Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-02-02

votes, sustained the guarantees of the consti-
tuition, and of whoni we regret 10 say many
have been sacrificed at home by their patriotic
course.
We have now brought TO close nara
tive of the series of acts of aggression and
encroachment connected with the subject Of
this address, including those chat are consum.-
mated and those still in progress They are
numerous, great, and dangerous. and threaten
with destruction the greatest and most vital
of all the interests and institutions of the
South. Indeed, il may be doubted whether
there is single provision, stipulation, or guar
anty of the constitution, intended for the secu-
rity OF he South, that has not been rendered
almost nugatory. 1t may even be made Sc
rious question, whether the Entertainments al
ready made, without the aid of any other,
would not, if permitted 20 operate unchecked,
end in emancipation, and that at no distant
day. But be that as II may, il hardly admits
of doubt that, if the aggressions already COM
menced in the House, and now in progress,
should be consummated, such in the end Would
certainly be the consequence.
Little, in truth, would be left to be done af
ter we have been excluded from all the terri
tories, including those TO be hereafter acour-
ed after slavery is abolished in this District,
and in the numerous places dispersed all over
the South, where Congress has the exclusive
right of Legislation, and after the other meas
ures proposed are consummaed. Every out
post and barrier would be carried, and moth
ing would be left but to finish the work of
abolition at pleasure in the States themselves.
This District, and all places over which Con-
gress has exclusive power of legislation,
would be asylums for fugitive slaves, where
as soon as they place their feet, they would
become, according to the doctrines of our nor
thern assallants, free; unless there should be
some positive enactments to prevent it.
Under such a state of things the probability
is, that emancipation would soon follow,
without any final act to abolish slavery. The
depressing effects of such measures on the
white race at the South, and the hope they
would create in the black of a speedy eman-
cipation, would produce state of feeling in
consistent with the much longer continuance
of the existing relations between the two -
But be that as it may, it is certain, if-emanci-
patton did not follow, as matter of course,
the final act in the States would not be long
delayed The want of constitutional power
would oppose feeble resistance The great
body of the North is united against our pecu-
liar institution. Many believe ii 10 be sinful,
tons, believe it be wrong.
Such being the case, it would indicate We
ry superficial knowledge of human nature, to
think that, after aiming at abolition systemat-
ically for so many years, and pursuing ii with
such unscrupulous disregard of law and con-
stituton, the fanatics who have led the way
and forced the great body of the North to fol-
low them, would, when the finishing stroke
only remained to be given, voluntarily sus-
pend it, or permit any constitutional scruples
or considerations of justice to arrest it. To
these may be added an aggression, though not
yet commenced, long medtated and threaten
ed-to prohibit what the abolitoniss call the
internal slave trade, meaning thereby the
transfer of slaves from one State to another,
from whatever motive done, or however effec-
ted Their object would seem to be to render
them worthless, by crowding them together
where they are, and thus hasten the work of
emancipation. There is reason for believing
that 1t will soon follow those now in pro-
gress, unless, indeed, some decisive step should
be taken in the meantime TO arrest the whole
The question then is, will the measures OF
aggression opposed in the House be adopted
They may not, and probably will not be
this session. But when we take into conside-
ration that there is a majority now in favor of
one of them, and strong minority in favor of
the other, as far as the sense OF the House has
been taken; that there will be in all pro"ahil-
ity considerable increase in the next Con-
gress ef the vote in favor of them, and that il
will be largely increased in the next succeed
ing Congress, under the census to be taken
next year, it amounts almost 10 a certainty
that they will be adopted. unless some decl-
sive measure is taken in advance to prevent it.
RI1f L 4
: erroneous-.if fanaticism and the love of pow
er should, contrary to their nature, for once
respect constitutional barriers, or if the calcu-
ations of policy should retard the adoption Of
these measures, or even defeat them altogeth.
er, there would be still left one certain way tc
accomplish their object, if the determination
avowed by the North to monopoze all the
territories, to the exclusion of the South, should
be carried into effect. That of itself would a
no distant day, add to the North a sufficien
number of States TO give her three-fourths O.
, the whole; when, under color of an amend
ment of the constitution, she would enamel
pate our slaves, however opposed il might bt
to it's true intent.
Thus, under every aspect, the result is Ger
: tain, If aggression he not promptly and deci
dedIy met. How it is 10 be met, it is for yor
to decide.
Such, then, being the case, it would be tc
insult you to suppose you COT hesitate. Tx
destroy the existing relation between the fret
and servile races at the South would lead tt
consequences unparalleled in history They
cannot be separated, and cannot live together
in peace or harmony, or to their mutual ad
: vantage, except in their present relation. I'm.
der any other, wretchedness, and misery, ant
: desolation, would overspread the whole South
The example of the British West Indies, as
blighting as emancipation has proved to them
, furnishes very fent picture of the calamities
it would bring on the South. The crcumstan
ces under which it would take place with us
would be entirely different from those which
: took place with them, and calculated to LEAD
to far more disastrous results. There, the
government of the parent country emancpa
f, ted slaves in her colonial possessions-a gov
eminent rich and powerful, and actuated BY
views of policy, (mistaken as they turned GU
to be,> rather than fanaticism 1t was, be
sides, disposed to act justly towards the own
, ers, even in the act of emancipatng thei
l slaves, and 10 protect and foster them after
wards. 1t accordingly appropriated nearly
: 100000 as compensation to them TO
S their losses under the act, which sum, altho
it turned out TO be far short of the amount
was thought at that time to be liberal.
Since the emancipation. If has kent I'M a suf