
pretended right Of petition, under which
the abolitionist claimed the,right of inun.
dating both Congress and the country
with his inHammablo matter upon the
subject of slavery. In 1888, the nuis-
ance had become so intolerable in the
House of representatives, that body
found 1t necessary to take some steps to
suppress and put an end to it. And
hence the resolutions known as the
"Athcrton resolutions" were adopted.
Those resolutions were presented by
Mr.. Atherton, o Democratic member
from New Hampshire, and were adopt.
ed by unanimous vote on the part of
the Southern members, and large
share of the Democratic members from
the free States, very few ifany Wings
from the free States voting for them.
They provided that Abolition petitions
should be received and referred to a
committee without reading.
Still the agitation was not allayed.
Under the lead Of Mr.. Adams, aided
and assisted by Mr.. Sladc, Wing
from Vermont, and Mr.. Gdedings, an.
other Wing from Ohio, petitions Of the
most Objectionable character, and most
insulting to the South, continued to be
presented in greater numbers than cv-
CIR; and so great was the excitement
produced by them, and the consequent
interruption ofbusiness, that the House
was compelled, at the session of
1S39'40, to adopt the celebrated 21st
rule, which excluded tho reception OF
petitions upon the subject Of slavery
This resolution was adopted by the
unanimous vote Of the Southern Nom.
bors, and twenty-eight Northern Dem.
ocrats ;all the Whig members from the
free States voting against them except
one. Thus, at that time, the whole
Wing party of the North had abandon.
ed the interests Of the South and come
out on tho side of the Abolitionist; is
leaving the South and a devoted band
of Northern Democrats to fight the
battles of the South against the incen
Qiariea who were endaa vo,.in ~ RI Gpht