Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-11-04
LETTERS TO THE KERR DINNER.
TEAcHEY's DEPoT, Duplin County, I
Canfor,har az 1874

ing me with an invitation to q public dinner to be
given to your representative in Congress, the Hon.
John Kerr, on the 2Sth instant at Yanceyville, IS
before me. regret exceedingly my inability to
comply with your request Ny long absence from
home will require that all my time and attention
should be given to my private business
am truly pleased at this manifestation OF APPROX
al given to your distinguished representative for his
course on the bill to organize the Territories OF Ne
braska and Kansas" You, in my opinion, do no
than justice in adding to the confidence already
reposed, by this new ackn enlargement OF gratitude
for his faithful public service.
agree with you in the Importance that your peo-
pie attach to the momentous issues likely to grow
out of the present agitation at the North on the
"question of slavery" and trust you will indulge
me with few reflections which the time suggests.
The first question is Why the agitation at the North
and what has been done SO to excite the public mlnd
in that section, to make them threaten hostile leg
islation against interest which we claim is pro-
tected by the Federal compact. retrospect OF our
conduct as members of confederacy, is suggestive
of the following pertinent inquiries have we ever
invaded any the Constitutional rights ofthe North
Have ever withheld the protection OF any inter-
est pertaining to their persons or property? Have
we ever manifested the least disposition to resist
them in their liberties to Illustrate their prosper
ity? Have we ever indicated any intention to dis-
turb their domestic tranquility? Or have we ever
refused to provide for the common defence, or to
promote the general welfare? Or finally, might
ask what object had fathers in Vew In the for
nation of the Federal Government, that we nave
shown unwillingness to obtain? Can we be up
braided by the North for the dereliction OF any
Constitutional duty? No, gentlemen, our escutche-
on is clear of any offence arising from commission
of wrong omission of duty towards our Northern
friends and this storm is raised over our heads
in all its fury, for other reason under heaven, than
that will not allow the North to use the common
agent, the General Government to exclude US from
the occupancy of common property. You may turn
and twist this question you WILL 1t resolves itself
into the simple fact that the North desires to re-
strict US in the use of property-the Territories
which belong as much to one section as another,
and they seek 20 do it with that power when is as
much agent as theirs. To illustrate the gross
injustice, the atrocty of this attempt let us sup
pose Massachusetts,, or any other Northern State,
should send armed force to the Territory OF Kan
sas, with instructions that it should not permit
shareholders to enter and occupy any portion OF
that country Would not this be rebellion against
the Constitutional authority of the confederacy?
Where is the difference if she should do the same
thing through her representatives in Congress? The
mode of doing it, whether by force or law, may
cause more or less irritation but does not affect the
question of authority. If she claims the right as
member of the confederacy to say what species OF
property you may or may not carry into the Terri
tory, she might just well contend for the power
to exclude you altogether, your exclusion by the
one mode or by the other, would be practical es-
adjustment of two "eastes in American sovereignty,
States of superior and inferior ranks.
This distinction would necessarily entail upon
civil, moral and social degradation. Does the part
we have ever been called upon to perform in our
political drama justify any such degradation? Whe-
ther in peace or in war have we not been as peers
with our Northern friends? What battles have eV-
err been fought for the protection of our honor or
defence of country but that blood has flowed
equally with theirs? What of the civil or political
renown country has obtained but that the South
contributed her full proportion? Our country has
risen in an incredible short time from state of in
significant imbecity to a rank among the first
tons earth. What has caused such an astonish
ing development of her resources but Southern cap
ital -.... -
From compilation of facts furnished me by
friend in the Treasury Department, find that the
exports of the domestic products from the United
States from lS21 to 1853, amounted in round num-
bers to S., coo 600 900. This has been our trading
capital. What we have consumed, whether produced
in this that section of country has added nothing
to the national wealth. 1t has only received any
substantial addition from our exports, that out of
the large amount given above, twothirds were COM
posed of three articles cotton tobacco, and rice,
exclusively the products of slave labor. The other
third composed of breadstus, spirits manufactured
articles &C., were produced at the North as well as
at the South, but have no means of aScertalning
the proportion 1t is not extravagant to claim at
least one. third of the latter for the South, which
would give sevennnths of the exports of the coun-
try to the slaveholdng section. contemplation
of these facts should inspire us with the conviction
that we have fully done our duty under the Federal
compact in promoting the general welfare, and also
with manly resolution to resist any unjust oppres-
sion. Before finishing with these exports, let us
tages of expectation. The shipping interest of the
country is owned mostly at the North, and while we
have right to charge the general government with
their superiority in this branch of industry, do
claim that the monopoly which our laws give them
in the coastng trade, and which is burden on our
section, is owing to Southern hberaty. Yet how
deaf they to any call of gratitude The State of
Maine has lately indicated by her election, that she
is ready and ripe for crusade against Southern in
erests She has abolitionized her whole Congress
siona delegation. Yet she still enjoys this monop-
oly of which if she were deprived, it would beggar
thousands of her citizens. With what grace then
can she modest us? Is it because we allow her to
live as it were upon the fruits of our labor? Yes,
gentlemen, not only do we furnish the exports and
give the North the exclusive right to transport them,
but when these exports return to this country in the
shape of goods, wares and merchandise, we adjust
our tariff of duties in such manner as to protect
those branches of industry which are in measure
peculiar to the North The South has, indeed, cla-
mored against the injustice of these tariff duties but
she has never asked from the government any legs-
latve protection to any interest peculiar to her
section. l mention these facts, which familiar
to ALL to show that in the first place, it has
been our policy sectonalize the legislation of Con-
gress; and in the second place, to show with what
fidelity the Southern people have always acted in
maintaining the national sentiment which pervades
the Federal Constitution If the North possesses no
Constitutional authority to exclude from the Ter
ritores with slave property, and we have acted
in such manner to give them excuse for their
present hostile attitude agree with you, that if
intend to defend ourselves against aggressons which
they threaten and for which they to be uniting
the South should also be unit
You have been pleased to speak in terms of COM
mendation of my course as steadfast and consist
ent in support of Southern rights" Next to the APP
proval OF my own conscience, l desire no higher