The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1851-07-25
From the Southern (s c) Patriot.
THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY.

ment, stronger, more valuable and more nu-
merous than it has ever been since the forma-
ton of the Federal Union. 1t also extends
over an area of territory in the United States
twice or three times as large as it did at the
organization of the republic. Why, then, are
we so much alarmed for It's safety, continuance
and security!
There were only few hundred thousand
slaves in the United States when the Federal
Constitution was adopted Now we hayesup-
wards of three milionsl But, Eotwithstand-
I ing this prodigious increase, they have not di-
minished in value On the contrdry, they are
worth double as much at this time as they were
sixty years sincel A uegro fellow might then
have been purchased for, three or four hundred I
dollars. The same man would now sell for
kseven or eight hundred dollars! This, too, in /
spite of all the aggressiOns of the North, and i
the agitation at the South.
| Let us here remark that this continued ag- |
tation and exaggeration 0 the dangers to sla- |
very, from the North and the Federal Govern
ment, which we daily see in Southern newspa- |
pers, and hear from Southern men, have done |
| more to weakenthe Institution and destroy con-
| fdence iu it, than all that mas been said and
done elsewhere. We are, in fact, by pursuing
such course, and producing such a panic,
PLAYING into the hands of the Aboiiionists,
and aiding them on in their unhoiy work. 1t
is our interest, and it should be our duty, to
speak of African slavery as athing liked, per-
manent, and unalterabe in the United States.
The truth is so, and slavery is stronger than
it ever has been in the southern States. Its
Justice, and its beneficial effects, to master and
slave, were never before so well understood,
Tor SO generally admitted and believed, by the
d Southern people. Men, now living among US,
NAV we'll remember the time when slavery was
| spoken of by our own people asa thing unjust
in itself, and a.eurse to the countrys ltw
I believed, too, that the day would come, when
slavery wou.l be abolished by the States
Many of the Southern States were looking to
! that event.le than fifty years age! MIR. JEFF
ferson himself suggested it! The Legislature
of Virginia, Maryland and Kentucky grayely
discussed the matter
I But different feeling has sprung up, and a
I different conviction has. come over the minds
Of the Southern people. They are now satis-
! fed that slavery is just in the sight OF God,
and in accordance with the principles OF our
holy religion. They know it to be benefit TO
I the slave himself. In no part of the world,
i and at no period Of. the world, have three mil
. | lions of the African race been so-comfortable,
e SO happy, and SO civilized in their coEdtion, as
r the slaves Of the United States. Iustead of be-
ing wild savages, they fave become Christians
and the recipients of Christian instruction.
j Instead of being regarded as an evil and
k curse to our country, slavery is now looked
y upon by the Southern people as blessings
IS blessing on which depends the continuance o
n our pro- perity and nur2iness as natieH, Bu
is fcT slavery the world would not be supplied
la .;.i COTTON the great lever of oivfIlzaGon ant
tol wealth. But for slavery neither rice nor suga
y. could be cultivated to any greatextent in tn
ut Southern States. AMI but for slave labor, tn
IA whole South would sink into poverty, and in
re commercial and manufacturing prosperity o
p the North be utterly annihilated. This is nov
3" known and admitted. Not so fifty years age
all Slavery is more secure, and this securt
lis more felt than it ever was before by the South
ut ern people. In the early history of Sou
u? Carolina, so much apprehension was there Q
serviIe instructions, that the Legislature mad
it the duty of every white man to carry hi
" gun to church Who now thinks of having
IL gun at all, for any such purpose! Such an al
d.. prehension would be laughed at as ridiculous
Of Why is it, then, that reasonable men WI
mt permit themselves to be so frightened BY IN
ah agjnaFy anticipaiions OF danger from the Mort
A., and the Federal Gouernmena 1t is not in tn
power of The North or the Federal Cover
a ment 10 abolish or seriously injnre the institl
as ton of slavery. Its security and safety lie b.
ne yond their power and reach. They may d
nd nouuce it. they may legisate against.it, but,
ed long as the South are disposed To hold on to
ed and that will be forever, it is safe and secu
at from all aggresslons. ~
~ There have always been, and there alwa!
'a will be, fanatics and abotionists at the Mort
OF who will make war against slavery, and 81
ate pose that they are doing God service in stes
tpe inc. our negroes and conceaing them But
av, they constitute the entire North, or amajorl
- of the Northern people! 1t is true. that ocC
hot sienallv one of these fanat es and unpriDc!pl
g., men will get into office by corrupt eombir
~ tions and party bargains. And immediate
=. our newspaper press announceit to the woI
IL as an evidence of Northern hostility, calrulat
ate to rouse every stakeholder of the S0uthe
by States. And we must dissolve the Union
on saets rid of this terrible dauger We shot
trv ike to know if a dissolution of the Uni
~ would lengthen the distance between Bost
- and Charleston, or deprive an Abolitionist
lsu- - the power of preaching against slavery,
eUy even of sending an abolition tract or news
upt per to the South through the .mails2 The |
the ion. dissolved, wonld not give ns one prot
heir tion for slavery that we have potgOt now, :
,se: i; would deprive Us of many which are now
,erv cured to US by the Constitution
o,as We should, 10 such an event, have no gu
1ass antee for the delivery OF our fugitive slai
ing National Government would be gFes
'yss weakened. The eyes of-tie whole wo
would be upon US as an entire slavehold
people. Every civilized nation on earth wo
card be against us on this principle, and some
lew, them might feel disposed to make waf on
Stru- for some of our pol ce regula ions. Tue
rrv- slavery feeling of all Europe andoof all the
,ass thern States would be concentrated and en-
roo, tered by.our separate position and national
@ @'s But the northernE people are not all max
'uli' war against us, 0F. against slavery. Mr..
nmH boun annousced in his speech in Charles
ablts after the declaration of war against Mex
axes that a very large majority of the Northern
Dice: Die were not disposed, TO interfere with
the rights. This has since been shewn to be
thew bv the public meetings at the North, by
" action of the leading men at the North,
'les. rus the abandonment Of the lWilmot proyise
nles, Congress, BY. The passage of the fugitive $
ana law. and the enforcement Of il 10 Boston,
ne Of York, Philadelphia and other Noitherns ci
any, and BY the express stipulation that Utah
such New Mexico shall come into The Unior
aods States, with or without slavery, as the pc
I bx.tro har