The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-02

To the one or the other must the soil be aban-
doned. The conflict would be bloody one,
but the result certain. The black race, now en-
joying comforts and made happy in their condi.
ton, (morc happy perhaps than the peasantry of
any nation,) would either be put to death or re-
moved from that state which Of all others best
suits their character and habits. Such is the
ultimate end to which successful abolition would
inevitably lead. And we may here ask what is
to be gained by it Fanaticism will have estab-
lished its dogma, and the world have realized, in
political abstraction, Vulnerable woes and wide
spread ruin. .--.. ..... ......--...-.r
But the question that immediately addresses
itself to us is, how are these dangers, so far as
we are concerned, to be averted? The question
carries with il n deep import aud challenges the
wisest considerations. 1t is neither to be all
swered by the language of despair, nor met by
| timid resolves. We must feel ourselves strong
enough for the crisis, and courageous enough to
look 1t full in the face. We have tried the eiii-
cacy of compromises. They have brought no
remedy The party with whom we have COM
promised and to whose exactions we have yielded,
have not dealt honestly with us; they have failed
to keep their engagements; they have broken
their plighted faith for the sake of power and
the lust of domination, and we have no reason
to believe that they will be more sincere in times
to come, than they have been in times past. On
the contrary every concession we makeand every
compromise we enter into, are regarded as so
much extorted from our fears; and, instead of
satisfying them, only encourage their audacty
to set up more extravaganza claims. The truth
is, yield rs much rs we may, we deceive our
selves most wofully, if we suppose that any con-
cession we may make, short OF the abolition OF
slavery, will satisfy these Northern people. AL
ready have we nearly compromised ourselves to
DEATH The ordinance of '87, although in no
technical sense compromise, yet by the terms
Of cession IL partook of the nature Of a contract
Virginia, in moment Of magnificent tolly sur
rendered to the North that immense domain
, called the North Western Territory, with two
, conditions attached-the one was that only four
States should be formed out of it, and the other
was that fugitive Slaves should be delivered up
on demand of their masters Of course such a
present was not declined upon the conditions
annexed. But how have these conditions been
fulflleds Five States have teen carved out of
this territory, instead of four and as fur as the
delivery of fugitives is concerned instead of the
slaves being surrendered to their own rs, the
owners, in pursuit of them, have been delivered
to the tender mercies of mobs, and to the gener-
osity Of PRISONS
But when that great compromise was entered
into, known as the Missouri Compromise, that
was to be permanent settlement of this vexed
and delicate question. Here the South again
gave up much, if not everything, and the North
| nothing In this case the North demanded the
right to exclude slavery from any part of the
territories and upon the question charged the
South with Il disposition to break up the Union,
because of its unwillngness to recognize the cor
rectness Of the principle commended for, and it's
resistance to the business Of the demand. In
this Instance the South, as usual, gave way, and
n compromise between the two sections was es-
tablished, marked by the latitude OF 36 deg 30
min. prohibiting slavery North of it, and leaving
it by implication not to be interfered with south
of it. The quid pro quo for this surrender on
the part of the South was the privilege of being
lei alone by the North, and pledge of peace on
| the question, which was to be considered then
as being finally closed against all Congressional
agitation. Well, over this compromise the two
sections shook hands and plighted their honor.
The South has been ever faithful TO the bond
How stands the case with the North! The his
tory of the country supplies the answer. The
| North has refused to stand by the terms of the
compact. She has repudiated its validity, and
now demands that slavery shall be excluded from
all territory south of SO deg. 80 min. as well as
north Of that line-and the demand has been
followed by its prompt execution, and the South
is forever shut out from all participation in the
territories. But this is not all. We We're pro-
missed to be let alone, and to be allowed to man.
age our own affairs in our own way Has thi.
promise been kept! TO the car it may have
been, but certainly not to the heart. Instead of
quiet and repose, we have received insult, and
in some instances, violence Slavery has been
the inexhaustable theme of denunciation and
abuse in and out of Congress. The most insult
ing speeches and proscrptive resolutions have
characterized the peace which has been vouch-
sofad tn In ayarv possibla form, b,va on,
institutions been assailed and our feeling out
ragged. Not only have our rights under the Con.
stitution been denied us, but our property has
been stolen from us. So far from being treated
as equals, we are given very significantly to un.
derstand that if we are not satisfied to remain a
suyugated people, there is such thing rs an
army and navy for the benefit of rebels.
1t would appear, then, that we have no safe
guards in compromises and concessions, but
that they have heretofore only served as a means
for our own disparagement and degradation
The credulity with which we have yielded to
their promises has brought upon us contempt
and has caused US to be laughed to scorn While
compromises furnish us no security for the peace
full maintenance of our rights and property, they
| show that we have made fatal mistake in con-
GLIDING that any concessions on the subject of
slavery that do not 90 to an entire abandonment
mics. Compromises have resulted in proving
that the anti-slavery party will not be bound by
them, and that this is not only controlling
party at the North, but one eminenty progress
sive and dangerously aggressive. We must, then,
give up the compromising or temporising policy
as remedy.
If there be power which can drive back this
arrogant spirit, and arrest the wantonness of its
attacks, that power is alone to he found in the
Union of the Southern people. The North has
the means at hand to do us justice and to save
the Union. Submission to encroachments and
divisions among ourselves, however, will never
secure us that justice and that consideration to
which we are of right entitled under the Consti-
tuition. The spirit that prompts resistance and
the Union that gives it strength are the strong
arms of our success. Our safety depends on
harmony of sentiment, and our security upon
concert of action. A perfect understanding
among the Southern people to the effect that