The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-11-26

recognition OF our national independence.
When we consider, too that completion of
the lsthmus connection promises to make
the Gulf OF Mexico the theatre of mightier
!. commerce than that which, in the days of
ancient Rome, civilized the classic shores Of
the Mediterranean, and gave the provincial
city OF Alexandra place among the capi-
tails Of history or that which Illuminated
with its treasure the pages of Venetian and
Genoan story we must acknowledge that
the formation OF Southern confederacy, at
least so far as regards its foreign relations,
bids fair to place the South, an equal among
the nations OF the earth
Ifthen secession fails in its purpose, il
AN only be in respect to its domestic policy.
What do we expect in this regard' That a
homogeneous people, governed by the same
sentiment and acting upon the same inter-
ests, will give to their government unity of
character, and thus that parties will be form
ed by fair difference of opinion on nation
al measures, and not upon theoretical differ
ences as TO the nature of the government it.
SELF That the government placed in imme-
diate and active sympathy with popular in
! stitutions, will devote Itself to the practical
perfection Of those institutions, and will cut
off all extraneous agitation. Of course we
can no more prevent the expression of North.
ern sentiment at the North, than we can
check the eoquence of Exeter Hall in Lon
don but then the agitation at the North will
affect us only in the same degree. As to
the expression of opinion, the world may
think as it pieases, and say what it thinks.
| We do not complain of Northern sentiment,
except where having achieved political rep
resentation it tundertakes to act in Congress.
! Through the national councils only does it
reach us, and there only do we protest against
! it. England and Massachsetts-Lord Pal
merston and Gov Briggs-both think the
law of South Carolina, imprisoning coored
seamen, a very unteeing measure They
are both opposed to it in sentiment But
when the nractica action of that State
| brought the question before the British Par
lament Lord Pamerston very wisely said
that nothing could be done, foreign powers
made their own police law, When she same
question came before the Massachusetts
Legislature, Gov Briggs appealed to the
constitution, and sent an ambassador to dis
pute our rights on our own soil. To this
extent then, al east, an independent gov
ernment cou and would check agitation ;
would suppress that of which only we com
plain iegtIafgUe ag1tlttlO1 But says the
report above quoted all this may be true as
to the body Of the confederacy, but you must
! 4, 1 {
this Abandonment Of the border States will
only make new States on the narrowed bor-
der there viii follow another series of sacri-
fees and great Southern confederacy will
be thus bordered on TO destruction. This
may be witty, it is scarcely wise. We have
been so long accustomed to have the ocean
on one side and blank wdness on the
other, that the sense of neighb0rhood with
certain politicians, Is a fearful experience.
! They cannot realize that two nations can
be at peace in each others presence With
them tbs distance tha, gives safety to the
view Now, in the first place, as agitation
would be expected on these borders, it would
be guarded against, and if the price of liberty
is eternal vigilance we would not complain
of paying the same price for slavery, But,
in the next place, agitatation would be very
cautious how it crossed the line, when on
the other side it had no common Consttu.
ton to appeal to, and realized the risk Of
trial by the laws of the offending party
Even fanatcsm is net reckless of It's own
safety. Again, there are two sides to this
same border difficulty. If Virginia and
Maryland and Kentucky are border States,
so are Ohio and Pennsylvania. Now, if the
argument be that these first States will be
more exposed to the spoliation of their pro-
perty, Ohio and Pennsylvania will be more
exposed to the evils of retaliation, 1t is not
to be supposed that Southern government
would fold its arms quietly at such viola
ton of its territory, and is it any more sup
posabe that Ohio and Pennsylvania would
allow their borders to be infested BY set OF
miscreants, whose action would be to draw
on these States the evils of perpetual bor-
der warfare. indeed, if selfshness has not
lost its cunning, the border States ofa North
ern confederacy would be the safest neigh
bours for their border brethren of the South.
The arguments of the report as to the deter
ioration Of the value of slaves, is of course
based upon the successful result OF this agl-
tation. If, therefore, there be any justice in
our argument, that not only will the South
have the power but that it will be the direct
interest of the Northern border States, to
suppress agitation, the whole force Of the re-
port on this head is broken. The weakness
Of this position could be demonstrated from
other points of view, but they would not
come within the scope of the present argu-
ment. Enough of the report and its resolu-
t.eus.
, One more objectioI, and we have done.
! There are many men who have grown In
the Union, who feel an honest and pardon
able regret at the thought Of its dissolution.
, The enthusiasm of their boyhood, the hopes
: of their manhood, the calm honors OF then
a. n - r. a L.