The North-Carolina standard., 1850-03-13

the community. Now, l ask, what limitation can
possibly be placed upon the powers of Government
claiming and exercising such rights3 And, if none
can be, how can the separate Governments OF the
States maintain and protect powers reserved to them
by the constitution or the people othe several States
those which reserved to them, and among
others, the sovereign powers by which they Ordained
and established not only their seperate State constl-
tutions and Governments, bat also the constitution
and Government of the United States! But 1t they
have no constitutional means OF maintaining them
against the right claimed by this Government 1t ne
cessarly follows that they hold them at its pleasure
and discretion, and that oil the powers of the system
are in reality concentrated in it. 1t also follows that
the character of the Government has been changed,
in consequence, from federal republic, as 1t orgl-
nally from the hands of its trainers, and that It
has been changed into great national consolidated
democracy. 1t has indeed, at present. all the char
acerstics of the latter and of the former, al
though it still retains its outward form.
The result Of the whole of these causes combined
is, that the North has acquired decided ascendan-
dency every department of this Government. and
through it control over all the powers of the sys-
TEN. single section, governed by the will OF the
numerical majority, has now, in fact the control OF
the Government and the entire powers of the system
What was once constitutional federal republic is
now converted, in reality into one as absolute as that
Of the Auocrat of Russia and despotic in its ten
dency at any absolute Government that ever existed
AS. then, the North has the absolute control over
the Government, it is manifest that on all questions
between it and the South, where there is diversity
of interests the interest of the latter will be sacrificed
to the former, however oppressive the effects may be-
as the South possesses means by which 1t can re-
sist through the action of the Government. But it
there question of vital importance to the South
in reference to which there was diversity OF views
between the two sections, this state OF things might
be endured without the hazard of destruction to the
South. But such is not the fact. There is ques-
ton of vital importance to the Southern sectlon In
reference to which the views and feelings OF the two
sections are as opposite and hostile as they can Poss
bly, he.
refer to the relation between the two races in the
Southern section, which constitutes vital portion of
her social organization. Every portion of the N orth
entertains views and feelings more or less hostile to
it. Those most opposed and hostile, regard 1t as
sin and consider themselves under the most sacred
obligations to use every effort to destroy it. Indeed
to the extent that they conceive they have power,
they regard themselves implicated in the sin, and
responsible for suppressng it by the Of all and
every Those less opposed and hostlle regard
it as crime-an offence against humanity, as they
call it; and, although not anatca, feel themselves
bound to all efforts to effect the same object:
while those who are least opposed and hostile, regard
it blot and stain the character OF what they
call the nation and feel themselves accordingly bound
to give it no countenance or support On the contra
which cannot be destroyed without subjecting the
two races to the greatest calamity and the section to
poverty, desolation, and wretchedncss; and accord
ingy they feel bound, by every consideration of in
terest and safety, to defend it.
This hostile feeling on the part of the North to-
wards the social organization of the South long lay
Dormant but it only required some cause to act on
those who felt most intensely that they were respon-
sible for its continuance, to call it into action The
power of this Government, and of the con-
troll of the Northern section all its departments,
furnished the cause. 1t was this which made an
tho nd If at
restraint to prevent the Government from doing
whatever Il might choose do. This was sufficient
Of itself to put the most anatca portion OF the North
in action for the purpose Of destroying the existing
relation between the two races in the South.
The first organized movement towards 1t commen-
ced in 1885. Then for the first time, societies were
organized, presses established lecturers sent forth to
excite the people Of the North, and incendary publi
cations scattered the whole South, through the
mail. The South was thoroughly aroused. Meet
ngs were held every WHERE and resolutions adopted,
calling upon the North to apply remedy to arrest
the threatened evil and pledgng themselves to adopt
measures for their own protection il it was not arrest
ed. At the meeting of Congress petitions poured in
from the North, calling upon Congress to abolish
slavery in the District Of Columbia, and to prohibit
what they called the internal slave trade between the
States, announcing at the time that their ulti-
mate object was to abolish slavery, not only in the
District, but in the States and throughout the Union.
At this period the number engaged in the was
SMALL and possessed little personal influence.
Neither party in Congress had, at that time, any
sympathy with them or their cause. The members
Of each party presented their petitions with great re-
uctance. Nevertheless, as small and contemplate
the party then was, both of the great parties of the
North dreaded them. They felt that, though small.
they were organized in reference to subject which
had great and commanding influence over the
Northern mind. Each party on that account, feared
to oppose their petitions lest the opposite party
should take advantage of the one who might do so,
by favoring their petitions. The effect was that both
united in insisting that the petitions should be receiv-
subject for which they prayed. To justify their
course. they took the extraordinary ground that Con-
gress bound receive petitions every subject,
however objectionable it might be. and whether they
had had not jurisdiction the subject. These
views prevailed in the House of Representatives, and
partially in the Senate, and thus the party succeeded
in their first movements in gaining what they pro-
posed-a position in Congress from which agitation
could be extended over the whole Union. This was
the commencement of the agitation, which has ever
since continued, and which, is acknow lodged,
has endangered the Union.
AS for myself, believed, at that early period, if
the party who got up the petitions should succeed in
getting Congress to take jurisdiction, that agitation
would follow, and that it would. in the end, if not
arrested, destroy the Union. I then so expressed
myself in debate and called upon both parties to take
grounds against assuming jurisdiction. but in vain.
Had my voice been needed, and had Congress refus-
ed take jurisdiction, by the united of all par
ties the agitation which followed would have been
prevented and the fanatical zeal that gives impulse
to the agitation, and which has brought to our
present perlous condition, would have become extin
guished from the of something to feed the flames.
That was the time for the North to show her devo-
ton to the Union; but unfortunately both of the great
parties of that section intent obtaining
retaining party ascendancy, that all other considera
tions were overlooked or forgotten.
What has since followed are but the natural con-