New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-26
CONsCgOUs WEAKNESS.

| CONSCIOUS WEAkNESs.
Mr. Andrew p Butler, the Senator from South
Carolina, alluded pettshly the other day to an ari-
Gle Of ours On the feelings and apprehenSions Of
Southern Statesmen with regard to war with
England or any other irst-rate power. We spoke
of the well known fact that Mr.. Calhoun and his
followers always expressed the strongest conserga-
tism on this topic. We alluded TO the circum-
stance that Southern gentlemen Of intelligence,
capable Of dealing with public affairs, were al
ways extremely sensitive on the subject of war
with any leading European power an1 held 1t to
be their spec cial mission TO throw cold water on
the war temper of the Northern masses And we
set forth with detail the reason for this trem
ulousness, stating that it arose from their appre-
hension that among the results Of conflict with
such power would be the fall Of Slavery. For
this record Of Southern views it has suited Mr..
Buffers purposes to be vaguely denunciatOry Of
our humble sheet. If Mr.. Butler does not like
the picture we cannot help it. But it must be
entirely familiar to his mind, both as suggested by
his own reflections and as drawn by the frequent
conversations Of his former eminent colleague.
Mr. Butler knows as well as we do that the views
we presented were a correct transcript Of ntelli-
gent Southern opinion. He believes as well as
any of his colleagues that Slavery would be one
weak point in any contest with powerful adver-
sary He knows IA well as anybody that IN
question touching foreign war, no matter what
its cause or nature the South will be found on the
tmid side He knows that, notwithstanding the
eloImous commercial capital OF the North that
would be lost in the event OF u war; yet nowhere
would the effects of destructive and lasting con-
Act be so severely felt as in the Slave States and
specially those of the seabOard The interruption
of Southern slave labor for year or two would
beggar the South. They live from hand to mouth,
and, unlike the North, have ho accumulated capital
or native fertility Of resource to fall back
upon. The population is incapable of new forms
Of labor and as defenseless as il is incapable In
war the Slave States would be great drag upon
the Free, for the population of the latter would
have to 90 there to defend them.
But il is not to the truth Of this picture, we
fancy, that Mr.. Butler takes exceptions; 1t Is to
its public exhibition. 1t may be that when held
up by us distinctly to bis view, it seems more re-
pulsiye than when examined under the dull lamp
of Southern privacy at home. Moreover, ia speak
ing of the fyorte institution and what concerns and
relates to il, we do not shade deeply as Southern
artists Aiming at fidelity chiefly, we do not spend
words in the way Of dsguses. The Senator
| must not grow restive under such an exposition.
The tmidity of the South on this question cannot be
disguised, and has most natural foundation. The
Southern or Calhoun theory of our Government,
| if honestly held, which we are not inclined to
| doubt at least 20 far as its author was concerned,
has strong tendency 10 intensity tho apPrehen-
sion felt by Southern gentlemen as TO the results
of war with any European power OF the nrst
| grade. They not only fear the effect upon
their system of seryiiude, but they may be sup
posed in view Of that theory 10 entertain most pa
triotic apprehensions arising from the conEquen-
ces of its overthrow. 1t was Mr.. Cslhouns doc
rine, and is therefore, we may safely assume the
theory Of South Carolina, and of Mr.. Butler, that
\ Slavery is the bslance-wheel of the Government,
without which it could not 60 on for single gen.
| GRAFTON. In fact we may fairly infer that this
theory has been adopted by Judge Douglas, His
Exeellency Franklin Pierce, and the Yankee
Mephistophcles, General Gushing. The spread Of
Slavery, so urgently supported by these three
NeW-Engiand patriots, can only nhu lis IoS!cai
justification in such doctrine as this. In some
future report ffOm the Territorial Committee, or
in some Message or Proclamation from the White
House, We may expect its distinct assertion.
MI Calhoun used to say tia no government
could go on for any length of time withOu, having
within its own organization vital conservative
principle. In ours, he declared that this cOnserva
tive principle was Slavery; and tha. to Slavery,
and Slavery alone, We owed our stability. He, as
well as the slave ohgarchy generally, never hes..a-
ted to express his contempt of the roz popHl of TIE
sovereign people Of the Free States and to declare
that real Democracy could never stand. The
| people, he argued, would rush into excesses, and
would have leaders to represent them ia their
fekeness and rashness, and thus ali would plunge
| into common anarchy and ruiI. Wars would be