The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1854-11-04
LETTER FROM HOx. W. s. AsHE.

LETTER + ROM HON. W. 3. Ash Es
The following letter from our worthy Repre- |
sentative in Congress, Hon WIN. S. Ashe, was /
addressed in reply to an invitation to attend the |
dinner given to Hon. Ohm Kerr at Ianceyville. |
IEAcHE1s DEPOT, Dupln Co., Sept. 25.
GENTLEMEN: Your letter of the 4th instant, |
honor'ng me with an invitation to public din |
ner 10 he given to your representative in Con
gress, the Hon. John Kerr on the 2Sth inst,
at 1anceyviile Is before me. I-regret exceed |
ingly my INABILITY to comply with your request
My long absence from home will require that
all my time time aud attention should be given
to my private business
ain truly pleased at this manifestation of
approval given to your distinguished representa-
tive Ior Ais@eetsfs. "tise bill to organize the
Territories of Nebraska and Kansas" You,
iii my opinion, do no more than justice in add
ing to the confidence already reposed, by this
renewed acknow iedgmcnt Of gratitude for his
faithful public service.
agree with you III the Importance that your
people attach to the momcntous issues Likely o
grow out of the present agitation at the \ ortiz
on the ''question of slavery, and / trust You
will indulge me with few reflections which the
time suggests. The first question is: Why
this agitation at the North and what has been
done so to excite the public mind in that section,
to make them threaten hostile lcgisa ton
against interest which claim is protected
conduct members of common confederacy,
is suggestive of the following Inquiries: Have
we ever invaded any of the Constitutional rights
OF the North? Have we ever withheld the
protection of any interest pertaining to their
persons or property? Have ever manifested
the least disposition to resist them in their liber
ties, to Illustrate their prosperity? Have we
ever indicated any intention to disturb their
domestic tranquility? Or have we ever refused
to provide for the common defence, to pro-
mote the general welfare? Or finally, I might
ask, what object had our fathers in view in the
formation of the Federal Government, that we
have shown an unwillingness to obtain? Can
we be upbraided by the North for the derelic-
ton of any Constitutional duty? No, gentle
men, escutcheon is clear of any offence
arising from commission of wrong omission
of duty towards our Northern friends, and this
storm is now raised over heads in all its fury
for no other reason under Heaven than that
we will not allow the North to use the common
agent, the Genera! Government to exclude us
from the occupancy of common property. You
may turn and twist this question as Won will it
revolves itself into the simple fact, that the
North desires to restrict in the use of pro-
perty-the Territories-which belong as much
to one section as another; and they seek to do
---..i. An.,s.l. mar .y--.
ias theirs. TO illustrate the gross Injustice the
atrocity OF this attempt, let suppose Massa-
chusetts, or any other Northern State, should
with instructions that it should not permit
shareholders to enter and occupy any portion
of that country. Would not this be rebellion
against the Constitutions! authority of the con-
fedcracy? Where is the difference ifshe should
do the same thing through her representatives
i'll Congress-? The mode of doing it, whether
by force Or law, may cause more or less rrta-
ton, but does not effect the question of au:hori-
ty. If she claims the right as a member of the
contederacy to say what species of property
you may or may not carry into the Territory
she might just as well contend for the power to
exclude yon altogether, your exclusion by the
one mode or by the other would be q practical
establishment Of two ''casfes' in American
sovereignty, States Of superior and inferior rank
This distinction would necessarily entail upon
US civil, moral, and social degradation Does
the part we have ever been called upon to per
form in our political drama justify any such
degradation? Whether in peace or in war
have not been peers with our Northern
friends? What battles have ever been fought
for the protection of our honor or defence of
! our country, but that blood has flowed
equally with theirs? What of the civil or poll
tcal renown our country has obtained but that
! the South contributed her full proportion? Our
country has risen in incredible short time
! from a state of insignificant mbcciIity to a
rank among the first nations on earth. What
has caused such an astonishing development of
her resources but Southern capital!
| From a compilation of facts furnished me by
a friend in the Treasury Department. find
/ that the exports of the domestic products from
the United States from 1921 to S53 amounted
in round numbers to S., ,0OO 900, 900 This has
! been our trading capitnL What we have con-
sumed, whether produced in this or that section
of the country, has added nothing to the ma
tional weath.-It has only received any SUBJ
stantial addition from exports, and out of
the large amount given above, two-thirds were
composed of three articles, cotton, tobacco, and
rice exclusively the products of slave labor.
The other third composed of breadstuffs spirits,
manufactured articles, &c, were produced at
the North as we'll as at the South but have
no means Of ascertaining the proportion. 1t is
not extravagant to claim at least one-thrd o
the latter for the South, which would give
the slaveholding section. a contemplation oi
these facts should inspire Us with the conviction
that we have fully done our duty under the
Federal compact in promoting the general wei
fare, and also with manly resolution to resis
any unjust oppression. Before Flushing will
these exports let us who has reaped th'
most, if not all the advantages of expectation
The shipping interest of the country is owned
mostly at the North, and while we have NJ
right to charge the general government witt
their superiority in this branch of industry, W
, do claim that the monopoly which our law
give them in the coasting trade, and which is
burden Oh our section, is owing to Southerl
, liberality. Yet how deaf are they to any cal
of gratitude. The State of Maine has lately
indicated by her election. that she is ready ane
ripe for crusade against Southern interests