The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-03-06

SoIteti up against the South, which is
most intense in all the interior.
| was surprised last winter to hear a
northern Senator say, that in the town
i'll which he lived it would excite great
astonishment if it were known tllat q
northern lady would, at the time of the
meeting of the two Houses, walk up to
the CAPITOL with o southern Senator;
that they had been taught to consider
southerners generally as being so coarse
and rullianly in manner that q lady
would not trust herself in such prc.
sence. This anecdote, sir, does not
present too strong picture Of the con-
dition OF sentiment in portions of the in
terror of the northern country. How
far gentlemen OH this floor are to be in.
tluenced in their action by such state
OF op'nion, leave them to decide.
The great principle upon which the
northern movement rests, which is nj.
ready adopted by most northern politi-
clans, and to which they all seem likely
to be driven by the force of The popular
current there, if the question is unset.
lied till the next Congressional election,
is this: That the Government of the
United States must do nc thing to sane.
ton slavery; that it must therefore cx.
cindc it from the Territories; that It
must abolish it in the District of
Columbia, forts, and arscnals, and
wherever it has jurisdiction. Some.
too, carr, ing the principle to its extent,
insist that the coasting slave trade. and
that between the States, should also be
abolished, and that coasting slave trade.
and that between the States, should al.
so be abolished. and that slave labor
should not be tolerated in nublic
office OF the United States, such as Gus.
tom-houscs, post. offices, and the like.
AS these things all ohvinnsly rest on
the same gene: al dogma, it is clear
that tue yielding of one or more points
would not check, but would merely ac.
ceserate, the general movement to the
end of2 tic series! Beipra fms pr,le Is as,
reached, ;bey would probably append,
as cordially, the principle that the
President should not appoint a slave.
holder to office. 1t is. sir, nv delibc-
rate Judgment that, in the present ten.
per ct the public mind a. The North. :f
the territorial question remains orcn
TIL the next election, few if any gentle.
men will get here from the free States
that arc not pledged to the full extent
OF the abolition platform. 1t is. there
fore, obviously the interest of all of rs
to settle this question at the present scs.
sion.
That the general principle above sta.
red is at war with the whole s,irit Of
the Constitution Of the United States
winch sanctions slavery in several of its
provis'Nns, | need not argue here.
taking, however, q practical view OF
the matter i'll controversy, look for a
moment at the territorial question. the
great tissue in the struggle. will do
northern gentlemen on this floor the
justice to admit that they have argued
themselves into the belief that they are
right IN claiming the whole Of the terri
tory Tor free soil. Let me state for q
moment, the converse, or opposite Of
their proposition. Suppose it were to
he claimed that no one should be a,lv ~.
ed TO 20 into this public territory, un.
less he carried one or more slaves with
him, it might then be said, Just as zen.
tlemen nov tell us, Tat it would be
perfectly fair, because it placed every
man who light be inclined to 90 there
on an equal footing, and mi Kit, by
means Of making thus a homogeneous
population, advance the general inter.
est. Northern men would Mt once, |
suppose, object to this arrangement.
Then we should say to them, if YOU do
not like this restriction, let it be settled
then, that every citizen of the United
states may 60 into the common terri.
tory and carry slaves or not, lust as he
plcascs. This would seem to be nor.
tectlv equitable and fair arrangement.
Northern men. however, ohicc, to this.
ana say that they are not willing to live
III territory where others own slaves
Then we of South say to them. that VIC
VIII consent to divide tho territory. and
llnit our possession with slaves to q
part OF 1t, and allow them to 90 at will
over the whole. Even to this ihcy oh.
Jcct, and insist that they will not allow
us to occupy one foot Of the territory.
Remember, sir, that this very territory
was acquired by conquest, and that
while the South, according to its very
population. would have been required
to furnish onc.third Of the trooys. it in
point of fact did furnish twothirds of
the men that made the conquest. And
the North, deficient as it was compare.
lively in the struggle, now says that its
conscience, or its cupidity, will not per-
mt us to have the smallest portion Of