Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-03-22

ry then belonging to the u. States, being
that northwest of the river Ohio.
Virginia had few years previously
ceded to the U. States all this Territory.
1t was a magnanimous act. 1t was one
OF the fairest claims of Virginia to our
respect and gratitude, and only second to
that other claim, that from her counscls
and from her statesmen first emanated the
idea of forming general Constitution.
This ordinance was in full operation
when the Constitution was adopted and
the Government put in operation in 1889.
1t was clear as an historical truth, that
at the framing Of the Constitution it was
the general expectation that upon the
ceasing of importation of slaves, slavery
III the country would begin to run out
1t was also an historical truth that so far
as power existed in the Congress to pro-
hibit the spread of slavery in The United
States, that power was exercised to the
fullest extent.
The Senator from South Carolina had
said that this ordinance was the first of
the series of deprivations of the privi-
leges and equalitics of the South, but
that it was done by the Confederation.
1t was the act Of the Confederation, but
was done with the concurrence of the
whole South. The ordinance was adopt
ed by an unanimous vote of the Southern
States, and the only vote against it was a
Northern one. Here he might pause and
reflect on the perfect accord in the opin
ion Of the North and South on this sub
/ ject at that time.
But opinion had changed both of the
North and the South. Slavery was not
now considered at tho South as an evil
Soon alter these events, a change in opin-
ION began and severance of opinion
showed itself-thc North going more
strong and warm against slavery; the
South more strong and warm in favor of
1T. What has been the cause of the
change in the opinion of the South
change which has given slavery new
nomenc atutc? Tits now an institution,
I Ra Poge ntnt It 4 Is 6G swing tt5 tic sUdud gmg
and rapid growth Of the cotton planting
interest twas This gave the desire to
increase the slave labor and to spread it.
In 1790-'91, the exports of cotton
wcrenot more, annually, than forty 0. fif-
| ty thousand dollars; now, perhaps, i is
IA hundred milionsa year. 1T that time
there was more wax, indigo and rice
raised than cotton. 1t not was believed
in England that any cotton was raised;
and Mr.. Jefferson says, that after the
treaty by which American produce was
allowed to be carried to England in
American vessels, q vessel loaded with
cotton was denied permission to land by
the officers of tae custom house; they de
claring that cotton was not raised in this
country
They know bctternow. The age Of
cotton has been golden age to the South.
1t has excited desire which has grown
on what it fed upon, and soon it became
the rage for new area of Territory to
raise cotton.
In 1902, alabama was added to the
Confederacy. In 1903, Louisiana, in
cluding what now composes the slave
States of Missouri and Arkansas. In
1910, Florida was purchased, and here
was more slaveholding Territory.
The Senator from South Carolina said
thathe had seen inthe policy of the Gov
ernment, in the mode of regulating the
revenue, causes for the more rapid growth
of the North This may be so. Buff
any operation of government can be
shown to increase the population and
growth of the North, it can be nothing
TO the operations of the government to
/ promote slave territory. 1t was not the
operations of time that brought in Flori-
! da and Louisiana, but the acts of man =
! And among these act of man might be
ineludedthe annexation of Texas inf945.
This last closed the chapter and settled
the account, for the annexation of Texas
/ by the resolutions adopted did. not leave
one acre of land that was not settled as
slave territory. By those resolutions it
was guaranteed by law.
There was not a foot of land in the u.
States the character Of which, as far as
slavery or Free Soil was concerned, which
was not settled firmly by high and irre-
pealablc laws. At the time of the an
llexation of Texas, the Senator from S.
Carolina was at the head of the State
. nnnorfnon,,f. fho,n x,,,,, tl,o,> Al