The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1851-05-10
Letter From Hon. D. Wallace.
UNIoNv1LLE, s. c., April 90, 1851.

ter Of the 18th Inst, in which you ask me
for All expression of my opinion upon the
great question now at issue between the
North anu South, and also in regard to the
mode of action which South Carolina ought
to adopt to protect her people from the ruin
o,ls consequences which must result from the
aggressive action of the Federal Government.
have not the vanity to suppose that my
opinion upon these subjects are deemed of
any importance by any portion Of the peo-
pls of South Carolina; but as 1 hold no
opinion that desire to conceal, l will CON-
ply with your request, as far as l can do so
within the limits usually assigned to COM
munication of this kind.
The great question Of the age is that Of
African slavery. will present to your con-
sideration, as briefly as l can, my views upon
the present state Of this question, its tenden-
cy and final destiny, as manifested by ma
tional progress and development the most
palpablc. must do this in order that the
reasons Which l shall give for the course
which in my Judgment South Carolina
ought to pursue in the present great emer-
gcncy, may be fully comprehended by all
who feel any interest in my opinion.
The existence Of African slavery is coeval
with the earliest settlement of tho white man
upon this continent. It's first locality was on
the beach of the Atlantic. 1t spread back
towards the interior Of tho the continent
with the extension of the Anglo American
race. AT the time Of the Revolution it pre-
vailed in all the States. Seven of the old
thirteen have abolished it, and it is now found
in the remaining six of them only When
the Union was formed it consisted of thir.
teen States, each one of which had front
on the Atlantic, aud extended back towards
the interior of the continent only TO the ex-
tent Of the boundary ola single State. All,
or nearly all beyond that boundary WAS then
an unexplored 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 Louisi-
ana territory, and the third line of new States
is now being formed between the Rocky
Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. As the
second line Of States were formed, African
slavery extended with the white race into
them. When the Louisiana territory was
acquired hy the treaty of Paris, in 1903,
African slavery was found rre-exis,ing there,
and III portion Of that territory it still cx-
lists. The Ordinance Of 1897 was the first
aggressive action against African slavery on
this continent. Tha, Ordinance arrested its
extension North of the Ohio, and the Con.
stitution of the United States arrested for
elgn African emigration in 1908. The Mis-
souri, compromise arrested 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 sell in the meantime, virtu-
ally expelled the African race from their
limits, and drove them into the Southern
States. The acts of Congress of ls4s and
1850, in reference to Oregon and California,
llavc arrested the farther extension of the
African race, as slaves, within the limits OF
the United States The acts of emancipa-
tion Of the Northern States have driven
back the African from Maine to MARYLAND. a
distance of seven hundred miles. The fourth
line OF States, now growing up between the
Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. are
therefore, according to act Of Parliament be-
yond 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 it cannot
pass; and it is asubject worthy of profound
consideration, to determine whether it can
even retain ats present boundary. assume
that it cannot, and will proceed to give INV
reasons why. l will also show that it not
only cannot retain its present area, but on
the contrary, its area is now undergoing the
process OF change, by becoming less. and
this, too, by the absorption of the border
States into the great Northern empire.
1t may be stated as an admitted pronos.
'tIon, that the fifteen millions of people of
the non ,slaveholding States are united in
Their opposition to slavery extension and to
slavery itself The representatives of these
people control every department of the Gen
cral Government. The Government there.
fore, executive, Legislative and judicial like
Inc people it represents, is hostile TO the ex-
'stence OF African slavery. All its powers
VIII oe exerted for its overthrow. The api-
"''oh OF the slavery question by the peonle
OF the North, reaching to the Threshold of
tne border States, and the aggressive action
OF the Federal Government. copnled ,v;,h
tne avowed intention TO DESTROY the inst;tu.
ZION OF slavery, has already DESTROYED tho
tenure by which the border States hold ,ha;r
slaves. enseof insecurity prevails ave.
where in these States, and a stern neco..;;,,
ls forced upon them to sell their ,laue. fo,
.n .ne osss @ p''ce they can get. The slaves on
"a :lI ooider are now being sold to the South |
.;an u, larger numbers than in any other past pe-
s'oa o. o. our history. Kentucky, Tennessee
sno. aIa Mi'sour' are selling their slaves to pur.
soaee's VINO convey them down the Ms.is.
a:'PPl r'ver' to the States of Mississippi. Ion
's'ana and Texas. Maryland and V;ro;n;.
s Mi,sg seinng theirs to South Carolina, Georgia