The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-05
From the Galveston Ne,rs.

| subject. 49,.
From the Galveston Ntus. ....
Our neighbor of the Civilian publishes the
| following extract of letter, which he says is
from distinguished gentleman of the North
81 wish the Southern press would take a
somewhat different tone. 1T should not forget
that there is large body Of honest and inte-
gent Democrats at the North who have fought
Abolitionism for years, hand to hand, at the ex-
pense of their personal comfort, at a loss Of all
public honor aud distinction, and at large sacr
fires of business and property. 1t should not
class all Northerners as enemies to the South
and its interests. The very worst part OF this
state of things is, that some men get tired OF
| fighting forever ard being abused beside.
When an Abolition meeting wishes to make
strike for popularity, it brings forward lot of
Southern papers in which the whole North is
denounced, without discrimination, as traitors to
the constitutional compact and fixed enemies to
the South and its institutions. While We
have been fighting and sacrificing for the South,
instead of thanking, she denounces and abuses
u.s. and they either become lukewarm in the
cause, and, in their Encouragement at such
treatment, remain inactive; or, perhaps excited
| at treatment unkind ard ungenerons in itself,
pass reluctantly into The ranks of her enemies.
| Nothing has made Abotionists at the North
40 fast as the tone of the Southern press, in
denouncing, Unfortunately, friends and foes"
These remarks deserve few comments. We
have been pretty careful and constant reader
of Southern papers, and have never yet seen the
! first one, ever 80 ultra, in which the whole
! North il denounced, without discrimination"
aud we defy any one to produce such paper.
The truth is, the very class of papers against
which this chage is aimed, are constantly pub
fishing the letters and referring 10 the opinions
of the few friends which the South has at the
North, and whether those friends are "honest
and intelligent Democrats" or Wings, matters
not their friendly sentiments, in either case, are
equally app!auded, We have but recently pub
lished thu able and interesting letter of the Hon.
George NJ. Dallas ard James X. Paulding, esq,
and we have seen the same in that class of papers
usually denounced IA ultra, and in but one other.
Does this look like "denouncing the whole North
Unfortunately ~ The truth is, the Southern
papers which are thus condemned, have simply
stated the fact that the North is opposed 10 Us,
by which is meant, as everybody knows, ma.
/ jorty of the North. The minority, who are our
| friends have 10 political power and can do us no
good. They cannot change or modify the leg
i-lation Of Congress in our favor. They admit
the Injustice done us, but cannot remedy il, and
our condition could hardly be worse II, indeed,
the whole North was Unfortunately" opposed
10 III. Why, in fact, the writer above quoted
makes an admission against the North Of ~ Sc.
we're charge as We have ever seen in the rankesi
- fire eating" Journals Of the South, aud that
charge il, that for Northern man 10 be openly
friendly 60 the South IL equivalent to political
prescription. Does not the language Of this
writer admit the truth Of this charge in strong
and unqualified terms! Our Southern party
papers and politicians tell Us that AbolitiOnism
at the North il powerless and impotent to do rs
harm; but this Northern writer tells US that
those who have fought against Abotionism"
have done il "at the expense of their personal
comforts, at loss Of all public honor and dis
tine ion, and at large sacrifices Of business and
property"
II il, indeed, true that hbolitionism has &C.
quired such power at the North as 10 overthrow
all opposition, and not only exclude it's oppo.
nents from y all public honors ard distinctions"
but after having driven them into the retirement
Of private life, TO still pursue them and involve
them in "arge sacrifices Of business and pro-
perty!" We presume il must be true, for our
neighbor quotes this writer as good authority.
and he seems TO know him personally, for he
SAYS Of him that
ale might himself have held the highest Office
in his State, IL he had been willing so far to
conceal his adherence Of the doctrines IF the
Freesoilers rs 10 allow that party to unite with
the Democrats in his support, but he preferred
10 remain private citizen"
II is therefore, plain that the writer is entitled
70 full credit for all he says regarding the over
whplming power of Abolitionism at the North.
for il thus appears that he is not only man Of
.terling integrity, but has feeling experience
If the truth of what he says, he himself has
been made victim by his opposition to Adolf.
| tionism.
We think il may now very clearly be explain.
ed why it is that the Abolitionists make con.
verts to their doctrines 80 easily by bringing
forward Southern papers, making the very
charge against the North which this writer adj
Dits TO be true. 10 is manifestly for the inter-
esis Of those who have thus been made TO suf
fer by their professed friendship towards the
South, to be convinced of their error Men, as
general rule, are very easily converted from
friends to enemies when they find such CONVEX
sion will secure to them the "honors and dis
tinctions" which they have lost by their friend.
ship TO us, and save them from the large sacri
fees Of business and property" which they
have suffered. When the motive is 80 power.
fnl any excuse is always readily caught at,
merely for the purpose OF affJrding some color
ing Of justification for the change; and this at
once explains what il is that the abolition and
free soil sentiments Of the North are so rapidly
gaiuing strength popularity and political iuflu-
ence.
4
rFft