Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-05-25

.eu upoH Tie dllar OF slavery ana the poor peace
tul Hlndoo learns that even English humanity is
willing to regard "the complexion incompatible
with freedom which an Indian sun stamped upon
his brow.'
But w ouId call attention to the fac t. and often
commented on, that these two great powers.
Eng and and France, are sill ntIy concentrating
their energies for the coonization cultivation and
commerce of tropical Africa. Tey have learnt
that imam liveth not by bread only" and they
wish to provide against that day, not far distant,
rust, when America, aroused to a sense of her
true interests, shall find that in the manufacture
OF her own raw materials, she will hold the key
that unlocks the wealth of the world All ex-
perence proves that these p oductions can only
be obtained by the labour Of the negro, and of the
negro in subsection. Hence England and France
having grown more cunning in the use of terms,
are willing to reap the advantages of slavery
without mourning the odium OF the name--they
have found that tits cheaper and more slightly un-
der the name Of colonies to keep their victims on
their native soil, and to Cypress those benighted
regions with a servitude, AFFECT, absolute, and
hopeless, whilst the world is deceived by homilies
on the slave trade, denunciations of our Southern
States, Quintuple Alliances and squadrons on
the coast of Africa.
believed, therefore, that the North in its cru
sade against slavery, was moving to the de-
struction of her own prosperity as we'll as ours,
| and that when she had accomplished her purpo-
that the fruits of her conquest would be seen,
in the downfall of her Lowels and Lawrences
and in the speedy extingushment of the Sudden
glories' OF her merchant princes "whose equipa
ges shine like meteors, and whose palaces rise like
exhalations."
With these views, and denying totally the right
OF the North to interfere with our domestic CON
Germs, looked around me for the best means to
escape from that storm OF passion and prejudice
which | was certain would rend asunder the
bonds of our magnificent Union, and bring want
and woe to a divided and distracted people, [
deemed it crisis which should unite all classes
OF Southern men-a cause in which should be
merged all the fleeing topics of the hour, and
that forgetting for time the party names aud
party lines which divide us, we should present
an undivided front to common danger could
not believe, nor will yet believe that the high
minded and chvalrous people of the South will
prove false to that jealous love of freedom which
Burke, in speaking of their peculiar institution
assigned them seventy years ago | could not
| think that they would suffer themselves to be in
suited in the name and under the authority of that
constitution which is based upon the principle of
perfect equality. did not see how they could
suffer the charter of their privileges to be convert
ed into the instruments of their degradation. |
| believed that they animated by deep and
| sincere love of that Union which is hallowed by
all the grandes associations that can appeal to the
heart OF man-but L also thought that with full
sense of the horrors which would attend its dis
solution, they would obey the promptings of that
noble spirit which prefers any danger to dishonor.
The North may stilindulge in her homes, and we
may overlook her ostentaiion of greater righteous
ness-but she must keep within her own limits
The South should never tamely submit to the in
trusions of an officious monitor. She is content
that her merit should be told alone by the vaor
and integrity of her sons, the virtue and modesty
OF her daughters-her errors as a people, what
| ever they may be, must rest between herself and
| her God; she remembers that the crime of which
the North so loudly complains was also the Of
| fence of our forefathers-that the existence of
slavery in the Southern colonies did not, under the
guidance of Heaven, prevent from throwing
off the yoke of England and she has an abiding
faith that In any trial to come, the spirit will
guide her people and lead them to adorn once
more the pages OF their antique renoWn." 1t is
the entire ignorance on the part of the North of
this calm but determined spirit which has led them
to make such frequent and wanton aggressons
upon our rights. They have thought and still
think that with the cry of Union they can COM
init any excess and perperate any enormity. To
rouse them from this error--to warn them before
they took the last fatal step from which there was
no retreat was one of the principal inducements
which led me to advocate the Nashville Conven-
ton. With all due Difference to the opinions of
our Southern brethren who differ from us as to
the remedy for our grievances, it appears to me
that they have rejected measure better cacu-
lated than any other to preserve the FORM and in
duce return of that fraternal feeling which can
alone make the Union desirable 1t would be hard
to over-estimate the moral effect which would
have been produced by the union of the South on
this subject. The Northern States would have
been deeply moved by the august spectacle of
whole people meeting in council to assert the SUI
premacy OF the constitution, to appeal to the peo-
pie OF another section to pause in their mad Ca
reer and preserve that Union in which is involved
not only our own welfare, but the cause of free
dom throughout the world IF after this solemn
appeal the fatal blow had been struck, and the
Union dissolved the South would have been vim
dicaed in the eyes of the world and posterity from
the guilt of its severance. 1t would have found
its justification in melancholy necessity, akin TO
that which leads the injured wife after long years
OF harshness and cruelty, to seek separation fl
nal and absolute from him to whom she once
looked for all her comforts and all her Joy.
While these inducements were strong enough
to bring every Southern State into line, it seemed
especially incumbent on Virginia to act. To take
the lead even, was rule which belonged proper
ly to her. Virginia for Constitutional Equality"
would now form motto as appropriate as when
in the days of the revolution she inscribed upon
her banner, Virginia for Constitutional Liber-
ty" Whilst the whole South has been deeply
wronged Virginia has been insuled, and her very
generosity made the basis of aggression She
gave to the Union the vast territory of the North
West, from which five States have been carved
and in those States are some of the most mag-
nant OF her enemies She gave up kingdom,
and her only reward has been to learn
How sharper than serpenfs tooth it is
To have thankless child
The famous ordinance of S7 applied to this
territory, constitutes the platform of the Free Soil
party, and yet it seems to me to have little
strength. The cession of the territory on which
this nterdict was laid, was not perfected until the
final act of the Legislature of Virginia in 1888.
Virginia could still have resisted this proviso if
she had THOUGHT proner 10 do 50 What in the ey-