The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-16

OF 1916, and Its successors, highly protective as
they have been, will find the facts fully sustaining
the opinions have expressed Northern writers
of elementary books, made for school children,
of course represent things differently and deceive
the careless and ignorant. My opinions on these
points have been settled for long while past,
though have not heretofore been in position
where thought could exert any controlling in
huence, or effect any desirable object, by giving
utterance to them.
In throwing out these views, Mr.. Chairman, |
have not sought the utmost degree of precision,
but have no doubt but that all the facts will be
found on examination not less favorable To my
conclusions than have stated them My purpose
now is simply to present to Northern gentlemen
such general views as are likely now to be adopted
by the South. Your course Of aggression is all
ready arraying against you all the highest minds
of the South--men Of high intellect and higher
patriotism whose utter indifference all personal
will make them, IN the language of
my eloquent friend from Georgia, (Mr. TooMBs,)
'devote all they have and all they are to this
cause" -
But gentlemen speak Of the difficulty of making
the boundary; and the condition of the border
States of Maryland and Kentucky are particularly
referred to. Undoubtedly each State would have
the right to determine for itself to which section
OF the Confederacy it would belong. If these two
States were to unite with the North, then, as it
would not be possible for them to change their
condition Immediately with respect to slavery, if
at least form barrier against the aggressions of
the free States, until, in short, the South would
have become too great and powerful to need such
aid. take 1t, however, that their interest would
lead them to prefer an association with the South.
With reference to fugitive slaves, Maryland would
not be materially worse off than | have shown
her to be, if she were not in fact less molested.
There would, however, be some great counter
vailing advantages. She is in advance of most of
the Southern States in manufactures, and duty
on Northern imports would give her for the time
better prices on such things now come from the
North. Baltimore would, perhaps, from its con-
siderable size and its capital, become the New
York of the South. New York itself must at
once lose more than halfits foreign trade. Charles
ton and New Orleans would expand rapidly.
The like might occur to the cities Of Virginia.
Even the little towns on the Eastern coast of my
own State would more than recover the trade
which they had priorto the war duties and the tar
III OF 1916. The Northern tier Of counties in
Kentucky would perhaps be obliged to remove
their slaves to the South. But there would be TO
her advantages in the change similar to those of
Maryland. Kentucky supplies the South with
| live stock to great extent; but she has to
counter the competition of Ohio and other North
western States. If the productions of these
States were subjected to duty, she might for
time have a monopoly in the trade. l would do
injustice to these two States if | supposed that
they would be governed solely, or even mainly,
by calculations of interest. Maryland and Ken
lucky are filled with courageous, generous,
| and as undetermined men and women exist
earth; and following their bold impulses, they
would make common cause with their oppressed
sisters Of the South, and, if necessary, take their
places where the blows might fall thckest, in the
front of the column, will, the same high feelings
that animated their ancestors on the battle-feds
of the Revolution. Rather than that they should
separate from us, think it far more probable that
some Of the Northwestern free States would find
t1,,,.
we have been threatened that the North will take
possession of the Lower Mississippi. The Brit
sh tried that in 1915, but found Andrew Jackson
and some of the Southwestern militiamen in the
way. In the thirty-fve years that have since
passed, those States have become populous and
strong and would doubtless be able to protect
their waters from aggression. The Southern
States having now free population of six mil
lions, and producing in succession such soldiers
as Washington, Jackson, Scott, and Taylor, need
have no serious fears of foreign aggression.
| submit it, then, Mr. Chairman, calmly to
Northern gentlemen, that they had better make up
their minds to give us at once fair settlement;
not cheat us by mere empty form, without re-
atty but give something substantial for the South.
We might acquiesce in the Missouri Compromise
line. should individually prefer, under all the
circumstances, giving up the whole of California,
provided we could have all on this side Of it, up
to about the parallel of 400 not far from the north
ern line Of the State of Missouri, rather than its
southern-36o 80. We would thus, by getting
the whole Of New Mexico, and having the noun
tain chain and desert on the West, obtain prop
err frontier. We might then acquire, at some fir
ture day, whether united or divided, possession
of the country along the Gulf Of Mexico, well
suited to be occupied by slave population
mean, sir, that no restriction ought to be imposed
by Congress on this territory but that after it has
been left open to all classes for proper period,
the majority may then, when they make a State
cO for Wh her
they will permit slavery or not. The South will
acquiesce in any reasonable settlement.
But when we askfor justice ,and to be let alone,
we are met by the senseess and insane cry of
"Union, union" Sir, am disguised with it.
When il comes from Northern gentlemen who are
attacking us, it falls on my ears as it would do if
band of robbers had surrounded dwelling, and
when the inmates attempted TO resist, the assail-
ants should raise the shout of "Peace--unon-
harmony" II they will do US justice, we do not
need their lectures. As long as they refuse it,
their declarations seem miserable, hypocrltical
cant. When these things come from the South
ern men, have even less respect for them. Even
the most cowardly men, when threatened with
personal injury, do not usually announce in adj
vance that they mean to submit to all the chas-
tsement which an adversary may choose to inflict.
And those persons who, seeing the aggressive atti
tude of the North, and its numerical power, de-
clare in advance that for their parts they intend to
submit to whatever the majority may do, are taking
the best course to aid our assaiants and need not
wonder if the country regards them as enemies of
the South sr
IL Northern gentlemen will do us justice on this
great question, may consent to submit to lesser
evils We may acquiesce in most oppressive
revenue system. We may tolerate a most I'M
equal distribution of the public expenditures We
may bear the loss of ourfugtive slaves, incurred
because the legislatures ofthe Northern States have
nullfcd essential provision Of the Constitution,
without which the Union could not have been
formed, because mere pecuniary considerations are
not controlling with us. We may even permit
such portions Of the Northern people as are desti
tute of proper self-respect, to send up here
sonally representatives whose sole business seems
to be to irritate much possible Southern feeling,
and pander to the prejudces of the worst part of
the Northern community. We may allow that
the Northern States shall keep up and foster in
their bosom abolition societies, whose main pur-
pose is to scatter rebrands throughout the South,
to incte servile instructions, and stimulate by IL
centous pictures, negroes to invade the persons