The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1850-03-20

Neither part, Ia Congress had d, rhartime,
any sSnP my with iher, ~ their caus -
he members oi each patn p r,cn,ed thrIr
petitions with grea: reiuttsncr. Nrver,telpss
as small and cnutempube as the par,y ,hcn
vas, both OF the great pa lies of tie Nurih
dreaded them. They fell that, lhun,h small.
hey we're organized ~ refereuce tn a ,uhipcf
'hich had great aud a commanding il llu.
nee over the northern mind. Etcb pattv.
that account, feared 10 oppose their reit.
'ionS, lest the opposite parts should take ud.
vantage OF The one who might do so, by favor
ing their petitions. The feet was liza, both
united IN insisting that the petlti .ns should
he received, and ,hd, c lngress should take
jurisdiction of The subjec, for which they
prayed. To Justify their course, they took
the extraordinary ground, that Congress was
bound to receive retI ions on eyert subject.
however OH clionable il might BE-. and whelh
er they had or had not jurisdiction over the
suhl'c'. These views prevailed n the House
OF Representatives, and partially IN tie Sen.
ate aud thus the prrty succeeded 10 their
MIST movements IN ganlrg What they pro.
posed-a position il Congress, from which
agitation could be extended over the whole
Union. This was the commencement ofthe
agitation, which has ever since cor tnued,
and which, as is now acklnwIeds sed, has en-.
dangered the Union itself.
As for myself, | believed at that early e.
Rod, if the party who got up the petitions
should succeed in getting Congress to lak-
Jurlsd Icton that agitation would follow, and
hat /, would, in The end if no, arrested, de
stroy the Union. | then so expressed my.
self IN debate, and called upon both parties to
lake grounds against assuming jurisdiction !;
but IN vain. Had my voice been needed, and
had Congress refused TO take jurisdiction, by
the united votes Of all parties, the agitation
which followed would have been prevented,
and the tanaiica zeal that gives impulse 10
the agitation, and which has brough, US to
our present erilous condition, would have
become extingui-hed from the wan, Of some.
Thing TO feed the lllme. That was the lime
i Tor the North to show her devotion to the
Union but, unfortunately, both uf the great
parties oi that section we're so intent 'on ob
tanirg or retaining party ascendencv, that
all oher considerations were overlooked or
70 gotten.
What has since followed are bat the nat,
oral consequences. With the success of
thcir INST muNemen, THIS small rauatical par.
iy hrgan 10 acquire Strength; and, with that
TO become an otl CT Of couiishIp To both the
great parties. he necessary consr Gucnct
was, iurther increase ofp Npr, aud gradual
ta'nii"g Of the op lons of both The d her par
ties w,th theIr duc,snes, until the iufectior
has extended oser boh ard the great mass
ot the population Of the North who whatever
may he heir opinion Of the original Abolition
party. which siiil preserves il. distinctive or
ganziiun, hardy ever fail, when it comes
to acing, to cooperate in carving out their
measures " ih The increase Of their iu1u.
ence they extended !he sphere of heir action.
In shoit tune after the commencement oil
then hrst movement, they had acquired suffi
cicnt influence To induce The Leg sl4tures Of
mas, "f the northern States To pass acts
which n'ti c. ahfogaied The provision of The
Constitution that provides for the delivery up
OF fugitive -layes. Mt long after, petitions
fo!lowed 10 abolish SLAYER, n forts. maea.
ziues, and duckyartis. and all other pIuc IS
where Congress had exclusive power ot leo.
islaion. THIS was followed b, petI,ions and
resolutions of Legislatures If the natthern
States and popular mtenneS, To exclude The
southern States from all Trrrlnrle. acquired,
or TO be acquired, and to pteven, he al ulS.
sion Of any State hereafter INTO the Uuipn
which by lis constitution, does not prohlhit
slavery. And Congress is invuked 10 nl This
expressly with the view 10 the fual abolition
] IF -, IN, ~
vowed to be the ultimate object from The be.
ginning OF the agitation uutl the present
tlmr; and yet the great body Of both parties
of The North, with the fu knowledge Of The
facts, although dIsavowing The AboIrionls,s,
have co operated with them in almost al their
measures.
Such is a brief history Of the ag ,aiton. as
far as il has set advanced. Now | ask. Sea.
alors, what is there To prevent is further
progress, until it tuhIs The ultimate pro-
pt sed, Unless some decisive measure should
be adopted to prevent it? Has any one Of
the causes, which has added to its Increase
from lis original small and contemplate be.
ginning until it has attained lis present mag.
nltudc, diminished IN force ? l. the original
cause Of the movement, ha, slavery is sin
aud ought to be suppressed, weaker now than
at the commencement Or is the Abolition
party less numerous or iuilential, or have
they less Influence over, or control over the
two grea, parties Of the North in elections
Or has the South greater means Of inhlen.
cling or controlling the movement of this
Government now, than it had when the az.
itation commenced? To all these questions
but one answer can be given: No, no, no.
The very reverse is true. Instead Of being
weaker, all the elements n favor Of agitation
are stronger now than they were in 1885,
when 1t Srst commenced, while all the ele.
ments OF Influence on the mart of The South are