The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-10-15
For m Southern Prese,
- ~ For ls Southern Rsess.
The Cause Of the MIN Guilty between the
Northern and southern sections OF the
Country, and the Remedy.

NJ cause OF inc tymcutty DctWteu TIE
Northern and southern sections OF the
Country, and the Remedy.
BYR. o. d.
AT the time the Federal Union was formed, we
were just embracing upon an untried expert
ment Of selfgovernment Constitutional liberty
was then new idea in the world, and there were
no persons, or perhaps but few out of our own
country, VINO believed in the stability and practi-
cal working of such a form Of government. And
il must be admitted, that there many difficult
ties. besides that Of It's noveltyo contend with IN
the course of its progress, among WHICH, the inn
mediate and most formidable nffuence apprehend-
ed against il by our forefathers, were the antago-
MYSTICAL systems, and aafreBdly fee ings and pow
Of foreign nations; and mainly 70 guard against
that the Federal Union was constracted. II is
true, there were other considerations, arising out
Of the internal condition and necessities Of the
country, which had their influence IN producing
the peculiar organization of our federal system;
but those things were merely secondary in import
atce compared with that just mentioned. And
having thus secured themselves and their system
against all danger from without, the founders of
republican liberty in our country, we have every
reason to believe, entertained the highest conf
dence in It's permanent and glorious success
They had no fears Of failure, either from the ma
lure OF its principles, or from internal commotion
and strife among the people. Nor is there now
any--not the least-danger of failure of our
cpes, like those OF other sciences, when once dis
covered, cannot be lost TO the world they are as
sure and lasting as the earth itself! ''t "'s"
But, To the great astonlshlnent and profound re-
greet Of many persons here IN the South, an alarm
ing and destructive element Of strife has gradually
arisen in our midst, not connected with the princ-
pies Of our political system, nor springng out OF
foreign aggression and force against us, which, in
my humble opinion, from its strange nature and
malignant influence, must soon sever the strong
ligaments Of the Union! The Northern and the
Southern sections of the country are Hostility ar
rayed, the one against the other, upon question
which has no connection with antagonisttca Sec
tional views with regard to the policy, internal
or external, which should be pursued by the
General Government; nor yet, with conflicting
local interests among the people Of political
ture. Party feelings and conflicts, which are as
natural to, and inseparabe from our Institutions
as the growth Of vegetation and the earth, it is
true, slightly mingled with, and impart some
coloring and aggravatlon to the controversy be-
tween the sectional parties but this ingredient is
as nothing compared with the main cause Of diff
ference. And yet, while it must be admitted thar
there is no, political difficulty existing between
the North and the South, of sufficient magnitude TO
endanger even the peace, much more the existence
Of the Union; the national legislature for nearly
year past has been rent and torn by fierce excite
ment and unceasng conflicts among its members,
and the whole country has been and is correspond
ingly, excited with alarm and apprehensions for
our present peace and future security, Now,
what is the cause Of this seemingly unending AMI
terrible feud? The answer is--the agitation of
the slavery question by Northern Abotionists.-
And here another question arises-what is the ma
ture and extent of this cause Of our troubes3 The
answer to this question is not so easy the first,
but it must be met, and when solved, it will be
found to be vastly different in its nature and pre-
valence, from what is generally believed to be the
49, ,<tn ~ oil S&,,tl r
anime into it little.
There cannot be a doubt Of the fact, that there
is deep rooted and universal sentiment among
the people Of the free States of the Union againsl
slavery las it exists in the South And / believe,
and freely make the admission, that this sentiment
IS as honestly as universally entertained. TIL
doctrine of opposition TO slavery and in favor of
universal emancipation and liberty, withou, regard
color or condition, nfuses itself into all the prin-
ciples, creeds and desires OF the Northern people.
Among III learned and scientifcaI, it is considered
and adopted as a great philosophical principle,
founded ia human nature, and sanctioned by the
highest dictates ofjustiee, humanity and morality.
Among politicians II is regarded as the highest
and first duties of the statesman to sustain and de-
fend it by all legitimate manipulating, no
doubt, from the examples set them by the English
and French governments, in abolishing slavery IN
their respective West India colonies, that the
Government Of the United States has the right land
power, to abolish slavery in the Southern States.
This is an inference and conclusion naturally flow
ing from their position, and IN proof Of its fairness
and truth it is only necessary TO refer to the Ian
guage of one Of their Jealous leaders, now in The
United States Senate, who says "that the blood
is not native to the heart, than is universal
FIRE edom to the Constitution of our Government
or words to that effect.
Among the religious sects, it is viewed and
cherished as sacred principle of christian broth.
erhood, and feryenily prayed for in the name of
all that is just and truthful. And hence, the disa-
greement and final disruption Of the members of the
Methodist and the Baptist churches respectively
North and South, the Northern members refusing
to hold fellowship with their Southern brethren,
because Of their opposition to, and hatred of sla-
very. And among, and throughout the entire
mass Of til people in the free States, it is consd
cred the highest individual and social privilege to
aid in sustaining the doctrine by every means in
their power, even TO the extent Of the commission
of theft, robbery, and murder! And hence, the
Of petitions, signed by tens of thou
sands of those people which are annually sent up
to the rational legislature, praying for the re.
moval OF this national disgrace and curse, as they
profess TO regard, from certain places in the coun-
try now, and which, II does seem to me, no man
in his senses can doubt, is but the beginning Of
series OF assaults upon the S"uth, which are de-
signed to end in the final overthrow Of slavery in
the States. And hence, too, the fact that South
ern man dare venture 10 take his slave with him to
the North; for none, or but few Of those who have
done so, for many years past, have been able to
retain and bring them back, even at the peril Of
their own lives! And, as final and conclusive
proof or all that is here stated, going 10 show the
true character, and the full extent Of the preva-
lence Of this sentiment among the Northern neo-
Pile, and the resolu,e determination to accomplish
their vile purpose by all means and at every
hazard, it is only necessary to cite the recent case
of theft in Washington city, by General Chaplin,
and which was sought to be consummated in
the end by the most desperate scene Of robbery
and attempt at murder, that has ever occurred in
the heart Of civilized country. And when we
superadd TO all this the fact, that our Northern
neighbors are one in sentiment and feeling upon
this subject, with the whole civilized world, ex-
cept here in the Southern States, in Cuba, and in
the Brazilian Empire, is it to be wondered at that
they are steadfast in their belief in this doctrine,
and perseverng in their efforts to carry out their
scheme Of universal emancipation' This is the
true state Of things upon this subject in the free
States, very briefly portrayed, the truth OF which,
no one who has paid the least attention to the
course Of things in regard TO it there, during the
last twelve or fifteen years, can doubt.
Now, have no doubt Of the truth of my own