Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-09-11
For the Southern STANDARD

For the Southern STANDARD
Mr.. EDITOR We have no sympathy with The
free-soilers of the North or their assuming adbs.
rents and apologists of the South. We deem them
both dangerous to Southern institutions, and be,
lieve it our duty to rebuke their wild and incend
ary principles. 1t matters not, that such princi.
pies are advocated by certain infected individuals
of the South the question is, whether or not the
principles themselves are abstractly correct and
salutary in their practical operation If they are
wrong in principle and fraught with destruction
the interests of the South, the advocacy ofthemby
such prints as the Columbus ArguS cannot invest
them with dignity and force, which do not intrn.
scally belong to them. And when the Argus
presumes to think that the people of this State,
will so far forget the obligations they owe their
own, their native land''--as to follow him in bis
endorsement of the views expressed by Gen. Scott
in his Atkinson letter. he insults their intelligence,
abuses their confidence, and ''reckons without bis
hosts'' To show that we have not missated the
endorsement of these views by this deectabe sheet
we quote from the issue of Sept. Cd, the following:
fishing and using the Atkinson letter as the very
strongest document against Scott. We not
fearful for the world to read the Atkinson eter
We think we can make capital for ourselves out Of
it, for it takes not single position that ntne oa
ten Southern men acoutd not endorse We publish
the letter, then, and if our opponents able 10
use it to SCOTS disadvantage in the South, the!
are welcome to do it,
! Thus the editor of the Aryus declares, he
''not fearful fir the world to read it''-'can male
capital out of it, and that sit takes not single
position that nine of ten Southern men would not
endorse Perhaps he is not fearful Gifts effect
upon the world--for the abUltionists constitute
vastly majority and the letter accords with Their
views. And, perhaps, he ''can make capital out
of it," but he ought to have added especially
among the abolitionists and free-sollers of the
North" We cannot believe, and in their behalf
repel the foulmputation that -tenths of South
ern men endorse its odious, anti slavery views
Those who endorse them, may be southern BY To-
cality, but not in spirit, sentiment and feeling
When the time comes for 'nine out of ten South
ern men to avow the incendiary sentiments lmpu
ted to them, by the editor of the Argus the South
will be ready to surrender her rights and join IN
the shouts of the abolition columns of the North
But to be explicit, let us examine the 'pOsitiOns
of Gen. Scott, as set forth in his letter of 1643h
DR.. Atkinson, and ascertain, if possible, f"N
takes not single position that nine out OF ten
, Southern men would not endorse
He says: 81 own no slaves"
''In boyhood at William and Mary college, and
in common with most, if not all my companions
, became deeply impressed with the views IN faVGf
of the gradual emancipation of slaves. MY ea[g
, impressions are fresh and unchanged, Hence IL
had had the honor of seat in the Virginia Legs
: lature of 1881 and '32, when bill was brougn'
forward to carry out those views, should Ger
tainly have given it my support
And this was the bill characterized by J0nn
Randolph of Roanoke as can attempt at ssrp"s ~
J surrcctiom' Is the editor of the Argus, or 'nlnS
out of ten Southern men, in favor of this "slnS"
. position of gradual emancipation We WISE a.
n answer.
Again. Although he graciously says he does
not blame masters for not berating slaves, because
he well knows ''that liberation without the means
of sending them in comfort to some position favor
r able to the pursuit of happiness, would, IN SUM-
cases, be highly injurious to all around, as wen :
e to the manumitted slaves themselves, unless w
operation were general under the auspices Of P'1
e dent legislation" Yet he does not exculpate HUE
y blame, those masters who have and refuse ~
e t'eans of sending their slaves in comfort TO So
g position favorable to the pursuit of happiness
Does the argus or his '.nine out of ten SOu'n'''
men" endorse this ''sngle position OF hDeraNVp
We wish an answer.
. Again he says, 81 am persuaded that IT =
rs HIGH MORAL OBLIGATION OF MASTERS ana So.
holding States, to employ all means, not ln0OL
patible with the safety of both colors, to "s0'p.
9 slavery, EVEN TO THE ExrEET OF ExTERMINAIlo'
Does the argus or his thine out of ten SOu.e
as men" endorse this "single position" OF 'meaO.,
ting slavery even to the extent of ertsr"''a''0.
We by force of high MORAL obligation we =.
an answer. If high moral obligation ressS "
masters to exterminate slayery-it follows :
consequence that it is sIE--a foul blot upon !,
:. character to hold slaves in bondage, any wa
= than the safety of both colors requires doc,
i Argus or his ssnine out of ten Southern men
ee dorse this single position Ofmoral leprOy
taehing to masters refusing to extermnats sls'S'