The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-10-24
NORTHERN FANAr1orsu-souruKns DEFENCE

NORTHERN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OFFENCE
Some OF the northern journals Of both parties APP
pear TO be struck with surprise at the proceedings
Of convention which has been recently been held
in the State of Mississippi, at which resolution
was adopted, recommending another general
southern convention, to take counsel together for
the public veal, and to adopt measures calculated
to resist any further northern encroachments on
the rights of the southern States, guaranteed to
them by the constitution of the United States.
Now we cannot conceive how such proceedings
at the South should create any surprise IN the
North. 1t is wellknown that organizations found
ed on fanaticism, have existed In the North for
years, having for their object avowedly, encroach-
ments on the institutions of the southern States
and the influences of which have extended to Con-
gress itself, and been felt in the councils of
the nation. The Wilmot proviso agitation dur
ing the last session of Congress, was nothing
but an onslaught on southern institutions, and
intended, IN case of success, as an entering
wedge, to be succeeded by a direct attack
on the institution of slavery in the States
where 1t is guaranteed by the federal compact.
All sensible and intelligent men knew, that as far
as regarded slavery in New Mexico and California,
that measure was an abstraction, and even If
passed, Woulu DE u no oNdli, DeCduse tueIe uTc
physical obstacles in the way of planting slavery in
those new territories, which could not be over
come. Why, therefore, was the subject intro
duced into that body and discussed, day after day.
week after week, and month after month, while
the real interests Of the country were neglected
and thrown aside How is it at present! Does
not the South see the two great national parties IN
tins section of The country pandering to the fanati
Cal antl-savey prejudices in the North and East
and every day becoming more anti-slavery in their
sentiments, for the purpose of securing anslavcry
votes? AS it is, they have nearly taken the ground
from under the fanatics of the Garrison and Philips
school in Boston. With these things staring them
in the face the organs of those same parties in the
North turn up their eyes with horror, because the
South chooses to take measures to counterfeit such
influences, and to prevent northern aggressons on
their constitutional rights.
We fear very much that the relations between
the North and the South are reaching the lament
able crisis, which continued aggression on the
part Of the North cannot but eventually lead to,
and which we have so often indicated In the
nature of things, the black and white races can
never be on social or political equality in any
section of the country. Even in the hotbeds of
anti-slavery fanaticIsm in the northern and east
ern States, the negroes are not treated as equals
There is, in fact, broader and dee ne Of de-
marcation between them and the here than
what exists at the South, mo- standing all
our boosted philanthropy. But in dent Of this
the South will not, nor can it be cN cted that it
should, part with twelve hundred millions of pro-
pery, the valuation Of its slaves at the dictation Of
northern fanatics Neither is 1t unreasonable,
IL al into iIar
that they should take measures to preserve their
property when it is endangered. But when it is
demonstrable that if the views of the northern
fanatics, in regard to the institution of slavery,
were carried out IN the South, that not only would
property be destroyed, but that civil war would
ensue; that scenes similar to those which San
Domingo witnessed, would be enacted; that there
would be no power TO restrain the brutal and
savage propenstles Of a degraded race; then the
very first instinct OF nature, that OF self-preserva
ton, demands of the South to take means TO OPP
pose the introduction Of principles and measures,
tending TO produce, sooner or later, the state Of
things which we allude TO. Why, then, should we
in the North be surprised at the action of the
southern States Whatever position they have
taken, or will hereafter take on this matter, has
been, and will be, forced on them by the fanatics Of
the North, and by the leaders of the two great
tiona parties in this section Of the country,
who, for the purpose of securing their own ambi-
tious purposes, pander TO the fanatical feeling on
the subject of slavery which is now abroad, aud
which they are tanning and exciting with all the
means IN their power. The time is approaching
when all moderate and sensible men in the
northern and eastern States must take stand
on this subject, when they must grapple with the
spirit of fsnaticlsm against the South on Its own
ground, else it may be too late TO avert the
consequences which continued agitation and con-
tinued aggression may cause. Can any sensible
man suppose for moment that If the anti-slavery
feeling prevailed so far as to exclude slavery from
the new territories and from the District Of CO.
lumbla, that il would be satisfied with such
triumph over the South 1t would not. for the
very fact Of IT'S being founded religious fanat-
cism is sufficient for us 10 know that il would 60
on increasing IN volume and power, until the con-
stiiution itself would be overleaPed, or torn in
pieces, by those manlacs, and the union between
the States of this glorious confederacy rent asun-
der, and destroyed, and for what To give liberty
to race Of people, who, as history shows, are in
CAPABLE Of approaching ii-who know in liberty
nothing but lcentiousness-ani to destroy the
southern States, as the British West Indies have
been destroyed, by emancipation.
No, the truth is, no sensible man need wonder
if the southern States had gone further than they
have ere this, in resisting northern fanaticism on
the subject Of slavery. Their property, their ins,i-
tutions, the peace of society," their very lives, are
threatened and endangered; and an issue, dePlora-
bic in its consequences, win be found at some
future day between the North and the South, II
the leaders Of the wing and democratic parties IN
the North persist in the course Of policy which they
ere now following. We may talk az much rs we
please Of our philanthropy, but there is as much
of 1t in the southern States as there is in the
northern. 1t was only the other day that
southern planter, wishing to r,2aumIt some OF his
slaves, took them as far az Pittsburgh, with the
view Of settling them in Ohio. But he learned
IL .h.x rrnrld moi LIE alnMnd 10 enirI Ihai Sills