Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-02-22

CONGRESS- To abolish slavery in the District of Co
lumb;a-to abolish the Slave Trade-to restrain
slavery in the Territores-but rarely, if ever, to
eatcs it in the States, except by an amendment OF
the Constitution.
LET ~ 90 little into the movements Of those
societies. we shall see how direct and powerful an
influence they have exer,ed in the politics of the
country Their plan uf operations was to Organ
ize auxiliary sacesies in every ely, town and vii
late-6 send fersh agents Ia lift up the voice OF
en- reatv and rebukc TO circulate uRSparingty
anti-slayery traces and publications. to enlist the
pulpa and the press and to encourage free labor
in preference to slave labor F"
They required their societies to inquire OF can
dlates for Office if they would aid to abolish slave
rv in the District of Columbia to abolish the slave
trade in she States to prevent the Introduction OF
new Slave States TO the Union, and subsequently
the defeat of the annexation of Texas, made
dstinc. article of their creed. Doubtless, it is in
the recollection of the society that these interrog
atories were constantly addressed and answered
tby candidates at The North most generally in con-
sonance with the wishes OF the societies. The
consequences of this organization were soon per-
ceived The principal society organized above
five hundred auXiliaries, and had at time above
fifteen hundred ministers in their associations
Their policy was agitation. They declare this
openly in their addresses, for to do them justice
there is nothing clandestine or underground in
their determinations. Speaking in one of their
annual reports, (lG55,) they say of debate in
Congress, q Every thing in the course of the de-
bate only confirmed us the persuasion that ace
must persist, until IRE get tie subject Of slagery
tully before Congress. 70 measure wW be more
efetuol to difuse information, and enkndle thought
! and feeling throughout tie iahd-C Congress IS as
tie central sun. 1t sends light and warmth to the
extremties of the system which revolves about it.
/ IN ! !, A. IoI;+;
of this horrible institution in the District U bear
aoih equaI ,ceight ogaiast 1t IN ere,y other part Of
or country. At the same time we overthrow the
system there we shall heave the foundation of it
erery wLere. This orr Southern brethren see, and
therefore, scU they resist all attempts Of Congress-
to act upon tie subject, aye, even to entertain pc
t;t;on. BIT they must be given to understand that
we see this result of the action of Congress clearly
as they do, and for this reason, among others,
shall nerer gre oyer edeoror to induce or ma
honal legislature to remoge stogeyy from within
their oun jurisdiction."
This will demonstrate to you the Importance they
attached to the halls of Congress the great field
of agitation. They recognized the power of Con
oressional action the lever to move the States
and to form the opinion of mankind. A single ex.
tract from an address delivered to this society
will place this in very striking point of view
THE act to abolish slavery in the District of Co
lumbia would speak, they say, 'to every South
ern State in authoritative tones, go thou and dc
likewise 1t would write in letters of flashing fire
over the gateway of our National Capitol No ad-
mittance for Slavery The whole system would
thus be omlaaced, branded with ignonainy consiga-
ed to execration, and ultimate destruction The
blow which batters down the gates of the citadel
in the ten miles square, shakes the entire fabric
the foundations. The District of Columbia is the
bridge over the moat leading into the whole South
Once carried, and moral poacer might pass ouer tc
do battle with slavery in the States Hence the
desperation of the South to defend the BRIDGE
This society in 1878 expended $44, O94, and
distributed of newspapers, books pamphlets ant
prints, 646 500 copies, while in 1889 it collected
SAT, 1913 and circulated of similar publications
724, 863 copies.
! | have no information of later date of their pro
ceedngs. The Massachusetts Anti Slavery Socie
ty has expended about Sc 900 annually upon the
abolition enterprise for the last ten years. Let i
be recollected what a number of these societies
there are, and shall have some idea of the ex
tent of their operations.
This furnishes but small item in the movement
Persons who were not professionally abolitionist
contributed money and talent to anti-slavery enter
prises The works of DIR. Charming have beer
circulated with extraordinary care and hundred
of tho usands of the speeches of anti-slavery poll
tlcians in Congress have been distributed. TIL,
northern legislatures, conventions of party politi
clans, anti-saverv celebrations have all formed
media by which to impress upon the popular mine
the dogmas upon which abolition rests Can on
be astonshed that the fundamental principle s'tha
slavehodlng Is heinous crime in the sight o
God, has become rooted in the Northern mind
Twice during this period did the Southern member
convene apart to decide upon their course Twic
did Congress adopt resolutions directed against tn
abolition movement Twice did it declare in eff
feet that the Union was based upon equality Q
rights and it could make no determinations be
tween the institutions of different States to promote
the one or destroy the other. The House of Re
representatives. for years adopted the rule to lay pc
titions on the table without debate
These measures were Intellectual. Vermont ant
Massachusetts, passed resolutions calling for amend
ments of the Consttution,-he one to abolish slav,
representation, the other slavery John Quinc,
Adams, in 1889, introduced resolutions for tn,
amendment of the Constitution, abolishine here1it
arg slavery after 1842. Giddings, taking advan
tage of the of the Creole, and the demand O
indemnties by the American government intro
duced the whole abolition doctrine in the shape O
resolutions and that it should be carried into thu
diplomatic and foreign intercourse of the country
Slavery discussion on the floor of Congress, tn
great object of abolition strategy, was obtained
In 1914, the rule excluding anti-savery petition
was repealed, and no attempt has been made sine
to exclude debates
\ GU will see by this statement the purpose will
which this warfare was conducted The right t,
petition was practically right to infame, exas
perate and gall the representatives of one half tn
country by attacks upon institutions in the States
The right to legisate upon slavery in the territorie
was claimed for the purpose of branding execrat
ing and outlawing the institution in the States
The pOiticianS i'm the NortherD Sto+oc IL 4