Eastern times., 1855-11-01


Massachusetts,, from which we copied week
before last -
Concession of the South in return for the Con-
stitmiondl precision.
From this hasty review Of the subject, it
will be seen that the constitutional provision
was inserted for the exclusive benefit of the
siaveholding states. 1t was concession to a
peculiar interest, and was so understood by
both sections of the republic But in consid-
Grafton of the benefit granted, the non-sIave-
holding states received, if not an equivalent,
at least what was intended an such. The
south agreed to what is called the three. ftfhs
rule of representative apportionment. That
is, it was conceded by the slave states, that in
the popular apportionment for numerical rep
resentation in the national house of represen-
tatives, five slaves should be counted as three
persons only, which would, of course, to the
extent of the difference, lessen their number
of representatives in congress. To this, as a
compromise, the parties agreed. But this was
not all ; the slave states made further con-
cession, that in the apportionment of direct
taxes, the ,ohoIe number of slaves should be
counted, instead of three-ffihs, as in the rep
resentative apportionment, by which their pro-
portion of such taxes would be as much great
er relatively as their representation in con-
gress is smaller than the non-slaveholdng
states. True, little or no advantage has re-
suited from this latter concession, because our
revenues have always, with single excep-
icn, been raised indirectly, but this was not
then foreseen or anticipated, and the future
may reverse this state of things, if not entire
ly, at least to great extent. The advantag
es, however, resulting from the representative
apportionment compromise have now been en-
joyed by the non-slaveholding states for near
ly seventy years, and they have been substan-
tial, and will not be less in the future.
Such was the arrangement into which the
trainers of our constitution entered, when be-
fore them this, or total failure, was the al
Tentative. 1t was accepted by the people, and
the experience of more than half century is
conclusive, all things considered, that none
better could have been devised. 1t worked
harmonously so long as it was observed in
good faith, and will again when fanaticism
shall have exhausted itself, and men shall
learn that civil communities, like individuals,
alone are responsible for their respective sins.
Misrepresentation Of The South, and us Fr,aLs.
In the heat of opposition to slavery through
out the north, it is rare that any material facts
regarding the system are stated, except such
as tell against the people of the slaveholding
states. Of the one, the great mass of the
north can, from the nature of the case, have
but an imperfect conception of the other we
judge by our own standard Of manners, Gus
toms, education, climate, and habits of thought.
The whole matter is looked at from our point
of view. If the south speak she is not heard,
or if heard, she is not credited. And if
northern man, entirely disinterested, but con-
versaHt with the operation of the system. dis
sent from the current sentiment of the north,
he is instantly hunted down, prescribed, and
treated as one already forsaken of God. and
entitled to no mercy. 1t seems never to have
occurred to northern abolitionisis that behind,
and out of line with their own views there may
be facts important to be known before passing
Judgment irrevocably against the south that
there may be, strange as it may seem, phil
osophy of slavery, which though it may not,
in the abstract, Justify the holding of men in
bondage, yet may show, that denouncing an
existing system is not proposing remedy for
its abrogation. 1t may, indeed, be found that
there are facts underlying the whole system,
as it exists, over which the dominant race has
no effective control facts which must deter
mine our entire course of action even though it
be in opposition to long cherished, precon-
ceived opinions Politicians, anxious, out of
northern sympathy, TO make party or personal
capital, pay little or no regard to facts as they
exist. Such men serve their own purposes
better by adopting and following out that
course which promises the largest harvest of
votes, and the quickest return of popular favor
for the labor bestowed. Combination after
combination (their name is legion) has arisen
during the last twenty years, whose sole OBJ
1ect has been, if their declarations may be
credited, the overthrow of slavery. Under
party cognomens which set at defiance alike
our sense of euphony and our knowledge Of
etymology, the attainment of this same end is
still desideratum. To this hour, however,
not the slightest impression on the south has
been made in the direction of emancipation.
On the contrary, slavery was never more
stoutly or ably defended, nor ever has the sys-
TEN been more universally popular, in regions
where it exists, than at this moment. This
certainly cannot be because slavery is less ar
evil than formerly-certainly not because the
south has not as keen sense of right as at any
former period. A moments reflection viii
satisfy any one that there must be an eyre
gious misrepresentation of the facts in the cast
somewhere.
Northern sentiment, it may be said, is Ger
tainly right. Suppose this admitted, it will
be found no justification for wrong, or an OF
fensive mode of its manifestation. Misrepre
II