The southern press., 1850-11-02

necessary TO insert into the articles Of compact
an obligation for the delivery Of the fugitive
slaves. The laws for carrying out this funda-
mental article of agreement have been passed by
Congress. They are said to be unnecessarily
severe and rigid, outraging thecommon and COM
mendable feelings of humanity This may be-
But it is useless to disguise the fact that this,
though real, is not the main cause of objection
against them in the Northern States We all
know that the main objection is, not the mode
in which fugitive slave may be reclaimed, but
that he can be reclaimed at all. Any modifica-
tion which would not effect the certainty Of the
return of slave yalidly claimed, the South, it
may be presumed, would not object TO- But a
"higher law" laying back and above the Const-
tuition, granting to every person an inalienable
right to his freedom, Is insisted upon at the
North. Nor do we say now but that il is
rightfully insisted upon. We merely state
the fact, that this Union as Union, is
known to no law higher than the Constitu-
ton - that the Constitution requires the
return OF fugitive slaves-and that the "higher
law" referred to does not require it-that both
cannot be obeyed, and that we must soon decide
which We will follow The South demands the
implicit ful6llment of the requirement of the
Constitution and the North, in its civic meet
ings in its political gatherings in its ecclesasti-
cal assemblies, says it shall not be fulfilled
That is the long and short of the matter 1t is
useless to put any different interpretations OH
the various expressions from the North. They
mean that or they mean nothing. This state OF
things, which we here refer to merely as history
sufficiently indicates that it is time to calculate
the value Of the Union. We cannot serve the
two laws. .,.... ...
But it may be said that the South is in nc
situation to enforce its requirements; that il
must submit; that it is dependent on the Union
and cannot maintain separate existence. We
fear, or rather, we know there is ignorance at
the North on this point The South has long
had an eye to a separate organization, and eff
cient preparatory steps have been taken towards
such a measure. First, the largest religious
denominations have already separated into North.
ern and Southern divisions, the lines of separa-
ton running exactly on the line between free.
dom and slavery. This is an important point
when the social and religious bonds of union
are broken, the political ties can easier be SUM-
dered. Next, the manufacturing interests of the
South have greatly multiplied within few past
years, and the question of the capabity of the
South to manufacture is satisfactory and conclu.
sively settled
| Again, in Internal improvements, the different
railways from the Mississippi to tho Atlantic
terminating in Georgia and Virginia, will much
develop Southern resources, and promote South.
ern Union. Nor must we forget the determined
attempt now making by the Southern cities, to
establish an independent line of steamships to
ply between them and Europe, and thus cut of
the present connection between the Southern
and Northern cities arising from foreign com.
merce. And, lastly, the culture Of cotton, OF
which the South have the present and prospective
] monopoly secure by the mandates of climate
against Northern rivalry, and bringing in an i'm,
mense constant revenue, is another proof, on the
head Of previous demonstrations, of the complete
adequacy Of the South to a separate and inde-
pendent organization. All fears and sneers on
| this point may ut once be dismissed
And while we remember that the North, by
her various manufactures, and more especially
by her railways to the Upper Mississippi is pre-.
pairing for a like independence of the South, by
rendering the Mississippi less necessary as al
outlet, let us also remember that this very fact
also weakens the bond Of Union, by rendering
tie two portions less dependent on each other.
We have thrown together a few, and but q
few, of the many considerations which should
be severely pondered upon by every person, ii
the exciting events of the present time. 1t ha:
been our design to merely present birds-ey,
view of the matter, so that each one can sc,
that his acts have reference to an importan
questions question affecting not only himself
but whole nation-not for the present only
but for all future time. fl