Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-05-08

whicI
surroi 4d 1ical questions now be-
fore the eouilry is this: Is it contrary to
the laws tEod to- hold Slaves?
The North have affirmed this PROPOSE
ti0n, and "sui, the action TO the word."-
Ths Soslh demur.
The North oppose slaveholding and will
use aall the means which God and nature
have put in their hands, to break it down,
because they believe it to be contrary to
the will of God. The South believe that
a desire for political power is the ruling
motive which actuates the North. This is
not so. The North intend to use their po-
lirical power agains, slaveholding only be-
cause they believe j, 10 be their duty to do
so. If the North were to-day convinced
that slaveholding was according to Gods
will, ,heir hostility would cease; and no
serious difficulty would remain to the ad
justment Of any political question which is
now before the country. Southern slave
holding increases Northern wealth as
Northern statesmen vary we'll understand.
But ii is useless 10 reason on grounds of
worldly interest with people who have
from immemorial usage decided that the re-
ligous bearing OF every question is the first
thing 10 be regarded. You fight s'as one
that beate,h the airn if you do not at first
worst them on the religious question, if
they at any time bring it into discussion.
They will see :.oti,irg else, If that is before
them. If the Northern people say Of any
thing, that it is sinful, they will remain i'm
practicable with regard to it, until convinced
of error. Better then is it, far better to meet
the North on their own ground in the mat
ter of religion, though I'VE s,oop 10 con-
quer.'
Fully aware that the religious question
lay at the bottom of every question which
was the cause of serious solici,ude to the
country, sent you my last letter for pub
lica,ion. Many doubtless, on perusing it,
said Of me, "Doth he no. speak parallels 2"
The religious question has since however
stalked into the Senate chamber, and in op-
position to the proposed law, the more eff
fectually to secure the surrender of fugitive
slaves, has suggested that the dictates of
conscience ride over the provisions of the
Constitution and the laws, in this behalf
am glad TO see that it was not sbowed OUT
but met This case of conscience was sug-
ges!ed by Mr.. Seward. A moral death blow
was Immediately deal. to him by General
Cass. Mr.. Badger offered an argument from
the Sacred Scriptures. Mr.. Hale replied.
Messrs Hale and Seward are the expo
nents of religious abolition fanatlcism in
the Senate. And though Abolilionism is
not worthy Of notice, for its own sake, yet
whatever its attorney in the Senate, Mr.. Hale,
chooses to bring up in managing the case
and whatever the more recently added ad-
vocate, Mr.. Seward, may say in its behalf,
may with great effect be met by christian
pdTIOtISm on tudt arena ~ lS nor loT AOo-
li,ionism's own sake, but in view Of the po-
si,ion Of the great, not yet irrecoverabIy ia
MATCHED masses of Northern population,
that these arguments should be met and re-
fu,ed. The fanatics and the common sense
masses exist together, and from one great
consistent whole, of civilization. Civilized
society is we'll organised philosophical
whole. There are no solecisms in society.
The North, fanatics and all, exist together
in philosophical combination. The masses
are not fanatics, but are to some degree ia
MATCHED.
adopt the argument from the Sacred