The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-10
ABILITY OF THE South FOR SELr-DErENcE.

.
We quote upon this subject the following article
from the New York Journal OF Commerce. IL pa
per which, throughout the whole of our sectiona
difficulties, has maintained noble, manly ant
national tone. 1t will be seen that the Journal o
Commerce comedies that, IN the event of that ter
rlble calamity, the dissolution Of the Union, the
South would be able to maintain her position.
She would have the men and the arms, and, in the
opinion of the Journal, instead of being encum
bered by her "pecuar institution would be
aided by it. She would have the advantage, by
her laboring population, Of carrying ON withou,
difficulty the operations of arms and Of agriculture
at the same time. But we devouty hope that ne
cessitv may never arise. Says the Journal:
"Whnt if. this Union were dissolved: Woulc
slavery be thereby abolished No, but the nfu
ence wisely exerted by the free States, while poll
ticaly united to the savehoIding States, can exer
over the subject. would become repellant power
and the prospects ofthe slave would be more hope
less than ever. Some people are so silly as to
suppose that, in case OF separation, the slaves
would overpower their masters, and thus secure
their freedom. They must be devils incarnate il
they desire it, with its accompanying horrors; but,
that three million slaves without property, arms
resources Of any kind could overpower twice their
number Of whites, possessing all these elements,
too absurd for belief. Speaking after the manner
Of men, it is impossible. the only effect Of the
attempt would be to cause dreadful massacre oil
whites. chiefly women and children, and then a
dreadful retrbution upon the blacks, followed by
rivetng Of their chains more firmly than ever
We repeat, and mean what we say, that any man
who desire servile war at the South with all the
rrightfu consequences which must ensue, is an in
nate fend.
again, it is said by some, that the South, with
$780, 900 slaves, would be incapable Of contend
mg with the North, or any foreign nation So
f,r rom this, it is deliberate opinion that the
nth would be more powerful as an independent
sell, a. r..
carrying on war, multitude Of men are required
as teamsters and for other manual labor. For
many such purposes negroes would be more use
full than white men, in Southern climates and
being necessarily scattered, and in the presence or
,neighborhood Of an armed force, they would not
make the slightest resistance, if disposed. But it
is probable great many of them would side with
their masters from affection and choice. The
South has double the white population which
the whole country had during the war Of indie
pendence then she has also mighty army in
her sickly climate (sickly to Northern constitu-
tions) and wide extent Of territory. The South
could if necessary, raise force of GOO, 900 fight
ing men sufficient TO resist any army that could
be sent against them from any quarter. In short,
we do NOT believe that there is nation on earth
that could conquer the South The North could
not. Great Britain, with all her power, could
not. Neither do we believe that war with
the South would give freedom to many slaves
hose leeT tlt ITonuerS WOuiu, Ol course, De ear
ly sent into the interior beyond the reach Of scout
ing parties and Abolitionists. The English, in
the Of 1912 and 1913, in spite of all their ef
forts, captured decoyed about 5000 slaves,
for which they anerward UNIDENTIFIED the owners.
"But, will the Union be dissolved We hope
not We believe not. But this belief, 1--WE said
months ago, when we were ridiculed by a CO.
temporary for expressing apprehensions of dan
ger,) is founded entirely upon another, viz that
IL mo nj % ral ~
nightly for the Union, and compel such conces-
sions as are necessary to preserve it. These con-
cessions may, however, come too late. When
the Rubicon is passed, the step will not easily be
retraced.
II any disaster should betaI the Union, result
ing from the fanatical movements Of the North, u
dreadful retribution awaits those men, whether
clergymen or aymen, whether demagogues or
dupes, who have fermented the mischief
1.-THE nation is surrounded with perils and II
requires more than the wisdom of man to avoid or
to remove them: We hope for the best, and
mean to do so. But we cNndidly confess that we
have never seen time when the perpetuity of the
Union seemed to us much endangered as at
present "-Richmond Republican,.