The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-14

The States now South 647,202
The surrender Of Virginia effected
the result so that the North meas
ured Square miles) 425,76l
South, 385,52I
The next acquisition was Louisiana.
Its condition rs to slavery was set
tied by the Missouri compromise.
The North took (square milss) 904, 607
The South retained, =. 284, 445
The acquisition of Oregon, Florida,
and Texas occasoned another
settlement The North took
Oregon Square miles) 34I ,463
Santa Re country 100000
The South obtained Florida, 59,268
Texas, $4,000
The Mexican conquests, engrossed
by the North, swell her limits,
(square miles) $4,000
In addition. Thus from l64,08l
square miles, the North has
grown to (sqaare miles) 1882, 1903
While the South from 647,2O2
Has only reached to 860,83l
This result, it will be seen, in every case, has
been produced by false claims, on the part Of the
Northern States Their claim to the Virginia
lands had no legal foundation. The Missouri
and the Oregon restrictions violated the Const-
tntion, and the attempt to coerce Missouri to
abolish slavery is now admitted TO have been
unwarranted. SO the Supreme Court of the
United States has in effect decided. The legis-
ation Of the last Congress was sanction to
the hostile action and hostile mannuvering in
California; and the refusal to give full and ade
quate protection to Southern property, on the
common ground of the Union, was fraught with
Injustice and wrong We find by this review
then, that the abolition views of the anti-savery
party North have received powerful stimulants
from the cupidity and ambition generated in
these States. "'rhe great consideration is,"
says Mr.. Jacob Coll mer, " that The people of The
North regard SLAVERY as moral and political
euiL and its introduction into these territories
would be not only an injury to hem but also 10
The nation. They consider thai The extension of
SLAVERY ouer more country, is 10 encourage and
perpetrate il. That The more il is circumscribed,
The less is il productive, and the sooner aoiH be
emancipation.
Mr. Cooper, of Pennsylvania, exulting over
the admission Of California, says it secures "a
preponderance of the free States in the Senats,
and the ability if true to themselves, to prepent
The further acquisition Of slare territory, or The
extension of SLAVERY beyond its guaranteed limits"
ave are adnonshed," says Mr. Hunt, governor
elect Of New York. that the introduction of
or acquired, will bring the Union to an end
With equal frankness, let me assure gentlemen
that the free States will never consent to its ad-
mission as slave territory. That must be re-
garded as settled question. The North, r
mind is formed and fixed" A recurrence to the
late speeches and letters of Webster, Clay,
Cooper, Benton, will show that the most friendly
Northern party to the rights and feelings of the
Southern peope--did not for a moment contem-
plate a surrender of the principle of "no more
slave territory" 1t will thus be perceived that
the non-slaveholding communities have arrived
to the conclusion TO prevent any addition TO the
limits Of slavery-auy increase to the power of
the slaveholding States.
Have we any assurance that other obligations
to the saveholding States under the Constitu-
ton will be respected? The Fugitive slave act
of 1893, was rendered nugatory by the counter
valing legislation of the States in the manner
we have set forth. The evidence this legisla-
ton gives of opinion, then, is conclusive, if evil
dence was wanting, of the hateful nature ofthat
act to them. We are assured by the highest
and camest minds Of the North, of truth,
which we cannot ourselves deny, 'that, in this
country, no law, no Constitution, can prevail
against the moral convictions of the people.
These are stronger than parchments, statutes,
or tribunals There is fe ling in regard to
slavery, spreading rapidly, which cannot be with
stood 1t is not fanatcism, fever but
calm, moral and religious persuasion and what
ever in our institutions opposes this, will be
dead letter."
What would Northern feelings dictate, in the
case of servile instruction One of the bit
terest complaints of the Aboltionists is, that
the military arm ofthe nation is pledged to crush
"a righteous seruile insurreciion" 'We ought
to say" says one of the brightest and clearest
minds Of the North, and one of those who prize
the Union most highly, awe ought to say to
the South, TO Congress, to the world, we uiH
not fight for SLAVERY. We can die for truth, fer
justice, for rights. We aoiH not die, or inRici
death, 10 support of torongs. In ruth his spirit,
hiS determination, crisis nou so extensively IN
Northern States, that ii is impossible for toar
10 be carried on IN behalf of SLAVERY"
How stands it with the grant Of slave repre-
sentation? How long will the Constitution abide
the existence of power to alter itl Massachu
sets has demanded its alteration by the n,lora-
imous vote of her legislature John Quincy
Adams, whose report was to suppress the anti
slavery agitation, imbued the public mind North,
shat when the powers of government came to
be delegated to the Union, the South. e.,
South Carolina and Congratulated their sub
scripton to the parchment, till it should be sat
urated with the infection of slavery which no
fumigation could purfy-no quarantine could
extinguish. The freemen of the North gave
way, and the deadly venom of slavery was in
fused into the Constitution of freemen. By
means of the double representation Tie minority
command he whole, and knot of SHAREHOLDERS
give the law and prescribe the policy OF the conn
try" Hostility to this provision constituted the
ground put forth prominently and distinctlv in
all the discussions, in favor Of excluding the
Southern people, from the common ground of
the Union.
From The Lynchburg (pa.) Republican.
cl-- x.x-