Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-07-17
" CRUSHING QUIZ ABo1ITIoNIsM.


Southern and Pro- Slavery politicians have
been singularly unfortunate in the means they
have employed for " crushing Out" the Anti
Slavery spirit Of the North. The Nebraska
bill, it was supposed, would work like charm
in exercising the demon Of Abolitionism; but,
contrary to the sanguine calculations Of its
authors tho effect has been to make twenty
Abolitonists where one existed before. The
kindred scheme for catching fugitive slaves,
concocted with the same object of trampling
in the dust the moral, religious, and political
sentiments Of the Northern people, only served
to keep alive the fires of Abolition; but the
Nebraska Bill has awakened the sleeping en-
bers into devouring fame, which will not
cease to age until every element of Pro-Sla-
very in the National Administration shall be
consumed.
Having failed in these Legislative devices for
roofing out Anti Slavery from the hearts of the
people, the genius Of Slavery now proposes
other expedients, which are more transparent
" absurd than those which have already failed
Of their object. II has been seriously proposed
to abandon all commercial intercourse with
the North, in the hope Of bringing the North
ern people to sense of the beauties of Sla-
very. In the first place, this scheme, if prac-
ticable, which it is not would operate directly
to the prejudice Of that class Of Northern men
who are most tolerant Of Slavery, and who, to
lamentsble extent, have been its friends and
apologists. We allude to the merchants. They
have already done all that their customers can
in conscience exact OF them, in order to "put
down. the Abolitonists; and now, will il not
be most unjust for the shareholders, in their
unreasoning fury, to punish their Northern
sympathizers for their i'll success? The MGR
chant class have tolerated Slavery in order to
oblige their customers; and if the latter cease
to be customers, is it not natural, is it not GER
tain, that the former will withdraw their coun-
tenancc from the hated institution. Nothing,
therefore, can be more absurd than the pro-
posed plan Of cutting off commercial inter-
course.
But in point Of fact the scheme is as imprac-
ticable, while the Union lasts, as it is impolitc
The laws which regulate trade are as natural
and certain in their operation as those which
govern physical nature. 1t is as certain that
men will buy where they can buy cheapest,
and sell where they can command the highest
prices, as that water will run down wards. The
law Of trade, it is true, may be counteracted
and overcome by legislation and men may be
constrained, by tariffs and on-intcrcourse laws
to forego the advantages Of the best market
In like manner, the hydrostatic principle may
be counteracted by various devices, such as
dams, force-pumps, sc.
II is idle, therefore, for Southern politicians
to call on the people to buy and sell to disad-
vantage, while the Union lasts, and while its
most tangible benefit free trade is untrammel-
cd and unrestricted by laws. Southern men
Of practical turn OF mind arc beginning to
understand all this, as well as to see the alb
surdity Of the proposition in other points OF
view. A Georgia paper entitled the dmsrieaa
Union, takes o sensible view Of the subject,
and demands to know where the South is to
trade, when il cuts of intercourse with New
York and Boston Will il trade with Eng
land and France--countries equally Astounding
in Abolitionistsa Or will it cease all foreign
intercourse, and abandon the expectation Of
cotton, tobacco, and other products! These
are home questions, which, one would suppose,
might reach the common sense Of the veriest
abstractionist.
A kindred measure, designed to crush out
Abolitionism By Withdrawing Southern sup
port from Northern newspapers and periodicals,
If more feasible in the execution, would be still
more unfortunate in its effects. What is it
that kesps any Northern newspapers except
such as live upon Federal patronage, in lead
ing-strings 10 Slavery! Is II not Southern
patronage! Would certain widely.oircalated
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