Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-08-21
FOR THE ADVERTISER.
OUR CAUSE OF QUARREL.
Iiost truly yours,


IT
FOR THE ADVERTISER.
OUR CAUSE OF QUARREL.
FELLOW CITIZENS Since we find the qucs-
ton of slavery TO be of such vast prcpondcrancc
in the present conjuncturc of our Political affairs,
It may not be Improbable to give succinct ac-
count of the opposition to it, and Of the agitation
on the subject, which, Of laie, have become so
threatening to the prosperity and safety OF the
Southern people, and so onlinous to the stability
of the Union.
It is duc to the gravity Of the subject and 10
the character of the mon alluded TO, to allow,
that the first advocates of negro emancipation
were sincere men. and were generous minded. il
possible. to fault. They had Just emerged from
n dreadful war. for the vindcaiion Of their own
freedom, for which they entertained an cnthusi-
astic love and devotion. 1t was the more en-
dcared to them, from the suAtrings they had
undergone in obtaining it. Deeply in love with
this precious divinity themselves, and erecting
her worship high in their hearts. their disntcrcst-
cd natures were willing to permit all mankind, OF
every color, to enjoy her presence, and 10 receive
her bcncGlctinns. Onthc other hand, their minds
were inhamcd with bitter latrcl-a perfect alb
hnYrence for the very idea Of slavery, and having
all their passions cnkindlcd by the strife of arms,
and by the contest Of debate, they were ready
tn admit, practically, as well rs theoretically, in
the language of their noble Declaration Of hide
prnGencc, that all men are created equal: that
they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain
unaIicnablc rights; that among these, are life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"
There was another class Of persons, who being
unacGuaintcd with the mode Of treatment adop-
fed at the South, in the management OF slaves,
really deemed it unscriptura orus to require their
service and labor, without an equivalent in mon
ey They held it to be sinful for man to own
property in man and, in the agony of their
fanaticism, often raproasehed us, in the language
"T'.us man devoics his brother. and destroys;
And worse thar all. and most TO hc dcplnrd,
As human natures bruadesi. fnursl hlr..
Chains linn. AMI tasks him. and cyacIS his sweat
With Stripes thai Mcrrr with Il bleeding heart.
Wrcps when size sees inlc e'l on Il beast
These two classes, becoming more numerous,
with the total abolition of slavery at the North,
with the natural increase Of population there, anI
with its increase ly immigration from Europe.
where African slivcry had ceased to exist by
law. became worth Of. and commanded the at
tcntion of politicians, Of every faith They were
courird every vince, in the Northern Statcs.-
Their doctrines wre received and asscntcd to,
by many. from read of their infu"nce--thcir
sentiments were Wiley and deeply disseminated
and their power was fully established. Their
creed has at lrnSi, become embodied in the first
lessons of the scool boy. aud interviewer with
the whole framework of Northern society, rclig-
ion and politics.
The first series public demonstration against
slavery in the Urcd States. If am correctly in
formed, was mad by Mr.. JEFFERSON. in 1871,
in The Congress the old Considerations But
il met with no nor from Southern men. and |
for the time, wasnsucccssful Three years ar- |
ter. in 1877, the nous Ordinance, Of that date
was passed, cxGiling slavery from the North .
West Territory, hich !aud been ccdcd to the
United States by'irginia.
Southern opptinn TO this measure appears to
have heen appcad by a Compromise requiring
fugitive slaves tc delivered up in The Territory,
with the rurthcrgrccmcnt, that, the provision
in regard 10 "rsons held To service or labor"
should be app'ido all the States. and SHOULD be
adopted into Il. .CnnstutioIi-thc Convention,
for the framing which. being then in session at
Philadelphia. n there being Il mutual under
standing bctwr it and the Congress.
Some of the ding statesmen Of Virginia. at
that time, hiding Mr.. JEFFERSON and Mr.
MADISON, manicd much ardor. in the support
Of measures fuilc exclusion of slavery. Mr..
MADISON. we ;told by Mr.. WEBSTER. carried
his hostility to- institution, even 10 the term
slave, and conutcd TO prevent its being used
in the Cnnstiin.
In 1920, on. application Of siissouri for per-
mission to rorl lConstituiion. preparatory TO her i,
admission as ;!tc. the excitement on the sub
icct Of slavcrycanc so intense as TO cnlangcr
the existence the Union. The North con-
tended the alion principle ciiGcting the Ter
ritorv North st of the Ohio, should be cx-
tended also t,issouri, or MgrafiCd into her t
Constitution fore her prayer for admission Il
could be erd The South maintained that
this rrqurcn transcribed the powers of the !"
government, was never contemplated by the +,
trainers of Constitution. The contest be- u
tween the twciinns grew terrible. and threat u
cncd to invttlc country in CONFUSION and o
revolution ="
In this as OF affairs, hish-mindcd and wor- y" y,
thy men, to- from demolition, Il noble cditicc, i.
reared by thus lands of their fathers, agreed,
again, to q Oronisc of their rights. 1t WAS
stipulated, slavery should be restricted TO VI
the line of%o, North Latitude, in all the ., .,
Louisiana Tory, except Missouri. G
At this the fury of finacisln seemingly er
subsidized fnttlc space. But the child which
WAS appar wcll-born, and was certainly F.
adopted ahcrishcd, i'll its infancy, by the D