The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1850-03-09

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it to their interest to hold slaves in IN
strict sense Of that term, and as might u
expected, arc very ready to dcnOunce It iu-
those who do. and especially in those who
are under Il e most irresistible moral ne
cessity to continue to hold them. This
very moral necessity under which we 1--we
makes their ,lenunciation the more violent,
for the ,evii is always the most disposed
to meddie where he can do the most 'nts-
chief; aud YOU will always h"d mankinu
more ready to censure you for differing
from them in things that you cannot AVOID.
than III thing, that you can. A persOnai
defect brings man much more into con-
tempt than vice. These are all moral
evils that may deplore, hut they are
not likely ever to be erasiicated. Il is in
vain for US to endeavUr to convince the
proud Pharisees scattered all over the
world, for almost every man Is a Phar'see
upon every subject where he can make
plausible moral argument on one side re-
prOachful to others. when he himself hntis
n" temptation in that direction. aud esPe-
cially it what temptations he may have are
in an opposite one. -
Compound for sins he has mind to
BY damniny those he's not inclined to.
We shall never gain anything in the
~
in favor Of slavery in the abstract. But
we can appeal to the regard Of our northern
brethren tor the compromises OF the Con-
stitution-tO their sense Of interest in pre-
serving their political association with Us,
and allowing US to make in quiet those
staples from which they chiefly derive
their wealth-to their sense Of justice to
US and those ties of blood which are strong
er between US and them. than between
them and the race Of Africa. Those dis
passionate and wise men who respect these
views, and who, upon constitutional prin-
cipIes would have always stood by us, we
have caused to be killed oil politically by
requiring them to stand out and proclaim
themselves pro slavery men before any cri-
sis demanded such q sacrifice. Just a.
wise would it be for General, in antici-
patton of battle, to require his soldiers to
stand out and be shot at with loaded rifles,
that he mi ght know whether they could be
relied upon in the day Of battle. Quite as
reasonable would it be for one to say to
another who professed to be his iriend,
that he would never believe him until he
should openly insult sO,nc uan whom be
knew to be his foe. a man runs no r,sk
at the south by vaunting pro slavery Opim
IONS IN the abstract or III any other way.
But it is not So at the north. 1t can never
be done there without some moral risk;
Tor such sentiments are against a strong
current which no wise lnan would like to
encounter. but OH some urgent necessity,
or for some great good to be achieved, we'll
knowing that whenever he does it. it is at
the risk of drowning. We have not con-
sidcred thi, !; aud one after another we have.
needIcssly sacrificed useful northern men
by compelling them to avUw pro-slavery
opinions on an insufficient occa sion. And
even after compelling them to this need
magnanImously exposed themselves to this
discharge of moral artillery for our gratifi-
cation, we have told them that we still dis
trusted them because they were northern
men, and for no other reason, and refused
to give them our confidence. Thus have
we been continually weakening ourselves,
and but for our own folly, l ana persuaded
where we have now COrpOrals guard at
the north, we should have had legiOns to
stand by US in the defence Uf the cOnstitu-
ton. But still have strong confidence
that there is sufficient political integrity
and good sense at the north, to aid US ia
avertiny the consequences to which we are
apprehensiveIy looking; and that all that
is needed. is that they shall know that we
will be true to ourselves, aud will not
mcanly desert them when they shall have
committed their political fortunes to the
cause of honor and justice to the south.
For these reasons, think we should
cause ourselves to be represented in the
Nashville Convention And that is all
that it would be wise for US at present to
determine, On this all important subject.
This being done, our glorious Union will
continue through indefinite ages, growing
and spreading until the stars upon its ban
ner shall become countless host and
like the blue canopy Of heaven. which i
represents, be looked up to by men Of all
nations with reverentiat awe.