The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-11-04
INDICATIONS OF PROGRESS IN THE SOUTH
EMANCIPATION WHO ARE TO EFFECT 1T

EMANCIPATION ARE TO EFFECT 1T
We find the following paragraph in our
Southern exchanges, and hail the intelligence
it conveys as a sign of progress:
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL CONGRESS- The
Southern Central Agricultural Society Of
Georgia has issued an address inviting the
cultivators of the soil, in every section and dis.
trict of the State, to send delegates to Macon
on the goth day of October next, for the pur-
pose of adopting measures preliminary to the
assembling of an Agricultural Congress Of the
slaveholdng States, at such time and place as
may be deemed most acceptable to the States
TO be represented in it. The chief objects of
the Congress will be to adopt measures to inn
prove the present system of agriculture to de-
velop the resources and combine the energies
OF the slaveholding States, so as to increase
their wealth, power, and dignity, as members
OF the COnfederacy to fortify public opinion
within the borders of the slavehoding States,
in antagonism to that without; to enforce the
growing sentiment, that the children of the
South shall be reared and educated at home,
instead of abroad to foster scientific pursuits,
promote the mechanic arts, and aid in estab-
fishing II system of common schools to assist
in bringing the South in direct commercial in
tercourse with distant countries: and to cul-
tivate the aptitudes of the negro race for civil
zation, and consequently Christianity-so that
by the time that slavery shall have fulfilled its
beneficent mission in these States system
may be authorized by the social condition of
that race here, to relieve it from its present
servitude, without sinking it to the condition
Of the free negroes of the North and West In
dies'n
4" To cuHiraie The aptitudeS Of the negro race
for ciUih9dtiOn, and consequently Christianity
so that, by the time Slavery shah have fulfilled
its benefcent mission in these States, a system
mag be authorized Ly the social condition Of that
race here 10 reLeUe 1t from its present SerUitude,
without sinking it to the condition Of the free
negroes Of the North and the West Indies y
this is openly announced as one of the leading
objects Of the Southern Agricultural Congress.
We are not disposed to quarrel about the par
tcuar terms used. What interests and glad
dens us is, that in call for Il General COnycn-
ton, emanating from one of the most PrO-Sla-
very States Of the South, Slavery is publicly
recognised Us temporary system, and Free
dom as the natural and permanent condition
Of the negro race for which it is to be qualified
by the cultivation of its apetudes for civiliza-
ton and Christianity: iii short, Emancipation
is openly ay0wed as an ultimate end 1t is true,
the call assumes that Slavery has benefcent
mission, and that it is good, compared with |
such freedom as the blacks of the North and |
the WNt Indies enjoy but these are errors
that will be corrected and do not change the
fact that Emancipation, at some time, under |
some circumstances, is here openly proposed.
We do not recolect that any such avowal
has been made since the commencement Of the
present Anti-Slayery excitement There have
been local Antl-Slavery movements in Della
ware and Kentucky, but no movements which |
Indicated a disposition on the part of the South
generally to contemplate Emancipation rs an
ultimate fact to be brought about by system
attic effort. The position Of the South has been
and entirely antagonistical to the
views of Anti,Savery men 1t has admitted
nothing conceded nothing; but contendcd for
Slavery as If it were system to be perpetuatcd
indefinitely. Now it is openly admitted, in a
public paper issuing in the heart of State
which lately in its apparent zeal for Slavery,
seemed willing to go all lengths against the
Federal Government that the institution is
after all II transient one, and that provision |
should be made gradually for a new order of
things,
1t has been supposed by some that the
Agitation on the subject of Slavery Extension,
by exciting the sectional spirit of the South,
and provoking it to take extreme ground in re-
lation to the general question of Slavery, has
worked uniavorably for the cause Of Emancipa-
ton in that region We dissent from this
opinion. That it checked the free expression
Of Anti-Slayery opinions there, inf1amed the
Pro-Slavery spirit, and harmonzed the South
in defence of the institution, is true; but these
effects are only temporary The merely sec
tionGi excitement is already passing away, and
the sectional combination which menaced the
Union has been broken up. Meantime, the
question Of Slavery has been brought up for
adjudication at the bar of the world. Its sup
porters have forced it into an arena where it
has been subjected to the test Of the most scru-
timing investigation. Its opponents AS well MS
advocates have been heard--the speeches of
both have been sown broadcast over the coun-
try, North and South. In the heat Of the con
tict, each party has claimed the victory and
the adhcrents of each have been fully satisfied
with the arguments of their orators but men
are returning to their ordinary pursuits. dream
ing no more of revolution and blOodshed, and
the hour of reflection is coming. The Truth
which has been disseminated throughout the
South has not all fallen upon stony places
There are thousands of its citizens, not deeply
interested in the Slavery system, in whose
hearts the good seed has taken deep root where
it will yet bring forth abundantly. There are
thousands interested in the system, who despite
the imaginary triumph of the hour now feel in
their cool moments that the perpetuation of
such an abuse as that of Slavery is an impoSsi-
bility. Thousands more have become convinced
will only endanger far greater interests The
fact that Thomas H. Benton breasting such IA
political combination rs few public men have
ever encountered, boldly declared Slavery an
evil and denounced the Fugitive Law in a
slave State, in the heart Of the slaycholding
district of that State, and yet was triumphant
ly returned to Congress and the fact that in
five slaveholding States Free Democratic meet
ings have been held Free Democratic speeches
delivered, Free Democratic electoral tickets
formed and supported, confirm our opinion.
There is Progress in the South and after