The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-25

tion-serye to swell the tide OF preudic,
: against one section OF this Union in th,
: bosoms OF the other "Manstealers thieves
aristocrats. arrogant, insolent tyrants! ab
horrcd Of God! unworthy OF association
with moral, virtuous men onearth :" Thes,
are the terms induged--terms utterly unh
for this presence---better suited to fsh-mar-
ket. shall not descend to recriminate.
did not collate these precious passages fol
such purpose ; but to prove to the committee
and the country, and especially to the con
sdcrate and moderate men of the free States,
that they can give no assurance OF safety
under the policy Of nOn-dction, and indeed
/ that we can feel little reliance for the safety
of slave property under the very egls OF the
! Constitution, while such doctrines educate
the public mind, or wound the public ear.
The pof7n Of these remarks is in the
avowals of motive, inducing the adoption Of
the policy these Representatives advocate.
What arc these ayowals $ Non-erteh-
sion, no more siapc territory, no more slaue
States" Why' Not only because slavery is
anevil, San iniquity," but because they intend
TO compel the O,cner 10 admit that IL is an erii,
by producing an infoleyablc state Of suffering
il the slareholding States They design,
by combining the institution of slavery to an
area which the natural expansion Of popula-
ton will soon cover, to compel the master
to cry out against the system Of slavery as a
curse, which blights the prosperity Of his bu-
siness, and endangers the security Of his
home. Yes, sir; we are informed, in this
explicit language, that the anti-slavery party
would now lay the foundation of national
policy, BY which it is intended to con6ne the
white and black races at the South together,
until the STAKEHOLDER shall come as an almo-
ner before the National Government, pray
ing to be relieved Of the burden of this spe-
cies Of property. All this is to be done,
too, by the energies Of Government organ
lied under Constitution expressly guaran-
teeing protection to this class Of property
done by men who acknowledge their ina
bility, under the Constitution, to interfere
with slavery in the STATES. Can you be
surprised, with such atrocious declarations
ringing in our ears, that we insist upon some
immediate settlement Of this matter? Would
you expect sensible man to remain passive
while the lives Of his family were threatened
when the incendiary brandishes the torch
before his. eyes, and boasts Of an intention
to commit arson, though it involves murder
These men argue, that while the Consti-
tuition protects slavery in The States, they
may so act upon j: out Of the States as to
destroy its value in the States, and that the
surrender Of it by the owner, will then be
the act Of the owner, while the effort of the
Aboitionists will be free from the stain Of
violated obligation. Precious ethics ! |
know Of but one apt illustration Of the prin-
ciple asserted. In the annals of the Count
of Monte-Chrsto," story is told Of a
French banker, who ventured into the cata-
combs OF Rome, under the pledge of some
banditti inhabiting that labyrinth, that no
violence should be offered to his person.
| After he was fully committed, and could not
extrlcate himself, they furnished him a drop
of water to quench his burning thirst, for
one half of his money, and gave him bird
to appease his gnawing hunger for the bal
ance ofwhathe was worth. These punctlious
moralsts contended that their pledge was
fulfilled, and that the surrender of the
Frenchman's property was his voluntary act,
and no robbery of theirs. The policy Of
our constitutional brethren, thrown into the
shape of bill, would read by its title some
what after this fashion: " A bill to compel
the slaveholding States to pass laws for the
gradual abolition of slavery, and further to
destroy the security and value of slave pro-
pcrty in The States, according to the most
modern Interpretation Of the Constitution. !"
am aware that the reply to these obs.r-
vations will be, that the sentiments upon
which have commented are not the opin-
ions OF the mass Of the North, and the per-
sons whom have denominated leaders, are
extremists and agtators. know they are
extremists but ultralsts have led revolu-
tons since the world had history. The
mass of men follow the lead Of the daring
spirit, whether his energy be exhibitedin the
cabinet or the field 1t is because these
leaders are extremists and agitators, talented
and accomplished for their work, that am
the more DESTROYS that moderate, conscrva-
tive gentlemen from the North shall JON
me and other conservatives from the South
and West, to silence agitation by settle
ment at once of the subject, which gives
play to their faculty for mischief. There is
but one sound and safe policy under all the
circumstances. 1t is to close the volume Of
Legislation upon the subject of domestic sla-
very, by an act covering all the territory
under our jurisdiction, based upon mutual
concessions, discarding all mere distractions,
and drafted in spirit Of fraternity, to teach
the minority that the majority WELD power
with magnanimity--to prove to the So@tt
that their rights and feelings are not merely
recognized but guarded by the North-te
prove also that an American Congress vii
never g do evil that good may come ou
of it."
For ny own part, l wish to act with fair.
ness, executing honestly the obligations We
owe to each other, that we may bind will
,, frmer ties than ever the Union OF these
States am no propaganda OF SLAYER,
because ! consider it a moral, social, ant