The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1851-07-09

"NONlSllN0, JUL
to be made test question. All others are
to yield to it for the present. The Pres
idential question is near at hand, and all tha,
is wanted now, is to keep the South quiet
A peace must be patched up with her. She
must be let alone for while, until her back
becomes fitted to the burthen which has just
been placed upon it. She must be f1attered
and courted and cajoled. Liberal offers will
be made to induce her to join in the canvass
High places will be promised her; in short,
she is wanted and must be won. This is the
course things will take, and only let South
Carolina give up her purpose of secession
let her say that she will not leave the Union
until she obtains cooperation through future
aggression, and resistance in any form is at
an end. But have intimated that this
measure might be adopted in form which
will fail TO produce the result which our
friends predict. Let me explain what
mean.
If slavery is abolished in the District of
Columbia at the present day, it will be done
with the consent of the shareholders there.
That species of property is becoming daily
more insecure, and of course less valuable.
The facilities for abduction, the spread of
Abolition doctrines, and the presence of some
8 or 5000 free negroes, against or 1000
slaves, out of total population of $4,000,
all combine to render slave property there
of very little value. When the alternative
is presentedtto the people of the District of
losing their slaves altogether, or selling out
even at reduced price, it is plain which
can.se they will adept The consent Of the
stakeholder to sell will thus be easily obtain
ed, and then the right of Congress to pur-
chase will be the only remaining difficulty
to be overcome. Now, it must be remem-
bered that the general power of Congress to
abolish slavery in the District of Columbia
is still an open question. Mr.. Clay, and his
school of politicians, if understand them,
admi. the power, but say that its exercise
would be breach Of faith to Virginia and
Maryland whilst they remained slaveholding
States; and now, since the retrocession Of
Alexandria to Virginia, this objection would
be narrowed down, l presume, to breach
of faith to Maryland alone. If slavery,
therefore, should be abolished in the District
of Columbia with the consent of the slave
holders, the question then comes up: Will
the South unite in dissolving the Union, be-
cause Congress has done, what, in the judg-
ment of the greatest party leader of the day,
and his numerous followers, is only breach
Of faith to Marylanda Will Maryland her.
SELF with $4,000 free negroes to $4,000
slaves within her borders flor such is the as
founding fact disclosed by the last census)
be the 6rst to raise the banner Of Disunion 7
Will Georgia do so2 Before her Conven-
ton met, would have answered this cues
ton, without an instants hesitation, in the
affirmative. But the action of that Conven-
ton has afforded ground for very grave and
psintpl doubts on this question.
Previously to the meeting of that body it
had bee6gne the uniform, invariable mode of
expressions this subject by all the South
ern States toNay, il Congress should abolish
slavery in the sDntliet Of Columbia, then,
&c. This was the stereotyped formula of
words-plain, distinct aud unequivocal-
which had entered into the vocabulary of the
whole South in laying down theisepla.form
Of resistance. But the Georgia Contention
deliberately, and upon consideration, a6sa.
doned the use of these plain terms, Which
could give rise to no dispute as to their true
intent and meaning, and adopted this mode
of expression: "That the State Of Georgia.
in the Judgment of this Convention. will and
ought to resist, even las last resort) to a
disruption of every tie which binds her to
the Union, any action of Congress upon the
subject of slavery in the District Of Colum-
bia, or in places subject to the jurisdiction oi
Congress, incompatible with the safety, the
domestic tranquility, the rights, and the hon.
or of the slaveholding States,n &c.
Now. / ask. what does tb;s4 CHANGE q,
phraseolory meant Il must mean some.
thing, Or Why adopt It in preference to the