The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-28
THE SOUTHERN PRESS.

IN
IT. Esneuu Hall meeting, was crowned out oi our
VI. ~ ,be proceedings yesterday:
report o' INC LEICESTER, Nov. %, 1850.
Ds,r Sir am in receipt Of your note of the
L,e'n =" in behalf OF the committee for
10 ~ ddrranqements for the Union meeting to be
i MAJ, -, Fnneu Hall the 26h, that would allow
sR TO be nominated as one Of the vice presl-
%.yTs of that meeting. In reply, have to observe,
Tint | am not sure can be present at that time,
but am so fully impressed with the Importance
oT the movement, so heartily interested in the
cause, that, if there, should most cheerfuly oc-
cupy any position assigned to me that might tend
10 promote the objects of the meeting.
!, surely is time that all good a patriotic men,
regardless Of former divisions, step forward to
sustain the Union, now assaile1 by spirit OF fu-
nnticism, faction, and anarchy u Union that cost
to establish it the Hood and treasure the anxiety
toll and suffering Of the revolutionary war-a
Union that has given to our own people peace and
security, wealth and prosperity, and has afforded
a safe abode and happy home to immigrants
from other lands.
The slave question is made the wedge to divide
us, the great bone Of contention. Groundless
complaints conjured up by arful, vigorous,
and ardent minds, to alarm the tinid, the unin-
formed, and misinformed, and to mpel them on
by fears, to destroy our national compact, and
nationality, for the vain purpose of re-
dressing ideal wrongs, and of removing imaginary
evils, or evils if real, that do not weigh on those
who fomeat the excitement, and in the correction
In examining this slave question, it will be seen
that slavery was planted in the American colonies
by the policy and power Of the mother country,
against the wishes and remonstrances of the colo
niss; and this condition of the two races, the
white and the black, the condition Of master and
sace, existed on the achievement Of our indie
pcndeice, and continued on the establishment Of
our nationality. In forming the present Constitu-
rion, the pre-exsling right of the master to his
slave was recognized, and to secure that right
more completely, the provision was inserted for
the surrender of slaves fleeing to other States. 1t
never contemplated IN the Constitution To in
wade the authority of the States, to manage their
local affairs, the light of defining the powers,
duties obligations, and political condition of the
residents within their borders.
The present generation in the slave States, both
white and black, were born to this inheritance
Tive condition Of master and slave descended to
them from the Colonial State, and be the system
I'D evil, they are'not responsible for its exist
enre, and if responsible for lis continuance, it is n
responsibility to themselves, OF to us.
Tie Constitution guarantees to :he master the
right Of retaining his fugitive slave, md imposes
upon those to whom he escapes the duty of sur
rendering him. Here plain constitutional
rights and duties, which the Act OF Cong ress Of
l13G, approved by Washington, WAS intended o
enforce and make effective, and which it did en-
force until within II few years When that law
was rendered ineffective, it matters little FROM
what cause, it became the duty of Congress 10
provide an eff lent substitute The present fug :
tive slave bill, against which 50 much clunor has
been raised, and such rebrious and bloody resist
ance has been threatened, was designed Cor this
Purpose,-fOr the purpose Of sustaining unds-
rued constitutional rights of enforcing well de-
fined constitutional dlties aud this result will M
Doubt be reached If the law be fairly and honestly
executed, and reached, it is believed, without
practically invading the constitutional rights OF
any one. AT any rate, until repeated, it ought To
be "heycd and enforced Fearful indeed would he
the consequences to our coored population, il
l'lood should be shed, us some have rnsly advised
IN resisting its execution.
If our constitutional dates to give up the slave
h- thus imperative, rs not II sound and wise policy
equally urgent 10 keep the cuored population
from us? Do we want in any way t" encourage
the magn,ton of the colorcd people What
would be the fleets on the white population OF
ihS State Of the influx Of hnlf " million Of ne.
,r rs possessing all the political rights Of the
white man; II could not be otherwise than dis
nsrrous, perhaps fatal, to one the other race
for experience teaches that the two races cannot
exist together on terms of equality-equAIi,y OF
numbers and Of rights. Strife, if not bloodshed
would inevitably follow such condition of Oui
population, until the superior race obtained the
mastery. In st. Domingo and Liberia, where
the ne FRO bears rule, he yields to the white Snan
no political power.
The d.v hborcr, the farmer, the mechanr, al
who la5or-thc merchant, the capnhsf, nIi
who ply taNeS-nre interested in excluding III,
'"Inr'd Po"'atml', mat 'ahor may MOI nc DC
graded and capital hurdCned by contact with ar
lGn'rnn,' hmpro'iuen, INFERIOR race, WIN Whoh'
!; IS poltIcaly ana phvS'r"ly Impossible lor th'
white man TO ama'samSte'
The cIamnr raised and the alarm intended to be
erected against what is termed the slave power,
ana against slave territory, nave tv"r appeared a.
nae I" Ne quite useless Tor good mere rs u" Suri
tang IN our r"Vernmeh' ~ 'he "H''t power
and no such power exists IN amy way, further
Than that Il similarity OF interests, CT ''m""'
dagger, may rf"au;r II concert 81 "'''"h Il" pro-
trt siil'i"r rights. ihc save interest, so 'Nr rs
P''I'lral power Is roh'efhFu' !" as h'.'@'"'e rs
That OF the landed interest, the montye' interest,
or ~" commercial Interest lie fact that IN th'
compromises OF the CnnSitHttom, the slave poi u
l'il"n, on the reSrlcel ratio, ~ an ingredient III
III" basis of rercs entatiGn, without possessing IT.
SET political power is realty in derncul!on of slave
power and IS s, rely no mnrc uhnoyior to cen.
sure THAI tia: women, chi ier aliens: and manners
are ingredients in the basis of repr.scntat,on.
without he right Of voting tlsemselyes
Then, again, the etior, To e. Glade slavery from,
1