North Carolina standard., 1851-05-24
HOW TO SAVE THE UNION.

HOW TO SAVE THE UNION.
For tho last fifteen years the people of the free
States, through their Representatives in Congress
and in their State Legislatures, have been agtaling
against Slavery, and have left means untrled to
circumseribe the institution and brand II a sin
crime. They have done this towards us, their breth-
rem, bone Of their bone and flesh of their flesh and
that, too, when they we'll knew that had purcha-
sed many Of our slaves from them, and that they,
through their oretahers, much responsible for
the institution as the people who now cherish and
maintain it. We have complained of this treatment,
and protested against it from time to time; but we
have gone no further. We have not retaated upon
them, but have strven still to regard them with feel
ings of affection, while have warned them of the
catastrophe which such course on their part must
inevitably produce. If they had been foreign
people, swords would have been drawn long since,
and these fields, from Maine to Georgia, would have
s,reamed with blood.
This is but statement OF the case generally-the
details Of these aggressions would occupy columns.
They familiar TO all readers, and shall not,
therefore, repeat them.
We have spoken above of the people of the free
States, but by this term do include oil
Of the people of those States. There are thousands
views and sentiments, and the Constitution
our fathers made it. We allude only to those who
control public opinion, and who do not either stand
forward for the Constitution, who against us.
These, fear, constitute the majority in these States,
and their numbers are rapidly increasing.
And now, what is the remedyl What will save
this Union! Let the people of those States whose
Legislatures have passed laws in papable viola tion
of fbo CNop far eIa
cerned, rise up in spirit of justice and Cancellation,
convene their Legislatures, and direct them at once
to rereal these laws and let the people of all the
free States to it by their personal presence and
exer,:ons, that the fugtive-slave law is fairly and
honestly enforced, without the aid of Federal bayo
nets. In addition TO this let the Congress of the
United States forever abstain from the discussion of
The question of Slavery in any shape; and let the
Legislatures of all the free States solemnly assure
the savehoding States that from this time forth they
will to agitate this subject, and, if they choose,
affectionaely appeal to South Carolina, under this
new aspect of affairs, to pause in her determination
and remain in the Union. Let this be done, and our
word for it the Union aoiH be preserved, And why
should it be done Is ii not a simple aud plain
matter of duty2 Can any man say it is not. If so,
We should like to hear him.
danger-danger, not SO much to the people Of the
slaveholding States, who under any circumstances,
we believe, protect themselves-but TO the Union
Of these States, SO important and still dear to US
all. II the Union is to be perpetuated, and peace
stored, the agggessors must cease their aggressons
and insults and as they have involved all in one
common peril so they must return to their duty. and
omit nothing which they do thereafter atone for
their wicked conduct and revive that confidence and
affection in Southern bosoms for the free States,
so deeply impaired. One year hence UiH be too ate
The thunderbolts, which to burn through this
golden chain of sovereigntes, have already been forg
ed the hand which would stay them must be put
forth nOI0!
Let no one say that We raising new issue on
this question, putting forth new tests conditions
of continuance of the Union. We acquiesce in the
late action of Congress, unjust and grevously wrong
we feel it to be; and we speaking only with
reference to South Carolina. AS matters stand,
that State will leave the Union! She may be in
ror-she is in in thus separating herself from
her sister slavehoding States; but that does not affect
the truth of position the soundness of the above
suggestions. The people of the free States must look
at things they are, and ac: accordingly.