The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-25

State should exist north Of 36o 3W. BY that means
after leaving the South only territory for sngl
State, (Arkansas.) they acquired enough in exten
TO make ten or hftscn large States. Now, encour
aged by their former success, and having becom,
relatively stronger they claim the whole Of the ter
rtory. lrti 4pE e't4uc elaR hfa
Should we give way, what is 70 be the result
California, Oregon, New Mexico Deseret, and
Minnesota, will come into the Union In less than
five years, giving the North clear majority d
ten or fifteen votes in the Senate. The census oi
the coming year will, under the new apportion
ment, give them nearly two to ono in this House. ,
With immense controlling majorities in both
branches, will they not at oncc by act Of Congress,
abolish slavery in the States Mr.. Adams, who,
in his day, controlled northern opinion OH this
question, said that there were twenty provisions
Of the Constitution which, under certain circum-
stances, would give Congress the power. Would
not this majority find the power, as easily as they
have done in their State Legislatures. where they
have complete sway, to nullify the provision Of the
Constitution for the protection of fugitive slaves
Have not prominent northern politicians. of the
highest positions and the greatest influence who,e
floor, already declared that there is nothing in the
Constitution Of the United States which obstructs
or ought to obstruct the abolition of slavery by
Congress, in the Statesi Supposing, however,
this should not occur, in twenty years or less,
without new acquisitions of territory, they would
get the power, by the coming in of free States,
to amend the Constitution for that purpose. But
nave no uOuOt, 0T, tndt Otucf ACQulGltlOn6 oil
rtory will be made. Probably, after the next
Presidential election shall get that part Of
Mexico which lies along the Gulf, as far as Vera
Cruz; and from which, though well suited to the
profitable employment of slave labor, we should
be excluded, nevertheless, by the adoption of the
principle that slavery should not be extended in
area. Conceding, however, that am wrong
in both these suppositions, and that Congress
would neither violate the Constitution nor an
nul it thus what are we to expect? Slavery is
TO be kept, they say, where it now is and VIC
are to be surrounded with free States. These
States not only prohibit the introduction of slaves
but also Of free negroes into their borders. OF
course the whole negro population is TO be here
after confined to the territory Of the present fifteen
slave States. That population in twenty five
years will amount to seven or eight millions, and
in fifty years to fifteen millions. However dense
the population might become, the negroes will not
be gotten away, but the wealthier portion Of the
white population Il mean such as were able TO cmi-
grate) would leave the territory. The condition of
the South would, for time, be that of Ireland and
soon, by the destruction Of the remnants of the
white population, become that of st. Domingo.
There are those now living who would probably sec
this state of things; but would be certain to
take our children or grandchildren. These facts
staring US in the face distinctly the
the heavens at MONDAY. Northern men not only
admit il, but constantly In their public speeches
avow it to be their purpose TO produce this very
state Of things. II We express alarm at the pros
pect, they seek to amusc us with eulogies the
blessings Of the Federal Union, and ask us to be
still for time. They do WELL for It is true that
communities have usually been destroyed by move
ments which, in the beginning, inflicted no immc-
diate injury, and which were therefore acquiesced
in till they had progressed too far to be resisted
They have, too, constant examples IN the conduct
of brute animals, that do not struggle against evils
until they begin 10 feel pain. They doubtless,
too, encouraged to hope for our submission
count of our acquiescence under their former
wrongs. They know that the evils already infiict-
ed on US, TO which have referred, greatly exceed
in yiuin ttnip paffa Nal
when she drove the colonies into resistance Be
sides, sir, their aggressions have infinitely less
show Of constitutional right color Of natural JUS
ticc. But what they now propose is too palpable
been free for seventy years, the southern States
were 70 consent 10 be thus degraded and ensaved
instead Of the pity they would meet the scorn and
contempt of the universe. The m<n of this genera
ton, who would be responsible ought 70 be whipped
through their fields by their own negroes thank
God that there 10 one in my district that think
meanly OF, 20 believe that he would not read-
ly come into whatever movement might be neces-
sary for the protection of our rights and liberty.
tell northern gentlemen, who arc in hopes tina /
the South will be divided, that we shall not have
half as many traitors to hang ss we did Tories in
the Revolution
IL gentlemen mean that the Union, upon the
principles of the Constitution, is desirable will
not controvert that opinion. But the Union never
could have been formed without the written Con-
stitution. So. if you now, by your action, practi-
cally destroy the Constitution, those injured, il
able 10 resist, will not submit. That instrument
was ordained, in its own language, 10 establish
Justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secure
the blessings Of liberty to all parties TO it-namely.
the frecmcn Of the Union. II, therefore, under It's
form, gross ijsfcs is done, instructions excited
and the citizens of part Of the States politically
shaved, then the Union ought not TO stand, as an
instrument OF wrong and oppression.
There IL throughout the South a strong attach
ment 10 the union of the States. This sentiment
rests not much upon any calculations Of interest
A "A - II II
common ancestral struggles and triumphs, Our
people take pride in the name Of the United
States, and in being members Of great republic
that furnishes cheering example TO the friends OF
liberty throughout the world But the events Of
the last few years rapidly weakening this feel
ing. Seeing that there appeared TO be a settled
purpose in the North TO put them 10 the wall,
many Of our people, regarding dissolution Of the
have looked forward 10 the consequences OF such a
state Of things.
will tell northern gentlemen, in the hope that
many OF them not yet past the point of reason,
what IL the view presented In prospect 70 many OF
the highest inteects in the South. II ia well known
that the existing revenue system operates hardly
ON the South and the West. The Government
raises upwards Of thirty millions annually by a
duty or tax upon imports. But this system acts
very unequally the different sections Of the
country. For illustration Of the mode Of operation
will take a single article. Railroad iron Is pro-
duced in England at 30 cheap rate, that IL be
$40 per ton. This is much cheaper than our pco-
pie can aiiord to make IL at. They therefore ask
The Government TO require the payment Of $50 per
ton by way Of duty. The importer, therefore, in.
stead Of selling for $40 per ton, must ask $50, "a
reimburse himself for what he has paid out abroad
and to the Government Every person, therefore
in the United States, who purchases railroad iron
has 10 pay $50 more for each ton. There are, how
ever, eomc advantages To couDtcrbalancc this loss
In the fret place, Of people, finding that
they make profit by selling railroad iron al
so per ton, engage in the manufacture, and thus
find employment While engaged, these per-
sons consume tho produce Of the farmers and 9th
ers and thus make home market for agricultural
productions We see, however, that the loss Of S2f
per ton falls all those in any part VI the United
States who may consume the iron. But the benefit
is confined 20 those persons who are engaged In
making iron, and those who live so near them
that they conveniently get their produce TO IN,
factories. In fact, this sort Of manufacturing i,
confined 10 the State Of Pennsylvania, and perhap.
few other localities. But my constituents n,
more pay the manufacturers Of Pennsylvania 60,
iron in the production Of their farms than the,
could the British iron masters. II is therefore /.
our advantage, we must pay for il in cash, u
get the iron at the lowest rate This In true Of tn
southern and western people generally. This II
lustrates the effect Of revenue and protective
system. The burden is diffuscd over the whol