The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-12

government contracts, foreign missions, and
thousands of lucrative and honorable Offices, will
always be IRENE ndous; aud those powers,
welded by Northern men and Northern infu-
ences, can at any time control the votes of at
least four Southern senators for any purpose,
1t will be well that If, in our downward course,
they cannot control more in few years but
we assume, what we think the present and the
past will justify, that four Southern senators at
least, aetuated by ambitious or more unworthy
motives, can always be relied on by Northern
statesmen, let them propose what they may, ad-
verse to slavery.
At this time we could point to more than one
Southern senator who, for Il prospect of the
Vice Presidency, or the certainty of 4 foreign
mission, and u little Northern pressure, might be
induced, from the most patriotic motives, for the
sake of peace and harmony, and devotion to
our glorious Union, to concede so much to the
tender consciences of our Northern brethren us
to support proposition to do away with the
three-titths basis of representation.
Let it not be said that this is an unreasonable
calculation; nothing that takes place hereafter
will be half as extraordinary as that which has
already occurred.
Viewing things, then, practically, We estimate
the real relative political strength of the two
sections, as twelve slaveholding States to eigh-
teen non-slaveholdng States in which case, it
will only require six more non-slaveholding
Statas to moka N fun fh;rJs
with the casting vote of the Vice President, may
amend the Constitution
We will show that, in six years, six, nay
twelve -slaveholding States will be admitted
into the Union; but, previous thereto, We pro-
pose to examine the positions and principles of
the Northern States, to see whether it is likely
that when they have the power they will amend
the Constitution, and do away with the three.
tifths basis of representation, and abolish slavery.
We think that there is not u doubt but that they
will do so whenever they attain the power; and
further, they will, as they are now doing, by the
hot-bed system, override the Constitution to
force majority to effect their Objects
These doctrines are held in the North, and
are not peculiar to any party That slavery is
Il moral evil, SIM and curse, and is opposed
to the principles Of our government and ought
to be erndicated; that they of the North, are
disgraced by their connection with the institu-
ton, and are implicated in the sin, and re-
sponsible fer its continuance and existence,
if they do not exert every constitutional
power which they can to oppose and de-
stroy it.
The resolutions of twelve State legislatures
and of Vulnerable conventions of the great par
ties, have in every form set forth these
principles, and the representatives in Con-
gross from the non-slavcholding States have
almost "a masSc shown by their acts that
they truly represent the will of their consttu-
cnts.
We do not deem it necessary to lay parti.
cular resolutions before our readers, and will
close this branch by reference to Colts resolu-
ton, which virtually declared slavery to be
contrary to natural justice and the fundamcn-
tai principles of our government, which
resolution passed the lower branch of Con-
gress by nearly the entire vote of the Northern
States.
The passage of this resolution, more than
anything else, satisfies rs that the South have
nothing TO hope from the forbearance of the
North, whenever they have the constitutional
power to abolish slavery. No one will deny
that two-thirds can amend the Constitution.
and that those who have already violated and set
at nought the spirit Of that instrument, will not
hesitate to change its letter whenever they have
the power
IT, as We have stated our belief, the seductions
of the General Government can command four
votes in the Senate, and Il proportional vote in
the lower House from the Southern representa-
ton, it only requires six more non-slaveholding
States to give them two-thirds ajority. Every
one can speculate as to what the result of such
state of affairs will be; we can only set forth
our views, and say to those who think they can
shift the evil hour off OH to posterity, that they
are most cgregiously mistaken. If this Union
continues the problem as to the continuance of
slavery can be forced to solution in six years
and will be forced in twelve years The Union
and slavery cannot long continue to exist to-
gether
Our territories, or rather the territories of the
North, including that conquered from Mexico
and rcft or brbcd from Texas, and held prior TO
the Mexican war, are very nearly equal in area
to tie populated portion Of the United States,
and are sufficient to make Twenty-Five States
over the medium size; and it is not generally
known or noticed that our front on the Pacific
ocean is greater than that on The Atlantic, leav-
ing out the Peninsula of Florida. From the
mouth of the Colorado, at the head of the Gulf
Of California at the thirty degree of north
latitude, to the British line, at the forty-ninth
degree, is seventeen degrees of latitude whilst
from the thrtieth degree in Florida to the forty
fifth degree, our limit on the Atlantic, is only
fifteen degrees of latitude. There are twelve
States fronting on the Atlantic.