The southern press., 1851-12-27

always has been the case, Southern men were
found to lead the South to concession. The
Missouri difficulty was scarcely adjusted when
in four years came up the tariff of 824. Here
you see the pendulum vibrating back again
William Lowndes, who represented at that time
| he seventh congressional district of South Car
olina, which so feebly represented in the other
| House OF Congress when compared with him,
declared in 1922, that the people of the South
were the most oppressed people upon earth
that, taking taxation and expenditure together,
the South suffered more than any other people
The South murmured against the tariff of 1924,
but she submitted.
In four years more the tariff Of 1928 was en-
acted. You know the history of the contro-
vCrsy which then arose. All the Southern States
ut first stood eby-nay, stood before-South
Carolina. Then, as now, she did not lead They
said az brave words, but did not redeem them
and when the time came for her To submit Mt
terly to the system of oppression laid on her by
the tariff of 1928 or to resist, she determined to
resist. We know what was the result---another
compromise. Agan. principle was Conceded,
as in the Missouri case, by which again our OPP
preston renewed. That was in 1893.
What next? In 1885 the pendulum yibrates
again. The North commenced system of agi-
tation in the other branch of Congress- by which
it was attempted to engross by the Congress Of
the United States jurisdiction over the delicate
subject of slavery. That spirit went on. In
1888 the Democratic party i'll the hall of the
House of Representatives epdeavored to resist
it. And here let me say for that party, with
which have ever acted and to which, although
may not now be considered a member, was
once proud to belong, they were at that day true
to the Constitution and true to the South And
if the South had done its duty, and maintained
her interests and honor as she ought to have
done, the twenty-frst rule never would have
been repealed. Our own imbecility has raised
| up and strengthened our enemies against us in
| the North. ] have no imputations TO make
against the North When look back to my
own section of the country, and see what weak
ness and timdty has characterized her course,
my censures (rather nv regrets) fall on her. 1t
is high duty which States owe to themselves
to protect their rights and their people from the
oppression of other States. They are as much
to blame who yield to oppression those who
practise it. The latter do wrong the former
do also wrong, and are contemplate in their
submission. The same spirt-the spirit of
submission which prevailed in 1919 and 1888
rested over Congress in 1912, when both the
tariff, of 1888 and the twenty.irst rule were
overthrown. The interests Of the North pre-
dominated in the one, and the fanaticism of the
North in the other measure.
Slavery again arose in Congress, on the ad-
mission into the Union, of Texas, in l844-45,
and the tariff again, in 1876. The tariff of 1916
was only modification, and very small modi
ication, of the tariff of 1912. The difference
between these two tariffs ia not more than three
or four per cent; yet the tariff Of 1916 appears
to be considered by the North as vast conces-
sion to the South. Abolition meanwhile went
on with its agitations. Associations were formed;
the union of churches was broken up newspa-
pers were established; everywhere the spr.t f
fanaticism and agitation, in and out Of the balls
of Congress, was in the common order Of things.
The occasion arose by acquiring territories from
Mexico, and il was Immediately seized on by the
North to put the ban on the institution of slave
ry, and pave the way for its final overthrow.
If the South, at the last Congress, had stood
firm, she would have commanded any terms she
pleased. Did any compromise come from the
North No. They stood calm and mmovable.
conscious Of power, and allowed the fe .rfnl and
the weak, TO make their compromises, and pro-
pose their terms of concession. All the propo-
silions for compromises came from Southern
men. The pendulum swung back to slavery.
and the South again fell 1t turns again, ard
moves back TO the tariff, which failed last winter
in the House of Representatives by only five
votes; and believe il would have passed both
branches of Congress but for the North Caro-
lima Senator's who were instructed by their State
TO vote against it. Is the tariff dead Is il not
To arise in its order, aud sgain take its turn for
agitation and aggression! Thus, sir, you see,
that upon these two great points there seem to
be necessarily an antagon sm between the two
sections Of the Unop. II ey alternate in acon-
tinua collision.
concluded on fourth ns-s