The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-05-02
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From tho. Edge6eld Advertiser.
SENATOR BUTLER'S REMARKS.

SENATOR BUTLER'S REMARKS.
In Offering synopsis of the remarks Of
Judge Butler at the dinner on Thursday last.
we cannot hope to do justice to bis manly and
Senatorial effort. We cannot give much more
than the current of his remarks. We trust
we have not failed to impart the fair and dis.
passionate spirit in which they were delivered.
Mr.. B. adverted to the change that had ia.
ken place in the government since its forma.
ton. Tho thirteen original States were actu.
aied by a common impulse Of feeling and in
terest. But seventeen new States have been
added. introducing new and diverse interests
which have given rise 10 much conflict Of opin.
ion and feeling, and have brought into opera.
tion new elements of policy. A "maJority'
has formed itself during the conflict, with a
self.sustaining force which, by the mere mum.
Der of its votes. has the power to conhscale our
property. It is majority originating in local
sympathy, and. directed by ambition, is looking
to selfish preferment and sectional ascendancy.
What security have we against its aggressIons
on our institutions We have the security Ola
minority claiming the protection OF written
and solemn compact, which is given way to
false construction and crumbling compromises.
The Republic has passed through serious
troubles, which have been only partially or
Temporarily averted hy the introduction of com.
promises. Wise statesmen have had recourse
to these means to adjust the growing differ.
ences between the two great sections OF The
country--whether wisely or not, cannot now,
under the circumstances which gave rise to
them, be well determined.
But this much is cerain-out Of the Ordi.
nance Of 1857, and the Missouri compromise.
have sprung up the seeds Of that hostility which
is now so greatly disturbing the country. The
Ordinance of 1897 was blunter Of Mr.. Jeffrr.
son who, doubtless, was actnated by the pre-
vailing spirit Of the day. or by the dictates ofa
liberal and benevolent mind that relied two
much on the obligations Of good faith and honor.
From the introduction of this Ordinance, new
principle was established, which has led to
violation Of the protecting power of the con.
stiiution. Itiook its origin in the State of New
York, in which slavery was abolished in the
wear 1921. From that time the New York
poliiieiaass guidedby selfish policy, have been
most violent against the institution.
A feeling Of fanaiicism, has been long pre-.
vailing in the Northern States. But it il with.
in a comparatively short period that selfish and
miscbieyous politicians have given it a more
dangerous direction. Legislative enactments
and statutory provisions are the most imposing
evidences of the opinion that now prevails
A law has recently passed in Massachusetts
imposing high penalties Of all public officers
who shall assist an owner in apprehendiHg his
fugitive sfave-and that, too, in the face OF the
constitution, which imposes positive duty on
the States to deliver up fugitive slaves. Laws
Of exactly the same import have been passed in
Vermont aud Rhode Island. and of similar
operation in all the Northern States. The
feeling which these proceedings evince. has
found its way into Cengress, and is insnItingly
exhibited whenever any occsson or prete1t will
allow it.
Another strong indication ofthe danger.
ons tendency Of this fanaticism, is the election
to the United States Senate from New York of
ex Governor Seward; who, while Governor
Of that State. in controversy with Virginia,
sanctioned the proposition. the stealing or
inreigIing of a slave in Virginia. would not be
held as a felony by the authorities Of New York
so far as to impose an obligation under the con.
aitu,ion on the Executive to deliver the offender
up as fugitive from justice. This Po1ition
was repudiated by the Legislature. But with
in the last two years the Legislature OF that
State has given. the most unequv"cal evidrn.
ces of the dangerous progress Of opinion in that
State. The free soil agitation is moved with
the force ofparty organization. II has It's ex.
ponent in the Senate, and will make the pro.
ceed,ngs ofthat body ascene for its aggressions.
The federal government is to become the We.
bicle Of fincendiary assaults on some OF the par
ties TO- Il.
This is NOT, Il is true, the universal sentiment
at the North. There are many liberal mI"ded
men who GO far protecting the constitutional
rights Of the South. It was with pleaeure he
alluded 10 the liberal policy Of MIR. Webster
on this subject On very trying occasion,
this distinguished statesman maintained that
Southern slaves, as mass, could not he better
ed by emancipation that Congress, instead ot
interfering with, ought to pass laws sanction,ng
the constitutional provisions for the protection
of shareholders. But even he, influenced ny
the feeling of his constituents. has said that
"sIavery should not exist one inch beyond the
slapeholding States" No representative, how
distinguished soever, who is liberal in his views
can 90 hack to his State, and resist the strong
current Of popular Indignation against slavery.
They who have attempted it have been sacri:
feed. And this anti.slavery feeling is still
rapidly on the increase. In short time the
free soil party-vvii he the predominant party at
the north. So much for the North.
How stands the question in The Northwestern
S,atesl The very best men from this section,
who are disposed to adhere faithfully to the
,piri, of the Constitution in protecting Southern
rights, were originally from the Slave States.
Much the largest portion ofthese North.wescrn
States, under the operation Of Ordinance Of
l7s7, belong naturally and really to the free
soil larty. Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and
lN;.consin annnno the States. and Iowa, Min.