The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-17


90 The letter to distinguished citizen of
South Carolina, which will be found in another
part of this days paper, should be read by
every citizen of slaveholding State Without
desiring 10 be understood as concurring in all
the views Of the writer, we yet cordially COM
mend il TO the attention of all our Southern con-
temporares Of the press, as containing view of
Southern policy which cannot fail deeply to in
terest their readers, if laid before them
Letter to n distinguished Citizen OF south
Carolina.
PHILADELPHIA, June Is, 1850
DEAR SIa You asked me what it was that the
North desired, and ! should have been glad to an
swer the question in person, but, we did not meet
again, will now do SO on paper; but fret wish TO
call your attention to what it is that the people of
the South desire, with view to sec how far the
means adopted for obtaining it appear TO have
tended to promote to defeat the realization of
their desires. In doing this, l may present view
Of southern policy and its effects widely different
from that which you have been accustomed to take,
but beg you not for that reason alone to reject it
| as unworthy Of consideration There is error
both sides, but 1t is little likely to be corrected so
long either shall continue look only at the
aggressions' of the other, forgetful Of its own;
for the direct effect of such course to give power
to men who use it only for their own aggrandze-
rncnt, careless as to the effect upon the people who
thus place power in their hands. Such, unfortu-
| nately, has been the tendency of the last twenty
years. We have been becoming more and more
sectional in feelings more and more sensitive
| in regard to aggressons, land more and more
disposed to commit them; and for this unhappy
change there must have been some cause far more
Immediately operative than any mere change of
moral feeling in relation to slavery. To an exami-
nation Of the nature of that cause invite your at
tention believing that it be shown to be
of southern policy that tends and has tended to de-
feat the accomplishment of the desires of southern
men.
They desire perfect security for their property,
and they enforce a system of commercial policy
that tends 10 render and must, as think, eventu-
ally render, every in the North adverse to the
further continuance Of their rights of property.
| They desire the suppression of aboltionism, and
they insist upon system of policy that tends to
render every man an Abolitionist
| They desire to maintain the balance of power
that they may protect their property, and they
pursue course that tends to render every northern
man Free-soiler.
| They desire to become strong that they may pro-
tect themselves, and they seeking, at this
moment, to pursue that must tend to rem
der them weaker-and so have they done for TWEEN
ty years.
| am Abolitionst. have no unkind feeling
towards the South. So far ! from feeling
hostility to them as owners of slaves, that cannot
but respect that only people under whom the negro
race has increased in number-that people under
whose mild government 100000 barbarians have
grown up into four millions of comparatively civil
LIKED men, while everywhere else importation has
been needed for the mere maintenance Of num-
| bers; and throughout the world freedom has come
with the increasing value of labor and land, result
| ing from increase in wealth and numbers The
slave is passing towards freedom by the
natural road, proftably to himself and his owner
and his progress be accelerated by no measures
tending to the injury of either the laborer or the
| owner of land If it could be 50, il would be in
opposition to all the facts of history and to all those
which strike US examination Of the existing
condition OF the various peoples of the earth The
true friend of the negro is therefore bound to
urge the most perfect respect for the rights Of
southern men, and the most entire abstinence from
interference with their institutions; and he who
does otherwise is real enemy, however friendly
may be his intentions towards the objects of his
solicitude. Such is. as conceive, the duty of
ry man, both n christian and citizen, and such,
be assured, would be the almost universal tendency
among northern men, were it not that southern
measures so frequently tend to paceit in the power
of honest enthusiasts, crafty politicians, to pro-
duce disturbance What those measures, and
how they tend to give that power TO their enemies,
| | propose now to show.
| The North seeks freedom Of trade through pro-
lection against system that was declared by
Adam Smith to be ga manifest violation of the
most sacred rights Of mankind" The South seeks
to arrive at the same point by different road, and
compes the North to take its road, and hence IL is
that abolitonism groirs Seventeen years since, the
South dictated the policy Of the nation and the re-
suit was universal ruin. On The day Of the passage
Of the compromise biz abolitonism scaycsIy eristed
Ten years after IL had greatly grown. How much
| Of the change would you attribute TO southern
commercial policy Might you not safely give il
nearly alp 1t seems to me that you might do
In vain might Aboitonists have lectured, had
they not been seconded by a feeling resulting from
the fact that, in every ia which the interests Of
the free labor of the North had come in conflict
with the real supposed interests Of the slave la
Dor Of the South the former had been compelled TO
give way, leaving TO the latter the entire dictation
Of the policy of the country, however ruinous
might be It's effect upon free State interests.
Power changed hands and the policy was changed,
and with the change came universal prosperity.
Texas was then brought into the Union, and by her
Uote the commercial policy was changed TO suit the
views Of the South the result Of which Is that Penn
sylyana alone suffers this year a oss that would
not be paid by thirty millions Of dollars, and the free
States one that would not be paid by one hundred
and tJfty millions. Can you wonder, then, at the
existence Of the Free.soil partyi Can you be
prised at the growth Of the Abolition weed, when
you cultivate IL so extensively and manure IL 50
carefully! Had you let the tariff Of ist2 remain
unchanged, the amount Of Free-soilism Adolf
tionism would now be small 10 be un-
important Having used Texas. can you be
prised at the ndspostion TO permit you To use
| California;
The South now insists a slave State on the Pa
cifc TO balance free California-yet II annexed
Texas by mere majority, and then used a MAORI
~, thus obtained, TO strike down the North Could
il have done more for the growth Of Free. soiism2
Could it's worst enemies have desired any thing