Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-08-02
Philosophy of Free Soil.

tains review of a t-day sermon Of the notor-
GUS high priest of free soil, Theodore Parker. The
review is marked by the boldness, vigor, and orig
lnality which characterize the editors style, and
is well worth a careful perusal 1t is interesting
and valuable as showing us the convictions of the
few who are enabled to preserve themselves un
contaminated and untouched in the lava-like de-
luge of fanaticism and infdelity that is flooding
the face Of society, and carrying away the founda-
tons of law and order. 1t should nerve with new
vigor the arms of those who are striking for South
ern rights to receive such recognition of the JUS
tice of their cause.
The following extract will show in strong but
truthful coors the progress and present state of
the free soil movement. We commend it to those
who constantly luling igilance by cries of
''re action, and who pirate valorously about the
! returning sense of Justice at the north.
''Mr. Parker plainly counsels resistance to the
laws, downright treason, and cival war-only
not just yet. The hour is not yet come, and arm
ed resistance might be premature, because just
now it might be unsuccessful The traitorous
intention the traitorous resolution is manifest, is
avowed, is even gloried in, and nothiug is want
ing to the overt attempt to carry into execution
but fair prospect of success. And that is of more
serious consequence, the party of which this fierce
decaimer is an accredited organ is now in power
! in this State, and has the Governor and the ma
ioriy of the representatives in both houses of Con-
gress. 1t rules or misrules the great State of
Ohio it is numerous in Pennsylvania, almost the
majority in New York, triumphant in Vermont,
and, we can just not say, also in New Hamshire.
Its principles are entertained by men who do not
profess allegiance to the party. Nearly every
member of Congress from this State with the ex-
cepton of Mr.. Appleton, of this city, is in reality
as much of free-soiler as Horace Mann or Robert
Rantoul. Mr.. Winthrop the-whig candidate for
the Senate, was not a whit sounder than Mr.. Sum-
ner, his successful freesoil competitor, and would
have made far more dangerous Senator. The
party has absorbed in its bosom all the separate fa
naticisms ofthe free States and all who, like our
sives, have watched its growth from 831, are well
aware that it has been steadily advancing, that 1t
b IS never lost an inch of ground once gained, and
| fiat it has never for moment met with serious
eneck. 1t is as certain as anything humancan be,
that if it is not speedily resisted, and resisted as
it never yet has been, it will in short time pos
sess the power in nearly all the free States, and
consequently in the Union itself To what, then,
are coming
esThis statement will, no doubt, crafty and en-
courage the party but the party has already be-
come too strong to be pushed aside as contemptl-
BILE, and we must not deceive ourselves to the
magnitude of the danger that threatens us. Both
parties Wings and Democrats (Whigs more es-
pecally till lately, have crimnally tampered with
it, and aided it to acquire its present formidable
Ipower-a power which, perhaps is no longer con-
trollable. The measures hitherto taken against it
have thus far only exasperated and strengthened
/ it. The compromise measures of the late Con-
gress, which it was hoped would allay the excite
ment, and extingush the party by deprivng it of
all pretence of further agitation, have had only
contrary effect. We do not agree with the so-cal-
led disunionists of the South for we are Unionists;
but it must be confessed that they have been the
only considerable party in the country that has
had any toerable appreciation the free soil move
ment. They were correct in their predictions that
the compromise measures would be Intellectual,
and they have not oyerstated the danger. We say
not danger to the institution of slavery, for the
question of slavery loses itself in much higher
question, even higher and more important than
the simple maintenance of the Union-n the ques-
ton of the maintenance of society ITSELF The
free -soilers are to American society what red re-
publicans and socialists to European society
and their triumph is the triumph of anarchy and
despotism.
Mr. Brownson, although no disunionist gives us
the following hints, which deserve attention:
Y ''In an industrial and commercial point of view
: the Southern confederacy would have the advan
tage over the Northern. 1t would include the
great exporting States, and could therefore always
p trade more to its advantage in European markets
: than in ours. We are the factors and manu-
facturers for the South but we should not be whel
. we come to sustain to it the relation of foreign
. government. We should lose two-thirds of ou
I exports, very large proportion of our lnterna
; trade and the best markets for the larger proper
: ton of our manufactures. What, in this case Q
O of division, would naturally form the Southern re
! public or kingdom would have more fully the ele
Q ments of national greatness in itself than tn
;: Northern, at least till some great change shou
), come over the present state of commerce and IN
;. dustry. These considerations can have no weigh
h with the fanatics but they should have weigh
If with our cool-headed business men, and with a
!, that portion of our population that have not ye
,e entirely lost their senses
, The free soil party is thus described
~ 1--WE see not in ee-soilism single redeemin
to element 1t is wild, lawless, destructive fanat
a cism The leaders of the party that sustain it
ID base and unprincipled men, whose morality is cant
vt whose piety is maudlin sentiment, and whose pat
u riotism is treasons A more graceless set OF dc
TX uded fanatics or unmitigated hypocrits could ne
4 be fonnd were we to search the world over Som
to worthy persons may have been attracted to th
al party by their horror of slavery, and by Their bt
lief in the loyal intentions ofits leaders, but no re
la gious man. no loyal Citizen can, after the deve
40 opments the party has recently given any longt
D. adhere to it, or afford it the least concelyab
b. countenance. Whoever continues to support
n can be excused from treason only on the groun
d. that he is insane or else that he stands too low
H. the scale of intelligence to irresponsible for acts
e. ---------~----------
co The newer the country the more hospitable Il
z people are. Where houses are as far apart
!, counties stranger is as welcome newSn