The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-06-21
THE LANCASTER LEDGER.

South. AS the South prospers, they pros.
per as the South decays, they decay. In,
deed, 1t is not stating the case too STRONGLY.
to say, that the North have as much interest
in the institution of slavery as the South
have; they have all the advantages of slave.
ry, and none of its disadvantages And vet
the eastern States, which of. all others, de-
rive the most benefit from the institution,
are most bitter against it.
Should the present Government, Mr..
Chairman, be overthrown, will the northern
States be able to reconstruct as good one
in its stead The small States OF the North
should remember that one of the principal
difficulties in the formation of the present
Government, arose from the unwllingness
of the larger States to admit the smaller to
an equality in the Senate. win they be
able to enter northern confedcracy in this
era of extreme Democracy on equal terms
in this respect with the empire States of
New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio! ltis
extremely doubtful whether thew c; uli
THESE small States are peculiarly interested
in the preservation of tho present form Of
Government Yet they are generally the
most active in pursuing policy at war with
the continuance of the Government. In the
event Of dissolution of the Union. there
would not be two Coufsdrracics formed,
but at least three for the States on the Pa
cific would not have the folly TO mingle them
selves up with the convulsions of TIE Allan.
tic States they would raise the banner of
independence, and pursue their great career
alone. The northern States would be hedg-
ed IN by two hostile nations--England on
the North, their natur.I rival in commerce
and manufactures. the slave States on the
South, exasperated by all the antecedents Of
dlsunion. The first necessity Of the North
then would be strong government large
standing armies, great navy, and heavy
taxes. To what extent liberty would suffer
under the pressure of these necessities it is
not difficult to say. II is striking fnct in
history that no people surrounded BY pow
erful enemies have been able to preserve
their liberties. Why in England tie only
free power in Europe! Not merely because
she has magma chartd and the writ Of har-
beds corpus, but because she has the Struts
of Dover. Her insular position securing
her from attack, dispenses with the necessi-
ty Of vast standing armies, and permits he..
10 be free. We have hitherto cnioyed this
signal advantage to q greater extent than
even England, and this is one great cause of
our freedom. In disunion the North will
no longer enjoy this advantage; and if libcr-
ty should not perish, it would be the first
time in history that it had not under similar
circumstances. That a dissolution of the
Union would be followed by wars long con
tnued, fierce, vindictive, cruel, and bloody,
Is too consonant with human nature for us
to doubt; Fut forbear longer to dwell up
on so repulsive a picture. ....
Before the North, are two futures, one
disunion, anarchy, chaos, loss of liberty, in
glorious wars, miserable plagiarism of the
South Americen Republics ;the other union,
a continuance in the most signal course of
prosperity, unparalleled greatness and glory.
a'd the preservation of free. institutions,
Who but madman would hesitate which
to choose. For my own part, whatever mel
ancholy forebodings may havo upon this
subject, ardcntly hope, rs lover of hu-
manity, that tho people of the North may
be induced 10 cho ose the wiser course. Ev-
cry thing depends upon the North We of
the South are in the minority; we are pas
sSe; we make no war upon, them or their
institutions We desire concord, If il be pos.
sible; We demand merely justice and the
| Constitution less than that we could not
demand with safety to ourselves.