The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-02-07
to pass them secretly and rapidly, Ily means or.

to pass them secretly and rapidly, liy meaps or.
ganized for the purpose, into Canada, where
they will be beyond the reach Of The provison.S
That to entice slave, by whatever arlifice, to
abscond from his owner into non slavehoding
state, with the intention to place him beyond
the reach of the provision, or prevent his rccov.
cry, by concealment or Otherwise, is as com
pletey repngnant to it, as its open violation
would he, is too clear 10 admit of doubt or 10 re.
quire illustration. And yet, as repugnant as
these combinations are 10 the true iDtent of the
provision, it Is believed that. with The above ex
ception, ho one ofthe States within whose lin
its they exist, has adopted any measure to sup.
press them, or to punish those by whose agen-
cy the object for which they were formed is
carried into execution. On the contrary they
have looked on, and witnessed with indifference
ifnot with secret appreciation, great number
of slaves enticed from their owners, and placed
beyond the possibility Of recovery. to the great
annoyance and heavy pecuniary loss Of the bor'
dering Southern States. ....a ..
When we take into consideration the great
Importance of this provision, the absencc,of all
uncertainty as to its true meaning and intent.
the many guards by which it is surrounded to
protect and enforce il, aud Ihen reflect how
completely the object for which it was inserted
in the Constitution is defeated by these twolold
-infractions, we doubt, taking all together,
whether more fragrant breach of faith is to
be found on record, We know the language
we have used lis strong, but il is not less true
than strong; -. s......: ...-...... .-. .-.a-
There remains to be noticed another class OF
aggressive acts OF a kindred character, but
which instead Of striking al an express and
specific provision Of The Constitution, aims d.
reclIy at destroying the relation between the
two races at the South, by means subyersve in
their tendency of one of the ends for which
The Constitution was established. We reier 10
The systematic agitation of the question by the
.Aboitionis,s, which, commencing in 1888, is
still continued in all possible forms. Their
avowed intention is 10 bring about state OF
things that will force emancipation on the
South. To unite the North IN fixed hostility to
slavery in the South, and to excite discomfort
among the slaves with their condition, are
among the means employed 10 effect it, With
a view 10 bring about the former, every means
are resored to in order to render the South,
and the relation between the two races there,
odious and hateful 10 The North. For this pur-
pose, societies and newspapers are everywhere
established, debating clubs opened, lecturers
employed, pamphlets and other publication,
pictures aud petitions to Congress, rcsorted TO.
and directed to that sing le point. regardless OF
truth or decency; while the circulation ot m
cendiary publications. in the South, the aSlla-
tion of the subject Of abolition in Congress,
and the employment of cniissaries, are relied
on 10 excite disconlent among the slaves. This
| 81, f1,a 6 hoe
been continued with more or less activity ior
fifteen years, not without doing much towards
effecling The object intended. We regard both
object and means 10 be aggressive and danger
Gus to the rights Of the South, and suhverslv;e,
as stated, of one of the ends for which the
Constitution was established. Slavery is a
domestic institution. 1t belongs TO the States
each for ITSELF to d. eide whether it shall he es.
tabshed or not; and if it be established
whether it should be abolished or not. Such
being the clear and unguestlrnable right ot the
States, il follows necessarily that il would be q
fragrant act of aggression On State, destruc.
tive of its rights, and subversivn Of its lndepen.
dence, for The Federal Government, or one or
moro States, or their people, to undertake 10
force on it the emanci patton Of its slaves But
it is sound maxim in politics, as well as law
and morals, that no one has right TO DO That
indirectly which he cannot do directly; and II
may be added, with equal truth, to aid, or abe''
or countenance another in doing 1t. And yet
the Abolitionists of the North, openly avowing
their intention, and resor,ng to the mos, eff.
cient means for the purpose, have been attempt
ing to bring about state Of things to force the
Southern States to emanciPate their slaves,
| fh, nf n
State to arrest or suppress the means ny which
they propose to accomplish It. They have been
Permiltedto pursue their object, and 10 use what.
ever means they please, if without aid or coun.
lenanre. also without restance or disepproballon
What gives deeper shade to the whole affair,
is the fact, that one of the means to effect their
object, that Of exciting discomfort among cur
slaves, tend, directly to subvert what its prealn.
bic declares to be one of the ends for which the
Constitution wa, ordained and established "tn
ensure domestic tranquility" and that in the
only way in which domestic tranquility is likely
ever to bc disturbed in the South. Certain It
is, that all agitation so systematic having such
an object in view, and sought to be carried into
execution by such means, would. between IN
dependent nations, constitute jus; Cause oi
remonslrance BY the party against which the
aggression was directed, and, il not needed, all
appeal to arms for redress. Such beng The
case where au aggression of the kind takes
place among independent nations: how much
more aggravated must it he between coned'r",
ted States, where the Union precludes an appeal
to arms, while it affords medium through
which it can operate with vastly increased force
and effect? That it would be perverted to such
a use, never entered into the imagination OF The
generation which formed and adopted the Con.
stitu,ion, and, il it had been supposed it would
il is certain that the South never would have
adopted it.