The southern press., 1851-05-14
sUAIoNvILLE. q. %, April 30, I6


OF the 18th inst, in which you ask me for an ex
preston of my opinion upon the great question
now at issue between the North and South, all
also in regard to the mode ofaclion which Soutl
Carolina ought to adopt to protect her peop
from the ruinous consequences which must re
suit from the aggressive action OF the fed, ra
government.
/ have not the vanity TO suppose that M
opinions upon these subjects are deemed of AM
importance by any portion of the people %
South Carolina but as hold no opinion tina
4 desire 10 conceal, will comply with your re
quest, as far as | can do so within the limit.
4 usually assigned 10 communication of thi'
kind
The great question of the age is that of Afri
csn slavery. will present toyonr considera
ton, as briefly as can, my views on the pres
ent state of this question, its tendency and fina
destiny, as manifested by a national progress
and development the most palpable must do
this 10 order that the reasons which shall give
for the course which in my judgment South
Carolina ought to pursue in the present great
emergency, may be fully comprehended by all
who feel any interest in my opinions.
The existence of African, slavery is coeva
with the earliest settlement of the white mar
upon this continent Its first locality was on
wards the interior of the continent with the ex-
tension of the Anglo American race At the
4 time of the revolution it prevailed in all the
States. Seven of the old thirteen have abol-
! ishtd it, and it is now found in the remaining
six of them only. When the Union was formed
it consisted Of thirteen States, each one ofwhich
had front on the Atlantic, and extended back
towards the interior of the continent only to
the extent of the boundary of a simple State.
/ All, or nearly all, beyond that boundary was
then an UNEMPLOYED wilderness. Since the
Union was formed, new line of States has
been formed between the old thirteen and the
Mississippi river; another line between that
river and the Rocky Mountains in the Louisiana
| territory and the third line of new States is
now being formed between the Rocky Noun
tans and the Pacific Ocean. As the second line
of States were formed, African slavery extended
with the white race into them. When the Lou
siana territory was acquired by the treaty OF
Paris, in 1903, African slavery was found pre-
existing there, and in portion of that territory
it still exists.
The ordinance of 1887 was the first aggres-
sive action against African slavery on this con-
tiuent. That ordinance arrested its extension
north of the Ohio, and the Constitution of the
| United States arrested foreign African emigra-
rested its extension in the Louisiana territory in
1920 and the old Northern and Eastern States
by their acts of prospective emancipation, with
the liberty to the owner TO cell in the meantime,
virtually expelled the African race from their
limits, and drove them into the Southern States
The acts of Congress of 1913 and 1850, in ref,
erence to Oregon and California, have arrested
the farther extension of the African race, as
! slaves, within the limits of the United States.
! Tho acts of emancipation of the Northern States
have driven back the African from Maine to
| Maryland, distance of seven hundred miles
The fourth line of States, now growing up be
tween the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific
Ocean, are therefore, according'to act of Parlia-
ment beyond the reach of African slavery AS
far, then, as the power of the general govern,
ment is concerned, slavery cannot spread be
yond its present limits. A wall of fire is formed
around it, beyond which II cannot pass; ana II
is n subject worthy of profound consideration,
10 determine whether it can even retain us pres.
emf boundary. assume that it cannot, and will
proceed TO We my reasons why will also
show that it not only cannot retain its present
area, but on the contrary, its is now under
going the process of change, by becoming less
and this too, by the absorption of the border
States into the great Northern empire.
| IL NAV be stated aS an H1Illlteu prOpOslllOU
that the fifteen millions of people of the non.
slaveholding States are united in their opposi.
| ion to slavery extention and TO slavery itself
| The representatives of these peopl., control
every department Of the general government
The government, therefore, executive, Legislative
and judicial, like the people it represent is hos
tile to the existence of African slavery. All il
powers will be exerted for its overthrow. :
The agitation of the slavery question by the
people of the North, renching TO the threshold oil
the hnrier States, and the aggressive action oi
! The federal government coupled with the nvow'
| ed intention 10 destroy the institution Of slav-
ery, has already destroyed the tenure by which
the border States hold their slaves sense OF
insecurity prevails everywhere in these States
and stern necessity is forced upon them 10 sell
| heir slores for The best price they can gel The
slaves on the border are now being sold IN TIE
j South in larger numbers THIN in any past period
of our history Kentucky, Tennessee and Mis-
souri, are selling their slaves to purchasers who
convey them down the Mississippi Louisiana and
Texas MARYLAND and Virginia sre selling theirs
| to South Carolina. Ge rsil. Alabama and Mis-
sissippi The wave IF African slavery, which
at first spread back towards the interior Of the
continent is thus arrested. ard Is rolling back
| uponthe South Atlantic and Gulf States. The
| ehb tide Is now rolilng b1rk IN TINS direction
The wind Of Afriran emigration now blows n
steady gale from North to South, ms did the east
wind upon the Red sea when the I-raeltes
passed over. and IL requires no prophetic vision
TO foresee that few years only will pass away
before MARYLAND, cor siderable portion Of Vir
| ginia, Kentucky. Tennessee and Missouri v III
in measure be freed from the presence Of the
African, and the AlleQhanv mountains will then
be the boundary Of slavery on our own border.
| By the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Texas, under the
provisions of Pierce's bill, slavery is driven
southwark from latitude 36 deg. 80 down to 80.
The ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of Texas is thus begun,
| but is not yet ended. That State has still more
territory than federal gold, levied by federal tax
alton, mostly upon Southern labor and capital
may bnv and It NAV be predicted that in few
years, Texas will give up her vast domain to
free soil, and Texas proper, will then be a small
State on the gulf shore, and the northern part
Of the State Of Louisiana will then be the bonn.
Diary Of free-soil in the South west
This great national Development is manifest
"a avorv ,nnraindicad mind uhirh IL IN rnhle of