The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-02-14
.THE MODERATION OF THE SOUTH"

In the Horse Of Representatives last week
at Washington, Mr.. EiwardS, OF Ohio from
The committee on the District of Columbia. re-
ported a bill to prohibit the introduction of
slaves into the District as merchandise, or for
hire. which was read. and provides that per-
sons so off nding shall be considered guilty Of
a misdrmeanor, and punished hy fine of $500,
and all such contracts shall be null and void
Members and other non residents, however,
are perm,ted to bring their slaves into the Dis
trict. for their own personal use. and also clti-
zens to whom beqnrsts of slaves may he made
The first of August next is fixed as the period
when The law shall go into effect.
Mr.. Edwards moved that the bill be printed,
and referred to the committee of the whole on
the statc Of the Union.
"Nr. Wentworth was in favor of Immediate
action. and hoped the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr Edwards) would go with him, in an effort
to secure the passage Of this bill, which he
considered good one-as gooa as one as could
be passed al the present sesston-and Z better
must be left for a future Congress-"
And vet with these aggressions repeated
every day and hour, and avowa!s of a determi
nation to sap aud undermine our sassrgards. a
print published not two handred miles from this
place, {the Augusta Chroniclc.) can palcr with
the peril, and play into the hands of our enc
mics BY luilng the South into a fatal slum her.
=. The moderation Of the Son,hw God help
us If sirh 4na1lorai;n. q nd ;'- "o:npeerS
counsel were the true feeling of the South
which we utterly repudiate and deny. Let the
Editor of that print take off the party handagc
which blinds his ewes, and look at the ominolIs
signs Of the times displaying themselves in the
popular movements and tone of the press
throughout the entire Southland he will find
that what he terms " moderation" the masses
s,igmatize as apathy or trrachery. TIE petty
malevolence displayed against Mr.. Calhoun,
will not distress that great Statesman very ter.
ribly-the "Old Lion" has received too many
kicks Of the same sort to heed much either the
assaults or the perpetrators; nor was the rock
Of Gibraltar ever yet siormed by a cock boat.
There was time in Georgia when the people
suspected his motives and dreaded his ambition,
but tha; iimr has passed-all his ambitious as
pirations he has nobIy offered I'D upon the altar
of patriotism, and all Southern men must now
acknowledge his honesty and tru,htulness on
this great question of Southern Equality, of
which be has been the migh,iest champion. 1t
is worse than idle, therefore, for Southern
print to give color and cOuntenance to the pre-.
texts Of our assa!an's, by feeble AiPpancies, and
appeals to old prejudices, as some seem disposed
10 do so-seduced into this course, no drnht,
by early associations, which a long residence
al the'Souh has no, been able entirely to ohlit
crate. What. for instance, must he the effect |
produced by long articles. the tone and temper |
of which the following extract from one Of them
will clearly show:
"NoRrHERN AboitioAists and Free Sellers
South They say and feel that this 'mod"ra-
tion is dangerous to them. The Liberty
party could no, live year in any Sa'e in the
Union, if entirely neglected and permitted to
beat the empty air in idle amusement No
man or party can long fight alone. All that
the most doughty champion of anti.slavrry ia.
na,icism can dn is 10 bite his own nose of. To
keep the head of abolitonism above water, to
prevent its leaders from sinking TO rise no more
from the great deep Of things torgo'len, they
cry imploringly to Mr.. Caihooun-they look
most wishfully TO South. Carolina, 10 agiiate the
slarery question 'Without agitation we
perish Give US the bread Of excitement or
we starve.' Augusta Chronicle.
This is followed up by long rignaroe ia the
same strain-all going 10 show that in this mat
Ter the wrong, insult and injury are on the part
Of Southern Agitators-Messrs. Calhoun g.
Col Democratic ruse intended only for the
benefit Of Democratic party and the distraction
excitement or agitation.
When such tame snhscrvienry to the parti
zan whip is manifested by those supposed to
echo public opinion in our midst, why should
not our foes. take heart. and lay the scourge
still more heavily on the hacks Of the shrink.
ing victims too abject and spiriless even to
1are to murmur?
We solemnly protest against such. doctrines
and such assertions No such "moderatioa"
is manifested in the South, save by ,hosr par,i.
ian presses eager for the spoils of victory, or
'riziug the harmony of The Party above all
else. We proudly point to the tone of the
whole Southern Press from Virginia to Mexico.
with the few exceptions designated.) We
point TO the solemn Resolutions passed hy all
he Southern Legislatures in session, making
he distinct issue of EoUAL1ry OR RESISTANCE.
We point to the public gatherings, even in
Georgia-which these moderdieS would mSrrp.
-esent-breahing stern defiance; and warn
hese purblind encouragers Of Northern fanatics
Ind knaves, that the grim silence Of the South
which they mistake for indifference. is the 81
ence Of settled resolve.-and that if goadcd to
action the fault will resi- upon their heads for
leceving the Norih-not upon those of the
who have warned them not to urge
90 far the spirit which they have already pro-
'oked nor fan the srnondering fire to burst
orh into fierce and consuming flame.
We have penned these hasly lines in no un-
Kind spirit, but from sincere conviction Of the
ruths we have stated, and their important
m rim NJ unnn Tho G,inro GnI .,c tha