Washington telegraph., 1850-02-20

slave States, and would furnish the stron-
gest indication of a further aggression on
the rights TO slave property as 1t exists in
the slave States.
Whatever may be the opinions OF our
, brethren of the North upon these subjects
we assert with confidence that politicians
of all parties in Kentucky-with excep-
tions SO inconsiderable as not to interfere
with full and settled judgement-main-
tain all the foregoing truths and principles.
The North claims-tLe South denies.
The North is the aggressor-the South
resists and defends. The North is much
the stronger party IN NUMBERS ana wealtn;
and, if it is true that the people OF ter
ritory have a right to make such consti-
tuition as they please, provided it be re-
publican, may not the North confde in
her emigration to carry out her anti-sia-
very principles? Is it honorable or just
that she abuse her strength by appropri-
ating to herself, in exclusion of the South,
all the territories of this Union?
| AS present, necessary, and practical
question, how does it stand? California
and New Mexico are the only territorial
possessions requiring the action of Con-
gress for their government. In both Of
these territories, every one knows that
the people who have settled there are
almost unanimously opposed to slavery.
The North, with a full knowledge
that she will get what she desires with
out agitation or aggression, would wan
tonly assert and establish claim which
is deeply offensive and insulting to the
people of the South. and which they be-
| leve is an insupportable attack upon their
| rights.
Our fathers, who achieved our indepen-
dence, and formed this Union of States,
fixed the seat of government at Washing
ton, and gave to Congress the government
of the District of Columbia. Congress
has met and legislated for more than fifty
years at Washington, and now the North
not only without the assent but against
the expressed will of the people of the
District, cannot consent TO legislate Ion
ger in place where she would urge is
soi!ed with the sin OF slavery. The
South views it justly as gratuitous insult
and covert aggression OH her rights.
The South complains of the North that
the laws for the reclamation of fugitive
slaves are frustrated by the bad conduct
of the people in the free States. et5ss1
There is not a neighborbood in amy of.
the counties of Kentucky bordering on
the State of Ohio which does not know
feel, and suffer in this respect. Consid-
ering the nature and extent of the proper,
| ty of which we are thus despoiled, it has
been a matter of astonishment that it has
not aroused and called forth some explo-
sions of retribute violence and revenge
| We make most moderate estimate in
| fixing the value of the slaves seduced
| from, harbored, and lost to their owners,
| by the counsel and aid ofthe Abolitionists
of Ohio, at the sum of $50 600 annually
that is TO say,5O slaves of the average value
of 5000 each. Suppose the people of Ken
and take from Ohio $4,000 worth of
horses and cattle annually. If Kentucky
and Ohio were independent nations, would
it not be a just cause of war? But we
are told that the great body of the people
of Ohio condemn negro stealing and do
not participate in it. The fact is, howev-
er, that such is the strength or influence
of the AbOlitiOnistS, it is a rare event that
a single fugitive slave is recaptured; if
he is, the master has to pay about half his
value to the citizen of Ohio who assists
doomed man. We are sometimes taunted
with the statement that their courts are
open for redress, when the fact is that the
courts are only open to subject us to costs
What should be the position of Ken
| lucky in reference to these disturbing and
distressing questions? The remedy pro-
posed by some Southern statesmen is
severance of the Union.
The simple utterance of the word dis
union in reference to our confederation
CRATES upon our feelings, and we may
venture the opinion. that there is not
man, or woman, or even child, that un-
derstands the first rudiments of the sub
ject, who is not devoutedly attached to
the Union, and who would not regard its
dis olution as the direst calamity which
could befall us.
The question has been repeatedly asked,
if We would agree to severance of this
confederation if the North should carry
through Congress the Wilmor Proviso
and the abolition of slavery in the District
of Columbia. When such a question is
asked, an honest patriot should feel as if
he were interrogated as to the amount of
provocation which would induce him to
slay his brother, or what matreatment
would drive him to abandon beloved
wife, with whom he had long lived in
mutual affection, who had been united
to him in dire poverty, who had aided
him in making large fortune, and who
had borne him numerous family of pro-
missing children If he were pressed to
answer what causes or injuries would