Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-03-08

cluded 500 07S square miles aud would increase the whole
whch me North has appropriated TO herself to iG4Ul5
not including the portion that she may succeed in excluding
us from In Texas To the whole the United States
since they declared their independence have acquired
3l30i6 square miles of territory from which the Norti
will have excluded the South if she should succeed in mo
nopozing the newly acquired territories about
OF the whole, leaving the South about onc-fourth.
Such Is the first and great cause that mas destroyed '
equilibrium between the sections in the Government
lhenext is the of revenue and disbursements whci
mas been adopted BY the Government III well known ina
the Government has derived its mainly from duties
imports shall undertake 10 show that such duties
must necessarily fall mainly the exporting States and tina
the South the great exporting portion OF the lnon mas
in reality paid vastly than her due proportion OF the re
venue; because deem unnecessary the subject has on
many occasions been fully discussed Nor shall for The
same reason undertake to show that far greater portion
has disbursed the North than its due
share and that The joint effect of these causes has been to
transfer amount from South TO North which, unde
nm equal system of and disbursements would not
have been lost to her II to this be added that many OF the
duties were imposed, not for revenue but for protection
that is intended put money not in the treasury but direct
~ into the pockets OF the manufacturers some conception
may be formed OF the immense which, in the long
sixty years. has been transferred from South tn
North There are by which il can be estimated with
any certanty but il Is safe say that amounts hun
dreds of millions of dollars Under the moderate es-
mate would be sufficient add greatly to the wealth of the
and thus greatly increase her population by attracting
emigration from all quarters to that section.
This, combined with the great primary cause amply ex-
plains why the North has acquired preponderance over every
department OF the Government by it's dispropoonae in
crease of population and States. The former as has been
shown has increasedin fifty years 100000 over that of the
South. This increase of population during so long peri
od is satisfactorily accounted for by the number OF emf
grants and the increase of their descendants which have
been attracted to the Northern section from Europe and the
South in consequence of the advantages derived from the
assigned If they had exsed if the South had
retained all the capital which has been extracted from her by
the fiscal action of the Governments and If il had not been
excluded by the ordinance Of 81 and the Missouri compro
the region lying between the Ohio and the sss
spp rivers and between the Mississippi and the Rocky
Mountains North OF 36 deg. so mn it scarcely admits OF
tlx ha,-a li,,Aa
North, and by retaining her people would have al
least eQuaed the North in population under the OF
also if she had retained her equal rights in those Territories
have maintained equality in the number Of States with
the North and have preserved the equilibrium between The
two sections that existed the commencement of the Gov
ernment The loss then of the equilibrium is 10 be attrib
ted 10 the action of this Government.
But, while these were destroying the equilibrium
the sections the action of the Government
leading radical change in lis character by concentrating
all the power of the system in ITSELF The occasion vii not
permit TO trace The measures BY which This great
change has been consummaed If il did it would not be
difficult show that the process commenced al an early Pc
od the Government; that proceeded almost without
interruption step by STEP until absorbed virtually its
tire powers But, without going through the whole process
TO establish the fact may be done satisfactory by very
short statement.
That the Government claims aud practically maintains the
right decide in the last the extent Of its pow
ers will scarcely be denied by any conveisan with the
political history of the country That it also claims The right
force maintain whatever power she claims
against all opposition is equally certain. Indeed il is ap
parent from what we daily hear that this has the
prevailing aud fixed opinion OF great majority OF The com,
munity Now, ask, what limitation can possibly bepaced
upon the powers of Government claiming and exercising
such rghls1 And, if be, how can the separate
OF the States maintain and protect me powers
reserved them by the constitution the people OF The
several States maintain those which are reserved 10 the
and among Others the sovereign powers by which they
daned and established only their separate State const
utions and Governments but also the constitution and TO-
vernnent of the United States But if they have no con-
stituonal of maintaining them against the right
claimed by this Government II necessarily follows that they
hold them at its pleasure and discretion and mat all 'e
powers OF the system are in reality concentrated IN IT,
also follows that the character of the Government has been
changed in consequence from federal republic as ogl-
nay came from the hands of its amers into great nation
al consolidated democracy II haindeed at present all the
of the latter and NOT one of the former al
though il still retains its outward form.
The result of the whole of these causes combined s that
he North has acquired decided a.cendancy over every de-
parneni of this government and through control over
all the powers OF the system single section governed by
the will the numerical MAJORITY has now in fact the con-
tro of the Government and the entire powers Of the system
What constitutional federal republic Is now con-
yerted in reality into that of the Autocra
Russia and despotc in its tendency as any absolute
Government that ever exiaied.
As them the North has the absolute control over the TO-
vernnent b manifest that all questions between II and
the South there is diversity of interests the interest
of the latter will be sacrificed TO the former however oppres
sve the effects be- the South possesses means by
which resist, through the action OF the Government
But ii there question of vital Importance TO the South
in reference which there diversity of views between
the sections this Of things might be endured with
hazard Of destruction the South But such not
fact There IL question Of vital Importance To the
Southern section in reference which the views and feel
ngs OF the two sections are AZ opposite and hostile as they
can possibly be.
refer to the relation between the two in the South
ern section which constitutes vital portion OF her social
canizaion Every portion of the North enertains views
and feelings less hostile TO it, Those mos, opposed
and oe regard sin, and consider themselves under
the most sacred obligation TO use every effort destroy it,
Indeed the that they conceive they have power
they regard themselves implicated in the sin and respon
bie for suppressing by the of all and every
Those less opposed and hostile regard crnean OF
against humanity, they call 1T and though not sc
unatica feel themselves bound 10 use oil efforts to effect hs
same oblec while those who least opposed and hostile
regard il blot and Stain on the character OF what they
call the nation and feel themselves accordingly bound
give il no counenance support On the contrary the
Southern section regards the relation one which cannot
be destroyed without subcng the two races to the creates
calamity and the section TO poverty desolaon and wretch
ednes accordingly they feel hound by every consdera
ton OF interest and safety TO defend II.
This hostile feeling the part OF the Norm towards te
social organization of The South long lay Dormant but II
ony REQUIRED act those who felt most IN
ensey that they were responsible for its continuance cal
il into action The increasing power of this Government
and of the control of the Northern section all its de-
oarents furnished the 1t was this which made aT
mpresson on the minds Of many that there was little or Mt
restraint to prevent the Government from doing whatever
might choose DO This was sufficient OF itself to put the
most anacal portion OF the North in action tor the pur
pose of destroying the existing relation between the two
races in the South.
The 6rs Organized movement towards IL commenced in
1925 Then for the first time societies were organized
established lecturers forth to excite the people
the North and ncendary publications scattered over me
whole South through the mail The South was thoroughly
aroused Meetings held every where. and resolutions
adopted calling upon the North to apply remedy to arres
The threatened evil and pledgng themselves to adopt mea
urcs for their own protection if was not arrested Al hf
meeting of Congress petitions poured in from the North
calling upon Congress abolish slavery IN te Disct
oluba and to prohibit what they called the internal slave
trade between the States announcing AT the same time tha
their ultimate object abolish slavery not only in the
District but in the States and throughout the Union Al
this period the number engaged in the agitation was small
and possessed little or no personal influence.
Neither party Congress had at that time any sympathy
with them or their cause The members OF each PARTY pre-
sented their petitions with great reluctance Nevertheess
as small and contemplate the party then was oon Oh s
great parties of the North dreaded them They fe tnat
though small they organized in reference to suoJec
which had great and commanding influence over inc Nof
mind Each party, that account feared 10 oppose
their petitions lest opposite party should take advantage
OF the who might do So by iavorlng 'he petnois.
The effect was that both united in Insisting hai .e Pt
ons should be received and that Congress souG lahe ~
rsdc,on of the subject for which they prayed asl,
their course they took the extraordinary ground hat ION
gress bound 10 receive petitions on every SUBJECT no"
ever objectionable it might be- and whether they had or nae
not jurisdiction The subject These views preSseu u
the House of Representatives, and partially IN tne oe.ae
and thus the party succeeded in their hrst movements ~
ginning what they proposcdza position in Congress IRON